BOE to hear about audit this week

By JILLIAN ATELSEK

jatelsek@newspost.com

The Frederick County Board of Education on Wednesday will hear about an ongoing audit of the district’s special education programs, the process for selecting library books and more.

Reviewers from Public Consulting Group (PCG), a Boston-based firm that’s conducting an independent review of Frederick County Public Schools’ services for students with disabilities, will speak to board members and answer questions at the evening meeting.

The board approved a $145,000 contract with the firm in December. In the months since, PCG has visited special education classrooms across the district, led focus groups with parents and educators, and reviewed See SCHOOLS A12)

(SCHOOLS from A1) documents.

The firm is set to present its findings in June.

The audit came in response to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation that found FCPS was systematically misusing seclusion and restraint against students with disabilities. A task force formed in the wake of the DOJ report recommended an independent review of all of the district’s special education services.

Also on Wednesday, the school board will hear from district officials about how books are selected for school libraries.

Kevin Cuppett, who leads the district’s Curriculum, Instruction and Innovation department, and Mary Jo Richmond, the supervisor of media services, will lead the presentation.

It comes as a committee of 59 FCPS employees, parents, students and community members are weighing 35 challenged books that a former school board candidate argues should be removed from school library shelves across the county.

Cindy Rose, who ran for the board four times, requested the books be removed because she alleged they contained inappropriate material.

Members of the school board’s curriculum and instruction committee subsequently requested more information on how books end up in school libraries in the first place, according to a post on BoardDocs, the body’s platform for sharing information with the public.

The board’s third and final main agenda item Wednesday concerns the academic calendar for the 2024-25 school year. The calendar committee has come up with three possible start dates, according to information posted on Board-Docs: Aug. 14, 19 or 21.

Wednesday’s meeting, like all school board meetings, will begin at 6 p.m. in the board room at 191 S. East St.

Community members can also observe the board’s work session, which begins at 3 p.m. in the same place.

During this week’s work session, members will consider designs for the new Yellow Springs Elementary School, hear the first annual report from the new Sabillasville Environmental Public Charter School, review the policy that governs which students are eligible for school bus transportation and more.

Follow Jillian Atelsek on Twitter: @jillian_atelsek