Montgomery County Public Schools is changing kindergarten orientation beginning with the next school year.
According to a letter to elementary school principals from Chief Academic Officer Peggy Push and Associate Superintendent Niki Hazel, “We decided to take a different approach this year.”
In the past, the school district cancelled kindergarten classes for two to three days to register families and observe students for class placement, according to a letter from Acting Superintendent Dr. Monique Felder. This forced many parents to find childcare for current kindergarten students.
Moving forward, classes will not be canceled during registration.
An MCPS elementary school kindergarten teacher contacted MCM, stating, “Did you know MCPS is also getting rid of kindergarten orientation? I’ve been a kindergarten teacher for 20 years in the county. We are beyond upset.”
A committee comprised of members of the Montgomery County Education Association and the Montgomery County Assocation of Administrators and Principals agreed canceling kindergarten for two to three days “does not meet the state requirements for the minimum number of school days and placed a hardship on many families,” Felder wrote.
She also noted that MCPS is the only school district in Maryland that cancels kindergarten for orientation and the only district that observes incoming students in the spring.
“This practice does not account for the social, emotional, and academic growth students will experience between the spring and fall and can create unintentional labeling and bias,” Felder wrote.
So beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, MCPS “will shift from the traditional kindergarten orientation model to an orientation model where kindergarten classes are not canceled model.”
Registration begins March 18.
