Montgomery County Board of Education District 3

A: As originally conceived, the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future was a strong step forward for Montgomery County. It invested in early childhood education, expanded career pathways, strengthened teacher pay, and set clear accountability standards.

Five years in, however, it has not fully lived up to expectations. Districts were given ambitious mandates, but funding has not kept pace. That mismatch is putting real pressure on school budgets and limiting local flexibility. Programs like expanded pre-K and career pathways are running into the realities of staffing, cost, and implementation. The problem has been compounded by state-level funding delays. Given ongoing budget uncertainty at the federal, state, and local levels, we have to be realistic about what can be sustained. At this point, the Blueprint should be refocused on a smaller set of priorities—particularly early childhood education, career readiness, and maintaining competitive teacher pay. That would allow Montgomery County to implement these programs effectively, without constant concern about whether funding will materialize. We need to move from an ambitious plan on paper to one that is durable and workable in practice.

A: Yes, I support reasonable restrictions on student cell phone use during the school day. Phones are a major source of distraction and can interfere with students’ focus, social development, and learning. At the same time, I recognize they are important for communication with families, so policies should allow access before and after school while keeping them out of students’ hands during class.

But phones are only part of the issue. In Montgomery County, Maryland, every student is issued a Chromebook, and screen time has become a significant part of the school day. Technology is a valuable tool, but studies show that more screen time does not automatically mean better outcomes. We should be intentional about how and when devices are used. That includes creating more opportunities for face-to-face instruction, discussion, and hands-on learning, while still preparing students for a technology-driven world. As a Board member, I would work with educators and experts to strike that balance—reducing unnecessary screen time while ensuring students build the skills they need for the future, including responsible use of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.

A: To improve math scores, MCPS should take the following steps:

Start early – In pre-K programs, MCPS should introduce math concepts at an early age. This builds a strong foundation while helping identify students who may excel and those who may need additional support. Continue Curriculum 2.0 – Updates to Curriculum 2.0, including opportunities for advanced students to enter compacted courses, should yield long-term benefits. Provide help – MCPS needs to identify students who struggle with key math concepts and provide targeted support. Whether through specialized teachers or peer-to-peer tutoring, it is imperative to assist all students. Focus on Algebra 1 – Students who do not pass Algebra 1 are less likely to graduate. MCPS must ensure that students who fall behind receive support and fully grasp core concepts. Limit screen time – While technology has a role, students need to be able to solve problems independently. Screen time in math class should be limited to ensure mastery without overreliance on tools like AI. These steps will help move math achievement in the right direction.

A: Montgomery County is currently engaged in a boundary study to redistrict schools. While many people have invested significant time and effort, the process has become overly politicized, with responsibility shared across the board.

If elected, I would start by ensuring that teachers, parents, and staff clearly understand the goals of redistricting: keeping schools operating between 85–95% capacity while minimizing disruption and travel for students. Transparency must also be a priority. All proposed options should be displayed on a website with clear, easy-to-read maps that highlight changes. The language must be straightforward so families can easily understand how they are affected—something that was lacking in the recent process. The Board should also actively seek input from parents, teachers, and staff. All impacted groups deserve a meaningful opportunity to share feedback before final decisions are made. To bring families back, we need to improve the product. Restoring excellence, consistency, and accountability in Montgomery County schools is the most effective way to rebuild trust and attract families back to MCPS.

A: Parents should absolutely have a say in what is available in a school library. They care deeply about their children and have a right to expect MCPS to listen to their concerns. The recent court decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor also reinforces that parents must have a role in what is presented to their children at school.

At the same time, students deserve to see themselves and their families reflected in both the curriculum and the library. We live in a diverse county, and our schools should reflect that reality. The challenge is balancing these priorities—respecting parental concerns while maintaining inclusive and representative collections. I believe books with mature or controversial themes should be placed in a separate section. Students would need permission from a parent or guardian to access them. This approach allows families to guide what their children are exposed to, while still ensuring that a wide range of perspectives remains available within the school library. This strikes a balance between parental involvement and maintaining access to diverse materials.

A: I believe the Blueprint is well-meaning with its broad attempts to improve curriculum, career readiness and the teacher pipeline. However, the implementation has been incredibly overwhelming for local school districts like MCPS in the post-Pandemic years of increased student needs, teacher burnout and declining investment. In particular, local requirements for high school career and college readiness as well as the complete transformation of math curriculum require a massive investment of staff and student time. Current middle and elementary school families and staff will suffer the brunt of this implementation.

A: I support classroom restrictions on student use of cellphones across all grade levels. I believe that “screen time” for our youngest learners should be minimized, outside of necessary access for testing and special education support.

A: We cannot possibly expect improved student math outcomes if we do not robustly invest in PK-3 grade reading. Reading readiness and fluency is the building block for all academic success and improved outcomes. That said, I believe every elementary school should have a Math Content Specialist in the same way they have Reading Specialists. We are not currently preparing our students and staff to adapt to the new, statewide math curriculum rollout, which wholly transforms the course pathways.

A: MCPS is currently experiencing declining enrollments, but these dips aren’t happening in every area of the County. Families consistently and continue to purchase and rent homes in highly desirable locations in transit corridors, close to schools and work. MCPS must take a precise and surgical approach to consolidation, closure to achieve school utilization balance in the upcoming Countywide Elementary Boundary Study. I believe conversation should also precede public deliberation before high impact and wholesale changes to school articulation patterns are adopted. MCPS data often captures a moment in time; it must shed this static approach. Instead, MCPS should consult and visit school communities to learn from principals, staff and families about real-time enrollments, local access to services and programs and overall utilization of the school building. This takes a little more time and effort, but it demonstrates a commitment to transparent and collaborative engagement and earns back community trust in the system.

A: School library book selection is the purview of library and school staff, and must comply with state law. MCPS families have several public pathways for expressing their opinions about content - the most important being the Superintendent’s regulation stating that all families may request an evaluation and review of materials through petitioning a school administrator and/or the MCPS Department of Evaluation and Selection. I believe this is a fair process. I would not ask the Superintendent to consider changing this regulation, but rather as a BOE member, request annual data regarding such requests and resolutions.

A: The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future gets a lot right. Its investment in early childhood education reflects what research confirms: the earliest years are the most critical for brain development, and equitable Pre-K access is one of the most powerful levers we have. The community schools model is equally compelling. When schools serve as hubs for wraparound services, connecting families to health resources and community partners, real barriers to learning get removed. Gaithersburg Elementary, right here in Montgomery County, is proof that it works.

And yet, ambition without adequate funding is just pressure. Mandated change at this scale requires resources that match the requirements. When they don’t, districts are forced to choose between compliance and quality. Our students deserve both. The Blueprint’s vision is worth fighting for. Getting there means the state must fully invest in the implementation, not just the mandate.

A: Yes, and the research is unambiguous. Smartphone use in schools is linked to decreased attention, poorer academic outcomes, and significant mental health impacts, particularly for adolescents. Students learn better when devices aren’t competing for their focus.

I support a district-wide policy that restricts personal devices during instructional time, with schools having flexibility to implement in ways that work for their communities. A clear, consistent standard matters; the current patchwork of classroom-by-classroom rules creates confusion for students, parents, and teachers alike. On screen time more broadly, technology has a real role in learning when it’s purposeful and teacher-directed. The question isn’t screens versus no screens; it’s who is in control of the experience. Passive scrolling and active, curriculum-aligned learning are not the same thing, and our policies should reflect that distinction. This is also a student wellness issue. Protecting focus and social connection during the school day is something every family wants, regardless of where they stand politically.

A: Math achievement is not optional, even if math itself is pretty easy to avoid. Reading is everywhere; you cannot get through a day without it. Math? You can sidestep it, and a lot of kids figure that out early. That’s exactly why we have to be more intentional about how we teach it and when we reinforce it.

One of the most well-documented culprits is summer learning loss. Students lose real ground between June and September, and teachers spend the first weeks of school recovering it instead of moving forward. Nobody wants to do math worksheets in July, I get it. But accessible, engaging summer programs that keep skills active make a genuine difference for students and teachers alike. We also need math connected to real life. Financial literacy, everyday problem solving, knowing how to split a check without breaking a sweat. The goal isn’t a district full of mathematicians. It’s kids who grow up confident with numbers, because that confidence opens doors.

A: Families don’t leave public schools without a reason. Before any conversation about closures or redistricting, we owe it to our communities to find out exactly what those reasons are. Enrollment decline is a symptom. Treating it without diagnosing the cause is how you lose more families, not fewer.

Rebuilding trust is the work. And trust is not rebuilt through marketing campaigns or glossy recruitment materials. It is rebuilt by listening, giving real answers, and following through. Families want to believe in their public schools. Meeting them with honesty and genuine engagement is how we earn that back. Redistricting is already underway, and communities are watching closely. The intensity around proposals like Option H at Wootton is a signal worth taking seriously. When families feel like decisions are being made to them rather than with them, the damage compounds. A board that communicates transparently, invites real input, and explains its reasoning, even when the answers are hard, is one that families can trust again.

A: School librarians and certified library media specialists are among the most thoughtful, highly trained professionals in our buildings. Book selection is not a casual task. It requires expertise in child development, curriculum alignment, literary merit, and the diverse needs of an entire school community. That is exactly what these professionals are trained to do. I do not support systems that give parents veto power over library collections. A book that one family objects to may be the book that changes another child’s life. The library serves everyone. That said, transparency matters. Families should be able to understand how books are selected, what criteria are used, and how concerns are formally reviewed. MCPS already has processes for this. The answer to disagreement is not to sideline experts; it is to make sure those processes are clear, accessible, and consistently followed.Trust the professionals. Strengthen the process. Keep our libraries rich, diverse, and open to every student who walks through the door.