Education & Youth Success

Strong schools and youth development pathways are foundational. Education will operate as a performance-driven system with early intervention at its core.

Implementation of Framework:

• Deploy early literacy and math benchmarks with intervention triggers
• Expand after-school and mentorship programs through public-private partnerships
• Integrate mental health services directly into school systems
• Establish cross-agency youth violence prevention coordination

To execute this framework, I will align County government, MCPS, and community partners around a data-driven early success model that identifies learning gaps before they become long-term barriers. Early literacy and math benchmarks will be paired with automatic intervention triggers—such as targeted tutoring, extended learning time, and family engagement supports—ensuring no student falls behind without a response. These benchmarks will be monitored at the school and cluster level, allowing for rapid deployment of resources where they are most needed.

After-school and mentorship expansion will be driven through a coordinated public-private partnership strategy, engaging nonprofits, local businesses, faith-based organizations, and higher education institutions to provide structured programs focused on academic support, career exposure, and life skills. I will prioritize equitable access by targeting high-need communities and ensuring transportation and cost are not barriers to participation.

Mental health integration will move beyond pilot programs to a fully embedded school-based support system, including expanded access to counselors, social workers, and behavioral health professionals. This will be supported by partnerships with local providers to ensure continuity of care outside school hours. At the same time, I will establish a cross-agency youth safety and prevention framework that brings together schools, public safety, health services, and community organizations to address root causes of youth violence through prevention, intervention, and mentorship—not just enforcement.

Accountability Tools:

• Public academic performance dashboards
• Annual independent reviews of MCPS outcomes vs. funding

To ensure accountability, I will implement transparent, real-time education dashboards that track student progress in literacy, math, attendance, and well-being—disaggregated by school and demographic groups to ensure equity. These dashboards will clearly show where interventions are working and where additional support is required.

In addition, I will require annual independent performance audits comparing MCPS outcomes to funding levels, ensuring that increased investment translates into measurable improvements in student achievement and support services. Findings will be presented publicly with corrective action plans and timelines.

My administration will maintain an open-door policy with students, parents, educators, and community leaders, creating continuous feedback loops through town halls, school visits, and advisory groups. This ensures that policies are informed by those directly impacted and that concerns are addressed in real time. Education success will not be measured by inputs alone, but by outcomes—ensuring every child in Montgomery County has a clear, supported pathway to succeed.