MoCo OIG Blasts Taylor and MCPS for lies over backlog and non-compliance with background and CPS checks

[Anonymous]

Do they have a compliance officer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So am I understanding correctly that the main issue here is that when MCPS started participating in the "Rap Back" system in 2019 that automatically notifies them of new criminal background check issues that come up for staff, they didn't go back and add existing employees to that system, and still haven't as of 2025? And the OIG notified Taylor of this a few months ago but he decided that since it would be expensive/inconvenient to assign a ton of CO staff to get them all entered ASAP (or hire a bunch of temps to do so), and since his predecessors since 2019 hadn't treated it with that level of urgency, he wouldn't either? And then in the last month (presumably because of the report coming out) he decided to do it after all?

You got that right for most part. Don't leave out the CPS check portion of the story as well, which is a state law requirement.

It seems like the issue with the delays on CPS checks is with the county/state offices who actually do them and are understaffed and way behind, right? I guess MCPS could be prohibiting people from working until the checks go through but that sounds like it would cause a huge staffing hole if they're really thousands of new hires behind.

I guess also you could argue Taylor should have been raising the alarm and lobbying harder and sooner for the other offices to handle this better, like he started doing in July. (It sounds like he is claiming he didn't know about it until now, though, and that he didn't get a heads' up on it from the OIG until last month. How could he not know though? I guess HR staff treated it as normal since it had been that way for years so didn't raise it to him as a problem, and he never asked?)

My kid had to do a CPS check to be a summer camp counselor, and it took maybe 4 weeks to get it back.

There is usually an influx of hiring that happens after July 15 for out of county people and new graduates who were waiting for transfer Windows to close. If you factor in a week minimum to interview at schools and get an offer, 4 weeks is too long for them to start on time, I read that PGCPS pays 2 dedicated screeners who only deal with pgcps applications, maybe mcps needs to do the same to speed the process along.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do they have a compliance officer?

It was part of Marcus Jones’s title before the reorg on July 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they have a compliance officer?

It was part of Marcus Jones’s title before the reorg on July 1.

And who gets the honor after July 1 of having that title?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they have a compliance officer?

It was part of Marcus Jones’s title before the reorg on July 1.

And who gets the honor after July 1 of having that title?

No one has that exact title, but Jessika Boone is Director of the Department of Compliance and Investigations.

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/directory/directory_Boxoffice.aspx?processlevel=40661

[Anonymous]

And the hits keep on coming! Now DHS is calling out MCPS for being the only school district in the state with the backlog of CPS forms for new hires:

https://wjla.com/features/i-team/montgomery-county-public-schools-background-checks-maryland-mcps-dhs-human-services-department-pta-backlog-cps-child-protective-services-inspector-general-new-hires-staff-teachers-students-employee#

DHS said it's not aware of similar backlogs in other school districts. Prince George's County Public Schools told the 7News I-Team on Tuesday it is up to date and has no backlog.

How often do you find issues with applicants?

DHS said it doesn't often find any issues.

[Anonymous]

At this point, it’s time for the state to take over. Enough is enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Divide up the district

That will never happen. State law.

[Anonymous]

New interview with Taylor:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/06/mcps-integrity-honesty-gap/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New interview with Taylor:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/06/mcps-integrity-honesty-gap/

"It’s my responsibility, and I take that responsibility very seriously, that we create system structures and processes for everybody to do their best work and for them to be held accountable to doing their best work," said Taylor.

If only he had come to this conclusion when he was told last December by the OIG to address this issue.

PGCPS is a big system with far fewer resources. Yet, that district gets the compliance work completed, as do all other school districts in the state.

Taylor seems to be a person with high emotional intelligence, who connects with people. That is an important part of his job. However, he is struggling with the rest of what it takes to be an effective superintendent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New interview with Taylor:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/06/mcps-integrity-honesty-gap/

"It’s my responsibility, and I take that responsibility very seriously, that we create system structures and processes for everybody to do their best work and for them to be held accountable to doing their best work," said Taylor.

If only he had come to this conclusion when he was told last December by the OIG to address this issue.

PGCPS is a big system with far fewer resources. Yet, that district gets the compliance work completed, as do all other school districts in the state.

Taylor seems to be a person with high emotional intelligence, who connects with people. That is an important part of his job. However, he is struggling with the rest of what it takes to be an effective superintendent.

He's promised transparency and accountability for over a year. When first notified this should have been fixed.

[Anonymous]

This part:

Taylor told Bethesda Today that MCPS staff reported in December to “members of his team” the Rap Back backlog was being addressed, but he was “not sure” staff adequately communicated with urgency where the district stood on solving it.

Seems like he was generally aware of the problem but was told that staff had a handle on it. Wonder which staff members were giving him that impression.

[Anonymous]

Central office is a shit show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New interview with Taylor:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/06/mcps-integrity-honesty-gap/

"It’s my responsibility, and I take that responsibility very seriously, that we create system structures and processes for everybody to do their best work and for them to be held accountable to doing their best work," said Taylor.

If only he had come to this conclusion when he was told last December by the OIG to address this issue.

PGCPS is a big system with far fewer resources. Yet, that district gets the compliance work completed, as do all other school districts in the state.

Taylor seems to be a person with high emotional intelligence, who connects with people. That is an important part of his job. However, he is struggling with the rest of what it takes to be an effective superintendent.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This part:

Taylor told Bethesda Today that MCPS staff reported in December to “members of his team” the Rap Back backlog was being addressed, but he was “not sure” staff adequately communicated with urgency where the district stood on solving it.

Seems like he was generally aware of the problem but was told that staff had a handle on it. Wonder which staff members were giving him that impression.

This means a couple of things:

1) Essie sucks at her job and should be fired. As Chief of Staff, it's her job to chase people down and make sure things that Taylor says need to be handled are handled.

2) Taylor sucks at his job. If something as serious as this is being handled, then it is incumbent of him to FOLLOW UP and make them prove and show that it's being handled.