MARYLAND, March 20 - For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Committees will receive an update on enrollment at Montgomery College and review FY25-30 CIPs for the Department of Health and Human Services, MCPS and the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center

The joint Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education and Culture (EC) Committee will meet on Thursday, March 21 at 9:30 a.m. to review education-related projects in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2030 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

The members of the HHS Committee include Chair Gabe Albornoz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Laurie-Anne Sayles.

The members of the EC Committee include Chair Will Jawando and Councilmembers Albornoz and Kristin Mink.

The Education and Culture (EC) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the FY25-30 CIPs for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and the Wheaton Arts and Culture Center. In addition, the committee will receive an update on enrollment at Montgomery College.

More detail on each agenda item is provided below.

Department of Health and Human Services FY25-30 CIP

Review: The joint HHS and EC Committee will review five education-related projects in the recommended FY25-30 CIP for DHHS. One existing project has been split into three projects focused on child care renovation and these include Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Remediation, Child Care Facility Replacement and Playgrounds. The CIP also includes funding for High School Wellness Centers and Linkages to Learning Centers, which includes the related School Based Health Centers.

The total FY25-30 CIP for DHHS includes more than $81 million over the six-year period, which represents a $9.8 million, or 10.7 percent, decrease from the Amended FY23-28 CIP. In the non-education related category, the committee previously reviewed and recommended approval of the Diversion Center and Non-Congregate Shelter Space projects as submitted by the Executive. 

Montgomery County Public Schools FY25-30 CIP

Review: The EC Committee will hold its fourth meeting to review the FY25-30 CIP for MCPS. At this meeting, the committee will review priorities and funding recommendations based on the previous three discussions and make a recommendation to the full Council.

At its third meeting held on March 14, the committee reviewed individual projects in the proposed CIP, major capital projects, remaining countywide projects and non-recommended reduction scenarios. At its second meeting held on Feb. 29, the committee reviewed non-recommended reductions that the chief operating officer transmitted to the Council on February 13 and reviewed the countywide projects proposed in the Board of Education’s CIP. At the first meeting held on Jan. 18, the EC Committee received a briefing about the board’s proposed CIP and the County Executive’s macro CIP assumptions and recommendations. The committee also received an update on enrollment trends, Racial Equity and Social Justice (RESJ) information and state aid for school construction assumptions.

The Board of Education’s proposed FY25-30 CIP includes 36 projects. The request total is nearly $2 billion. This level of funding is $91.8 million, or 4.8 percent, higher than the FY23-28 amended CIP of $1.91 billion. The request includes three new projects at Mill Creek Towne Elementary School, James Hubert Blake High School and Paint Branch High School. In addition, the request includes five new major capital projects at Eastern Middle School, Cold Spring Elementary School, Damascus Elementary School, Twinbrook Elementary School and Whetstone Elementary School.

The County Executive’s Recommended FY25-30 CIP has the same six-year total as the amended FY23-28 CIP, which is nearly $91.2 million lower than the board’s request. The recommended CIP for MCPS assumes undesignated cuts and deferrals with only technical changes to projects. The recommended CIP only includes macro level expenditure assumptions. The Council will need to specify these cuts and deferrals and find expenditure savings or revenue increases in the board’s proposed CIP to meet the County Executive’s spending assumptions.

Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center

Review: The EC Committee will review the more than $38 million FY25-30 CIP recommended by the County Executive for the Wheaton Arts Cultural Center. This project provides for planning, site feasibility, design and construction for a new 40,000-square-foot arts and cultural facility to be located in the Wheaton Arts and Entertainment District. The project is proposed to be co-located with a mixed-income, multi-family development project to be developed by Montgomery Housing Partnership. The Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center would be located on the ground floor. The FY 25-30 CIP maintains the same funding schedule for the project as listed in the FY23-28 amended approved CIP, with expenditures previously listed as beyond six years moved into FY29 and FY30.

Montgomery College Enrollment Update

Update: The EC Committee will receive an update on enrollment trends and projections at Montgomery College, as well as an overview of efforts to increase enrollment. After experiencing declining enrollment since 2010, the college’s enrollment increased by 3.8 percent for the fall of 2023 to 17,780 students. Both the decline and recent increase mirror national trends in community college enrollment. The number of students dually enrolled rose to 2,591 in 2023, which is an increase of 38.1 percent. Dual enrollment allows qualified students to enroll at Montgomery College while completing high school.

Montgomery College projects steady enrollment increases during the next five years. In addition, the college has taken recent steps to increase enrollment, including the creation of the position of Associate Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and the implementation of a strategy to expand the college’s reach through targeted marketing and partnerships. In addition, the college has focused on outreach and service to high school and adult learners in the college’s service area.

---

The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. View the current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review on the Council website.

Council and committee meetings are streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube and on Facebook Live and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on Xfinity/RCN 6 HD 996/1056, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.

Release ID: 24-110
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884