Montgomery County to close its only charter school

The Montgomery County Board of Education has approved a plan to close its only charter school at the end of its first year amid claims it ignored students’ special needs. The board voted 6-2 on Thursday to adopt Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Taylor’s proposal to shutter the Mecca Business Learning Institute by June 30. Enforcement of the resolution is pending the outcome of a state appeals process. In voting to revoke Mecca’s charter, the board’s majority also rejected an alternative plan from school leaders to stay open. Their decision came after district officials testified that the middle school in Germantown failed to provide legally required individualized education programs to 10 students with documented learning disabilities. “We were going in weekly to work with them, and there was no movement,” Margaret Cage, the school system’s chief of specialized support services, told the board. Ms. Cage said that while Mecca was making progress with one student, nine others had been out of compliance since November. Mecca has filed an appeal with Maryland’s Office of Administrative Hearings. It accuses the district of pushing for closure without following its own due process rules. “The case is still proceeding, and we have no