Introduction
The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Educational Foundation, Inc. provides funds for special and innovative programs for MCPS that regular funds cannot support, even though each year about $12,722 is spent on each student to provide him or her with a quality educational program. Montgomery County Public Schools serves 142,000 students in 200 school buildings, making it among the largest school systems in the nation. The vast number of awards won by both individuals and schools indicates that the MCPS instructional staff is among the best in the nation. An overwhelming majority of the teachers hold masters degrees and advanced certificates from the State of Maryland. Most of the educational dollars comes from local Montgomery County taxes, with additional funding from the state and the federal government.
The MCPS Educational Foundation, Inc. is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code established in 1998 by the Montgomery County Board of Education. The MCPS Educational Foundation receives funds from estates of deceased persons, charitable foundations, government granting agencies, cooperative business, and helpful citizens. With those funds, the MCPS Educational Foundation carefully awards funds to MCPS staff for projects designed to accomplish these goals:
- Establish scholarships for MCPS students
- Provide academic-enriching opportunities for students and staff
- Provide grants to schools for after school interactive extended technology programs
