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A new report from the Maryland State Board of Education has declared Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) $168 million electric school bus contract “illegal,” saying the district violated its own procurement rules when awarding the deal. The report found that the contract between MCPS and Highland Electric Fleets was “arbitrary, unreasonable, and in violation” of the district’s own bidding procedures. The district terminated the agreement over the summer, even though Highland had delivered just 285 of the 326 electric buses it was contracted to provide. RELATED | New report says Montgomery County Public Schools wasted millions on electric buses Additional questions about the deal surfaced last year, when a public report cast doubt on the district’s claim that transitioning from diesel to electric buses would result in “zero net change” in transportation costs. Soon after, the Montgomery County Inspector General raised further concerns, citing delivery delays and the district’s failure to recover $372,000 from Highland for buses that were not operational. The state board’s 11-page report also referenced the criminal convictions of two former MCPS transportation officials, including an assistant director who stole more than $300,000 from the project. Their involvement, the board concluded, further “tainted” the procurement process. Janis Zink Sartucci, with the Parents Coalition of Montgomery County — a watchdog group — said the state’s findings are unprecedented. “I have certainly never seen a decision by the Montgomery County Board of Education declared illegal,” Sartucci said. SEE ALSO | School violence expert: Invest in people, not products to ensure safety In a statement to the I-Team, MCPS said it is still reviewing the state’s decision and has not yet analyzed the full implications for the district. “It is outrageous that our Board of Education and Superintendent have not addressed this issue that has been ongoing for years,” she said. “Instead, they’ve opted to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees on what the State Board of Education now calls a tainted bid award.” Highland Electric Fleets declined to comment for this story, referring inquiries back to the district. Despite terminating the contract, MCPS will continue doing business with Highland for years to come. The district does not own the buses or charging stations — it leases them, meaning taxpayers remain on the hook for an annual lease payment.
