A new director will oversee special education compliance for roughly 23,000 Montgomery County students, one of three appointments the Board of Education approved Sept. 24.

Travis Bryant will lead the Department of Special Education Compliance within the Division of Specialized Support Services at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The department handles compliance for a program that served an estimated 22,962 students in fiscal year 2026 at a budgeted cost of nearly $30,000 per student, according to a Montgomery County Office of Legislative Oversight report published in July.

Bryant's appointment comes during financial strain on MCPS special education. The board's FY27 operating budget, approved 7-1, included a $13.7 million reduction to special education as part of cuts to close a $36 million shortfall, Washington Jewish Week reported.

Superintendent Thomas Taylor acknowledged the pressure in an Aug. 25 interview with WTOP. "Federal funding reductions disproportionately affect our most vulnerable students," Taylor said, adding that potential cuts risk impacting special education, mental health services, English multilingual learner supports and after-school programming.

The board also appointed Shauna-Kay J. Jorandby as director of the Division of School Leadership and Improvement, which falls under Chief of Schools Peter Moran. That division absorbed safety and security functions this year after the district eliminated the chief of security and compliance position as part of the same budget cuts, Bethesda Magazine reported in July.

The third appointment fills a vacancy at Springbrook High School in Silver Spring.

Aaron K. Shin takes over as principal after 19 years with MCPS as a teacher, team leader, assistant principal and principal intern, according to statements at the board's Sept. 24 meeting. He most recently led Parkland Middle School in Rockville. Shin replaces Stephanie Valentine, who retired after going on leave around Aug. 11. Valentine's departure followed a March 2025 letter from Springbrook teachers alleging bullying and retaliation, according to Bethesda Magazine. Assistant Principal Nicole Brown had served as interim principal.

Students with disabilities make up an estimated 14.3 percent of MCPS enrollment and are projected to decline slightly to 22,241 in FY27. The board meets weekly during the school year, with agendas posted on the MCPS website.