Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) is launching a classroom camera pilot in selected specialized program classrooms as part of its ongoing commitment to safe, positive, and high-quality learning environments.
FCPS already utilizes cameras across many operational areas—including hallways, exterior school grounds, school buses, and certain specialized instructional settings. The new classroom camera pilot is a next step in evaluating how video may further support student and staff safety and strengthen transparency in specialized learning environments.
The pilot is being implemented in collaboration with FCPS’s three labor associations and with the support of the Board of Education and the Superintendent.
Pilot Locations
The classroom camera pilot will take place only in designated specialized program classrooms at the following schools:
- Middletown Primary School – 4 Expressions classrooms
- Oakdale Middle School – 2 Learning for Life classrooms
- Catoctin High School – 1 Learning for Life classroom
Classrooms were selected based on program locations that serve some of FCPS’s most vulnerable learners, including students with complex communication needs, language-based disabilities, or other disabilities that may make it more difficult for them to communicate concerns about their school experience.
The camera pilot is being funded through a grant. The pilot will run from January 20, 2026, through the end of the school year. FCPS has no immediate plans to install cameras in classrooms across the district; rather, this pilot allows us to thoughtfully evaluate whether cameras provide meaningful support in specific specialized program settings before considering any future steps.
Information for Families
Families of students in participating classrooms have received a separate, detailed notice outlining installation timelines, video access procedures, data security, and regulatory considerations. Key features of the pilot include:
- Cameras will record video only; no audio recording will occur.
- The purpose of the pilot is to support safety and program fidelity, not to surveil staff or students.
- Requests to view recorded video are governed by FCPS Regulation 209-02 and must serve a legitimate purpose.
- All recordings will be stored on a secure, closed network with strictly limited access.
- Cameras are expected to be activated on or about January 20, 2026.
“FCPS values its partnership with families and remains committed to transparency as we explore tools that may enhance student and staff safety and support the learning experience,” said Dr. Dyson, Superintendent of Schools.
For additional information, members of the media may contact the FCPS Office of Public Affairs.