MCPS outlines program‑analysis options and a wider boundary‑study engagement plan
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Summary
Staff presented two models for expanding access to secondary programs — modest, incremental changes to the current structure or a regional model that replicates program options across county regions — and published an expanded engagement plan with virtual and in‑person sessions and an interactive online tool to let families see how options would
Montgomery County Public Schools staff briefed trustees May 8 on a districtwide secondary program analysis and the community engagement plan for a boundary study tied to openings and expansions at several high schools. Staff presented two broad approaches — maintain the current program structure with limited changes, or adopt a regional model that provides similar program access in multiple areas of the county — and outlined an expanded outreach plan to gather public feedback.
Chief Academic Officer Nikki Hazel said the program analysis seeks to improve equitable access to high‑quality programs while accounting for transportation, capacity and operational limits. Staff warned that the district cannot expand transportation service to meet current program demand without making programmatic changes; one option is to create regions so students have shorter travel distances to comparable offerings.
Hazel and the program‑analysis team said they have convened a cross‑office stakeholder group that has reviewed four curriculum/program options and provided detailed feedback; staff also reported student focus groups at multiple high schools and an open community survey. Staff will keep the survey open through May 15 (program analysis) and will report initial findings to the board May 22.
For the boundary study—which will help populate new or reopened high schools and rebalance overcrowding—staff described a community engagement plan that includes hour‑long virtual meetings, in‑person sessions in affected areas, language access, supplemental meetings through Parent Community Coordinators, and an interactive online tool that will show how each option would affect a resident’s address. The district said it is prioritizing walkability, safety and 80% facility utilization for middle and high schools, and will treat the board’s four policy factors (demographics, geography, stability and facility utilization) as equally weighted.
Board members focused on ensuring representative outreach (Latino and Black family participation was highlighted as uneven in other processes), principal engagement to reach families, and explicit links between the program analysis and the boundary study pages and materials. Staff said they would forward a draft communications plan to the board and that district teams will keep the survey and interactive tools available throughout the summer so families can continue to provide input.
No boundary decisions were made May 8. Staff will post initial options and an interactive site, continue outreach through summer, and return with program‑analysis findings and boundary options for public feedback.
