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County hearing spotlights school overcrowding and requests to fund MCPS capital projects
Summary
Parents, school cluster coordinators and municipal officials urged the Montgomery County Council to prioritize capital funding for overcrowded schools, feasibility studies and interim repairs during a public hearing on the FY26 capital budget and amendments to the FY25–30 CIP.
Montgomery County Council members heard multiple pleas from parents, school cluster coordinators and municipal leaders on the county’s FY26 capital budget about overcrowded schools and deferred facility needs for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
Speakers said urgent steps are needed for facility upgrades, feasibility studies and interim repairs while larger construction projects move through the capital improvement program process. Mayor Talisha Searcy of Takoma Park said her city’s young population—"approximately 8% of the city's population is under the age of 5"—is increasing pressure on local schools and urged timely completion of a feasibility study for Piney Branch Elementary School.
The speakers’ statements underscored a mix of short-term operational strains and longer-term capital needs. Testimony detailed classroom crowding, temporary modular classrooms used beyond…
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