MCPS staff proposed expanding the capital bucket for outdoor play spaces and athletic infrastructure and laid out a six-year plan that would put synthetic turf at all district high schools by the end of the CIP cycle if funded.

Staff described the FY27 turf slate (Magruder, Poolesville, Springbrook, Watkins Mill for new turf; replacements at Richard Montgomery and Walt Whitman) and explained cost estimates: a full site replacement is currently estimated at about $2,500,000 and a top-surface-only replacement at about $1,000,000 in today's dollars. "Typically, a turf lifespan is between 8 to 12 years, so we target about 10 years for this," staff said.

Jeff Sullivan and athletic staff defended turf as an equity and usage tool: staff showed usage estimates that artificial turf supports far more hours of play, including athletics, physical education and community use, compared with stadium natural grass, and said turf opens practice space and reduces weather-related cancellations. Sullivan and colleagues also described changes in infill technology: MCPS has moved from crumb rubber to sand/organic infills (coconut, walnut) and staff said manufacturers now offer recycling for old turf when fields are replaced.

Board members asked for comparative injury and maintenance data. Staff cited a 2024 Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) study that found a plurality of studies reported no difference in overall injury rate between newer artificial-turf and natural-grass fields, but members stressed variance by infill and field age. Concerns included heat on turf, stray microplastics, PFAS in blades and recycled-waste logistics; staff committed to share full pilot reports and maintenance cost breakdowns.

Parks Department pilot: staff said Parks piloted a high-use natural-grass project at Hillandale Park that faced challenges and required replacement within two years; board members requested those pilot results to compare advanced natural-grass options with synthetic turf.

What happens next: MCPS will include the outdoor-play/athletics proposals in the FY27 CIP for board consideration on Nov. 20 and promised additional data on injury comparisons, maintenance costs (including mower/gas estimates for grass) and environmental impacts before final decisions.