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Gaithersburg residents urge board not to convert Crown High School into temporary holding school
Summary
Residents and parents told the Montgomery County Board of Education that using Crown High School as a temporary holding site would violate prior land and funding agreements, waste more than $180 million in local investments and betray community trust; speakers asked the board to keep Crown on track to open as a permanent neighborhood high school in 2027.
Hundreds of community members told the Montgomery County Board of Education on Nov. 20 they oppose a staff proposal to use the new Crown High School as a temporary holding site while other construction and repairs occur elsewhere in the county.
Speakers from the Crown neighborhood, including Jessica Hammock and Nora Walsh, argued that Crown was designed, funded and approved as a permanent neighborhood high school under a 2016 annexation agreement and county capital plans, and that changing its scope would conflict with that agreement and Maryland land‑use approvals. "To use those funds to build a holding school is not lawful," Jessica Hammock said, referencing the local school impact tax paid by Crown developers. Several speakers said Crown families paid more than $30 million in local impact taxes for the school and that a last‑minute change would waste taxpayer funds and undermine public trust.
Why it matters: Crown was planned and funded as part of a long‑running capital program, and residents say changing its intended use now would shift benefits away from a community that paid special taxes to address overcrowding. Speakers pressed the board for clarity about legal approvals, the timing of any change and fiscal consequences for taxpayers.
What residents said and asked: Rose Khan, a middle‑school student, urged the board: "Please do not take Crown High School away from us," saying local students had waited years for the new building. Jessica Hammock told the board the county code provides an option for residents to seek a refund when school impact tax funds are not used for their statutorily defined purpose, and Nora Walsh noted that the 2016 conveyance and 2021 state IAC approval constrain changes in use without additional approvals by the county executive, county council and IAC.
Board and staff response: Superintendent "Doctor Taylor" and other staff said the CIP approval process and boundary studies are ongoing and that decisions about school openings and final scopes will follow the district's public processes. Taylor described the CIP as a recommendation that will go to the county executive and the council, and he said additional community engagement and legal review will continue as staff refine options.
Next steps: Staff said new boundary‑study options and supporting materials would be released after Thanksgiving, with public meetings in early December and a board recommendation expected in February 2026 and a final board decision on March 26, 2026. Crown community speakers asked the board to ensure any change complies with annexation agreements, county law and state approvals and to restore the school's permanent designation for opening in 2027 if possible.
Ending: The board did not vote on Crown's use at the Nov. 20 meeting; the issue remains under review as part of the broader CIP and boundary studies that will return to the board in early 2026.
