Hundreds of parents, homeowners and students have submitted comments to Montgomery County Public Schools about the district’s controversial review of school boundaries. The assessment was ordered amid growing concern about overcrowding in some buildings and a push to diversify the county’s schools.
Montgomery County Public Schools has scheduled a Tuesday evening public meeting at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda to hear comments and feedback about the boundary assessment. In a public records request, News4 obtained hundreds of comments submitted electronically by the public.
Download Comments & Feedback from the MCPS Boundary Assessment
An overwhelming majority of the comments are critical of the possibility of redrawn school boundaries or shifting of children to different schools. Dozens of the submitted comments cite home and property values. Many commenters specified the impact of any redistricting on their own personal homes.
Current MCPS Elementary School Boundaries
Map of all public elementary schools in Montgomery County, MD. Based on most recent publicly-available data. Created by Sebastian Smoot.
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One public comment said, “Many, including my family, moved our home so our kids could go to the schools we wanted. If my kids are moved to another school cluster our next move won't be to that school cluster, it will be to Virginia.”
Another wrote, “I am outraged at this. My husband and I purposely moved to our house to put our kids in the schools we wanted and now you are telling me they aren't going to those schools. I will take action if needed.”
A supporter of the boundary analysis said, “Do not allow homeowners to bully the county into kicking the can down the road once again, as the status quo is untenable.”
The school district hired a contractor to conduct the boundary analysis. The report is expected to be completed in June. A spokeswoman said the school board would decide what, if any, action to take after it receives the report.
