Initial boundary options for Woodward study area are up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do they ever present the relative costs of each of the options? Or is cost weirdly not something considered? At a county level, I'd think you'd have the following costs to consider:

1. busing costs
2. changes in property values = changes in tax base = potential change in funding for schools
3. costs of building whatever extra things needed for buildings

Anything else?

Presumably there will need to be some redistribution of where teachers work, but shouldn't there also be consideration for changes in types of supports at various schools?

In past studies, they have definitely ruled options in or out based on potential costs for busing or buildings. But I don't recall them ever labeling options with projected cost amounts. Maybe that's something Taylor will more inclined to do.

I would think that in the current economic environment (job market tanking because of fed + contractor layoffs, for example) that costs would play a large role in decision-making. I also cannot imagine county execs not caring at all about the impact on property values of any changes. I mean, maybe the county just is stupid wrt finances? Possible.

Elrich and council members may be concerned about property values, but they don't have a direct role to play with respect to boundaries. They can of course attempt to pressure Taylor and the board to avoid options they don't like.

but the schools are directly funded by the county, correct? At least that article suggested that the county taxes are used to directly fund (or not) schools. I guess Taylor would have to consider which option would require the biggest budget ask. Could MCPS adopt a costly option that was unfunded?

They could, technically. The decision will be made in March 2026, to take effect in fall 2027, well before that FY's budget will be approved. But one of Taylor's jobs is to weigh all the competing factors in his recommendation, and put forward something that will be justifiable.

Do we think Taylor would recommend something costly but unfunded? Or is he not dumb?

I don't think he will recommend something that greatly increases the bus budget. He is very aware of the financial situation and outlook. They will try to make changes where they can within reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious what the Wheaton community thinks the best solution is? Different matriculation pattern or sounds like adding on isn’t possible with the distance between buildings? FLO analytics kept mentioning the Edison building and sounds like that is not helpful? Seems like FLO has a disconnect on this point.

The Wheaton cluster coordinator's testimony in 2023 :

"there is a quick and practical solution to our overcrowding
problem that has yet to be utilized - an unfinished shell located within the
Thomas Edison building. Our Community strongly urges MCPS to build
out and finish that shell so that both Wheaton and Thomas Edison can
use that space to accommodate our growing population."

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/CXCN955EC89E/$file/Narissa%20Johnson%20-%202023%20CIP%20Testimony%20.pdf

It takes years to find something like that and it wouldn’t work as the distance is too far in less they arranged specific students and basically segregated them.

Huh? It's literally there in the Edison building.

I think PP meant fund, not find.

If it were so easy why not do it this summer? Oh, because it will be years before a project like this is approved, planned and designed, let alone built.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious what the Wheaton community thinks the best solution is? Different matriculation pattern or sounds like adding on isn’t possible with the distance between buildings? FLO analytics kept mentioning the Edison building and sounds like that is not helpful? Seems like FLO has a disconnect on this point.

The Wheaton cluster coordinator's testimony in 2023 :

"there is a quick and practical solution to our overcrowding
problem that has yet to be utilized - an unfinished shell located within the
Thomas Edison building. Our Community strongly urges MCPS to build
out and finish that shell so that both Wheaton and Thomas Edison can
use that space to accommodate our growing population."

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/CXCN955EC89E/$file/Narissa%20Johnson%20-%202023%20CIP%20Testimony%20.pdf

It takes years to find something like that and it wouldn’t work as the distance is too far in less they arranged specific students and basically segregated them.

Huh? It's literally there in the Edison building.

I think PP meant fund, not find.

If it were so easy why not do it this summer? Oh, because it will be years before a project like this is approved, planned and designed, let alone built.

are the proposed busing options less expensive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious what the Wheaton community thinks the best solution is? Different matriculation pattern or sounds like adding on isn’t possible with the distance between buildings? FLO analytics kept mentioning the Edison building and sounds like that is not helpful? Seems like FLO has a disconnect on this point.

The Wheaton cluster coordinator's testimony in 2023 :

"there is a quick and practical solution to our overcrowding
problem that has yet to be utilized - an unfinished shell located within the
Thomas Edison building. Our Community strongly urges MCPS to build
out and finish that shell so that both Wheaton and Thomas Edison can
use that space to accommodate our growing population."

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/CXCN955EC89E/$file/Narissa%20Johnson%20-%202023%20CIP%20Testimony%20.pdf

It takes years to find something like that and it wouldn’t work as the distance is too far in less they arranged specific students and basically segregated them.

Huh? It's literally there in the Edison building.

I think PP meant fund, not find.

If it were so easy why not do it this summer? Oh, because it will be years before a project like this is approved, planned and designed, let alone built.

are the proposed busing options less expensive?

Why are you asking me? I don't know if MCPS has done any design work on this or costed it out fully.

Also do you literally not care about what other posters have said about how difficult it already is for Wheaton students to get to class on time given the size of the building? Do you not care about the missed instructional time? Does that just not matter to you at all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New Boundary Study that will “help” with Wheaton’s overcrowding shows:

Option #1: Wheaton [...] would then be above 100% capacity.

Option #2: "All of the high schools would fall between 80% and 100% of enrollment capacity and the majority of the attendance zones would have contiguous boundaries, except for a small area of Wheaton’s attendance zone. "

Option #3: "Wheaton would be slightly above 100% of capacity."

Option #4: "Wheaton [...] would be at about 120% [of capacity]."

https://bethesdamagazine....84YKnifJPw

Most posters on this thread are oblivious to the needs of schools like Wheaton HS and were easily placated by the notion of adding more capacity at Edison.

Ignorant bethesdan here and didn't go to meeting....what is the Edison plan and what's wrong with it? ( assume not expanding the Edison program..?)

They want to put portables at Edison…. For Wheaton students to use because there is NO LAND OR SPACE to put portables at Wheaton. This is not feasible. Kids have huge problems getting to class on time as it is with the size of the school… having them walk 15 mins from another site is NOT going to work. We will continue to be pushed out of our classrooms and made to float. Right now we are having classes in the library and the cafeteria. Let me say that again. Classes in the CAFETERIA. It is not fair for other schools like WJ to be at 77% capacity and Wheaton at 120%. Who in their right mind thinks that is a good idea?

People without empathy. Imagine the uproar if 2 of 4 options left WJ or BCC 20% overcrowded. What a horrible message to send. It's like they decided to send a message to the Latino community to say "Sorry, you don't matter, you are not valued."

+100000 For all these “W” schools with rich, progressive ideals… it’s great to cry equality and wave your proud blue flag… just as long as it doesn’t affect your kids.

Blatant racism.

[Anonymous]

Your property value can change and sorry but there is nothing you can do. MCPS has the right to change boundaries. It sucks but there is nothing you can do unfortunately. I don’t think they care if some families move to private. It will not be a mass exodus so a non issue really. I say get on board and accept the changes or move out of MOCO if you don’t like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious what the Wheaton community thinks the best solution is? Different matriculation pattern or sounds like adding on isn’t possible with the distance between buildings? FLO analytics kept mentioning the Edison building and sounds like that is not helpful? Seems like FLO has a disconnect on this point.

The Wheaton cluster coordinator's testimony in 2023 :

"there is a quick and practical solution to our overcrowding
problem that has yet to be utilized - an unfinished shell located within the
Thomas Edison building. Our Community strongly urges MCPS to build
out and finish that shell so that both Wheaton and Thomas Edison can
use that space to accommodate our growing population."

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/CXCN955EC89E/$file/Narissa%20Johnson%20-%202023%20CIP%20Testimony%20.pdf

It takes years to find something like that and it wouldn’t work as the distance is too far in less they arranged specific students and basically segregated them.

Huh? It's literally there in the Edison building.

I think PP meant fund, not find.

If it were so easy why not do it this summer? Oh, because it will be years before a project like this is approved, planned and designed, let alone built.

are the proposed busing options less expensive?

Why are you asking me? I don't know if MCPS has done any design work on this or costed it out fully.

Also do you literally not care about what other posters have said about how difficult it already is for Wheaton students to get to class on time given the size of the building? Do you not care about the missed instructional time? Does that just not matter to you at all?

it was a simple question, and you can say "I don't know." You don't have to be pissy. There appeared to be a solution for something already WITHIN the campus that could be built out -- something without the walking time issue -- but that it couldn't be funded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your property value can change and sorry but there is nothing you can do. MCPS has the right to change boundaries. It sucks but there is nothing you can do unfortunately. I don’t think they care if some families move to private. It will not be a mass exodus so a non issue really. I say get on board and accept the changes or move out of MOCO if you don’t like it.

Or, again, voice your opposition an use our collective voice. No one has to roll over and take this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your property value can change and sorry but there is nothing you can do. MCPS has the right to change boundaries. It sucks but there is nothing you can do unfortunately. I don’t think they care if some families move to private. It will not be a mass exodus so a non issue really. I say get on board and accept the changes or move out of MOCO if you don’t like it.

Weird. If the county enacts a policy to hurt property values, that's very different from property values changing due to market conditions. A county that wants to actually hurt property values (?) would be, well, odd and defeating. And their electoral chances would seem to be hurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your property value can change and sorry but there is nothing you can do. MCPS has the right to change boundaries. It sucks but there is nothing you can do unfortunately. I don’t think they care if some families move to private. It will not be a mass exodus so a non issue really. I say get on board and accept the changes or move out of MOCO if you don’t like it.

Weird. If the county enacts a policy to hurt property values, that's very different from property values changing due to market conditions. A county that wants to actually hurt property values (?) would be, well, odd and defeating. And their electoral chances would seem to be hurt.

So property values are more important than providing adequate education opportunities across the county?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New Boundary Study that will “help” with Wheaton’s overcrowding shows:

Option #1: Wheaton [...] would then be above 100% capacity.

Option #2: "All of the high schools would fall between 80% and 100% of enrollment capacity and the majority of the attendance zones would have contiguous boundaries, except for a small area of Wheaton’s attendance zone. "

Option #3: "Wheaton would be slightly above 100% of capacity."

Option #4: "Wheaton [...] would be at about 120% [of capacity]."

https://bethesdamagazine....84YKnifJPw

Most posters on this thread are oblivious to the needs of schools like Wheaton HS and were easily placated by the notion of adding more capacity at Edison.

Ignorant bethesdan here and didn't go to meeting....what is the Edison plan and what's wrong with it? ( assume not expanding the Edison program..?)

They want to put portables at Edison…. For Wheaton students to use because there is NO LAND OR SPACE to put portables at Wheaton. This is not feasible. Kids have huge problems getting to class on time as it is with the size of the school… having them walk 15 mins from another site is NOT going to work. We will continue to be pushed out of our classrooms and made to float. Right now we are having classes in the library and the cafeteria. Let me say that again. Classes in the CAFETERIA. It is not fair for other schools like WJ to be at 77% capacity and Wheaton at 120%. Who in their right mind thinks that is a good idea?

People without empathy. Imagine the uproar if 2 of 4 options left WJ or BCC 20% overcrowded. What a horrible message to send. It's like they decided to send a message to the Latino community to say "Sorry, you don't matter, you are not valued."

+100000 For all these “W” schools with rich, progressive ideals… it’s great to cry equality and wave your proud blue flag… just as long as it doesn’t affect your kids.

Blatant racism.

I think the only hypocritical people on this thread are the "progressives" who are rich enough to not care about losing $100,000-$200,000 but calling others predatory capitalists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your property value can change and sorry but there is nothing you can do. MCPS has the right to change boundaries. It sucks but there is nothing you can do unfortunately. I don’t think they care if some families move to private. It will not be a mass exodus so a non issue really. I say get on board and accept the changes or move out of MOCO if you don’t like it.

Weird. If the county enacts a policy to hurt property values, that's very different from property values changing due to market conditions. A county that wants to actually hurt property values (?) would be, well, odd and defeating. And their electoral chances would seem to be hurt.

So property values are more important than providing adequate education opportunities across the county?

they can be if they fund those adequate education opportunities. And there appear to be more ways than busing to solve the 'adequate education opportunity' goal. You don't have to hurt property values, particularly in this current budgetary landscape, while still providing 'adequate education' to all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your property value can change and sorry but there is nothing you can do. MCPS has the right to change boundaries. It sucks but there is nothing you can do unfortunately. I don’t think they care if some families move to private. It will not be a mass exodus so a non issue really. I say get on board and accept the changes or move out of MOCO if you don’t like it.

Weird. If the county enacts a policy to hurt property values, that's very different from property values changing due to market conditions. A county that wants to actually hurt property values (?) would be, well, odd and defeating. And their electoral chances would seem to be hurt.

So property values are more important than providing adequate education opportunities across the county?

your statement in no way follows from what you are responding to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your property value can change and sorry but there is nothing you can do. MCPS has the right to change boundaries. It sucks but there is nothing you can do unfortunately. I don’t think they care if some families move to private. It will not be a mass exodus so a non issue really. I say get on board and accept the changes or move out of MOCO if you don’t like it.

Or, again, voice your opposition an use our collective voice. No one has to roll over and take this

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your property value can change and sorry but there is nothing you can do. MCPS has the right to change boundaries. It sucks but there is nothing you can do unfortunately. I don’t think they care if some families move to private. It will not be a mass exodus so a non issue really. I say get on board and accept the changes or move out of MOCO if you don’t like it.

Weird. If the county enacts a policy to hurt property values, that's very different from property values changing due to market conditions. A county that wants to actually hurt property values (?) would be, well, odd and defeating. And their electoral chances would seem to be hurt.

So property values are more important than providing adequate education opportunities across the county?

they can be if they fund those adequate education opportunities. And there appear to be more ways than busing to solve the 'adequate education opportunity' goal. You don't have to hurt property values, particularly in this current budgetary landscape, while still providing 'adequate education' to all.

It also isn't solving anything. Property values will follow wherever the perceived good schools are zoned for... families will start getting priced out of neighborhoods that could've provided opportunity. It's a cat and mouse game. You're not going to solve this with rezoning and all you're doing is creating long bus rides for kids and breaking up neighborhoods. There's no reason for that.