Going through the FARMS rates for 2024-25, in what world does Damascus belong in Region 6?

[Anonymous]

I was going through this link and put it into a spreadsheet. No way that Damascus moving to Region 6 make any sense - not with regards to commute or FARMS

https://mdstudentcouncils.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FARMS-MD-DATA-2024-2025.pdf

HIGH SCHOOL FARMS %
Poolesville 12.14%
Damascus 30.66%
Northwest 36.07%
Clarksburg 36.97%

Quince Orchard 38.19%
Magruder 48.38%
**Seneca Valley 49.73%
Gaithersburg 56.62%
Watkins Mill 65.59%

How do they justify that all Region 5 schools are the HIGH FARMS schools?

In the current situation without including Crown,
Region 6 gets 2 Low Farms, 2 medium Farms and 1 High Farms
Region 5 gets 1 medium Farms, 3 High Farms

In all Crown Studies, Gaithersburg, Northwest and Seneca Valley will see an increase. QO, Clarksburg will see a decrease so it balances out. Gaithersburg will be affected more. Basically it comes down to having two LOW farms (Poolesville and Damascus) in one region versus 2 HIGH FARMS (Gaithersburg and Watkins Mill) in another region.


Current Region 6 with Damascus in Region 6:
Total Free & Reduced for Region 6: 3426 (2726+700)

Current Region 5 with QO in Region 5:
Total Free & Reduced for Region 5: 4020 (3523+497)

____________________________________

With QO in Region 6:
Total Free & Reduced for Region 6: 3803 (3041+762)

With Damascus in Region 5:
Total Free & Reduced for Region 5: 3643 (3208+435)

___________________________________________

Travel Time:

When Damascus is in Region 6:
Damascus HS to Clarksburg HS - 5.7 to 7.0 miles - 11 to 14 min
Damascus HS to Seneca Valley HS - 8.8 to 14.6 miles - 20 to 26 min
Damascus HS to Northwest HS - 11 to 14.4 miles - 23 to 27 min
Damascus HS to Poolesville HS - 17.8 to 20.5 miles - 33 to 36 min

When Damascus is in Region 5:
Damascus HS to Watkins Mill HS - 9 to 11.1 miles - 19 to 22 min
Damascus HS to Gaithersburg HS - 12.6 to 14.2 miles - 25 to 30 min
Damascus HS to Crown HS - 15.3 to 17.7 miles - 25 to 27 min
Damascus HS to Magruder HS - 13.5 to 15.9 miles - 26 to 29 min

Travel times balance out, Watkins Mill being further than Clarksburg, but Magruder is closer than Poolesville

When QO is in Region 5:
QO HS to Crown HS - 4.4 to 4.8 miles - 10 to 12 min
QO HS to Gaithersburg HS - 4.6 to 5.7 miles - 12 to 14 min
QO HS to Watkins Mill HS - 6.4 to 6.7 miles - 18 min
QO HS to Magruder HS - 10.1 to 10.4 miles - 20 to 21 min

When QO is in Region 6:
QO HS to Northwest HS - 4 to 4.6 miles - 9 min
QO HS to Seneca Valley HS - 6 to 7.1 miles - 14 to 16 min
QO HS to Poolesville HS - 10.7 to 12.2 miles - 19 to 22 min
QO HS to Clarksburg HS - 10 to 11.3 miles - 20 to 23 min

_____________________________________________

Travel times are all pretty much similar whether QO is in Region 5 or 6, but FARMS rates improve when QO is in 6 versus 5
Moving QO which is closest to Poolesville should sort this out. They really should move Damascus to Region 5 and QO back to Region 6 as was in the previous study.

[Anonymous]

Someone complained. Also, Seneca Valley’s FARMs rate is probably closer to 60%. It’s historically underreported because people are scared that they’ll be reported to ICE.

[Anonymous]

I would want to know why as well, but it seems like no one wants to come out to advocate or complain to the media. For equity, I don't understand why region 5 FARM rate is so high, especially after QO HS become part of region 5 district. It has been relatively quiet for region 5 and region 6 affected families when it comes to all these boundaries study, magnet program, region studies or renovation etc. I wonder if it is because many families are FARM, and they don't understand (language barrier or cultural barrier ), don't know or don't care because it is not their priority when it comes to their kid education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would want to know why as well, but it seems like no one wants to come out to advocate or complain to the media. For equity, I don't understand why region 5 FARM rate is so high, especially after QO HS become part of region 5 district. It has been relatively quiet for region 5 and region 6 affected families when it comes to all these boundaries study, magnet program, region studies or renovation etc. I wonder if it is because many families are FARM, and they don't understand (language barrier or cultural barrier ), don't know or don't care because it is not their priority when it comes to their kid education.

Or they are undocumented and don’t want to shine a large flashlight on their communities, especially in the current political environment.

[Anonymous]

As my old boss used to say, OP's post is data-rich, but information-poor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would want to know why as well, but it seems like no one wants to come out to advocate or complain to the media. For equity, I don't understand why region 5 FARM rate is so high, especially after QO HS become part of region 5 district. It has been relatively quiet for region 5 and region 6 affected families when it comes to all these boundaries study, magnet program, region studies or renovation etc. I wonder if it is because many families are FARM, and they don't understand (language barrier or cultural barrier ), don't know or don't care because it is not their priority when it comes to their kid education.

Or they are undocumented and don’t want to shine a large flashlight on their communities, especially in the current political environment.

So sad to hear about it but it is the truth. I wish there are more voices speaking on behalf of the region 5 and region 6 on any topics, good or bad. It does feel unfair and not to mention about equity when other regions are relatively loud and heavily discussed everywhere and these 2 regions seem like to be forgotten and just be a sucker sitting quietly take whatever MCPS give.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would want to know why as well, but it seems like no one wants to come out to advocate or complain to the media. For equity, I don't understand why region 5 FARM rate is so high, especially after QO HS become part of region 5 district. It has been relatively quiet for region 5 and region 6 affected families when it comes to all these boundaries study, magnet program, region studies or renovation etc. I wonder if it is because many families are FARM, and they don't understand (language barrier or cultural barrier ), don't know or don't care because it is not their priority when it comes to their kid education.

Or they are undocumented and don’t want to shine a large flashlight on their communities, especially in the current political environment.

So sad to hear about it but it is the truth. I wish there are more voices speaking on behalf of the region 5 and region 6 on any topics, good or bad. It does feel unfair and not to mention about equity when other regions are relatively loud and heavily discussed everywhere and these 2 regions seem like to be forgotten and just be a sucker sitting quietly take whatever MCPS give.

Op here. I also think it's because parents of kids zoned for Region 5 do not want undue attention on themselves. A lot of Hispanic population in the Montgomery Village area and it looks like they are trying to put all the Hispanic population together. Where is the diversity here - QO has ES feeders that have kids bussed to increase the FARMS rates. So having QO in Region 5 is basically putting all the Hispanic population together. They should pull Damascus or Clarksburg in to have diversity in that grouping but the wealthy regions always get their way.

Seneca Valley is seeing better FARMs rates after Cabin Branch got pulled in. Something needs to happen to make Watkins Mill and Gaithersburg HS FARMS rates better. The IB program didn't do it for Watkins Mill, so I doubt the STEM magnet will help Gaithersburg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As my old boss used to say, OP's post is data-rich, but information-poor

Summary - move Damascus to Region 5 and QO to Region 6 since the FARMS rates will improve and so will diversity.

[Anonymous]

It’s about money and politics, not schools and students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would want to know why as well, but it seems like no one wants to come out to advocate or complain to the media. For equity, I don't understand why region 5 FARM rate is so high, especially after QO HS become part of region 5 district. It has been relatively quiet for region 5 and region 6 affected families when it comes to all these boundaries study, magnet program, region studies or renovation etc. I wonder if it is because many families are FARM, and they don't understand (language barrier or cultural barrier ), don't know or don't care because it is not their priority when it comes to their kid education.

Or they are undocumented and don’t want to shine a large flashlight on their communities, especially in the current political environment.

So sad to hear about it but it is the truth. I wish there are more voices speaking on behalf of the region 5 and region 6 on any topics, good or bad. It does feel unfair and not to mention about equity when other regions are relatively loud and heavily discussed everywhere and these 2 regions seem like to be forgotten and just be a sucker sitting quietly take whatever MCPS give.

Op here. I also think it's because parents of kids zoned for Region 5 do not want undue attention on themselves. A lot of Hispanic population in the Montgomery Village area and it looks like they are trying to put all the Hispanic population together. Where is the diversity here - QO has ES feeders that have kids bussed to increase the FARMS rates. So having QO in Region 5 is basically putting all the Hispanic population together. They should pull Damascus or Clarksburg in to have diversity in that grouping but the wealthy regions always get their way.

Seneca Valley is seeing better FARMs rates after Cabin Branch got pulled in. Something needs to happen to make Watkins Mill and Gaithersburg HS FARMS rates better. The IB program didn't do it for Watkins Mill, so I doubt the STEM magnet will help Gaithersburg.

Cabin Branch will now feed to Clarksburg. I worry about SV being the IB school for Region 6, because the “rich” people in our area won’t want their snowflakes going to a “poor” school. I have two kids there now (we’re in Cabin Branch), and we love it. I’m sad my youngest won’t have SV as his home school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As my old boss used to say, OP's post is data-rich, but information-poor

Summary - move Damascus to Region 5 and QO to Region 6 since the FARMS rates will improve and so will diversity.

They had done that after the first round, but then switched it back. I think QO in region 6 would be better for transportation, but I think the bigger issue is now almost half of Clarksburg is going to end up at Damascus, so that’s likely the real reason they moved it back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As my old boss used to say, OP's post is data-rich, but information-poor

Summary - move Damascus to Region 5 and QO to Region 6 since the FARMS rates will improve and so will diversity.

They had done that after the first round, but then switched it back. I think QO in region 6 would be better for transportation, but I think the bigger issue is now almost half of Clarksburg is going to end up at Damascus, so that’s likely the real reason they moved it back.

That region has the Asian and White population up county so pulling those schools with the MV and Gaithersburg schools will bring in diversity. But they wouldn't do that now, would they. They will just let Gaithersburg become the next Watkins Mill. The boundary studies for Crown all show there will be an increase in FARMS in Gaithersburg.

[Anonymous]

Don't forget that there is still a going on decision if Crown HS going to become a temporary/permanent holding school instead of opening it. I wish Crown HS opens as planned to help to alleviate and balance out student populations & resources within region 5 regional programs. I feel like region 5 has so many uncertainties and controversies not designed based on whatever they say it is for the benefit of "equity".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget that there is still a going on decision if Crown HS going to become a temporary/permanent holding school instead of opening it. I wish Crown HS opens as planned to help to alleviate and balance out student populations & resources within region 5 regional programs. I feel like region 5 has so many uncertainties and controversies not designed based on whatever they say it is for the benefit of "equity".

Same feeling here.

Region 5 = the new ghetto in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

This isn’t about farms, it’s about protecting wealth.