When is the plan for new HS programs coming out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will it be finalized soon or just proposed and open for comment?

Look, the year is gonna start with "21" before this gets done.

More likely they rush it into place to let people start applying for programs that aren't fully formed yet.

+1


What about Blair and Poolesville? They are regional. They will be gone too?

That is the MCPS way!

Also does this mean there won’t be the county-wide programs anymore?

This could be the end of county-wide programs, which is why the Richard Montgomery IB community is losing their marbles over the Program Review and Boundary Study.

[Anonymous]

What about Poolesville and Blair? They are regional. They will be gone too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So are they basically going to create more consortiums like DCC and NEC? So every HS is part of a consortium and there is choice within that? If so, that seems like a major change that should be subject to public input. I hope they don't just announce it and move it forward.

They are getting rid of consortiums (where students can lottery into any school for any reason). The entire county will be divided into regions and they will ensure each region offers similar programs. Students can apply to a program within their region. Not sure if it will be merit based or lottery based to get into a program. Also unsure what this means for the VAC. Predictions are that there will be less specific programming than what currently exists so each region can have similar offerings and to balance the budget.

Isn’t this technically still speculation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about Poolesville and Blair? They are regional. They will be gone too?

There are going to be more regions so I imagine they will have them, but kids from fewer schools will be able to apply. Just the ones in the same region as Poolesville and Blair. Quality will go down because they won’t have half the county each to choose from.

Same with RMIB — I will bet it will exist but only in its own region. That will really affect quality — it will have many, many fewer students to choose from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So are they basically going to create more consortiums like DCC and NEC? So every HS is part of a consortium and there is choice within that? If so, that seems like a major change that should be subject to public input. I hope they don't just announce it and move it forward.

They are getting rid of consortiums (where students can lottery into any school for any reason). The entire county will be divided into regions and they will ensure each region offers similar programs. Students can apply to a program within their region. Not sure if it will be merit based or lottery based to get into a program. Also unsure what this means for the VAC. Predictions are that there will be less specific programming than what currently exists so each region can have similar offerings and to balance the budget.

Isn’t this technically still speculation?

Yes, it is. Let's just wait and see what they actually propose on Tuesday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So are they basically going to create more consortiums like DCC and NEC? So every HS is part of a consortium and there is choice within that? If so, that seems like a major change that should be subject to public input. I hope they don't just announce it and move it forward.

They are getting rid of consortiums (where students can lottery into any school for any reason). The entire county will be divided into regions and they will ensure each region offers similar programs. Students can apply to a program within their region. Not sure if it will be merit based or lottery based to get into a program. Also unsure what this means for the VAC. Predictions are that there will be less specific programming than what currently exists so each region can have similar offerings and to balance the budget.

Isn’t this technically still speculation?

No. This is what was shared at the in person Woodard boundary meeting at Kennedy a few weeks ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does this apply even to rising 8th graders applying in AY25-26? Will be hard to them to choose from unclear options

It will be clear because the program options will be shared before then. I have a rising 5th grader so I’m just as concerned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this apply even to rising 8th graders applying in AY25-26? Will be hard to them to choose from unclear options

I suspect few if any things will actually change for the 2026-2027 school year (other than internal prep stuff); 2027-2028 is more likely.

But no one really knows at this point. We'll see what gets shared at the board meeting on Tuesday, and if you have questions or thoughts about it you might want to share them with board members now in hopes they will bring them up during that part of the agenda.

MCPS knows and they already said they would share the new programs in time for applications in January 2026 for the 2026-27 school year. I can understand how it’s confusing given the amount of information coming out about so many topics at once, but they are clearly communicating

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So are they basically going to create more consortiums like DCC and NEC? So every HS is part of a consortium and there is choice within that? If so, that seems like a major change that should be subject to public input. I hope they don't just announce it and move it forward.

They are getting rid of consortiums (where students can lottery into any school for any reason). The entire county will be divided into regions and they will ensure each region offers similar programs. Students can apply to a program within their region. Not sure if it will be merit based or lottery based to get into a program. Also unsure what this means for the VAC. Predictions are that there will be less specific programming than what currently exists so each region can have similar offerings and to balance the budget.

Isn’t this technically still speculation?

No. This is what was shared at the in person Woodard boundary meeting at Kennedy a few weeks ago.

Wow, I had not heard that and I follow this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this apply even to rising 8th graders applying in AY25-26? Will be hard to them to choose from unclear options

I suspect few if any things will actually change for the 2026-2027 school year (other than internal prep stuff); 2027-2028 is more likely.

But no one really knows at this point. We'll see what gets shared at the board meeting on Tuesday, and if you have questions or thoughts about it you might want to share them with board members now in hopes they will bring them up during that part of the agenda.

MCPS knows and they already said they would share the new programs in time for applications in January 2026 for the 2026-27 school year. I can understand how it’s confusing given the amount of information coming out about so many topics at once, but they are clearly communicating

When/where did they share this? And aren't applications in October, not January?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this apply even to rising 8th graders applying in AY25-26? Will be hard to them to choose from unclear options

I suspect few if any things will actually change for the 2026-2027 school year (other than internal prep stuff); 2027-2028 is more likely.

But no one really knows at this point. We'll see what gets shared at the board meeting on Tuesday, and if you have questions or thoughts about it you might want to share them with board members now in hopes they will bring them up during that part of the agenda.

MCPS knows and they already said they would share the new programs in time for applications in January 2026 for the 2026-27 school year. I can understand how it’s confusing given the amount of information coming out about so many topics at once, but they are clearly communicating

When/where did they share this? And aren't applications in October, not January?

Yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So are they basically going to create more consortiums like DCC and NEC? So every HS is part of a consortium and there is choice within that? If so, that seems like a major change that should be subject to public input. I hope they don't just announce it and move it forward.

They are getting rid of consortiums (where students can lottery into any school for any reason). The entire county will be divided into regions and they will ensure each region offers similar programs. Students can apply to a program within their region. Not sure if it will be merit based or lottery based to get into a program. Also unsure what this means for the VAC. Predictions are that there will be less specific programming than what currently exists so each region can have similar offerings and to balance the budget.

Isn’t this technically still speculation?

No. This is what was shared at the in person Woodard boundary meeting at Kennedy a few weeks ago.

That doesn't make sense because the program analysis people are different than the boundary study people.

[Anonymous]

What would happen to the current magnet students? Will they be moved to the new programs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Poolesville and Blair? They are regional. They will be gone too?

There are going to be more regions so I imagine they will have them, but kids from fewer schools will be able to apply. Just the ones in the same region as Poolesville and Blair. Quality will go down because they won’t have half the county each to choose from.

Same with RMIB — I will bet it will exist but only in its own region. That will really affect quality — it will have many, many fewer students to choose from.

Its a shame for the county to lose their most successful well known programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Poolesville and Blair? They are regional. They will be gone too?

There are going to be more regions so I imagine they will have them, but kids from fewer schools will be able to apply. Just the ones in the same region as Poolesville and Blair. Quality will go down because they won’t have half the county each to choose from.

Same with RMIB — I will bet it will exist but only in its own region. That will really affect quality — it will have many, many fewer students to choose from.

Its a shame for the county to lose their most successful well known programs.

So for perspective my children are still younger.

Isn’t it a good thing though to expand access to these programs by opening more seats and making them more geographically accessible? Aren’t there more qualified applicants than there are spaces?