when will the new high school programs start?

[Anonymous]

I'm feeling anxious about the upcoming changes to magnet programs. Will current students and those starting this fall be able to continue in their existing programs, or will they be moved to the new regional programs? DS will be applying this fall and I do not see any info regarding 25-26 programs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling anxious about the upcoming changes to magnet programs. Will current students and those starting this fall be able to continue in their existing programs, or will they be moved to the new regional programs? DS will be applying this fall and I do not see any info regarding 25-26 programs

If your child currently in a program? As in will be in for 25-26? I'm sure those students will be allowed to continue.

I do expect there to be changes for 26-27. I suspect they will let regional magnets continue (as that aligns with the regional approach they have outlined to the Board), but it's possible that county-wide magnets won't. But I think anyone who starts in a magnet program for 26-27 will be able to finish it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling anxious about the upcoming changes to magnet programs. Will current students and those starting this fall be able to continue in their existing programs, or will they be moved to the new regional programs? DS will be applying this fall and I do not see any info regarding 25-26 programs

Taylor addressed this at a recent board meeting and said whenever the new programs start that then-current students would be able to continue in their programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is right. Usually the HS program application ends in Nov, MS ends in Feb and ES ends in April. So I believe the Jan 2026 is for new MS programs

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No clear timeline for applications has been communicated. Stop spreading rumors as if they were fact.

Yes, it has. Implementation begins in January. PP is correct - that's when the application will open.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/academic-programs-analysis/

It says *implementation* begins, which can mean a lot of things. If you have a concrete source that says when *application* begins, you should cite it. January is already late for the following year — applications currently start in November, and information sessions start in September. It’s highly unlikely that they will be able to start a whole new set of programs in the 2026/27 school year. At best they will be able to get started by 2027/28, which would make more sense anyway because that’s when the boundaries change.

This tread is about HS, not MS programs. The program analysis people have not said much abut middle schools, although it's in their remit.

That’s probably because the MS articulate to particular HS. Many of which are part of the boundary study. This is why the Program Analysis decisions need to be made this month because they will impact the boundary study.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling anxious about the upcoming changes to magnet programs. Will current students and those starting this fall be able to continue in their existing programs, or will they be moved to the new regional programs? DS will be applying this fall and I do not see any info regarding 25-26 programs

Taylor addressed this at a recent board meeting and said whenever the new programs start that then-current students would be able to continue in their programs.

I won’t believe it until it happens. There has to be space and staffing available for two programs to run in the same building. MCPS is barely keeping the lights on now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling anxious about the upcoming changes to magnet programs. Will current students and those starting this fall be able to continue in their existing programs, or will they be moved to the new regional programs? DS will be applying this fall and I do not see any info regarding 25-26 programs

Taylor addressed this at a recent board meeting and said whenever the new programs start that then-current students would be able to continue in their programs.

I won’t believe it until it happens. There has to be space and staffing available for two programs to run in the same building. MCPS is barely keeping the lights on now.

Buses for kids going to old and new schools from same street will be another concern for Parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling anxious about the upcoming changes to magnet programs. Will current students and those starting this fall be able to continue in their existing programs, or will they be moved to the new regional programs? DS will be applying this fall and I do not see any info regarding 25-26 programs

Taylor addressed this at a recent board meeting and said whenever the new programs start that then-current students would be able to continue in their programs.

I won’t believe it until it happens. There has to be space and staffing available for two programs to run in the same building. MCPS is barely keeping the lights on now.

Buses for kids going to old and new schools from same street will be another concern for Parents.

How is that a concern for parents? The (high school aged) kid may get on the wrong bus and be traumatized? Some of you are just making up things to be worried about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling anxious about the upcoming changes to magnet programs. Will current students and those starting this fall be able to continue in their existing programs, or will they be moved to the new regional programs? DS will be applying this fall and I do not see any info regarding 25-26 programs

Taylor addressed this at a recent board meeting and said whenever the new programs start that then-current students would be able to continue in their programs.

I won’t believe it until it happens. There has to be space and staffing available for two programs to run in the same building. MCPS is barely keeping the lights on now.

For all you know the new programs might be just in the 11 and 12th grade. Which would make the transition easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling anxious about the upcoming changes to magnet programs. Will current students and those starting this fall be able to continue in their existing programs, or will they be moved to the new regional programs? DS will be applying this fall and I do not see any info regarding 25-26 programs

Taylor addressed this at a recent board meeting and said whenever the new programs start that then-current students would be able to continue in their programs.

I won’t believe it until it happens. There has to be space and staffing available for two programs to run in the same building. MCPS is barely keeping the lights on now.

For all you know the new programs might be just in the 11 and 12th grade. Which would make the transition easy.

What? No. This is for programs that people apply to in 8th grade for 9th grade start. And programs at a school that don't require application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh, you just know they will get rid of the most successful magnets (e.g., RMIB, Blair) in place of regional programs that are much worse (e.g., Kennedy). Those who care about this should write it now, becuase it sounds like it's being finalized this month.

The magnets are at Blair and Wheaton to boost scores. They were low performing schools prior and would go back to that if removed. The dcc offers very little outside these two schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh, you just know they will get rid of the most successful magnets (e.g., RMIB, Blair) in place of regional programs that are much worse (e.g., Kennedy). Those who care about this should write it now, becuase it sounds like it's being finalized this month.

What makes the regional ones so much worse? Besides staffing issues since presumably if the RMIB, say, became regional they'd still keep the same teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh, you just know they will get rid of the most successful magnets (e.g., RMIB, Blair) in place of regional programs that are much worse (e.g., Kennedy). Those who care about this should write it now, becuase it sounds like it's being finalized this month.

What makes the regional ones so much worse? Besides staffing issues since presumably if the RMIB, say, became regional they'd still keep the same teachers.

It would be fine if they ensured that any magnet class offered at one regional magnet was offered (that is, conducted for any who select it, not just "in the catalog" but not conducted without filling the class) at every regional magnet, or, at least, that the rigor and breadth of any regional program was very similar to that at any other regional of the same type. They shouldn't be creating a situation where which region a student is in determines their educational experience/opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Could someone point to where they talk about these new programs? I’ve never heard of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could someone point to where they talk about these new programs? I’ve never heard of this.

The're hasn't been much official talk about the new programs, but this is the project site:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/academic-programs-analysis/