Perhaps the start of an western upcounty HS consortium!

Anonymous wrote:You are assuming that Crown Farm High School will not be as desirable as Wootton. Why?

If the Crown high school were part of a newly formed cluster, then it might presumably pull one elementary district from other neighboring clusters, like QO, RM and Gaithersburg. These might include elementary zones like Fields Road (QO) and Rosemont (GBurg), which are closest in proximity. The demographics in those zones are quite different (i.e., much more lower cost and multi-family housing, and less white/Asian) than in Wootton. Thus, while redistricting may be the right thing to do from a county-wide policy standpoint, expect the Wootton PTA and activists/residents to resist.

Additionally, if this were the outcome, the new cluster would have no continuity between middle school and high school, as you'd have every elementary zone attending a different middle school from others in the same cluster.

Given the middle school dynamic here (and the fact that there are no current plans to my knowledge for a new middle school in this area), it's possible they'll leave the current clusters in place, and just make the new high school some sort of consortium school (STEM, etc.) that pulls from these zones. That may be easier to implement than starting redistricting wars. Who knows how it will all end up playing out.

You are assuming that Crown Farm High School will not be as desirable as Wootton. Why?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's the risk one assumes when you buy a home on that is on the outskirts of the school cluster, versus in the thick of the zone. By the looks of the housing going up in the Crown Farm development, those new students will come with educated and $$$ parents.

I am not sure that being in the middle of the zone is a guarantee. There are some weird boundaries for some schools that were drawn to balance SES and race. Personally I don't think Crown Farm is really much to worry about as it is pretty high end.

Houses in Dufief area would still take a hit though and that is very hard on families who paid more. It is a risk though. We thought about it before we bought here but felt like the development was enough years out that we might even move before then. But it is a concern for families here.

Anonymous wrote:That's the risk one assumes when you buy a home on that is on the outskirts of the school cluster, versus in the thick of the zone. By the looks of the housing going up in the Crown Farm development, those new students will come with educated and $$$ parents.

I am not sure that being in the middle of the zone is a guarantee. There are some weird boundaries for some schools that were drawn to balance SES and race. Personally I don't think Crown Farm is really much to worry about as it is pretty high end.