My son goes to Blair and loves it. I was a little nervous because it's a huge school and he isn't the kind of kid to test into a magnet or any special program, and I thought he might slip through the cracks there. However, there are so many clubs and classes available, and so far his teachers have been very good. He joined the theater program, which is amazing, and has a diverse group of friends. Because the school is so big, there's really something for everyone, and they have a lot of resources (puts my small, hometown high school to shame). I would highly recommend it. Also, look into Takoma Park elementary schools/middle school or East Silver Spring elementary, which doesn't have a great GS score, but seems to have a really involved community and good teachers, including a math teacher who won a national teaching award.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you to PPs for the Blair HS recommendation! I would not have known as the Greater School rating is a 5 out of 10
I like the racial distribution a lot but this school is big, no?

Because it's the most diverse school in the state of Maryland. If you are a truly diverse school, you're not going to get anything over 6 on Great School rating.

Reservoir in Hoco is at 7. 32% black, 30% white, 16- Asian, 15% Hispanic, 7% two or more races. Hammond is 7. 42% black, 26% white, 15% Asian, 11% Hispanic.

Both of those schools have at least 20% FARMS.

OP, look towards Howard County. Specifically, Reservoir, Hammond or Howard. Long Reach and Oakland Mills have lower great school ratings but are incredibly diverse and well loved.

I don’t think these numbers will really impress the OP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you to PPs for the Blair HS recommendation! I would not have known as the Greater School rating is a 5 out of 10
I like the racial distribution a lot but this school is big, no?

Because it's the most diverse school in the state of Maryland. If you are a truly diverse school, you're not going to get anything over 6 on Great School rating.

Reservoir in Hoco is at 7. 32% black, 30% white, 16- Asian, 15% Hispanic, 7% two or more races. Hammond is 7. 42% black, 26% white, 15% Asian, 11% Hispanic.

Both of those schools have at least 20% FARMS.

OP, look towards Howard County. Specifically, Reservoir, Hammond or Howard. Long Reach and Oakland Mills have lower great school ratings but are incredibly diverse and well loved.

Anonymous wrote:Thank you to PPs for the Blair HS recommendation! I would not have known as the Greater School rating is a 5 out of 10
I like the racial distribution a lot but this school is big, no?

Because it's the most diverse school in the state of Maryland. If you are a truly diverse school, you're not going to get anything over 6 on Great School rating.

Anonymous wrote:Hi,

AA mom with 3 children here. We are planning to move to Maryland next year. I am open to any County but those have been recommended as having good school districts and a diverse student body. I really need HS, MS and ES recommendations but I want to start looking at HSs. Thank you for any suggestions!

Blair and done.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville is another one that is pretty perfect across the board in the diversity percentages.

+1 And it has the IB program.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04201.pdf

24.7 Asian
17.5 Black
23.4 Hispanic
29.5 White
19.5 FARMS

But parts of RM will eventually get rezoned to Crown HS as well parts of QO and probably NWHS. Don't know how old OP's kids are but Crown HS will probably be diverse too, and they will also probably put a special program there, not to mention it will be brand spankin' new.

Also, I think NWHS has great diversity, too.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04246.pdf

20% Asian
26.3 Black
20.5 Hispanic
28 White
22.5 FARMs

That's as close to 25% in each category as you are going to get in MCPS.

QO is majority white:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04125.pdf

13.6 Asian
15.1 Black
26.6 Hispanic
40 white
21.3 FARMs

How is 40% majority white?

Compared to the other groups, whites are the majority. Or are you grouping all nonwhites together?

A majority is >50%. you mean they are the largest plurality. - DP

Compared to the other groups, whites are the majority. Or are you grouping all nonwhites together?

A majority is 50% or greater. The figures for QO are, like the county, minority-majority. Or, another way, no one subgroup is a majority at the school.

Compared to the other groups, whites are the majority. Or are you grouping all nonwhites together?

A majority is 50% or greater. The figures for QO are, like the county, minority-majority. Or, another way, no one subgroup is a majority at the school.

Isn't BCC the obvious answer? Excellent academics and very diverse, including 15 percent African American and a sizeable reduced lunch population.

I know families with kids in almost all of the Howard County high schools and have not heard of one family that hates their high school.

Most of the schools are racially diverse, except for River Hill and Glen Elg. What various is socioeconomic diversity. Some schools have more students receiving FARMs than others. Still, we have friends in high FARMs high schools whose kids LOVE their schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville is another one that is pretty perfect across the board in the diversity percentages.

+1 And it has the IB program.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04201.pdf

24.7 Asian
17.5 Black
23.4 Hispanic
29.5 White
19.5 FARMS

But parts of RM will eventually get rezoned to Crown HS as well parts of QO and probably NWHS. Don't know how old OP's kids are but Crown HS will probably be diverse too, and they will also probably put a special program there, not to mention it will be brand spankin' new.

Also, I think NWHS has great diversity, too.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04246.pdf

20% Asian
26.3 Black
20.5 Hispanic
28 White
22.5 FARMs

That's as close to 25% in each category as you are going to get in MCPS.

QO is majority white:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04125.pdf

13.6 Asian
15.1 Black
26.6 Hispanic
40 white
21.3 FARMs

How is 40% majority white?

Compared to the other groups, whites are the majority. Or are you grouping all nonwhites together?

I recommend Eleanor roosevelt HS in PG or the privates Dematha and Seton.

Winston Churchill HS in Montgomery County

Woodmoor is a nice neighborhood across from Blair HS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville is another one that is pretty perfect across the board in the diversity percentages.

+1 And it has the IB program.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04201.pdf

24.7 Asian
17.5 Black
23.4 Hispanic
29.5 White
19.5 FARMS

But parts of RM will eventually get rezoned to Crown HS as well parts of QO and probably NWHS. Don't know how old OP's kids are but Crown HS will probably be diverse too, and they will also probably put a special program there, not to mention it will be brand spankin' new.

Also, I think NWHS has great diversity, too.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04246.pdf

20% Asian
26.3 Black
20.5 Hispanic
28 White
22.5 FARMs

That's as close to 25% in each category as you are going to get in MCPS.

QO is majority white:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04125.pdf

13.6 Asian
15.1 Black
26.6 Hispanic
40 white
21.3 FARMs

How is 40% majority white?