Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) announced another update to their plan to revamp secondary school magnets during their July 24 meeting after incorporating community feedback. Currently, their recommendation calls for a major overhaul to the current countywide and consortium-based magnet model with a new six-region structure beginning with the class of 2031. Students in graduating classes before then will be allowed to remain in the programs they are currently enrolled in.
The changes include realigning the Downcounty and Northeast consortia, ending their unique high school choice processes.While students will continue to attend their assigned high schools by default, those seeking specialized academic programs will apply to options offered within their region, minimizing transportation burdens and program scarcity. After conducting an analysis, MCPS selected their scenario number five for dividing the regions– an option they say will best balance proximity, equity and existing program infrastructure.
The six regions in scenario five will be as follows. Region One includes Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Montgomery Blair, Walt Whitman, Albert Einstein and Northwood high schools. Region Two will consist of Blake, Paint Branch, Springbrook and Sherwood. Region Three encompasses Kennedy, Walter Johnson, Wheaton and the new Woodward high school, opening in 2027. Region Four includes Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Winston Churchill and Thomas S. Wootton high schools. Region Five will include Magruder, Gaithersburg, Damascus, Watkins Mill and Crown high school, which is also slated to open in 2027. Region Six serves Seneca Valley, Clarksburg, Quince Orchard, Poolesville and Northwest.
Highly competitive county-wide programs like the Richard Montgomery IB and Poolesville Global Ecology will be dismantled and adapted to serve only their region. They currently attract hundreds of applicants across the county for a limited number of seats, and disproportionately accept students from a select few well-resourced schools. MCPS says they hope the regional model will expand access to rigorous academic pathways, reduce transportation costs and correct historical admissions inequity.
Final recommendations are expected by January 2026, with implementation beginning in fall 2026.
