What is a Boundary Study?
A Boundary Study is a periodic review of school boundaries–e.g., which neighborhoods and addresses attend which schools.
Which Boundary Study impacts our community?
The “Woodward High School Boundary Study” includes the Whitman cluster.
How often does it happen?
Boundary studies happen periodically depending on available facilities and student enrollment. MCPS wants to make sure schools have appropriate enrollment and resources devoted to them.
Why is this happening?
This Boundary Study is happening because MCPS is opening a new high school–Charles W. Woodward High School, on Old Georgetown Road, with a capacity of over 2,000 students–in order to help ease over-enrollment concerns at other local high schools, notably Blair, Walter Johnson, Einstein, and Wheaton. Woodward is expected to open in 2027. See this link for more information: https://gis.mcpsmd.org/boundarystudypdfs/WoodwardHS_BoundaryStudyScope.pdf
What high schools are affected?
This Boundary Study impacts the following high schools: Whitman, Walter Johnson, Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Wheaton, Blair, Kennedy, Einstein, and Northwood.
What middle schools are affected?
This Boundary Study impacts the following middle schools: Pyle, Argyle, Parkland, Sligo, Eastern, Takoma Park, Loiederman, Shannon, Tilden, Newport Mill, Silver Creek, Westland, North Bethesda, and Silver Spring International.
Are boundaries for elementary schools being redrawn?
No.
If we attend Bradley Hills now, will we continue to be in the Bradley Hills zone after this?
Yes.
What is the timeline for the Boundary Study?
Spring 2024—Request for Proposal is released
Summer 2024—Board of Education approves consultant [delayed until Dec 5 meeting]
Fall 2024—Montgomery County Public Schools staff and consultant prepare for community engagement process and provide stakeholders with meeting information [delayed]
Early 2025–Fall 2025—Boundary Study process (community meetings, option development, feedback)
Early 2026—Boundary study report is released
Winter 2026 (February)—Superintendent of schools’ recommendation on the boundary study is released
Winter 2026 (February-March)—Board of Education work sessions, public hearings, and action on the superintendent of schools’ recommendation on the boundary study
August 2027—reopening of Charles W. Woodward High School https://gis.mcpsmd.org/boundarystudypdfs/WoodwardHS_BoundaryStudyTimeline.pdf
What factors does MCPS consider during a Boundary Study?
Per the recent video from MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor, the priorities for study are as follows:
Diversity
Proximity
Stability
Fiscal Responsibility (https://montgomeryperspective.com/2024/12/16/taylor-explains-the-boundary-study/)
Can you guarantee that Bradley Hills will continue to send students to Pyle and then Whitman?
No, we cannot guarantee anything–the Boundary Study process has to play out. However, it is worth noting that all of the Bradley Hills district is within the walking distance zone for Whitman, that Whitman has additional capacity available following the recent improvements made at the school, and that the Whitman cluster has always been correlated with Pyle.
Is there a chance that there are no changes to the Whitman/Pyle cluster after this Boundary Study?
Yes, the Whitman/Pyle cluster could remain unchanged. It depends on the results of the Boundary Study.
What is the purpose of this committee?
This committee was formed to follow the Boundary Study and keep our community apprised of how it could impact Bradley Hills families.
How can I engage with the committee?
Please send any inquiries and comments to the committee to Kara Ghassabeh (karamaureen@gmail.com).
Will the committee provide updates?
Yes - we will provide relevant updates through the Weekly Whale, and also will provide updates as needed at PTA meetings.
How can I impact the process?
The best way to impact the process is to stay informed and attend the public hearings.
Can the public participate in hearings?
Of course! We will pass along public hearing opportunities as they become available.
What can I expect from this committee?
We plan to coordinate with other PTAs within the Whitman cluster with the goal of providing fact-based, relevant feedback about our community that can be incorporated into the Boundary Study as needed.