Residents Split On MCPS Boundary Analysis

BETHESDA, MD — Hundreds of Montgomery County parents, teachers, and students flocked to Walter Johnson High School Thursday night to discuss the district's ongoing review of school boundaries.

It was the sixth and final informational meeting about the study — which was held simultaneously in the school's gymnasium and cafeteria at 7 p.m.

The study, which was authorized by the Montgomery County Board of Education in January 2019, has been a source of contention for many residents. School officials say the purpose of this study isn't to redraw boundaries, but to examine their impact on school capacity, student demographics, and travel patterns. Yet, the prospect of redistricting schools has led to protests and shouting matches at past informational meetings.

Thursday's meeting, however, was noticeably more cordial and orderly. People sat at tables, where they listened to the boundary analysis presentation, participated in real-time keypad polling, engaged in brief table discussions, and took part in a Q & A with meeting facilitators. Attendees didn't shout across the room or boo officials giving presentations in the gymnasium.

Still the divide was palpable — given how split residents were in polls that asked whether they supported the study, and the signs posted outside the school that read "STOP Disruptive Redistricting" or "I support the boundary analysis."

As the largest public school system in the state, Montgomery County has seen a rapid increase in enrollment in recent years. Proponents hope the boundary analysis will eventually help to alleviate overcrowding in some schools and diversify the student population.

"I want to see the boundary analysis go forward," said Sunil Dasgupta, a Norbeck resident running for the at-large seat on the Montgomery County Board of Education. "We have a problem. If you have overcrowding in half the schools and under capacity in the other half of the schools, I mean, it's just common sense."

The company hired to conduct the analysis, WXY Architecture + Urban Design, says consultants will look at school boundaries through three lenses: facility utilization (to maintain reasonable class sizes and accommodate growth); school diversity (to increase critical thinking and creativity, reduce racial bias, and improve test scores); and proximity (to lessen the burden of transportation on families and conserve district resources).

Opponents, however, worry that these changes will mean longer bus rides, lower home values, and wider achievement gaps.

Some residents raised concerns over how transparent school officials will be during this process or whether redrawing boundaries will improve academic performance.

Another attendee asked facilitators if MCPS has considered implementing a lottery system in which students in overcrowded schools would have the option to enroll in less crowded schools.

"Without anyone being forced to move...have a sort of opt-in, so the overcapacity school parents have a shot at going to the nearest, closest, under capacity school before any significant redrawing of the lines...I'm curious if you've thought about that?" the resident, who didn't identify himself, asked.

"The answer is yes. We are thinking about it," said MCPS Chief Financial Officer Andy Zuckerman, adding that it is a tactic officials are considering for the reopening of Charles W. Woodward High School in Rockville.

Quinn Spence, a junior at Albert Einstein High School, was one of a handful of students to attend the meeting in the gymnasium.

Spence said that boundary studies are necessary, but is unsure how comprehensive this particular study will be.

"I think it's really important to have a boundary analysis, but I am concerned that the things being studied are not comprehensive enough," Spence told Patch in an interview. "I think it's a very baseline study and it's not giving a holistic view of what's happening at schools and how students are being affected."

Spence said she wanted to "see equality in all Montgomery County schools and see students in all schools getting the same opportunities," even if that means redrawing boundaries.

As for possibly longer bus rides?

"It's certainly not ideal, but I think there are always sacrifices that have to be made," Spence said. "It's tiring to see so many disenfranchised students making sacrifices over and over and over again so that privileged students are able to get things they don't have to work very hard for."

While the purpose of this study isn't to redraw school boundaries, officials say the analysis will help them with future boundary studies.

Now that phase one (the informational meetings) of the project is complete, MCPS and WXY Architecture + Urban Design will launch phase two. Five additional community meetings will be held in the winter and spring of 2020. During these meetings, officials will present and explain the data analysis. Dates and times have not yet been announced.