Report: Gaithersburg Area Schools Host Both Least, Most Hopeful Students

By Whitney Teal

Dozens of data metrics and student demographic information can only say so much about a school system, it seems, as Montgomery County Public Schools officials are adding yet another layer of data to the pool: hope.

The Washington Post reports that students will be polled, beginning this fall, on more hard-to-pin-down aspects of their school life, like whether they’ve made friends or if they’re excited about pursuing their goals.

“We’re taking a holistic view of what school performance looks like,” Superintendent Joshua P. Starr told The Post. “Rather than just saying it’s just about student achievement results, we’re saying it is also about how you get student achievement results.”

The hopefulness poll revealed a number of Gaithersburg area schools qualified as "Least Hopeful" and "Most Hopeful" among students. They include:

• Washington Grove Elementary School (Least Hopeful Elementary Schools)
• Lakelands Park Middle School (Most Hopeful Middle Schools)
• Montgomery Village Middle School (Least Hopeful Middle Schools)
• Quince Orchard High School (Most Hopeful High Schools)
• Watkins Mill High School (Least Hopeful High Schools)
• Gaithersburg High School (Least Hopeful High Schools)

Read more at The Washington Post.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated MCPS was funding the hopefulness poll.