BOE Receives Update on School Closure and Consolidation Study
Posted On October 8, 2026
On Thursday, Oct. 8, MCPS updated the Board of Education on the elementary and middle school closure and consolidation study — including revisiting the reasons why the work is necessary, how decisions will be made and how the community can participate before a recommendation is developed. Learn more and get involved.
See the project website: https://mcpsstudy.org/
See the presentation video here.
See the presentation slides here.
Why it matters: For the first time in more than 40 years, MCPS enrollment is declining. Fewer students are entering the school system; enrollment and available space are unevenly distributed across the county, and resources are increasingly limited.
At the same time, every school building, whether full or under-enrolled, requires significant investment in staffing, maintenance, HVAC, roofs, plumbing, security, utilities and other services.
The goal: This is not simply about operating fewer buildings. It is about making the best use of our people, programs, facilities and funding to provide an excellent student and staff experience across MCPS.
What Is Important to Know
No schools have been selected for closure. No closure recommendations have been made. And there is no predetermined outcome.
The study must consider factors required by Maryland regulations and Board policy, including enrollment, utilization, building condition, transportation, educational programs, demographics, geography, finances and impacts on students and communities.
Also important: MCPS staff and consultants do not make the final decision to close a school. The Board of Education does, following a public process that includes recommendations, hearings and community input.
What Happens Next
Community engagement comes first. The first round begins Oct. 19 — months before the superintendent is scheduled to present recommendations.
Fall engagement: Will focus on why the study is necessary, the student and staff experience we want our schools to provide, and how the process will work.
Winter engagement: Will examine how required criteria and community feedback should be applied before recommendations are developed.
Then: The superintendent is expected to present a recommendation to the Board on Feb. 4, followed by public hearings in February and March. The Board is scheduled to make its final decision on April 15, 2027.
How to Participate
Families, staff and community members may attend any session, regardless of region.
Fall in-person sessions begin at 6:30 p.m.: Gaithersburg MS, Oct. 19; Kingsview MS, Oct. 20; Rosa Parks MS, Oct. 21; A. Mario Loiederman MS, Oct. 22; Julius West MS, Oct. 28; and Eastern MS, Oct. 29.
Virtual sessions: Oct. 19, Oct. 23, Oct. 30 and Nov. 2 at noon.
A second round of engagement will run Nov. 30–Dec. 10, with additional virtual meetings and in-person sessions at Herbert Hoover, Ridgeview, Newport Mill, Benjamin Banneker, Rocky Hill and Parkland middle schools.
What to Expect: These are designed to be conversations — not hours of presentations. After a brief overview, participants can explore information, ask questions and discuss facilities and transportation, enrollment and programs, and staffing and budget.
Virtual sessions will cover the same information.
One More Thing: Facts Matter
We know school closures and consolidations generate strong feelings, and plenty of speculation. As this work moves forward, it is important to separate what is known from what is rumored.
A school being discussed is not a school selected for closure. A rumor is not a recommendation. A recommendation is not a final decision.
There are multiple steps before any final Board action: data analysis, community engagement, application of criteria, superintendent recommendation, public hearings — then a Board of Education decision.
Beginning Oct. 19, MCPS will also provide a project guide, toolkits and additional resources to help families and community organizations understand the study and participate.
The bottom line: The process matters. MCPS will continue to share information, listen to the community and follow a transparent public process before a recommendation is developed and decisions are made.
