Montgomery County Schools Say No Schools Have Been Picked for Closure, With a Board Vote Not Due Until April 2027

Montgomery County Public Schools says it has not chosen any schools to close. In a statement posted on October 28, the school system said that despite any analysis provided by advocates, news media or community members, no schools have been selected for closure or consolidation, no recommendations have been made, and no decisions have been predetermined. There is an established process, the statement said, during which extensive community feedback will be gathered, reviewed and considered before any decisions are made at a much later stage.

The statement replied to an analysis by Montgomery Perspective, published October 27, that used the school system's own enrollment projections and building-condition rankings. The analysis found that College Gardens and Candlewood elementary schools in Rockville are projected to be 51 percent and 53 percent full in the 2032-33 school year, among the most underused elementary schools in the county - while nearby Mill Creek Towne Elementary is projected at 146 percent of capacity, a contrast the analysis said could be addressed by redrawing boundaries instead of closing either school. The school system is studying elementary and middle school closures and consolidations because enrollment is falling unevenly across the county.

The calendar ahead is long, and it starts with residents. The first round of community engagement sessions, in person and online, runs through Monday, November 2. A second round, from November 30 to December 10, will focus on how schools should be evaluated. The superintendent's recommendation is due in February 2027, followed by public hearings in February and March, and the Board of Education's vote is scheduled for April 15, 2027. After that would come a boundary study for the remaining schools, with any changes starting in the 2029-30 school year.