Montgomery County to shift high school access to regional program model, officials say

Montgomery County Public Schools officials on Tuesday detailed a major reorganization of high school offerings that will group schools into six geographic regions and let students apply to specialized "pathways" hosted across schools in each region.

"The first group of students who will be a part of the new regional model is our current seventh graders," said Ebony Langford Brown, director of academic programs, explaining the district will phase in the change one grade at a time so current students in grades 8'12 remain in the current model. Decisions about enrollment under the new system will be announced in January after applications open in October and close in early November.

Why the change: Langford Brown said the district currently sees about 3,000 applications a year for magnet-style programs but has roughly 300 seats, leaving many eligible students without access. "By moving to the regional model and having the same opportunities in each of the regions for students, we open up access for students," she said.

Peter Ostrander, who works in the district's academic programs office, said the move preserves comprehensive home high schools while encouraging focused study at specialized sites. "About 80% of our students are going to transition from middle school to their local high school," he said, noting home-assigned schools will continue to offer full graduation requirements, AP/IB options and student supports.

How it will work: each region will include four or five high schools. Every high school will host at least one regional pathway (for example, biomedical science, engineering, arts or leadership); participation is optional and requires an application. The district will use a single high-school common application; program types include criteria-based (academic measures, auditions or portfolios), interest-based (lottery if oversubscribed) and mixed models such as middle college pathways that combine interest with academic prerequisites.

Admissions and transportation: applicants are limited to programs within their assigned region; seats per program will vary but presenters said typical openings range from about 30 to 60. Transportation will be provided to central stops (school, library or community center), not to students'doorsteps.

Implementation timeline: current seventh graders will begin extensive outreach and counselor briefings in August and September. The district plans a three-year overlap as the new model is phased in, with a full transition after the 2029'30 school year.

What stays the same: presenters emphasized that regional offerings are additive. "All of our graduation requirements and all the courses will remain in every building," Langford Brown said, meaning home high schools will still offer core courses, world language and fine arts required for graduation.

Next steps: MCPS staff urged families to attend local open houses in September and October, consult program pages on the district website for course progressions and program requirements, and discuss options with middle school counselors. Contact information and QR codes for FAQs, program themes and feedback were provided at the session.

The district did not announce changes to seat allocation formulas or provide exact seat counts for every pathway; officials said details will be finalized before applications open.