On January 8, 2019, the Board of Education (Board) adopted a resolution asking the Superintendent to utilize external consultants to conduct an in-depth review and analysis of how existing school and cluster boundaries support or impede the effective use of school facilities in Montgomery County Public Schools. The Board is gathering input from the community regarding the scope of work for the consultants, the framework for the assessment of the district’s school and cluster boundaries, and how the consultants will focus their efforts and analysis. (Please note: No specific boundary recommendations are under consideration. The purpose of the hearing is to obtain feedback to inform the work of the consultants.)

In terms of the process, a Request for Proposals will be issued to select external consultants to conduct this analysis. The consultants’ review is not a boundary study for specific school assignment changes. The consultants will issue the final report of findings and options to the Board in spring 2020. Following receipt of the consultants’ analysis, the Board will determine any next steps. Any potential future process would continue to be based on the four factors established in Board Policy FAA, Educational Facilities Planning, for consideration in determining boundaries for student assignment. These four factors are: demographics of the student body population; geographic proximity of communities to schools; stability of assignments over time; and school capacity and enrollment.