The MCPS Board of Education approved critical boundary changes on March 26 that will reshape where thousands of students attend high school through a controversial plan known as Modified Option H. This plan relocates this school to the new Crown High School site while introducing a regional program model across the district.

Under Modified Option H, Wootton students will eventually attend Crown High School, a newly constructed facility intended to serve a growing population in the Gaithersburg area. Although, the building on this crown site will still go by Thomas S. Wootton High School. The current building in Rockville will be repurposed as a holding school for other campuses undergoing renovation, a decision that has become one of the most debated aspects of the plan.

Alongside the relocation, the Board emphasized the importance of the regional program model, which is intended to increase access to advanced and specialized courses across clusters. This new model increases the amount of STEM, humanities and IB magnet programs offered throughout the district. The county’s main issue with the current system is that these magnet programs are offered in only three schools, making it more difficult for all groups of students to get into them. The regional model splits MCPS into six smaller, individual zones, where every zone will have its own selective programs to get into.

Board member Rita Montoya framed the model as equity-driven, arguing that expanding access is necessary to address longstanding disparities in who can participate in these programs. “Those programs… they were established to make access greater for all students, not just some students. So why do I support the idea of expanding access through a regional program model? Because Black and brown students deserve access to these programs as well. So I want to be clear, to this community, and to all of my colleagues. A vote against this model is a vote to perpetuate the racist access to these programs that has been going on for quite some time,” Montoya said.

While board members pointed to equity and access as the central justification for the plan, the decision has been met with significant pushback from local officials and community members, who question both the data behind the proposal and the process used to reach it. Rockville City Councilmember Adam Van Grack criticized the assumptions used in enrollment projections and warned that key planning factors had not been fully addressed. “This miscalculation risks drastically underestimating future student enrollment and will likely lead to overcrowding. In addition, there were unanswered questions about utilization assumptions, transportation impacts, and the long-term capacity needs across multiple school clusters (not just Wootton), all of which are critical when making a permanent decision to close a successful, community high school,” Van Grack said.

Concerns have also extended to the condition of this school’s current building, particularly as the district plans to use it as a holding school despite ongoing infrastructure issues. Reports of frequent gas leaks, aging infrastructure and recurring power outages have raised questions about whether the building is suitable for continued use in any capacity. When asked if he would support or oppose Option H if he had to vote on it today, English teacher Daniel Pecararo said, “I would support it because my classroom gets very cold. The current building has a lot of issues, and Option H would get rid of the need to fix them.”

From an educational perspective, Pecararo also emphasized that safety and community voice should be central to any boundary decision, particularly when changes affect entire school communities. “I think safety comes first. That’s a non-negotiable. Then, I think because the school district is made up of families, and we’re traditionally based on the needs of the community, their thoughts are also an important priority,” Pecararo said.

Tensions surrounding the decision were evident during and after the March 26 meeting, as board members addressed the tone of public response to the proposal. “I could not conclude my remarks without sharing how disheartened and disappointed I am by some of the rhetoric that has been used during this process. Disagreement is to be expected, but some of the language that I have heard has definitely been disheartening,” Board Vice President Brenda Wolff said.

Several officials described instances in which community members directed harsh and personal criticism toward board members, including one case in which a member was yelled at in front of her children in public, highlighting how the intensity of the debate has extended beyond policy disagreements into personal interactions. “There have been some really ugly words spoken in really ugly ways throughout this process… it is absolutely not OK to yell at me while my children are standing next to me while I’m in the community,” Montoya said.

Despite the backlash, not all perspectives have been negative, especially among students who see potential benefits in the move to a newer facility. Junior Deepak Somasundar, who will graduate before the changes take effect, said he believes the transition could create new opportunities for students. “I think it’s overall OK; students need a fresher, newer building, so the move provides new opportunities for these students,” Somasundar said.

He also noted that student reactions are more mixed than they may appear on social media, pointing to a sense of optimism among some of his peers. “I’ve noticed that there is optimism in the air and students aren’t all negative about the new change as the Crown building will be more advanced,” Somasundar said.

For students directly affected by the rezoning, however, the impact is more immediate and personal, particularly in cases where families are split between different schools. Sophomore Sam Dyer will be grandfathered into Wootton High School under the new boundaries, while his younger sister and Cabin John Middle School student, Eve Dyer, will be rezoned to Churchill High School, a change that has altered expectations for both students. “I was sad because I was really looking forward to spending the last year Sam has until he goes off to college together,” Eve Dyer said.

The separation has also created logistical challenges, particularly around transportation and daily routines that had previously been planned around attending the same school. “I am upset because now he won’t be able to drive me to school,” she said.

For Sam Dyer, the situation reflects both the emotional and practical impact of the decision, as well as the broader disruption to established plans. “It was a little strange and upsetting knowing I would probably never go to the same school as her ever again,” Sam Dyer said.

As implementation of modified Option H moves forward, the decision continues to highlight a broader tension between long-term district goals and immediate community concerns. While MCPS leaders emphasize equity, access and modernization through the regional program model, and the inclusivity moving to Crown may bring, many students, families and local officials remain focused on the process, the data and the real-world impact of a decision that will reshape multiple school communities.

This story was originally published on Common Sense on April 14, 2026.