Who gets the Crown?

Hundreds of Wootton High School families packed a public hearing in Rockville to oppose a proposal that would permanently relocate the school to Crown High in Gaithersburg. MCPS says the move would address overcrowding and renovation needs, but parents and local leaders argue Wootton should stay put as the Board of Education prepares for a final vote next month.

Parents of Wootton High School students react to the Superintendent's recommendation to move the school to Crown High School.

Maryland’s largest school district is considering major redistricting changes, and families are fired up. Montgomery County parents are pushing back against proposals that could shift where their kids attend high school — including who gets to go to the brand-new Crown High in Gaithersburg. Families say the changes could split cohorts and disrupt students’ sense of community as the district prepares to vote.

Montgomery County Public Schools is weighing sweeping changes to attendance boundaries — and families across the county are deeply divided. We break down the competing proposals, including plans to use Crown as a permanent high school or a temporary holding school while other campuses undergo major repairs. Parents who moved specifically for Crown worry their children could be sent farther away, while other communities argue their schools are in dire need of relief. The conversation also explores how program analysis, regional high school models, and future elementary boundary studies factor into the decision. With a superintendent’s recommendation expected in February and a school board vote scheduled for March, we explain what families should watch for next — and how to understand what these proposals could mean for their own children.