Magnet redistribution proposed in Montgomery County Public Schools will reassign highly competitive magnet programs in order to address the issue of equity between schools.
The main idea behind this proposal is to create six regions within Montgomery County, each including 4-5 schools. Within each of these regions, each school may hold up to two programs, which may be magnet, lottery based, or dual enrollment. These programs can focus on an array of subjects, such as medical sciences, engineering, law, and creative arts.
Poolesville High School (PHS) is known for being a magnet school, and is an example of a school that may be impacted by proposed changes. PHS contains four magnet programs: SMCS (science, math, and computer science), Humanities, Global Ecology, and the Independent Studies Program (ISP). SMCS, Humanities, and Global require an application process in order to be admitted into the program, while ISP is a program for students who live in Poolesville, Maryland and don’t attend another program already offered.
Everyone in attendance at PHS is in a magnet program, and therefore a magnet redistribution may affect the school and its surrounding community. While it is known that changes are being made in order to allow more equitable access to programs such as those offered at PHS, it has not yet been determined what these changes will be.
Mrs. Angela McLane, Executive Director in the Division of Teaching and Learning, spoke on behalf of the MCPS superintendent what possible magnet redistribution effects could look like for PHS.
“Poolesville High School will continue to offer the highly successful programs already located there and students from the region may apply to attend,” said McLane. “We anticipate no reduction in the program sizes.”
McLane reiterated the fact that the goal of redistribution was not to remove magnet programs, but rather to expand their use within each new proposed region, which would in turn create more access to opportunities presented by magnet programs.
Mrs. Katie Horan, business owner of Sweet Lemon and former teacher in the PHS Humanities program, believes that the redistribution process will allow more access for students, especially those who live far away from the school.
“The competition is really intense because we have a lot of applicants for very few seats,” claimed Horan.
Because PHS is unique in its offering of their specific magnet programs, applicants come from all around the county. Due to a wide range of students applying, the magnet programs become selective in their acceptance process. In addition, Horan admits the difficulty that change can have on a community, especially one that has come to hold the local academic success so closely.
“I think that like the original magnet coming to Pooleville, there are gonna be people who don’t want it, who don’t want the magnet redistribution,” said Horan. “But I think once everyone gets used to it and sees you know there’s still a rich culture of academic excellence… eventually they’ll come around to it because there’s more access, it’s easier, and makes more sense.”
While Horan admits that redistribution, specifically to PHS, will take time for the community to accept, another perspective deviates from this opinion.
Senior Jeff Hou argues that losing any magnets within PHS will have negative effects on the school and the surrounding community.
“The county claims that this was because the programs are selective. They are meant to be selective; they are magnet programs for a reason,” Hou stated.
Hou claims the selectivity of these magnet programs are purposeful and have their place, just as a traditional given education has.
“This matters not just for fairness and education equality but also I have younger siblings that most definitely deserve the same opportunities I had,” said Hou.
So if the matter is one of equity, Hou believes it does the opposite in reference to the access for his own younger siblings, who could potentially be affected if PHS magnet programs are redistributed across the region.
With different opinions over potential success of magnet redistribution, both Horan and Hou admitted that information regarding reassignment should be released in a more logistical manner.
With plans to release the final idea in December of this year, a vote will be held by the MCPS Board of Education and its members on what program changes will occur. The plan passed at this vote will be implemented countywide by the fall of 2026 with the intention of creating more access to magnet programs similar to those offered at PHS.
