Public Hearings For School Redistricting Proposals Start Next Week

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — School officials will be hosting a series of public hearings and work sessions as part of the boundary review process for the 2026-2027 school year.

Several schools are being considered for redistricting, including Bryant Woods, Running Brook, Swansfield, Longfellow, Clemens Crossing and Centennial Lane elementary schools. Wilde Lake, Harper’s Choice and Burleigh Manor middle schools, as well as Centennial and Wilde Lake high schools also are being considered.

According to the Howard County Public School System, HCPSS is "responsible for ensuring that all school buildings in the county are run efficiently and effectively. This means keeping all schools at or near capacity. Ensuring that all available seats in all schools are used before new schools are built saves tax dollars in the school system’s operating and capital budgets. When a school’s enrollment exceeds its capacity, relocatable classrooms may be used as a temporary solution. If enrollment growth is expected to continue, a permanent addition or a new school may be considered. If space is available in other schools in the county, then students may be reassigned through the attendance area adjustment process to a school with available space. When the county opens a new school, the adjustment of attendance areas is inevitable."

Public hearings start next week on Oct. 9 during the 4 p.m. session of the Board of Education meeting and Nov. 6 during the 7 p.m. session. Community members wanting to testify at public hearings can pre-register by telephone (410-313-7194 or 410-313-1584) or online three weeks before a hearing through 4:30 p.m. of the last working day prior to the public hearing, school officials said.

A final decision on any changes in school boundaries for the 2026-2027 school year will be made by the school board on Nov. 20.

More information about the boundary review process for the 2026-2027 school year can be found online.