Background

The Prince George's County Public Schools Board contracted a Vendor to evaluate over crowding and under crowding in PG County public schools. The Vendor evaluated 184 schools based on the age of the school, renovations and enrollment to determine which facilities need to be closed, renovated or rezoned. The vendor produced a report providing 3 scenarios to address the Boards concerns. 

If adopted, and under the third and most aggressive scenario, Woodmore Elementary would be permanently closed. 

There are several material concerns with the study. Primarily, the study did not take into consideration the new construction on Church Rd, future growth or the school performance. Closing a successfully functioning school and rezoning the students to an under performing school is wanton.

Woodmore Elementary School is a higher performing school than its surrounding schools. The only schools that rank higher than Woodmore Elementary School are PGCPS Specialty Program Schools that receive additional funding and operate in much better facilities. 

Woodmore Elementary School is ranked #12 in the county and #248 in the state.  The schools that are currently in the proposal to move students to, if Woodmore Elementary School is closed, are Kingsford Elementary School and Northview Elementary School.

Kingsford Elementary School is currently ranked #53 in the county and #532 in the state.

Northview Elementary School is ranked #105-#140 in the county and #640-853 in the state (essentially not ranked).

If Woodmore Elementary School is closed, students would be re-zoned into schools that are performing at a substantially lower level, despite the fact that residents living in the 20720 and 20721 zip codes pay a disproportionately higher share of county property taxes.

The Prince George's County Public Schools owes its community a better solution. Please sign our petition to the County School Board to let them know we want to keep our local community school open.