The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Board of Education is looking to redistrict hundreds of K–12 students from 11 schools with an enrollment of 7,300 students, taking effect in the 2026/27 school year—all to relieve overcrowding caused by a few Pre-K classes in two elementary schools. 

Why use a sledgehammer to crack open a nut? The HCPSS redistricting plan is just that—a disproportionately large and disruptive response to a relatively manageable issue caused by the school system in the first place. HCPSS made a short-sighted decision to add Pre-K programs in near- or over-capacity elementary schools. Although providing Pre-K programs that benefit low-income children, children with disabilities, and those in special education is highly commendable, Howard County families should not be forced to bear the burden of poorly implemented Pre-K programs at the expense of redistricting K-12 students.

Instead, the Board of Education could significantly reduce the scope of this redistricting by rebalancing Pre-K programs at the two elementary schools to nearby schools with capacity. This approach would minimize disruption, avoid an increase in transportation costs, and is fully aligned with HCPSS Policy 9000: Student Residency, Eligibility, Enrollment, and Assignment.

👉Access our Smarter Solution: Strategic Adjustments to Select Pre-K Locations as an Alternative to Disruptive Redistricting

This solution, proposed by members of several communities, was repeatedly dismissed by HCPSS, driven by a push to expand Pre-K based on a flawed interpretation of the Maryland Department of Education’s Blueprint initiative and without adequate justification. (Read the section below on "Frequently Asked Questions" or download the FAQs here).

Let’s put a stop to unnecessary redistricting and placing more programs, such as Pre-K, in elementary schools that are overcrowded or near maximum capacity.

By signing this petition, I affirm that I am an HCPSS student, parent, guardian or Howard County resident, and I support placing Pre-K programs in underutilized elementary schools and relocating Pre-K programs from overcrowded schools to schools with capacity as a sensible and fiscally responsible alternative to disruptive, costly, and unnecessary redistricting. Redistricting should be considered only as a last resort, particularly during times of unprecedented budget constraints.

What You Can Do:

1. Sign this petition.
2. Share the petition link (https://chng.it/kscNyfZc7S) with friends and neighbors and encourage them to sign.
3. Join the Facebook group for Alliance for Neighborhood Schools
4. Speak up at the next Board of Education meeting to present this sensible alternative. (How to Participate in BOE Meetings).
5. Contact the Board of Education, the School Superintendent Dr. Bill Barnes, and the HCPSS Pre-K Program Office to advocate for the proposed solution and to express your opposition to redistricting. (Use this Email Template)

Alliance for Neighborhood Schools
Contact: alliance4ns@gmail.com

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON THE CURRENT HCPSS REDISTRICTING

Why is HCPSS’ current redistricting strategy disproportionately large and disruptive?

The simple answer is that it does not prioritize the well-being of students at the heart of its efforts, especially when a more straightforward and more compassionate solution is available. Displacing students whose social development was disrupted by a pandemic and who have spent years developing relationships with their peers to accommodate the expansion of Pre-K programs is neither part of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future nor aligned with HCPSS Policy 6010: School Attendance Areas. 

The Howard County Board of Education’s current proposal to redistrict 11 schools with 7,300 K-12 students enrolled in response to overcrowding caused by Pre-K programs at a few elementary schools is like using a sledgehammer to crack open a nut—a disproportionately large and disruptive response to a relatively manageable issue. 

We propose a more straightforward solution to address school overcrowding.

👉 Access the Smarter Solution: Strategic Adjustments to Select Pre-K Locations as an Alternative to Disruptive Redistricting

What is our solution, and why is it simpler and smarter?

The Howard Country Board of Education could adopt a far more efficient and compassionate solution instead of pursuing a costly and disruptive redistricting plan: rebalance Pre-K programs at just two elementary schools. This entitles relocating a few classrooms from the two currently overcrowded schools to nearby schools that have the capacity to accommodate them. That’s it! Refer to slides 4-13 in our proposed solution to learn how Pre-K enrollment can be adjusted between different area schools to alleviate overcrowding. 

This targeted approach would minimize disruption, preserve community stability, avoid additional transportation costs, and is fully aligned with HCPSS Policy 9000: Student Residency, Eligibility, Enrollment, and Assignment.

👉 Access Our Smarter Solution here: Strategic Adjustments to Select Pre-K Locations as an Alternative to Disruptive Redistricting

What inspired this redistricting proposal?

We are an Alliance of neighborhood parents just like you. It is painful for us to witness the distress our children are already facing, hearing talks about being redistricted to another school after having spent years developing bonds with their teachers and peers. Some of them lose program cohorts and clubs they have been part of for years. It's especially challenging to accept the Howard County Office of School Planning and the Board of Education’s current redistricting proposal across 11 schools when a more straightforward solution is readily available. Our team of parents, who are invested in education just like you, quickly got to work to identify solutions that address redistricting in a way that is less disruptive, fair, and achievable.

Why is relocating Pre-K programs across schools, rather than redistricting students K-12, a more sensible and fiscally responsible solution?

First, it is a common-sense solution to shuffle a few Pre-K programs across schools rather than redistrict older kids with established friendships and incur additional transportation costs across boundary areas. Furthermore, according to every non-utilization metric outlined in HCPSS Policy 6010, targeted Pre-K adjustments outperform redistricting while still addressing utilization concerns. 

Moving forward with the current redistricting plan contradicts the intent of Policy 6010 by undermining community stability, disrupting school feeds, potentially reducing the number of student walkers, and failing to optimize operational costs—particularly given the substantial expenses associated with redistricting and expanded transportation.

 

 

Myths and Facts about School capacity

There’s a common myth: "Pre-K program does not affect school capacity in the Feasibility Study". This myth has been repeated several times by HCPSS staff and some residents who believe what they hear without evidence. We did our research and countered this false and harmful myth with facts and evidence (see this image below). This issue currently affects CLES and BWES but as HCPSS continues to expand Pre-K into every elementary schools (without valid justification), more local schools will be forced to redistrict when HCPSS reduces the building capacity for K-5 students rather adding/accommodating Pre-K students in nearby schools with available capacity.

 

 

What are the Myths and Facts about HCPSS Pre-K and Maryland Blueprint?

 

We have heard repeatedly from HCPSS that they don’t want to move Pre-K out of overcrowded schools to other schools that have the capacity to receive these students and save hundreds of K-12 students from being redistricted because the Maryland Department of Education’s (MSDE) Blueprint requires that every school in the county have a Pre-K program. MSDE’s goal of providing Pre-K programs that benefit low-income children, children with disabilities, and those in special education through the Blueprint is highly commendable. However, HCPSS' implementation of the Blueprint appears to be driven by a misguided interpretation of its intent, which risks undermining its core objectives and, ultimately, its overall effectiveness.

Myth: Blueprint requires that every public elementary school in Howard County have a Pre-K program.
Fact: Pre-K is a voluntary program. Although Blueprint mandates that public school systems provide a specified number of Pre-K seats for eligible students, both Blueprint and HCPSS Policy 9000 allow Pre-K to be offered through regional centers. Neither requires that all local elementary schools have a Pre-K program.

HCPSS appears to be rigidly committed to an expansive plan to establish a Pre-K program in every elementary school, including those that are currently overcrowded or projected to become so. In reality, the Blueprint envisions a much more flexible, mixed-delivery model that includes public schools, private providers, and regional centers. It does not require every elementary school to host a Pre-K program. Howard County families should not be forced to bear the burden of poorly implemented Pre-K programs at the expense of redistricting K-12 students.

What are the misguided Beliefs of HCPSS and their Consequences? 

Upon talking with HCPSS staff, we discovered some misguided beliefs that prompted the current round of redistricting. As you can see, apart from being false, these beliefs are detrimental to the well-being and educational outcomes of our students.

HCPSS Belief: All elementary schools will have Pre-K. For every seat not filled, HCPSS doesn’t receive money.
The Consequence for HC Citizens: Relying on funding instead of student outcomes to inform decisions does not align with HCPSS values and results in poor educational outcomes for students.

HCPSS Belief: HCPSS cannot relocate Pre-K classrooms because administrators wish to keep Pre-K students to maintain the "school culture".
The Consequence for HC Citizens: HCPSS will redistrict 11 schools with 7,300 students enrolled due to Pre-K at two overcrowded schools. This decision significantly affects a greater number of K-12 students and disrupts their educational outcomes.

What are the substantial consequences of this misguided vision of HCPSS?

Overall, these moves neither prioritize students’ well-being nor keep the vision of the Maryland Blueprint at the heart of boundary area adjustments.

• The current HCPSS plan results in the redistricting of K-5 students in overcrowded elementary schools, and potentially even middle and high school students, to realign feeder patterns—all to accommodate just a few Pre-K classrooms.
• It could result in redistricting ten times as many K-12 students as the number of Pre-K students being served.
• It not only risks unnecessary disruption to families but also undermines the core mission of the Blueprint: to create a world-class education system where every student can thrive. 

Let's keep kids in their schools and communities intact.

With HCPSS’ aggressive push to expand Pre-K in public schools, any school experiencing overcrowding due to the addition of a Pre-K program may face K-12 redistricting in the future—even if it is not included in the current plan.

As parents and students in HCPSS, we urge you to take action and raise your voice in support of a sensible and fiscally responsible alternative to disruptive, costly, and unnecessary redistricting—a measure that should be reserved as a last resort, especially during a time of unprecedented budget cuts and economic uncertainty for families.

Let’s put a stop to unnecessary redistricting and placing more programs, such as Pre-K, in elementary schools that are overcrowded or near maximum capacity.

By signing this petition, I affirm that I am an HCPSS student, parent, guardian or Howard County resident, and I support placing Pre-K programs in underutilized elementary schools and relocating Pre-K programs from overcrowded schools to schools with capacity as a sensible and fiscally responsible alternative to disruptive, costly, and unnecessary redistricting. Redistricting should be considered only as a last resort, particularly during times of unprecedented budget constraints.

What you can do:

1. Sign this petition.
2. Share the petition link (https://chng.it/kscNyfZc7S) with friends and neighbors and encourage them to sign.
3. Join the Facebook group for Alliance for Neighborhood Schools
4. Speak up at the next Board of Education meeting to present this sensible alternative. (How to Participate in BOE Meetings)
5. Contact the Board of Education, the School Superintendent Dr. Bill Barnes, and the HCPSS Pre-K Program Office to advocate for the proposed solution and express your opposition to redistricting (Use this Email Template).

Alliance for Neighborhood Schools
Contact: alliance4ns@gmail.com

Download the FAQs.