When is Montgomery County going to decide which schools might close?

Few school district decisions incite as much parental passion as the prospect of shuttering a campus.

On Thursday, families can expect an update from Montgomery County Public Schools leaders on what comes next in the district’s angst-inducing study of potential elementary and middle school closures.

Official moves are months away. First will be several sessions to solicit community feedback, which will be held virtually and in person during October, November and December.

“No decisions have been made, and this is not a process in which a list of schools has already been determined,” reads a district webpage. “The work begins with the data, the criteria and community input.”

In February, Superintendent Thomas Taylor is expected to make his recommendation to the school board. Then each campus that could face closure will get a public hearing.

Finally, on April 15, school board members will make their decision.

Families are eager for more information about how the process will unfold.

“MCPS has said the study will consider enrollment, building utilization, transportation, program models, and other factors,” parent Yetnayet Demissie wrote in testimony to the board. “That is an important starting point.

“But families need more than a list of factors. We need to know the criteria, the weighting, the assumptions, and the methodology behind the analysis.”

Why is MCPS considering closures?

This kind of conversation would have seemed unthinkable to previous Montgomery County generations.

The district saw steady enrollment growth for decades but now is struggling with declines. Further drops are projected.

The most recently presented numbers show that MCPS is serving just under 153,000 students. That’s down from about 156,000 last year — a figure that already represented a 10-year low.

Montgomery County is not alone in confronting this type of decline. Districts across the country are facing the consequences of lower birth rates and shifting demographic patterns.

Fewer students means less funding and more underutilized buildings, officials say.

“Resources are limited, and we need to make sure we are using our funding, staff and facilities where they can have the greatest impact for students,” reads Thursday’s MCPS presentation.

While parents are clear about the challenges, they want assurance that their voices will be heard. Closing a campus triggers major upheaval for kids, they say, and threatens to erase a community’s beloved hub.

“I understand that MCPS is facing declining enrollment and that no specific school has been identified for closure or consolidation at this stage,” Demissie wrote. “But before MCPS begins evaluating schools, families need to understand exactly how those decisions will be made.”