It’s official. MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor has put his name on it.Modified Option H is now a formal recommendation— and if the school board votes yes on March 26, Thomas S. Wootton High School will leave its Rockville home of over 50 years and move to the brand-new Crown Farm site in Gaithersburg starting with the 2027-2028 school year.
This is one of the most significant school boundary decisions Montgomery County has seen in decades. If you own a home near Wootton or in the Crown area, you need to understand exactly what’s happening before that vote.
What the Superintendent Actually Recommended
The recommendation is not a closure of Wootton — MCPS frames it as a relocation. The Wootton name, faculty, culture, and most of its feeder schools move to the new Crown building at 9410 Fields Road in Gaithersburg. The original Wootton building at 2100 Wootton Parkway becomes aholding school— a temporary facility for students from other schools undergoing major renovations.
The Crown Farm building is a $219 million, 358,000 square foot, four-story facility. Originally planned as a standalone Crown High School to relieve overcrowding, it now essentially becomes the new Wootton.
Which Elementary Schools Stay With Wootton
The biggest fear among parents: being split from their current cluster. Here’s the breakdown:
Elementary schools continuing to feed into the new Wootton at Crown:DeFoe ES, Falls Road ES, Lakewood ES, Stonewood ES, and Travilah ES. These are unchanged.
The one school that does NOT continue with Wootton:Cold Spring Elementary — reassigned to Herbert Hoover Middle School, then Winston Churchill High School.
Additionally, Fields Road Elementary (currently feeding Gaithersburg High) and part of Rosemont Elementary west of I-270 will now feed into the new Wootton at Crown.
The Phased Timeline
Taylor proposed a rollout specifically to avoid pulling students mid-high school:
2027-2028:9th and 10th graders move to the new Wootton at Crown
2028-2029:Existing juniors and seniors finish at the original Wootton building
Full implementation: 2029-2030
The board votesMarch 26, 2026.
Why Taylor Is Recommending This
Four reasons were cited: facility concerns at the 1970-built Wootton building (removed from the capital improvement program twice in 20 years); cost efficiency (eliminates the need for a 27th high school); walkability (non-transported students increase from 551 to 718 at the Crown location); and long-term utilization (most schools land in the 80-100% range under this plan).
The Community Pushback
The opposition is organized. Hundreds of families packed the hearing room.The City of Rockville sent a formal letter opposing the recommendation, signed by the Mayor and every council member. A group called Save Wootton is raising funds for potential legal action. The core argument: Wootton was deliberately underfunded, and the community is being punished for it.The Maryland Building Industry Association also raised concernsabout Option H’s long-term planning implications given continued growth in the Gaithersburg-Rockville corridor.
What This Means for Home Values
Homes near current Wootton in Rockville:Most families in the cluster retain their Wootton assignment — but the school is now 4 miles north. Proximity buyers may feel this differently. Some softening in demand is possible from families who picked the neighborhood specifically for the school’s location.
Homes in Crown, Gaithersburg:This is a potential upside. Adding Wootton — one of the county’s most sought-after schools — to the Crown attendance zone creates a new draw for buyers. As Kevin said in the video: “I see major upside for real estate values in Crown.”
Cold Spring Elementary area:These homeowners move out of the Wootton cluster into Churchill. Churchill is excellent, but buyers who specifically purchased for Wootton will feel it. See ourGaithersburg neighborhood guideandRockville guidefor more on how school assignments work in these areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Wootton High School still exist after the move?
Yes. MCPS is explicit: this is a relocation, not a closure. The Wootton name, staff, and identity move to Crown Farm. The original building becomes a holding school.
When does the board vote on Option H?
March 26, 2026.
Will my child be forced to switch schools mid-high school?
No. The phased plan lets current juniors and seniors finish at the original Wootton building. The transition starts with 9th and 10th graders in 2027-2028.
What happens to Cold Spring Elementary families?
Cold Spring is reassigned to Herbert Hoover Middle School and then Winston Churchill High School — out of the Wootton cluster entirely.
Does this affect home values in the Wootton area?
It depends on your specific address. Homes remaining in the Wootton cluster retain their assignment. Crown-area homes in Gaithersburg stand to benefit significantly. Cold Spring-area homes are most affected since they leave the Wootton cluster.
What if the board rejects the recommendation?
Crown opens as a standalone school, Wootton stays in Rockville, and a 27th high school is created. Taylor opposes this on fiscal grounds — it costs significantly more and still leaves the Wootton building problem unresolved.
Kevin has been covering this story closely as it develops. For more on how school boundaries drive real estate decisions throughout the county, read ourMontgomery County relocation guideorreach out directly.
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Sources and next steps
Verified local sources:MCPS School Assignment Tool;MCPS school boundaries;MCPS boundary studies;Montgomery Planning Growth and Infrastructure Policy.
Related Kevin guides:home selling guide;market stats;book a call.
Watch the YouTube videoorbook a 30-minute strategy call with Kevin.
Expanded local research sources:MCPS School Assignment Tool;MCPS school boundaries;MCPS boundary study;Maryland School Report Card;GreatSchools Montgomery County schools;Reddit thread: are MoCo schools still worth it?;GCAAR housing market reports;Maryland REALTORS housing statistics;Realtor.com Montgomery County market data;FRED 30-year mortgage rates;Maryland SDAT real property search;Zillow Montgomery County home values;Montgomery Planning development;Montgomery Planning development review.
Contextual links for this video
Kevin site links:Gaithersburg guide;home selling guide;home buying guide;Montgomery County relocation guide;market stats.
Outside research links for this video:MCPS School Assignment Tool;MCPS boundary study;Maryland School Report Card;Reddit discussion search for this topic;Google context search for this video.
Kevin process link: why Kevin’s local process matters.