Montgomery Perspective: Van Grack Explains Future Growth Cannot Be Treated as Zero
March 20, 2026
Montgomery Perspective examined today an important part of the debate over Wootton High School: how Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) accounts for future residential development when projecting school enrollment and making long-term school facility decisions. This issue matters far beyond Wootton, particularly for growing communities like Rockville that must plan for the schools our residents will need in the decades ahead.
In his article, "Taylor vs Van Grack: Who's Right About Development and Enrollment?", Adam Pagnucco examined the differing perspectives of MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor and me regarding how planned residential development should factor into enrollment projections.
MCPS has explained that its enrollment projections generally count development only after a project reaches certain stages of approval. I have argued that this approach can be too restrictive, particularly when it means significant development already contemplated through adopted master plans and local planning decisions effectively receives no consideration at all.
I have never suggested that every residential unit envisioned in a master plan should be treated as if it will unquestionably be built. Development projections necessarily involve uncertainty, and responsible planning must account for that uncertainty. However, there is a meaningful difference between appropriately discounting future development and assigning it no weight whatsoever. That distinction is especially important when considering a consequential and potentially irreversible decision like eliminating a comprehensive high school site in a growing area.
Pagnucco thoughtfully examines both perspectives and ultimately reaches a different conclusion about MCPS's methodology. I appreciate his willingness to engage seriously with these concerns, including his recognition that Rockville's development environment presents considerations that may differ from those elsewhere in the County. While Dr. Taylor and I may disagree about the appropriate approach to enrollment projections, I welcome the discussion because these decisions deserve careful scrutiny and a full understanding of their long-term consequences.
Before MCPS permanently moves Wootton High School from Wootton Parkway, I believe its enrollment analysis should meaningfully account for Rockville's adopted master plans, approved and pending development, and the anticipated growth surrounding the school. Future development does not need to be counted at 100 percent, but it should not automatically be treated as zero either.
The decisions we make about school facilities today will shape our communities for generations. We owe our students, families, and taxpayers a planning process that considers not only the Rockville we have today, but also the Rockville we are planning for tomorrow.
Read the full Montgomery Perspective analysis: Taylor vs Van Grack: Who's Right About Development and Enrollment?
