Montgomery County Looks At School Boundary Changes

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- Montgomery County officials are considering a change to school boundaries to diversify student bodies as a way to close a persistent achievement gap among some minority students.

At a meeting Monday, schools Superintendent Joshua Starr told members of the county council that boundary changes would be considered in a study later this year.

The Washington Post reports that several council members pressed for boundary changes after studies showed that minority achievement improved when low-income students attended schools with a higher proportion of affluent students.

Starr called closing the achievement gap in the county a "moral imperative."

One school board member -- Christopher Barclay, who is African American -- said he opposed boundary changes and was offended by the notion that minority students could only achieve when surrounded by whites.

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