School Locator
Use our online map application to locate your address within the county, find your planning polygon number, and view adopted attendance areas.
School Planning
The Office of School Planning is responsible for projecting student enrollment, planning for infrastructure needs, developing school boundary studies and studying attendance area adjustments, and writing the school system’s annual feasibility study.
Boundary Review Process for the 2026–2027 School Year
On Feb. 13, 2025, the Board of Education directed that HCPSS initiate the boundary review process outlined in Policy 6010 School Attendance Areas to consider redistricting selected schools that are outside the capacity utilization range of 90-110%.
The boundary review process will include Bryant Woods, Running Brook, Swansfield, Longfellow, Clemens Crossing and Centennial Lane elementary schools. Wilde Lake, Harper’s Choice and Burleigh Manor middle schools, as well as Centennial and Wilde Lake high schools also will be included to allow adjustments to feeds.
Changes in school attendance areas as a result of this process will take effect beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.
Enrollment Projections
Every year, the Office of School Planning produces an enrollment projection, compiling updated data including projected housing, construction, historical and projected births, housing resales and student population characteristics.
Learn more about the Enrollment Projection Methodology →
On April 25, 2024, the 2024 Enrollment Projection Report was presented to the Board of Education. The report includes a comprehensive look at student enrollment projections for Howard County Public School System kindergarten through grade twelve schools, as well as projection factors and trends, and projection accuracy.
Feasibility Study
The Feasibility Study:
- Provides a comprehensive review of school boundary options, focused on capacity utilization targets as defined by Policy 6010
- Develops capital improvement plan strategies
2024 Feasibility Study (Presented to the Board of Education June 20, 2024 /82 pages/13 MB)
Previous Feasibility Studies: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014
Learn about the SY 2023-24 Redistricting Process →
Get answers to frequently asked questions about school attendance areas
Measuring Program Capacity
Utilizing our facilities to their fullest.
As defined by Policy 6010 – School Attendance Areas, Program Capacity is the number of students that can be reasonably accommodated in a school, based on the permanent school facility (relocatables are excluded) and the educational program offered.
Capacities can change over time based on system wide review/recalculation of capacities or individual school reviews due to specific needs (additions, renovations, or movement of regional programs). Some rooms are excluded from capacity calculations including Prekindergarten and Regional Special Education rooms.
Details are included in the most recent capacity studies.
Current School Assignments
Planning Area Map
The map below is provided as a PDF document.
2025-2026 Attendance Area Maps
The maps below are provided as PDF documents.
Capital Planning
The annual Capital Budget development and review process is supported by both county and state funding.
The school system considers construction projects carefully as each project goes through a myriad of stages from concept to completion. Parents and community members may follow each of our major construction projects as they move through the stages of the process.
View currently active and recently completed construction projects →
Contact Us
Office of School Planning10910 Clarksville Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042
410-313-1554; 410-313-6890 (F)
Email: SchoolPlanning@hcpss.org