Richard Montgomery High School will host the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme as part of its GLOBE Center when Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) starts its six-region Center model in 2027-28. Grade 8 families applying now are in the first class. This guide lists the published dates in the order a family meets them, and it says plainly where MCPS has not given one clear answer.
Where the process stands today
MCPS says the first class will enter the Center programs in 2027-2028. The application opened on Friday evening, October 9, 2026, and Round 1 closes tomorrow, November 6, 2026. If your student has not finished, today and tomorrow matter. If you are reading this after that date, Round 2 is still open.
Everything runs through ParentVUE. MCPS says the High School Possibility (HSP) form and the Center application can only be accessed there. A student can apply to up to eight Center programs and should rank them in order of interest.
Who can apply
- Grade 8 in Montgomery County. MCPS says student applicants must be a Montgomery County resident and be in Grade 8.
- Your region. Grade 8 students may only apply to Center programs in their region. Richard Montgomery is the Central Region site for the IB Diploma Programme.
- Private and homeschooled students. MCPS tells these families to contact their assigned MCPS middle school registrar.
The dates in order
| Date | What happens | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | October 9, 2026 | Center application opens in ParentVUE | MCPS FAQ | | October 14, 2026 | PSAT given to Grade 8 students | MCPS FAQ | | November 6, 2026 | Round 1 application deadline (midnight) | MCPS timeline | | December 2026 | Percentiles calculated | MCPS benchmarks | | January 2027 | Round 1 results in ParentVUE | MCPS timeline and HSP page | | February 12, 2027 | Round 2 application deadline and Round 1 acceptance deadline | MCPS timeline | | Late March 2027 | Round 2 results in ParentVUE | MCPS timeline |
What the application includes
Two essays are part of the application for criteria-based programs such as IB. Each is 300 words and has to be the student's own work, with no AI. MCPS also uses a Reading or Math percentile from MAP or the PSAT together with Grade 7 and Grade 8 grades in English, Social Studies, Math and Science. The companion guide on this site covers both in detail.
MCPS says sibling link is not a factor in admission, so a brother or sister at Richard Montgomery does not change the outcome.
How the rounds work
IB is criteria-based. Students who reach the published benchmark enter a ranked-choice lottery pool, and the order of the ranking matters. MCPS says students whose results fall just short can still be looked at by a review committee. Results come in two rounds. If a student has no Round 1 result by January 30, 2027, MCPS tells families to email DCCAPS@mcpsmd.org or call 240-740-7800.
After the results arrive
When results come, families have a deadline to accept. MCPS lists February 12, 2027 as the acceptance date for Round 1 results and also as the Round 2 application deadline, so a family holding a Round 1 offer and thinking about Round 2 has to decide by the same day. MCPS also describes a waitlist and an appeals process. Read the exact steps in your results notice and in the MCPS FAQ before you act, because the rules for a waitlisted student and for an appeal are the school system's, not ours.
Transportation is also worth a look early. The MCPS FAQ has a section on it, and Richard Montgomery's own site links to magnet bus routes. A long daily trip is part of what the program asks of a family.
What MCPS has not published
- One date for Round 1 results. One MCPS page says mid January and another says the last week of January 2027. Plan for late January and watch ParentVUE.
- One clear language rule. The IB program page asks for one year of middle school world language study or equivalent proficiency. An FAQ answer says there is no prerequisite as of October 14, 2026. Check your student's HSP report in ParentVUE.
- A seat count for Richard Montgomery. MCPS lists a preliminary projection of 60 out-of-area seats for a group of programs that includes IB, and says the number may differ by school.
- An admit rate. None is published for the new process.
What to do this week
Open the ParentVUE application and confirm IB at Richard Montgomery is on your student's list, then rank it where it belongs. Read your student's HSP report for the language line. Then read the two essay questions together and let your student draft alone.
For help thinking through the process, EduAvenues has a free high school admissions overview at EduAvenues high school admissions.
Sources
- MCPS High School Special Programs
- MCPS High School Possibility process timeline
- MCPS Center programs frequently asked questions
- MCPS Criteria-Based Academic Benchmarks
- MCPS International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
- Richard Montgomery High School IB page
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