Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) plans to make sweeping changes to the academic programs available to students. Part of this is the wholesale elimination of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) and the Northeast Consortium (NEC) model in favor of a six-region model. The dissolution of the consortia will have a direct impact on countywide magnet programs and in particular the MCPS Visual Art Center (VAC) at Albert Einstein High School in Kensington. MCPS is among the nation’s best public school systems in part because it offers such exceptional programs. The county will lose one of its crown jewels if the MCPS academic programs committee implements this plan. Last year MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor celebrated the VAC’s 50 years of excellence. Today he wants to eliminate it.
The VAC, a criteria-based program, draws applications from students attending all schools in Montgomery County and admits between 30-35 students per class year. With two dedicated instructors, a purpose-built studio, and a double period schedule, the small class-based curriculum consistently produces artist-scholars recognized at the local, state, and national level. For example, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards from 2025 alone included an American Visionary nominee, seven gold portfolios winners, along with winners of 58 gold keys, 84 silver keys, and 132 honorable mentions. These artist-scholars are high achievers on AP exams, consistently outperforming the national average.
Beyond the numbers, the VAC presents opportunities for teen artists to express their creativity and their voices beyond the typical high school experience. VAC instructors mentor students to enter competitions as part of the curriculum. Last spring, VAC students exhibited work at the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival on the National Mall and at American University’s Katzen Arts Center. In the current small learning community model, students receive the instruction and mentorship of two dedicated visual arts educators, resulting in diverse candidates for scholarships, college application support, and career-ready portfolio development...
