MCPS %ile is cohort normed %ile

[Anonymous]

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/curriculum/specialprograms/middle/Magnet%20FAQs%202019(7).pdf

3. What do the MCPS percentiles mean? How are MCPS percentiles determined?
National norms are designed to compare and rank test takers in relation to one another based on those who took
the test nationally. Local norms are designed to compare and rank test takers in relation to one another based on
those who took the test locally – within MCPS. Local norming provides information about students in relation
to their academic peer groups in MCPS. MCPS CogAT percentiles are locally normed percentiles established
based on the three sections of the CogAT. Gifted and talented experts recommend the use of local norms as an
equitable approach to ensure equity and access in identification of students for program access. Additionally,
the current draft of Gifted and Talented Definitions from the Maryland State Department of Education includes
the use of local norms as part of its gifted and talented identification process. The socioeconomic status of
elementary schools was used to determine the locally normed score on the CogAT (MCPS Percentiles). In
establishing MCPS Percentiles, students in schools with minimal poverty were compared to one another,
students in schools with moderate poverty were compared to each other, and students from schools highly
impacted by poverty were compared to each other.

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand why cohort is calculated from current school and not home middle school. And it especially makes no sense for CES students.

[Anonymous]

It makes no sense for those poor kids, whose parents struggle to rent a house/apt in a school where most of the parents value educations. Even the richest ESs in MCPS have FARM students.

This is a penalty to those parents who value education, rich or poor.

[Anonymous]

MCPS must disclose details on how they group elementary schools by poverty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It makes no sense for those poor kids, whose parents struggle to rent a house/apt in a school where most of the parents value educations. Even the richest ESs in MCPS have FARM students.

This is a penalty to those parents who value education, rich or poor.

We really need to stop thinking that "has money" and "values education" are synonyms.

I'm wondering how you know that even the richest elementary schools in MCPS have students who receive free or reduced meals, let alone know how those students come to be at those schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It makes no sense for those poor kids, whose parents struggle to rent a house/apt in a school where most of the parents value educations. Even the richest ESs in MCPS have FARM students.

This is a penalty to those parents who value education, rich or poor.

Actually, it kind of seems fitting since all schools are the same aside from SES differences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS must disclose details on how they group elementary schools by poverty.

I would think the FARMs rate that is readily available was more than adequate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It makes no sense for those poor kids, whose parents struggle to rent a house/apt in a school where most of the parents value educations. Even the richest ESs in MCPS have FARM students.

This is a penalty to those parents who value education, rich or poor.

Why? They have a local cohort just like the "rich" high performing kids who live there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS must disclose details on how they group elementary schools by poverty.

I would think the FARMs rate that is readily available was more than adequate.

Yes, FARM rate is available. But how did MCPS group by farm rate? What cutoff did they use?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes no sense for those poor kids, whose parents struggle to rent a house/apt in a school where most of the parents value educations. Even the richest ESs in MCPS have FARM students.

This is a penalty to those parents who value education, rich or poor.

We really need to stop thinking that "has money" and "values education" are synonyms.

I'm wondering how you know that even the richest elementary schools in MCPS have students who receive free or reduced meals, let alone know how those students come to be at those schools.

There are low income affordable housing everywhere. You can check it out.

[Anonymous]

The link does not work.

[Anonymous]

My husband actually called the central office and they said that the CES students's percentiles were calculated based on their current elementary school's SES. They then use the outcome of that ES-based calculation to identify a cohort at the middle school (which may also have a different feeder group and SES that the CES from which the student was calculated, but that's not taken into account). They also said that there may be a difference in the calculation at our home school, but it's unlikely to be much of a difference as to final outcome of cohort, but they can't be sure without a recalculation, which they won't do unless specifically requested on an appeal. (In our case, the CES ES has about 50% FARMS, but our home ES has about 80% FARMS.) This supports the suspicion that students in the CES are less likely to be accepted into the magnets, especially if their "cohorts" are being determined based on numbers that are skewed in different ways from the home schools.

[Anonymous]

The FARMS rate is available on each school's "At A Glance" report. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/glance/

[jsteele]

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https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/781457.page