Cancel Virtual Academy
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Anonymous
| Since Covid vaccines are now available for all school going ages, should VA be canceled starting MP3? Time to go back to normal. This way standardized testing like CogAT can be administered in time for ES and MS magnet programs. |
Anonymous
| I imagine that the teaching contracts for this were for the entire school year, so I predict they will keep this as is through June and then cancel it. |
Anonymous
| The vaccine doesn’t ensure you won’t get Covid. It only makes it almost impossible to die from. Some families can’t take the risk of illness or hospitalization or long term disability. My kids are back in person full-time, but I respect those people who chose differently. If magnet had been offered virtually, I would have picked the VA. |
Anonymous
But this logic would mean VA for ever and no standardized tests. |
Anonymous
| Pretty much every other state has a virtual academy and manages standardized testing. What exactly threatens you about other parents making this choice for their child? |
Anonymous
MCPS not figuring out how to administer CogAT in a VA world. |
Anonymous
| Virtual academy students can be offered in person testing for those interested in applying to CES. If that’s your biggest issue, I think you have a pretty great life. |
Anonymous
The VA isn’t stopping MCPS from doing that. It’s an issue of large groups of students who would need to be contact traced and staffing proctors. I used to proctor the CogAT and SAT for extra cash. It’s not enough for the extra exposure. |
Anonymous
What is wrong with you? You don’t want to give a small number of kids a different choice that they already have? |
Anonymous
Maybe MCPS has figured out that the CogAT wasn't a great tool, and is using this year to transition. Maybe if your kid can't get into the CES lottery on grades and MAP it's a sign someone else deserves that spot. |
Anonymous
| I think we ought to keep the virtual Academy and I think it’s valuable for many families. But I do wonder how it’s being administered uniformly throughout the county. My virtual Academy neighbor is seemingly never in class. |
Anonymous
| I was under the impression that the virtual academy is here to stay. |
Anonymous
The CogAT is the most selective. Grades and MAP are not as competitive as CogAT. Plus CogAT is actually a test for giftedness. The PP probably wants it back because it will make the lottery pool smaller and therefore better reflect the kids needing the higher level challenges and not just a wider pool where chances of being selected even if you are highly gifted are diminished. |
Anonymous
| Thank you for that response. I was going to ignore the posters who immediately honed in on what it meant for my child, and why I may be bitter. But yes, I do think that my kid who is a straight A student, has MAP scores in the 99th percentile and had CogAT scores in the 99th percentile is more suited (I know people will get triggered if I say deserving), to the Magnet/CES program than kids at the 85% level. Cue up the "Your kid is a robot who was trained by Dr Li" comments. |
Anonymous
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My kid has a lot of physical and mental challengers. VA is a godsend. The fact that you are so dismissive of families like ours says much about your character, and it isn't very kind.
Why do you even care? MYOB. |