Educational Inequities in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of the bigger inequalities that nobody talks about is how schools these days solely focus on the overwhelming number of kids below grade level. I mean I'm all for this but it is most often at the expense of those who are at grade level. They get completely ignored. For example, last year I asked one of my kids when their last reading group was they said 3 months ago. Meanwhile, half their class gets a group 3 days a week. Our schools need to serve all students and meet them where they are.

Yeah- they need to give these kids an option before 4th grade (when high achieving kids can take ELC and compacted math).

[Anonymous]

Let's talk about inequities amongst teachers. Many teachers are chewed up and spit out of the system without ever knowing what it's like to have a class where students are motivated and self disciplined in order for a teacher to communicate effectively for quality lessons. Some teachers get the good classes bit others get the crap classes where students fight the teachers everyday then the system blames all shortcomings on the teacher. Teachers are basically harassed and fired for systemic problems. I would not recommend this career unless you want to take a vow of poverty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's talk about inequities amongst teachers. Many teachers are chewed up and spit out of the system without ever knowing what it's like to have a class where students are motivated and self disciplined in order for a teacher to communicate effectively for quality lessons. Some teachers get the good classes bit others get the crap classes where students fight the teachers everyday then the system blames all shortcomings on the teacher. Teachers are basically harassed and fired for systemic problems. I would not recommend this career unless you want to take a vow of poverty.

I agree these are serious problems in MCPS. What are some solutions that would improve teacher retention and student outcomes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever. If coaching classes made brilliant kids, then the easiest thing to do was get the URM kids into coaching classes.

The problem is the poverty and the culture of the families that produces the URM, FARMS and ESOL students. On an education policy level, no one has been able to crack the code to get these students to perform.

Might have helped if one of the cultures you’re likely referencing wasn’t literally prevented access to education for hundreds of years, and then segregated after that.

So true. Black people are perpetual victims with absolutely no autonomy or agency.

[Anonymous]

Let's see, Title I and Focus Schools receive more funding to have smaller class sizes. The additional funding from booster clubs comes directly from parents, not MCPS.

Want to talk about inequities, let's talk about special education students not getting the education they are entitled to, because there aren't enough teachers.

[Anonymous]

Get rid of magnet schools, immersion programs etc. as they are the root cause of problems.

[Anonymous]

Let's talk about more and more students becoming special for the benefits of prescribed amphetamines and zero accountability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's talk about more and more students becoming special for the benefits of prescribed amphetamines and zero accountability.

Or even better, let's talk about ways more students can be successful without prescribed amphetamines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's talk about more and more students becoming special for the benefits of prescribed amphetamines and zero accountability.

A friend of mine's kid got the diagnosis just so they could get extra time on their SATs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's talk about inequities amongst teachers. Many teachers are chewed up and spit out of the system without ever knowing what it's like to have a class where students are motivated and self disciplined in order for a teacher to communicate effectively for quality lessons. Some teachers get the good classes bit others get the crap classes where students fight the teachers everyday then the system blames all shortcomings on the teacher. Teachers are basically harassed and fired for systemic problems. I would not recommend this career unless you want to take a vow of poverty.

I agree these are serious problems in MCPS. What are some solutions that would improve teacher retention and student outcomes?

Instill discipline, accountability, and expect all students to behave respectfully towards staff and other students. This will improve your teacher retention and student outcomes. Plain and simple. RIght now, we're letting kids run the schools as if they own it. Teachers are not empowered and have to bow down to the administrators and take abuse from students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's talk about inequities amongst teachers. Many teachers are chewed up and spit out of the system without ever knowing what it's like to have a class where students are motivated and self disciplined in order for a teacher to communicate effectively for quality lessons. Some teachers get the good classes bit others get the crap classes where students fight the teachers everyday then the system blames all shortcomings on the teacher. Teachers are basically harassed and fired for systemic problems. I would not recommend this career unless you want to take a vow of poverty.

I agree these are serious problems in MCPS. What are some solutions that would improve teacher retention and student outcomes?

Instill discipline, accountability, and expect all students to behave respectfully towards staff and other students. This will improve your teacher retention and student outcomes. Plain and simple. RIght now, we're letting kids run the schools as if they own it. Teachers are not empowered and have to bow down to the administrators and take abuse from students.

While I agree with you 100%, the things you mentioned can't happen because they are aspects of whiteness and MCPS is an anti-racist school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever. If coaching classes made brilliant kids, then the easiest thing to do was get the URM kids into coaching classes.

The problem is the poverty and the culture of the families that produces the URM, FARMS and ESOL students. On an education policy level, no one has been able to crack the code to get these students to perform.

Might have helped if one of the cultures you’re likely referencing wasn’t literally prevented access to education for hundreds of years, and then segregated after that.

So true. Black people are perpetual victims with absolutely no autonomy or agency.

It’s so sad.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:LMAO what moron wrote this:

"In theory, Montgomery County should spend the same amount of around 17 thousand dollars per student. However, in practice, the high-performing expectation of the county leads to funding that sways in the favor of high-performing schools."

Lower performing schools do get more resources, lower student teacher ratios, all of that. If there were numbers showing that wealthy schools get more, it would be plastered everywhere. I hate that people oversimplify this issue with lies.

(I saw this as someone who is fine spending more where needs are greater. But don't misrepresent the actual facts!)

So is this why only the wealthy Potomac schools offer accelerated math in ES?

Yes, exactly! The rich and privileged are often the squeakiest wheel.

The rich and privileged learn basic math at home and are ready to advance to higher math sooner. It's not a conspiracy to withhold math from poor kids.

Rich and privileged start before kindergarten. Their children attend well structured preschools so they have foundational skills for kindergarten. Knowing the alphabet, writing their names, matching letters with sounds, behaving appropriately in a group, developing small motor skills through play - wealth brings a good start before public school even begins.

42.46% of Hispanic FARMS students in MCPS are chronically absent in 2022-3. Do you blame this on the rich and privileged?

I agree it's a problem and one the county or no amount of money can solve. Maybe the answer is just to accept that not everyone wants the same outcome and the county can only make opportunities available. I don't really see this as a problem. Not everyone has to go to college. In fact, many may be better off looking at a trade than being forced into abstract subjects they don't really value.

At some point, you have to move on and realize that some families just don’t care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve proposed this before, that the busing of students should go both ways: academically talented students bused to the magnets which are in low SES schools, and set up arts magnets in high SES schools (and bus low SES students to these high SES schools).

God, can you even imagine? The screaming from wealthy DMV parents would be heard in West Virginia. How DARE you put *their* precious child on a BUS (gasp!) to a POOR neighborhood (gasp!)

As they always do on DCUM, they’ll just stomp their foot threaten to take their ball and go home by moving or going private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of magnet schools, immersion programs etc. as they are the root cause of problems.

Not happening. Sorry.