Thomas Taylor and BCC

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Taking IB + Arts away from Einstein is just ridiculous.

I don't know about arts, but Einstein can keep a local IB program if they want. But people here are often complaining that the IB program at Einstein means they can't take the higher-level AP classes they want, so it's not clear to me that that's the best option for Einstein.

Currently, Einstein is under the Kennedy regional umbrella for IB. That application program, though, doesn't draw nearly the way that B-CC's would, as B-CC's complementary advanced offerings are considered better, and it has considerably lower FARMS and EML rates than Kennedy.

This would tend to undermine Einstein's own local IB, reducing the population of advanced learners who, if they stayed, might help the school offer a broader array of IB classes, and at the higher level. It struggles to maintain that, as it is. Before the regional IB at Kennedy, Einstein was clearly the place to go within the DCC for that experience (it may still be, but to a lesser extent). It drew sizeable numbers of IB students from the 5-school catchment -- some who did not get in to county-wide RMIB and some who preferred the more local (and less cutthroat) setting. Changing demographics, overall, the slight shift toward Kennedy's regional program and a decision to stop offering advanced, IB-related courses in 9th & 10th (previously offering cohorting away from the base curriculum in some subjects) all have taken a toll. With the school-choice consortia disappearing, taking away a huge catchment of those who might have chosen Einstein for its IB (open to all, unlike the application programs), in addition to BCC's greater draw away from the remaining local population, it looks as though MCPS's likely recommendations from the Program Analysis would create an untenable situation, leaving Einstein with little chance of providing the IB experience sought within the catchment.

That's from the perspective of Einstein's community. From the perspective of the individual student, it's not as if B-CC's magnet program will be large enough to take all those applying from Einstein (and Northwood and Blair, the other two schools in the DCC heading into Region 1 that currently might access Einstein's IB through the choice process).

Do most people in the DCC prefer Einstein to Kennedy for IB? Kennedy takes nearly all students -- only the vastly unqualified are rejected. I would think people would prefer Kennedy because they offer pre-IB classes.

My kid got into Kennedy IB and chose Einstein because they offered both IB and strong arts. It feels very shady that now both of those are threatened by the proposed diminished enrollment at AEHS.

Northwood is getting a new building with great performing arts facilities so that makes sense. IB at BCC looks like a gift for BCC and Whitman.

Then move VAC & Design to Northwood (maybe Communications, too, to better relieve Blair overcrowding without having to move SMCS) and put Humanities (changed to criteria-based), Medical Science/Healthcare and Languages at Einstein, shifting some of its catchment via the Boundary Studyvto Northwood or B-CC to keep enough room, shifting the Education magnet to Whitman to complement LaSJ/Public Service.

Or, as before, make Einstein the magnet IB.

That hurts kids who want ap and a stronger curriculum. And why should Einstein lose their signature programs which are the draw to Einstein.

Which one hurts? The former would increase those courses and draw capable students to enhance the cohort via the magnets suggested. The latter would do the same via dedication to it's status as the regional magnet IB.

The prior poster was noting the performing arts facilities would necessitate that magnet being at Northwood, and the pairing of Performing and Visual Arts is a bette solution.

This plan destroys Einstein.

Not necessarily. Einstein will probably get a boost of more AP classes

Is that a good thing?:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1294379.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Taking IB + Arts away from Einstein is just ridiculous.

I don't know about arts, but Einstein can keep a local IB program if they want. But people here are often complaining that the IB program at Einstein means they can't take the higher-level AP classes they want, so it's not clear to me that that's the best option for Einstein.

Currently, Einstein is under the Kennedy regional umbrella for IB. That application program, though, doesn't draw nearly the way that B-CC's would, as B-CC's complementary advanced offerings are considered better, and it has considerably lower FARMS and EML rates than Kennedy.

This would tend to undermine Einstein's own local IB, reducing the population of advanced learners who, if they stayed, might help the school offer a broader array of IB classes, and at the higher level. It struggles to maintain that, as it is. Before the regional IB at Kennedy, Einstein was clearly the place to go within the DCC for that experience (it may still be, but to a lesser extent). It drew sizeable numbers of IB students from the 5-school catchment -- some who did not get in to county-wide RMIB and some who preferred the more local (and less cutthroat) setting. Changing demographics, overall, the slight shift toward Kennedy's regional program and a decision to stop offering advanced, IB-related courses in 9th & 10th (previously offering cohorting away from the base curriculum in some subjects) all have taken a toll. With the school-choice consortia disappearing, taking away a huge catchment of those who might have chosen Einstein for its IB (open to all, unlike the application programs), in addition to BCC's greater draw away from the remaining local population, it looks as though MCPS's likely recommendations from the Program Analysis would create an untenable situation, leaving Einstein with little chance of providing the IB experience sought within the catchment.

That's from the perspective of Einstein's community. From the perspective of the individual student, it's not as if B-CC's magnet program will be large enough to take all those applying from Einstein (and Northwood and Blair, the other two schools in the DCC heading into Region 1 that currently might access Einstein's IB through the choice process).

Do most people in the DCC prefer Einstein to Kennedy for IB? Kennedy takes nearly all students -- only the vastly unqualified are rejected. I would think people would prefer Kennedy because they offer pre-IB classes.

My kid got into Kennedy IB and chose Einstein because they offered both IB and strong arts. It feels very shady that now both of those are threatened by the proposed diminished enrollment at AEHS.

Northwood is getting a new building with great performing arts facilities so that makes sense. IB at BCC looks like a gift for BCC and Whitman.

Then move VAC & Design to Northwood (maybe Communications, too, to better relieve Blair overcrowding without having to move SMCS) and put Humanities (changed to criteria-based), Medical Science/Healthcare and Languages at Einstein, shifting some of its catchment via the Boundary Studyvto Northwood or B-CC to keep enough room, shifting the Education magnet to Whitman to complement LaSJ/Public Service.

Or, as before, make Einstein the magnet IB.

That hurts kids who want ap and a stronger curriculum. And why should Einstein lose their signature programs which are the draw to Einstein.

Which one hurts? The former would increase those courses and draw capable students to enhance the cohort via the magnets suggested. The latter would do the same via dedication to it's status as the regional magnet IB.

The prior poster was noting the performing arts facilities would necessitate that magnet being at Northwood, and the pairing of Performing and Visual Arts is a bette solution.

This plan destroys Einstein.

Not necessarily. Einstein will probably get a boost of more AP classes

As long as it's all reasonably equivalent to that offered at other schools.

If it isn't, they persist the inequity, driven by the prejudice of low expectations on the one hand and by facilitating the hoarding of opportunity on the other.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:In the new plan, Richard Montgomery IB will only be open to RM, Churchill, Wooton, and Rockville.

RMIB and Wootton STEM programs will undoubtedly attract the brightest second-generation immigrants who either inherit high working ethic from their first-generation immigrant parents or have helicopter parents to make sure they study hard. This region will shine and become the new jewry on the top of the crown. Of course it takes years for college admission office to acknowledge that, but in the long run I would see it brings overall benefit to that region. For students who are intimated by cutthroat environment, it's gonna become bad memories.

Churchill and Wooton already have incredible college acceptance rates. Now they’ll get exclusive access to the best IB program in the county, too.

How many students want IB? Very few actually graduate with an IB degree.

They try so hard to try to bring students for IBDP. Aren't most IB students kids of first gen immigrants, diplomat kids, and a cohort of jewish and asian students?

They put the cart before the horse. They need to make sure it is resourced/staffed well enough to provide breadth and high-level depth (see RMIB). With that, it can attract the cohort.

Moat students spend outside resources to do well

Yeah. Clearly, the RMIB cohorts don't exhibit any great natural ability. It's all outside enrichment/prep.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BCC gets the regional IB, not Einstein.

Thats because B-CC's IB students get better scores on the IB exams.

The some smarter kids bail in the DCC to Blair and Wheaton as Einstein does not have a lot of stem and ap classes. Very few kids actually graduate with a with a ib degree.

Putting a regional IB program in Einstein would not be as attractive to applicants as BCC. These regional programs need to have some credibility to counter those who are complaining about the changes to the county wide program.

The IB programs in the other regions are at less affluent schools. That’s the core goal of magnet programs generally and why MCPS has historically placed IB programs at schools where adding advanced programs will provide the highest benefit.

RM was in danger of closing because wealthy families were leaving for other schools. MCPS placed the IB magnet there to improve educational outcomes and attract students into the school. They added IB magnets at Kennedy and WM for the same reason. Putting an IB magnet at schools like BCC with high scores and graduation rates is just gilding the lily.

They probably picked BCC to attract Whitman kids who won’t want to commute to Einstein. Whitman gets the world languages magnet for the region. It’s likely Whitman-BCC will be an unofficial sub-region, swapping students between themselves, plus a few going to whatever STEM is left at Blair after it’s cut from countywide to regional.

Northwood and Einstein will lose more students than they attract because MCPS is giving them the least popular magnets. Enrollment will drop, which will mean staff cuts, and weaker course offerings.

Taylor’s plan is basically flipping the whole magnet philosophy on its head to boost rich schools at the expense of poor schools.

Exactly! Looking at his plan, it is worsening segregation and making rich richer, making poor poorer, making competition more competitive, all under the name of equity.

I do not see that, overall. I see individual decisions that would tend to do that.

IB @ B-CC might be one, but that could be rectified by moving Humanities (and making it criteria-based) to Northwood, giving it heft, Performing Arts to Einstein, giving it cohesion with a unique focus, and Education to B-CC, boradening access.

I see a similar problem with Region 4, where placing a new SMCS at Wootton totally tilts the academics towards the Wootton-Churchill duopoly. Instead (and since they need to create that program, anyway, even if creating it at Wootton would be easier, given its current offerings), move SMCS & Engineering to Rockville, where they would tend to even out overall academics, Leadership & Public Service and Humanities (criteria-based, again, for this) to Wootton, broadening access, Languages and Education to RM, where they would fit better with IB, and Performing Arts to Churchill, again for cohesion with Visual Arts.

It very much is doing that as all kids go to their home school except for special programs. The course offerings are very different between the richer and other schools.

So, we should require the "other" schools to provide equivalent course offerings (and budget for that from a well-funded common pot) so no community is left out. The APs suggested in the program analysis are a start, but insufficient as they are. Differentiated HS courses (e.g., in English for 9th & 10th), the deeper APs, MVC -- all need to be accessible locally.

The consortium model also breaks down when there are differential advanced offerings in place. It's not very likely to match with Blair (and to some degree with Wheaton), as too many are trying to access the courses available there.

They aren’t going to.

Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Taking IB + Arts away from Einstein is just ridiculous.

How popular is the IB program at Einstein? MCPS has a finite amount of money. They should use it wisely, and that means not supporting unpopular programs.

A lot of students take IB classes as there aren't a lot of AP classes. Most do a mix. Very few graduate with an IB degree.

I think one reason IB diplomas aren’t as prevalent at Einstein is because many of the high achievers are also in VAPA and cannot fit all the classes in to get to the IB diploma. I know that is the case for my kid. Many kids take a mix of AP and IB. I’m not sure what APs Einstein is really missing other than the sciences which are IB only (still rigorous).

The high achievers do Mc or go elsewhere. There is very limited stem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Taking IB + Arts away from Einstein is just ridiculous.

I don't know about arts, but Einstein can keep a local IB program if they want. But people here are often complaining that the IB program at Einstein means they can't take the higher-level AP classes they want, so it's not clear to me that that's the best option for Einstein.

Currently, Einstein is under the Kennedy regional umbrella for IB. That application program, though, doesn't draw nearly the way that B-CC's would, as B-CC's complementary advanced offerings are considered better, and it has considerably lower FARMS and EML rates than Kennedy.

This would tend to undermine Einstein's own local IB, reducing the population of advanced learners who, if they stayed, might help the school offer a broader array of IB classes, and at the higher level. It struggles to maintain that, as it is. Before the regional IB at Kennedy, Einstein was clearly the place to go within the DCC for that experience (it may still be, but to a lesser extent). It drew sizeable numbers of IB students from the 5-school catchment -- some who did not get in to county-wide RMIB and some who preferred the more local (and less cutthroat) setting. Changing demographics, overall, the slight shift toward Kennedy's regional program and a decision to stop offering advanced, IB-related courses in 9th & 10th (previously offering cohorting away from the base curriculum in some subjects) all have taken a toll. With the school-choice consortia disappearing, taking away a huge catchment of those who might have chosen Einstein for its IB (open to all, unlike the application programs), in addition to BCC's greater draw away from the remaining local population, it looks as though MCPS's likely recommendations from the Program Analysis would create an untenable situation, leaving Einstein with little chance of providing the IB experience sought within the catchment.

That's from the perspective of Einstein's community. From the perspective of the individual student, it's not as if B-CC's magnet program will be large enough to take all those applying from Einstein (and Northwood and Blair, the other two schools in the DCC heading into Region 1 that currently might access Einstein's IB through the choice process).

Do most people in the DCC prefer Einstein to Kennedy for IB? Kennedy takes nearly all students -- only the vastly unqualified are rejected. I would think people would prefer Kennedy because they offer pre-IB classes.

My kid got into Kennedy IB and chose Einstein because they offered both IB and strong arts. It feels very shady that now both of those are threatened by the proposed diminished enrollment at AEHS.

Northwood is getting a new building with great performing arts facilities so that makes sense. IB at BCC looks like a gift for BCC and Whitman.

Then move VAC & Design to Northwood (maybe Communications, too, to better relieve Blair overcrowding without having to move SMCS) and put Humanities (changed to criteria-based), Medical Science/Healthcare and Languages at Einstein, shifting some of its catchment via the Boundary Studyvto Northwood or B-CC to keep enough room, shifting the Education magnet to Whitman to complement LaSJ/Public Service.

Or, as before, make Einstein the magnet IB.

That hurts kids who want ap and a stronger curriculum. And why should Einstein lose their signature programs which are the draw to Einstein.

Which one hurts? The former would increase those courses and draw capable students to enhance the cohort via the magnets suggested. The latter would do the same via dedication to it's status as the regional magnet IB.

The prior poster was noting the performing arts facilities would necessitate that magnet being at Northwood, and the pairing of Performing and Visual Arts is a bette solution.

This plan destroys Einstein.

Not necessarily. Einstein will probably get a boost of more AP classes

No, look at the post here where someone provided it. The ap classes every year go down not up. The admin don’t like ap classes. They tell students to go to Mc and parents figure out transportation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Taking IB + Arts away from Einstein is just ridiculous.

I don't know about arts, but Einstein can keep a local IB program if they want. But people here are often complaining that the IB program at Einstein means they can't take the higher-level AP classes they want, so it's not clear to me that that's the best option for Einstein.

Currently, Einstein is under the Kennedy regional umbrella for IB. That application program, though, doesn't draw nearly the way that B-CC's would, as B-CC's complementary advanced offerings are considered better, and it has considerably lower FARMS and EML rates than Kennedy.

This would tend to undermine Einstein's own local IB, reducing the population of advanced learners who, if they stayed, might help the school offer a broader array of IB classes, and at the higher level. It struggles to maintain that, as it is. Before the regional IB at Kennedy, Einstein was clearly the place to go within the DCC for that experience (it may still be, but to a lesser extent). It drew sizeable numbers of IB students from the 5-school catchment -- some who did not get in to county-wide RMIB and some who preferred the more local (and less cutthroat) setting. Changing demographics, overall, the slight shift toward Kennedy's regional program and a decision to stop offering advanced, IB-related courses in 9th & 10th (previously offering cohorting away from the base curriculum in some subjects) all have taken a toll. With the school-choice consortia disappearing, taking away a huge catchment of those who might have chosen Einstein for its IB (open to all, unlike the application programs), in addition to BCC's greater draw away from the remaining local population, it looks as though MCPS's likely recommendations from the Program Analysis would create an untenable situation, leaving Einstein with little chance of providing the IB experience sought within the catchment.

That's from the perspective of Einstein's community. From the perspective of the individual student, it's not as if B-CC's magnet program will be large enough to take all those applying from Einstein (and Northwood and Blair, the other two schools in the DCC heading into Region 1 that currently might access Einstein's IB through the choice process).

Do most people in the DCC prefer Einstein to Kennedy for IB? Kennedy takes nearly all students -- only the vastly unqualified are rejected. I would think people would prefer Kennedy because they offer pre-IB classes.

My kid got into Kennedy IB and chose Einstein because they offered both IB and strong arts. It feels very shady that now both of those are threatened by the proposed diminished enrollment at AEHS.

Northwood is getting a new building with great performing arts facilities so that makes sense. IB at BCC looks like a gift for BCC and Whitman.

Then move VAC & Design to Northwood (maybe Communications, too, to better relieve Blair overcrowding without having to move SMCS) and put Humanities (changed to criteria-based), Medical Science/Healthcare and Languages at Einstein, shifting some of its catchment via the Boundary Studyvto Northwood or B-CC to keep enough room, shifting the Education magnet to Whitman to complement LaSJ/Public Service.

Or, as before, make Einstein the magnet IB.

That hurts kids who want ap and a stronger curriculum. And why should Einstein lose their signature programs which are the draw to Einstein.

Which one hurts? The former would increase those courses and draw capable students to enhance the cohort via the magnets suggested. The latter would do the same via dedication to it's status as the regional magnet IB.

The prior poster was noting the performing arts facilities would necessitate that magnet being at Northwood, and the pairing of Performing and Visual Arts is a bette solution.

This plan destroys Einstein.

Not necessarily. Einstein will probably get a boost of more AP classes

No, look at the post here where someone provided it. The ap classes every year go down not up. The admin don’t like ap classes. They tell students to go to Mc and parents figure out transportation.

Someone mentioned a BOE member is or was affiliated with MC. MCPS overcrowded. MC enrollment had gone down. Win-win for both MC and MCPS if more mcps students go to MC for classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BCC gets the regional IB, not Einstein.

Thats because B-CC's IB students get better scores on the IB exams.

The some smarter kids bail in the DCC to Blair and Wheaton as Einstein does not have a lot of stem and ap classes. Very few kids actually graduate with a with a ib degree.

Putting a regional IB program in Einstein would not be as attractive to applicants as BCC. These regional programs need to have some credibility to counter those who are complaining about the changes to the county wide program.

The IB programs in the other regions are at less affluent schools. That’s the core goal of magnet programs generally and why MCPS has historically placed IB programs at schools where adding advanced programs will provide the highest benefit.

RM was in danger of closing because wealthy families were leaving for other schools. MCPS placed the IB magnet there to improve educational outcomes and attract students into the school. They added IB magnets at Kennedy and WM for the same reason. Putting an IB magnet at schools like BCC with high scores and graduation rates is just gilding the lily.

They probably picked BCC to attract Whitman kids who won’t want to commute to Einstein. Whitman gets the world languages magnet for the region. It’s likely Whitman-BCC will be an unofficial sub-region, swapping students between themselves, plus a few going to whatever STEM is left at Blair after it’s cut from countywide to regional.

Northwood and Einstein will lose more students than they attract because MCPS is giving them the least popular magnets. Enrollment will drop, which will mean staff cuts, and weaker course offerings.

Taylor’s plan is basically flipping the whole magnet philosophy on its head to boost rich schools at the expense of poor schools.

Exactly! Looking at his plan, it is worsening segregation and making rich richer, making poor poorer, making competition more competitive, all under the name of equity.

I do not see that, overall. I see individual decisions that would tend to do that.

IB @ B-CC might be one, but that could be rectified by moving Humanities (and making it criteria-based) to Northwood, giving it heft, Performing Arts to Einstein, giving it cohesion with a unique focus, and Education to B-CC, boradening access.

I see a similar problem with Region 4, where placing a new SMCS at Wootton totally tilts the academics towards the Wootton-Churchill duopoly. Instead (and since they need to create that program, anyway, even if creating it at Wootton would be easier, given its current offerings), move SMCS & Engineering to Rockville, where they would tend to even out overall academics, Leadership & Public Service and Humanities (criteria-based, again, for this) to Wootton, broadening access, Languages and Education to RM, where they would fit better with IB, and Performing Arts to Churchill, again for cohesion with Visual Arts.

It very much is doing that as all kids go to their home school except for special programs. The course offerings are very different between the richer and other schools.

So, we should require the "other" schools to provide equivalent course offerings (and budget for that from a well-funded common pot) so no community is left out. The APs suggested in the program analysis are a start, but insufficient as they are. Differentiated HS courses (e.g., in English for 9th & 10th), the deeper APs, MVC -- all need to be accessible locally.

The consortium model also breaks down when there are differential advanced offerings in place. It's not very likely to match with Blair (and to some degree with Wheaton), as too many are trying to access the courses available there.

They aren’t going to.

Why?

Parents and students have asked and admin has said no. They have reduced the number of AP classes over the last few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Taking IB + Arts away from Einstein is just ridiculous.

I don't know about arts, but Einstein can keep a local IB program if they want. But people here are often complaining that the IB program at Einstein means they can't take the higher-level AP classes they want, so it's not clear to me that that's the best option for Einstein.

Currently, Einstein is under the Kennedy regional umbrella for IB. That application program, though, doesn't draw nearly the way that B-CC's would, as B-CC's complementary advanced offerings are considered better, and it has considerably lower FARMS and EML rates than Kennedy.

This would tend to undermine Einstein's own local IB, reducing the population of advanced learners who, if they stayed, might help the school offer a broader array of IB classes, and at the higher level. It struggles to maintain that, as it is. Before the regional IB at Kennedy, Einstein was clearly the place to go within the DCC for that experience (it may still be, but to a lesser extent). It drew sizeable numbers of IB students from the 5-school catchment -- some who did not get in to county-wide RMIB and some who preferred the more local (and less cutthroat) setting. Changing demographics, overall, the slight shift toward Kennedy's regional program and a decision to stop offering advanced, IB-related courses in 9th & 10th (previously offering cohorting away from the base curriculum in some subjects) all have taken a toll. With the school-choice consortia disappearing, taking away a huge catchment of those who might have chosen Einstein for its IB (open to all, unlike the application programs), in addition to BCC's greater draw away from the remaining local population, it looks as though MCPS's likely recommendations from the Program Analysis would create an untenable situation, leaving Einstein with little chance of providing the IB experience sought within the catchment.

That's from the perspective of Einstein's community. From the perspective of the individual student, it's not as if B-CC's magnet program will be large enough to take all those applying from Einstein (and Northwood and Blair, the other two schools in the DCC heading into Region 1 that currently might access Einstein's IB through the choice process).

Do most people in the DCC prefer Einstein to Kennedy for IB? Kennedy takes nearly all students -- only the vastly unqualified are rejected. I would think people would prefer Kennedy because they offer pre-IB classes.

My kid got into Kennedy IB and chose Einstein because they offered both IB and strong arts. It feels very shady that now both of those are threatened by the proposed diminished enrollment at AEHS.

Northwood is getting a new building with great performing arts facilities so that makes sense. IB at BCC looks like a gift for BCC and Whitman.

Then move VAC & Design to Northwood (maybe Communications, too, to better relieve Blair overcrowding without having to move SMCS) and put Humanities (changed to criteria-based), Medical Science/Healthcare and Languages at Einstein, shifting some of its catchment via the Boundary Studyvto Northwood or B-CC to keep enough room, shifting the Education magnet to Whitman to complement LaSJ/Public Service.

Or, as before, make Einstein the magnet IB.

That hurts kids who want ap and a stronger curriculum. And why should Einstein lose their signature programs which are the draw to Einstein.

Which one hurts? The former would increase those courses and draw capable students to enhance the cohort via the magnets suggested. The latter would do the same via dedication to it's status as the regional magnet IB.

The prior poster was noting the performing arts facilities would necessitate that magnet being at Northwood, and the pairing of Performing and Visual Arts is a bette solution.

This plan destroys Einstein.

Not necessarily. Einstein will probably get a boost of more AP classes

No, look at the post here where someone provided it. The ap classes every year go down not up. The admin don’t like ap classes. They tell students to go to Mc and parents figure out transportation.

Someone mentioned a BOE member is or was affiliated with MC. MCPS overcrowded. MC enrollment had gone down. Win-win for both MC and MCPS if more mcps students go to MC for classes.

A BOE member works for MC as a liason to MCPS. Huge conflict of interest. MCPS is funding MC because of enrollment issues. It's not a huge win as how much does it cost MCPS to pay for classes vs. provide them directly? How many students cannot participate due to timing or transportation (we are over 90 minutes away by public bus and that's assuming everything goes on schedule so that's what, 3 hours for one 50 minute class? So, bringing that up we were told to buy our child a car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Taking IB + Arts away from Einstein is just ridiculous.

I don't know about arts, but Einstein can keep a local IB program if they want. But people here are often complaining that the IB program at Einstein means they can't take the higher-level AP classes they want, so it's not clear to me that that's the best option for Einstein.

Currently, Einstein is under the Kennedy regional umbrella for IB. That application program, though, doesn't draw nearly the way that B-CC's would, as B-CC's complementary advanced offerings are considered better, and it has considerably lower FARMS and EML rates than Kennedy.

This would tend to undermine Einstein's own local IB, reducing the population of advanced learners who, if they stayed, might help the school offer a broader array of IB classes, and at the higher level. It struggles to maintain that, as it is. Before the regional IB at Kennedy, Einstein was clearly the place to go within the DCC for that experience (it may still be, but to a lesser extent). It drew sizeable numbers of IB students from the 5-school catchment -- some who did not get in to county-wide RMIB and some who preferred the more local (and less cutthroat) setting. Changing demographics, overall, the slight shift toward Kennedy's regional program and a decision to stop offering advanced, IB-related courses in 9th & 10th (previously offering cohorting away from the base curriculum in some subjects) all have taken a toll. With the school-choice consortia disappearing, taking away a huge catchment of those who might have chosen Einstein for its IB (open to all, unlike the application programs), in addition to BCC's greater draw away from the remaining local population, it looks as though MCPS's likely recommendations from the Program Analysis would create an untenable situation, leaving Einstein with little chance of providing the IB experience sought within the catchment.

That's from the perspective of Einstein's community. From the perspective of the individual student, it's not as if B-CC's magnet program will be large enough to take all those applying from Einstein (and Northwood and Blair, the other two schools in the DCC heading into Region 1 that currently might access Einstein's IB through the choice process).

Do most people in the DCC prefer Einstein to Kennedy for IB? Kennedy takes nearly all students -- only the vastly unqualified are rejected. I would think people would prefer Kennedy because they offer pre-IB classes.

My kid got into Kennedy IB and chose Einstein because they offered both IB and strong arts. It feels very shady that now both of those are threatened by the proposed diminished enrollment at AEHS.

Northwood is getting a new building with great performing arts facilities so that makes sense. IB at BCC looks like a gift for BCC and Whitman.

Then move VAC & Design to Northwood (maybe Communications, too, to better relieve Blair overcrowding without having to move SMCS) and put Humanities (changed to criteria-based), Medical Science/Healthcare and Languages at Einstein, shifting some of its catchment via the Boundary Studyvto Northwood or B-CC to keep enough room, shifting the Education magnet to Whitman to complement LaSJ/Public Service.

Or, as before, make Einstein the magnet IB.

That hurts kids who want ap and a stronger curriculum. And why should Einstein lose their signature programs which are the draw to Einstein.

Which one hurts? The former would increase those courses and draw capable students to enhance the cohort via the magnets suggested. The latter would do the same via dedication to it's status as the regional magnet IB.

The prior poster was noting the performing arts facilities would necessitate that magnet being at Northwood, and the pairing of Performing and Visual Arts is a bette solution.

This plan destroys Einstein.

Not necessarily. Einstein will probably get a boost of more AP classes

As long as it's all reasonably equivalent to that offered at other schools.

If it isn't, they persist the inequity, driven by the prejudice of low expectations on the one hand and by facilitating the hoarding of opportunity on the other.

What schools are hoarding opportunity?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:BCC gets the regional IB, not Einstein.

Thats because B-CC's IB students get better scores on the IB exams.

The some smarter kids bail in the DCC to Blair and Wheaton as Einstein does not have a lot of stem and ap classes. Very few kids actually graduate with a with a ib degree.

Putting a regional IB program in Einstein would not be as attractive to applicants as BCC. These regional programs need to have some credibility to counter those who are complaining about the changes to the county wide program.

The IB programs in the other regions are at less affluent schools. That’s the core goal of magnet programs generally and why MCPS has historically placed IB programs at schools where adding advanced programs will provide the highest benefit.

RM was in danger of closing because wealthy families were leaving for other schools. MCPS placed the IB magnet there to improve educational outcomes and attract students into the school. They added IB magnets at Kennedy and WM for the same reason. Putting an IB magnet at schools like BCC with high scores and graduation rates is just gilding the lily.

They probably picked BCC to attract Whitman kids who won’t want to commute to Einstein. Whitman gets the world languages magnet for the region. It’s likely Whitman-BCC will be an unofficial sub-region, swapping students between themselves, plus a few going to whatever STEM is left at Blair after it’s cut from countywide to regional.

Northwood and Einstein will lose more students than they attract because MCPS is giving them the least popular magnets. Enrollment will drop, which will mean staff cuts, and weaker course offerings.

Taylor’s plan is basically flipping the whole magnet philosophy on its head to boost rich schools at the expense of poor schools.

Exactly! Looking at his plan, it is worsening segregation and making rich richer, making poor poorer, making competition more competitive, all under the name of equity.

I do not see that, overall. I see individual decisions that would tend to do that.

IB @ B-CC might be one, but that could be rectified by moving Humanities (and making it criteria-based) to Northwood, giving it heft, Performing Arts to Einstein, giving it cohesion with a unique focus, and Education to B-CC, boradening access.

I see a similar problem with Region 4, where placing a new SMCS at Wootton totally tilts the academics towards the Wootton-Churchill duopoly. Instead (and since they need to create that program, anyway, even if creating it at Wootton would be easier, given its current offerings), move SMCS & Engineering to Rockville, where they would tend to even out overall academics, Leadership & Public Service and Humanities (criteria-based, again, for this) to Wootton, broadening access, Languages and Education to RM, where they would fit better with IB, and Performing Arts to Churchill, again for cohesion with Visual Arts.

It very much is doing that as all kids go to their home school except for special programs. The course offerings are very different between the richer and other schools.

So, we should require the "other" schools to provide equivalent course offerings (and budget for that from a well-funded common pot) so no community is left out. The APs suggested in the program analysis are a start, but insufficient as they are. Differentiated HS courses (e.g., in English for 9th & 10th), the deeper APs, MVC -- all need to be accessible locally.

The consortium model also breaks down when there are differential advanced offerings in place. It's not very likely to match with Blair (and to some degree with Wheaton), as too many are trying to access the courses available there.

They aren’t going to.

Why?

Parents and students have asked and admin has said no. They have reduced the number of AP classes over the last few years.

So, this is basically saying that in the recent past/up until now, they have been going in one direction -- lack of support for advanced classes -- and assuming it will stay that way.

Except now, between the boundary studies and the program analysis, they are already aiming to change the approach for the entire system. Why wouldn't a shift in that recent direction toward advanced classes be under similar consideration if it advanced the MCPS priorities?

They already have indicated an intention to provide certain APs or IB equivalents at all schools, and that only needs to be tweaked so as better to ensure those early differentiated enriched courses and higher-level later courses are available at all schools equivalently and that no zip code is systemically disadvantaged (from the perspective of that which MCPS affords to individual students).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BCC gets the regional IB, not Einstein.

Thats because B-CC's IB students get better scores on the IB exams.

The some smarter kids bail in the DCC to Blair and Wheaton as Einstein does not have a lot of stem and ap classes. Very few kids actually graduate with a with a ib degree.

Putting a regional IB program in Einstein would not be as attractive to applicants as BCC. These regional programs need to have some credibility to counter those who are complaining about the changes to the county wide program.

The IB programs in the other regions are at less affluent schools. That’s the core goal of magnet programs generally and why MCPS has historically placed IB programs at schools where adding advanced programs will provide the highest benefit.

RM was in danger of closing because wealthy families were leaving for other schools. MCPS placed the IB magnet there to improve educational outcomes and attract students into the school. They added IB magnets at Kennedy and WM for the same reason. Putting an IB magnet at schools like BCC with high scores and graduation rates is just gilding the lily.

They probably picked BCC to attract Whitman kids who won’t want to commute to Einstein. Whitman gets the world languages magnet for the region. It’s likely Whitman-BCC will be an unofficial sub-region, swapping students between themselves, plus a few going to whatever STEM is left at Blair after it’s cut from countywide to regional.

Northwood and Einstein will lose more students than they attract because MCPS is giving them the least popular magnets. Enrollment will drop, which will mean staff cuts, and weaker course offerings.

Taylor’s plan is basically flipping the whole magnet philosophy on its head to boost rich schools at the expense of poor schools.

Exactly! Looking at his plan, it is worsening segregation and making rich richer, making poor poorer, making competition more competitive, all under the name of equity.

I do not see that, overall. I see individual decisions that would tend to do that.

IB @ B-CC might be one, but that could be rectified by moving Humanities (and making it criteria-based) to Northwood, giving it heft, Performing Arts to Einstein, giving it cohesion with a unique focus, and Education to B-CC, boradening access.

I see a similar problem with Region 4, where placing a new SMCS at Wootton totally tilts the academics towards the Wootton-Churchill duopoly. Instead (and since they need to create that program, anyway, even if creating it at Wootton would be easier, given its current offerings), move SMCS & Engineering to Rockville, where they would tend to even out overall academics, Leadership & Public Service and Humanities (criteria-based, again, for this) to Wootton, broadening access, Languages and Education to RM, where they would fit better with IB, and Performing Arts to Churchill, again for cohesion with Visual Arts.

It very much is doing that as all kids go to their home school except for special programs. The course offerings are very different between the richer and other schools.

So, we should require the "other" schools to provide equivalent course offerings (and budget for that from a well-funded common pot) so no community is left out. The APs suggested in the program analysis are a start, but insufficient as they are. Differentiated HS courses (e.g., in English for 9th & 10th), the deeper APs, MVC -- all need to be accessible locally.

The consortium model also breaks down when there are differential advanced offerings in place. It's not very likely to match with Blair (and to some degree with Wheaton), as too many are trying to access the courses available there.

They aren’t going to.

Why?

Parents and students have asked and admin has said no. They have reduced the number of AP classes over the last few years.

So, this is basically saying that in the recent past/up until now, they have been going in one direction -- lack of support for advanced classes -- and assuming it will stay that way.

Except now, between the boundary studies and the program analysis, they are already aiming to change the approach for the entire system. Why wouldn't a shift in that recent direction toward advanced classes be under similar consideration if it advanced the MCPS priorities?

They already have indicated an intention to provide certain APs or IB equivalents at all schools, and that only needs to be tweaked so as better to ensure those early differentiated enriched courses and higher-level later courses are available at all schools equivalently and that no zip code is systemically disadvantaged (from the perspective of that which MCPS affords to individual students).

This is a good direction that MCPS says they plan to move. Let's do one at a time. First make equitable access to advanced AP or IB classes for every local school. Prove that you can do this. Community complains and worries focus on the lightning fast ambitious implementation plan about special programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BCC HS's IB becomes
Regional IB
And BCC HS
will get a Humanities program like that of CAP at Blair?
What else?

I heard BCC was also getting its own STEM magnet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BCC HS's IB becomes
Regional IB
And BCC HS
will get a Humanities program like that of CAP at Blair?
What else?

I heard BCC was also getting its own STEM magnet.

Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They already have indicated an intention to provide certain APs or IB equivalents at all schools, and that only needs to be tweaked so as better to ensure those early differentiated enriched courses and higher-level later courses are available at all schools equivalently and that no zip code is systemically disadvantaged (from the perspective of that which MCPS affords to individual students).

Look at the list of classes that say all schools will offer. IIRC, most schools ALREADY have them. They’re not adding resources.

A lot of the magnets won’t even be new programs. They’re electives schools already have. They’re just going to set up an application process (probably a google form and random lottery selection) to let a few students for other schools take them. That’s how MCPS is going to afford most of the “new” programs.

They’ll out money into the STEM and IB and maybe humanities programs. The rest will just be existing classes with a new label.

The proposal sucks. It ruins existing programs, hurts a lot of schools, and won’t make the rest any better.