Takoma Park MS Magnet - 25 inbound seats?

[Anonymous]

I've read that RMIB has many in boundary seats for its magnet HS program. Hoping they'll start doing this for Blair sometime soon too. It really makes a lot of sense because there are no additional costs just benefits.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The TPMS 25 easy to get in spots are not affirmative action spots. There is no preference given for race or FARMS. Most of those spots go to white kids. It was a hook to get more in bound private schools kids back into the school.

The DCC would do far better on test score if more people sent their kids to public instead of private schools. The private school usage in Bethesda doesn't really matter because the rest of the kids staying in public are still high scoring. This isn't true in the DCC so there need to more not less hooks to get the kids out of the privates.

This is so misinformed. Let's start w/ "easy to get in." You do realize these are some of the top students and excellent students don't get in in-boundary? There are many excellent students. No seat is an "easy" seat to get. I do think MCPS needs more magnet seats overall, but suggesting in-boundary kids are in some way "less than" is just sour grapes on your part.

There are many other top students from other school zones who do not get in the program.

Leaving 25 seats for the in-boundary kids - if true - is itself suggesting the in-boundary kids are weaker (and need the favor).

If they compete fairly with other kids, it is unlikely in-boundary kids would get 25 seats in the program each year.

Maybe, suppose only 10 do, that drops the size of the magnet available to your kid to 90. You like those odds better? The 25 inbound seats don't impact out-of-bounds students and take pressure off the competition for the 100 seats. It's a win-win, unless you go all dog in the manger.

I am not arguing for or against what should be done. I am simply addressing the "less than" part in the PP.

Well we just don't know that. It could be that twenty-five inbound kids would make the magnet without the set aside. Regardless, it's reasonable that there be some benefit to the community that hosts the magnet, and the town has done a good job protecting that. The creation of the accelerated courses at the home middle schools is sort of an extension of this concept--something for the cohort that didn't make the magnet cut, TP doesn't provide these classes last I heard. I don't live inbounds, but I just don't see the issue with this program. I also know families who bought inbounds, but I'll be curious to see if that works, because I'm sure there are many more I don't know, and the competition is strong.

That attitude (We don't know) is fine. I don't live in-bounds and I do't have an issue with the program either. It is fine to claim (which may be true) that " it's reasonable that there be some benefit to the community that hosts the magnet,". However, when some people imply that the in-bound kids are stronger and really "deserve" the extra seats based on performance, I see that as BS.

Well, fair enough, but the people who want to dump on all the inbound kids as inferior, are also spreading BS, because some non-negligible percent would have been admitted without the set aside.

[Anonymous]

You're talking about both sides of your mouth. First you obnoxiously claim that in bound TPMS students are so much smarter than the rest of the DCC kids that they would get into those spots even competing fairly against the rest of the DCC. Second, you flip around and claim that the in bound seats can't be shared with the rest of the DCC because that would overcrowd TPMS by 75 kids -25 per grade.

Its utterly wrong that the in bound neighborhoods get to claim ownership and not compete fairly with the rest of the consortium. There are neighborhoods that feed into SSIMS and Sligo MS that are closer to TPMS than some of the in boundary neighborhoods. There are areas in Silver Spring that are right next Blair but are zoned for Northwood and others that drive past Blair to get to Northwood. You can't argue that the neighborhoods closest to where the magnets reside somehow have ownership when neighbors that live closer to the school than you are not getting the same breaks.

TPMS in bound residents already enjoy an advantage in the test score bump that 150 OOB extra high performers bring to the school. On top of that you want special access and not to have to compete against the rest of the DCC which has as much right to special privileges as you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're talking about both sides of your mouth. First you obnoxiously claim that in bound TPMS students are so much smarter than the rest of the DCC kids that they would get into those spots even competing fairly against the rest of the DCC. Second, you flip around and claim that the in bound seats can't be shared with the rest of the DCC because that would overcrowd TPMS by 75 kids -25 per grade.

Its utterly wrong that the in bound neighborhoods get to claim ownership and not compete fairly with the rest of the consortium. There are neighborhoods that feed into SSIMS and Sligo MS that are closer to TPMS than some of the in boundary neighborhoods. There are areas in Silver Spring that are right next Blair but are zoned for Northwood and others that drive past Blair to get to Northwood. You can't argue that the neighborhoods closest to where the magnets reside somehow have ownership when neighbors that live closer to the school than you are not getting the same breaks.

TPMS in bound residents already enjoy an advantage in the test score bump that 150 OOB extra high performers bring to the school. On top of that you want special access and not to have to compete against the rest of the DCC which has as much right to special privileges as you do.

What advantage do they get from the test score bump?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The in-boundary kids I've known all have thrived in the program. Many even go on to attend Blair SMCS. Further, there's 0 impact on: the out of boundary kids, overcrowding @TPMS, or busing costs. There's basically no downside.

The real issue which has been clear for some time is there aren't enough seats to accommodate qualified students. The county really should create an additional MS magnet to address this.

What this thread boils down to is some parents feel that because there isn't sufficient space in this program for their kid that nobody else should benefit.

Perhaps, if more parents put some thought into their choice of schools instead of relying on nonsense like GS,, they'd have avoided this mess.

Nailed it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're talking about both sides of your mouth. First you obnoxiously claim that in bound TPMS students are so much smarter than the rest of the DCC kids that they would get into those spots even competing fairly against the rest of the DCC. Second, you flip around and claim that the in bound seats can't be shared with the rest of the DCC because that would overcrowd TPMS by 75 kids -25 per grade.

Its utterly wrong that the in bound neighborhoods get to claim ownership and not compete fairly with the rest of the consortium. There are neighborhoods that feed into SSIMS and Sligo MS that are closer to TPMS than some of the in boundary neighborhoods. There are areas in Silver Spring that are right next Blair but are zoned for Northwood and others that drive past Blair to get to Northwood. You can't argue that the neighborhoods closest to where the magnets reside somehow have ownership when neighbors that live closer to the school than you are not getting the same breaks.

TPMS in bound residents already enjoy an advantage in the test score bump that 150 OOB extra high performers bring to the school. On top of that you want special access and not to have to compete against the rest of the DCC which has as much right to special privileges as you do.

What advantage do they get from the test score bump?

They’re spewing nonsense. These days most kids in the program are from the DCC. Few kids from schools like Cold Spring that dominated for years make the cut these days but they have a strong peer cohort at their home school so everyone wins.

[Anonymous]

But it is so embarrassing when your neighbor’s kid got into TPMS 2 years ago and your kid did not due to peer cohort or reserved seats. What does it say about your kid?

PBES had so many smart kids that went to the Oakview and Pinecrest Magnets that MCPS decided to give PBES a local CES program. 2 years later these same kids get into TPMS. Could it be possible that these kids are smart because they have super smart and qualified parents?

[Anonymous]

But it is so embarrassing when your neighbor’s kid got into TPMS 2 years ago and your kid did not due to peer cohort or reserved seats. What does it say about your kid?

PBES had so many smart kids that went to the Oakview and Pinecrest Magnets that MCPS decided to give PBES a local CES program. 2 years later these same kids get into TPMS. Could it be possible that these kids are smart because they have super smart and qualified parents?

If you truly believed that then you would have no problem opening up the in bound seats to the rest of the DCC.

I doubt that PBES has a local CES program because there are so many smart kids. More likely the constant badgering from PBES families closer in to the TP inner circle demanded them.

[Anonymous]

TPMS in bound residents already enjoy an advantage in the test score bump that 150 OOB extra high performers bring to the school. On top of that you want special access and not to have to compete against the rest of the DCC which has as much right to special privileges as you do.


What advantage do they get from the test score bump?

TPMS gets a GS bump and other better stats because of the 150 OOB students. This translates into higher property values AND special access for their not as smart kids at the expense of their neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But it is so embarrassing when your neighbor’s kid got into TPMS 2 years ago and your kid did not due to peer cohort or reserved seats. What does it say about your kid?

PBES had so many smart kids that went to the Oakview and Pinecrest Magnets that MCPS decided to give PBES a local CES program. 2 years later these same kids get into TPMS. Could it be possible that these kids are smart because they have super smart and qualified parents?

If you truly believed that then you would have no problem opening up the in bound seats to the rest of the DCC.

I doubt that PBES has a local CES program because there are so many smart kids. More likely the constant badgering from PBES families closer in to the TP inner circle demanded them.

Since you apparently know our secret, feel free to get off DCUM and go badger MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

TPMS in bound residents already enjoy an advantage in the test score bump that 150 OOB extra high performers bring to the school. On top of that you want special access and not to have to compete against the rest of the DCC which has as much right to special privileges as you do.


What advantage do they get from the test score bump?

TPMS gets a GS bump and other better stats because of the 150 OOB students. This translates into higher property values AND special access for their not as smart kids at the expense of their neighbors.

Property values in Takoma Park are higher because of 150 middle-school magnet students who don't live in Takoma Park? How about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've read that RMIB has many in boundary seats for its magnet HS program. Hoping they'll start doing this for Blair sometime soon too. It really makes a lot of sense because there are no additional costs just benefits.

This makes perfect sense. Not sure why they haven't already done it but we need more in boundary seats for Blair too.

[Anonymous]

SSIMS has more high performers on the upper bounds of the highly able cohort than TPMS. If the inbound seats were open to the entire DCC, SSIMS would dominate them.

[Anonymous]

This thread boils down to is some bitter parents feel that because their kids could make the cut nobody else should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SSIMS has more high performers on the upper bounds of the highly able cohort than TPMS. If the inbound seats were open to the entire DCC, SSIMS would dominate them.

Cold Spring deserves them more. Keep your grubby DCC mitts off em!