County-wide magnet/IB/GE/Humanity programs will become regional programs if the secondary program plan is passed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they should see this as an opportunity to recharge the magnet program. Make improvements to the existing, add performing arts countywide (there is not enough opportunity in the performing arts either - see the Churchill orchestra discussion).

And add the new regional, with AP Math and science plus a few extras like multivariable and other sciences added in.

This would be outstanding. We have G&T students and we also have exceptional G&T students. Accommodate both.

Any kids DCC who want more for the arts have to go privately as its not going ot happen in the DCC schools.

They need to add MV, and AP sciences to ALL schools. Kids should have access to basic classes at their home schools.

I agree it is inexcusable to not have AP sciences at every high school in this county!!!!

I disagree on multivariable but that’s ok.

I think Woodward should have a countywide performing arts magnet.[b] That is a huge gap here in mcps compared to other school districts of our size. Your kids are missing out,

I think we should have 6 regional magnets for STEM and IB IN ADDITION to keeping what we already have county wide (probably add seats to those programs).

Please, no perfomring art in Woodward. Put those programs in paces where it's not hard to get enough kids for high level math courses. With 40-50% FARMS in Woodawrd if you put performing arts magnet there, no way Woodward will have any high level math courses.

All high schools should still have AP Calc (AB & BC) right? Plus AP Stats?

[Anonymous]

Y’all are missing the bigger picture about performing arts. Those are typically outstanding students - they are also great math students.

[Anonymous]

There is a parent or maybe a handful of parents on this thread who want you to believe that the Blair magnet is top to bottom geniuses doing "post college" work.

That's not true. Even within the magnet, only about 1 in 5 meet that definition, if that.

By no definition of "public education" should we be making policy based solely on the needs of the top 20% of the top 1%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a parent or maybe a handful of parents on this thread who want you to believe that the Blair magnet is top to bottom geniuses doing "post college" work.

That's not true. Even within the magnet, only about 1 in 5 meet that definition, if that.

By no definition of "public education" should we be making policy based solely on the needs of the top 20% of the top 1%.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a parent or maybe a handful of parents on this thread who want you to believe that the Blair magnet is top to bottom geniuses doing "post college" work.

That's not true. Even within the magnet, only about 1 in 5 meet that definition, if that.

By no definition of "public education" should we be making policy based solely on the needs of the top 20% of the top 1%.

I’m not that parent of whom you speak but I do know some of these kids. They are extremely bright and gifted. Of course not doing post college work but they are really smart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they should see this as an opportunity to recharge the magnet program. Make improvements to the existing, add performing arts countywide (there is not enough opportunity in the performing arts either - see the Churchill orchestra discussion).

And add the new regional, with AP Math and science plus a few extras like multivariable and other sciences added in.

This would be outstanding. We have G&T students and we also have exceptional G&T students. Accommodate both.

Any kids DCC who want more for the arts have to go privately as its not going ot happen in the DCC schools.

They need to add MV, and AP sciences to ALL schools. Kids should have access to basic classes at their home schools.

I agree it is inexcusable to not have AP sciences at every high school in this county!!!!

I disagree on multivariable but that’s ok.

I think Woodward should have a countywide performing arts magnet.[b] That is a huge gap here in mcps compared to other school districts of our size. Your kids are missing out,

I think we should have 6 regional magnets for STEM and IB IN ADDITION to keeping what we already have county wide (probably add seats to those programs).

Please, no perfomring art in Woodward. Put those programs in paces where it's not hard to get enough kids for high level math courses. With 40-50% FARMS in Woodawrd if you put performing arts magnet there, no way Woodward will have any high level math courses.

All high schools should still have AP Calc (AB & BC) right? Plus AP Stats?

I don't think ALL schools have AP Calc BC and Stats, but most do. But, that's the bare minimum.

We need a real performing arts magnet with test in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Y’all are missing the bigger picture about performing arts. Those are typically outstanding students - they are also great math students.

This is very true. Most of the kids are extremely bright to be getting to the MCYO, All States, All County, etc. Some are not, but the majority we know are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they should see this as an opportunity to recharge the magnet program. Make improvements to the existing, add performing arts countywide (there is not enough opportunity in the performing arts either - see the Churchill orchestra discussion).

And add the new regional, with AP Math and science plus a few extras like multivariable and other sciences added in.

This would be outstanding. We have G&T students and we also have exceptional G&T students. Accommodate both.

Any kids DCC who want more for the arts have to go privately as its not going ot happen in the DCC schools.

They need to add MV, and AP sciences to ALL schools. Kids should have access to basic classes at their home schools.

I agree it is inexcusable to not have AP sciences at every high school in this county!!!!

I disagree on multivariable but that’s ok.

I think Woodward should have a countywide performing arts magnet.[b] That is a huge gap here in mcps compared to other school districts of our size. Your kids are missing out,

I think we should have 6 regional magnets for STEM and IB IN ADDITION to keeping what we already have county wide (probably add seats to those programs).

Please, no perfomring art in Woodward. Put those programs in paces where it's not hard to get enough kids for high level math courses. With 40-50% FARMS in Woodawrd if you put performing arts magnet there, no way Woodward will have any high level math courses.

All high schools should still have AP Calc (AB & BC) right? Plus AP Stats?

I don't think ALL schools have AP Calc BC and Stats, but most do. But, that's the bare minimum.

We need a real performing arts magnet with test in.

It’s called an audition but I agree!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. It means they will be available only to kids zoned for a school in the same region as the program.

The reason why the current programs are so successful is that MCPS can concentrate resources. If this is expanded, it will dilute everything, and the quality of all the programs would go down drastically. You would not be able to find enough teachers capable of teaching some of these advanced courses.

In addition, I highly doubt all these programs would even be nearly of the same quality if equity is the goal. Look at the current regional IB programs, and compare them to RM.

Some, but also more, kids will benefit. Overall, that sounds like a win for the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent who's child is currently at a magnet program at Poolesville that is not in that region, I assume current students will be able to finish the programs they began... but I would like to hear reassurance of that fact.

I also have a child at Poolesville, does anyone know the answer to PP question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just to avoid my response to a previous post being buried:

As one of the audience in yesterday's BOE meeting, I asked Niki Hazel in the hallway after her presentation, and got her clear confirmation that Blair SMACS, Poolsville humanity, SMACS and GE and RMIB will become regional programs once they implement the model. Unfortunately BOE didn't raise the question for clarification, so there's no video footage.

In the meeting, Niki and Dr. Taylor confirmed that they are seeking a BOE motion in December this year.

Um, and who are YOU? Why should we believe what Hazel said to you if she even said anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Folks need to get really clear and explicit on what exactly you are worried about losing by these magnets becoming regional. What are the specific classes that there wouldn't be enough kids to support regional programs? Is it just a few high level math and science classes for a couple dozen seniors, or is there anything else?

(If your complaint is just that they shouldn't change because you don't want your kid in class with a 95th percentile kid, you're not gonna get any sympathy or success. You need to spell out "kids will lose access to X and Y.")

Seems like a reasonable tradeoff if this change provides greater access to these programs to more students, even if there is some watering down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent who's child is currently at a magnet program at Poolesville that is not in that region, I assume current students will be able to finish the programs they began... but I would like to hear reassurance of that fact.

I also have a child at Poolesville, does anyone know the answer to PP question?

Of course, I don't know either. I have a child at Blair, but I would be surprised if this change weren't retroactive so that it would only affect 2027 and beyond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. It means they will be available only to kids zoned for a school in the same region as the program.

The reason why the current programs are so successful is that MCPS can concentrate resources. If this is expanded, it will dilute everything, and the quality of all the programs would go down drastically. You would not be able to find enough teachers capable of teaching some of these advanced courses.

In addition, I highly doubt all these programs would even be nearly of the same quality if equity is the goal. Look at the current regional IB programs, and compare them to RM.

Every time this comes up I feel the need to remind folks that the regional IB magnets have only been in existence long enough to have ONE graduating class, and continue to lose the strongest students to RMIB. Assuming that outcomes wouldn't improve with this change is not correct.

I would actually agree with you on this. But, this is not the main reason.

The students are a huge factor in determining if the program is successful.

https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiNWY4ODhiMmUtNTcwNi00NjEwLTgxZjQtMDQ5MzA1NDQ4MDI3IiwidCI6ImRkZjc1NWU5LWJjZDYtNGE1ZS1hNDcyLTdjMzc4YTc4YzZjNyIsImMiOjF9

If you look at the testing & graduation section for Kennedy, RM, and Whitman, they are not even close to comparable. It is not feasible to offer many of the courses because there are not enough students who are able to fill up the classes. And thus, those at the very top of some regional programs will not have the same opportunity as others.

A strong student body also helps the students. Students who are strong and passionate about a subject will help push each other up so everyone improves. This is not possible with so many regional programs, as the data show.

Additionally, if you create so many programs, you will require so many more teachers. The teachers at the countywides are incredibly skilled, specialized, and unique. They are some of the very best educators in the nation. I doubt you would find enough to equitably staff all the programs.

+1 splitting the 100 or RMIB students across the regions is not going to provide the economies of scale for each of those regional programs to provide the additional courses that RMIB has.

Kennedy has had 4 years to to develop its IB program, yet they still don't have magnet level classes starting in 9th grade from what I saw of the course offerings at Kennedy. RMIB has magnet level classes starting in the 9th grade.

I have a hard time believing that in a county as huge and educated as MoCo, that there are only 100 students per year who are snowflake smart enough to handle a rigorous IB curriculum. I think the real constraint is qualified teachers.

I agree with you. So Blair should become TJ and offer 500 slots per year. But not dividing these kids to 6 regions.

+1 mostly. More students definitely could benefit from these programs. However, a major part of why the magnets are so successful is because of their small and concentrated size. But, if MCPS wants to provide equitable opportunities for more students, this would a step in the right direction.

TJ is more successful. It’s ok to expand the Blair program and not lose the advantage.

LOL
Blair Magnet is way more successful than TJ

[Anonymous]

Does the new regional program proposal mean that the DCC is going away? Sorry if this question has been asked and answered already.