Program Analysis Lets Shut It Down

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS surely already knows that the lowest income families are the least likely to send their kids far away to school, especially if you don't provide efficient transportation. So you shouldn't put programs intended to benefit them far from their homes, especially if you are also making them get to their home schools in order to get a ride to the other school.

But also would poor kids benefit more from a humanities magnet or more technical training? It’s not that I think that poor kids don’t have the aptitude. It’s that they might be more likely to want preparation for a 2-year degree or even no degree at all (moving directly to the workforce), if college is not in their horizon due to fewer resources.

The medical science program seems to be a track that makes a lot is sense (although I thought it was geared toward nursing and other health care assistance jobs).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I’m hearing, and it could be wrong, is that MCPS wants to give high performing kids stuck in underperforming kids a way to have their needs met through programs. But because MCPS didn’t actually ask anyone, they assumed wrong and these families just want their needs adequately met at the schools they chose for themselves (their home schools). High performing kids at well resourced schools also don’t tend to feel the need for these programs a lot of the time, so adding more of them is probably pretty unnecessary. Maybe they could slowly add a few more countywide ones to increase seats incrementally and so travel is not as long. Are we all in agreement?

Exactly! This was once done for Poolsville SMCS in a slow and corporative pace. Blair SMCS teachers and coordinators helped a lot in the first few years in building another strong program to benefit upper county high performers without sacrificing others' priorities. This round SMCS alumni foundation and coordinator tried to offer help and suggestions, and were shut the door from the beginning.

The regional model is going to drain every HS' existing resource to build a bunch of watered-down low quality programs that no one would be interested in.

Couldn't they just do this again by putting a 3rd SMCS magnet at Woodward and then divide the county into 3rds instead of 6 regions?

Am I missing some reason this wouldn't be a far more manageable project with a higher chance of success than their plan?

This would be the reasonable common sense option. It makes geographical and fiscal sense, too. I really wish they would open their eyes and ears since they are still in their “iterative process” and reconsider the plan and goals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS surely already knows that the lowest income families are the least likely to send their kids far away to school, especially if you don't provide efficient transportation. So you shouldn't put programs intended to benefit them far from their homes, especially if you are also making them get to their home schools in order to get a ride to the other school.

But also would poor kids benefit more from a humanities magnet or more technical training? It’s not that I think that poor kids don’t have the aptitude. It’s that they might be more likely to want preparation for a 2-year degree or even no degree at all (moving directly to the workforce), if college is not in their horizon due to fewer resources.

The medical science program seems to be a track that makes a lot is sense (although I thought it was geared toward nursing and other health care assistance jobs).

I looked up biomedical PLTW and it doesn't seem focused on nursing or medical assistant jobs at all. It doesn't seem like it is super focused on people who want to be medical doctors either, but the "career opportunities" they advertise for the existing biomedical programs at Gaithersburg, Rockville and Wheaton are:
- Biomedical engineer
- Nano systems engineer
- Mechanical engineer
- Family and general or was ctitioner
- Biochemist and biophysicist
- Forensic science technician
- Geneticist
- Bioinformatics scientist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS surely already knows that the lowest income families are the least likely to send their kids far away to school, especially if you don't provide efficient transportation. So you shouldn't put programs intended to benefit them far from their homes, especially if you are also making them get to their home schools in order to get a ride to the other school.

But also would poor kids benefit more from a humanities magnet or more technical training? It’s not that I think that poor kids don’t have the aptitude. It’s that they might be more likely to want preparation for a 2-year degree or even no degree at all (moving directly to the workforce), if college is not in their horizon due to fewer resources.

The medical science program seems to be a track that makes a lot is sense (although I thought it was geared toward nursing and other health care assistance jobs).

You are monolithisizing low income kids. I support CTE programs and MCPS seems to be going in that direction.

Most high income kids are not academically advanced. We are talking about a minority of kids in ALL schools when we talk about academic criterai-based magnet programs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS surely already knows that the lowest income families are the least likely to send their kids far away to school, especially if you don't provide efficient transportation. So you shouldn't put programs intended to benefit them far from their homes, especially if you are also making them get to their home schools in order to get a ride to the other school.

But also would poor kids benefit more from a humanities magnet or more technical training? It’s not that I think that poor kids don’t have the aptitude. It’s that they might be more likely to want preparation for a 2-year degree or even no degree at all (moving directly to the workforce), if college is not in their horizon due to fewer resources.

The medical science program seems to be a track that makes a lot is sense (although I thought it was geared toward nursing and other health care assistance jobs).

Poor kids.. that speaks volumes. They can go to college and get aid. They can go to community college. There are resources out there and MCPS should provide more college planning help these "poor" kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS surely already knows that the lowest income families are the least likely to send their kids far away to school, especially if you don't provide efficient transportation. So you shouldn't put programs intended to benefit them far from their homes, especially if you are also making them get to their home schools in order to get a ride to the other school.

But also would poor kids benefit more from a humanities magnet or more technical training? It’s not that I think that poor kids don’t have the aptitude. It’s that they might be more likely to want preparation for a 2-year degree or even no degree at all (moving directly to the workforce), if college is not in their horizon due to fewer resources.

The medical science program seems to be a track that makes a lot is sense (although I thought it was geared toward nursing and other health care assistance jobs).

You are monolithisizing low income kids. I support CTE programs and MCPS seems to be going in that direction.

Most high income kids are not academically advanced. We are talking about a minority of kids in ALL schools when we talk about academic criterai-based magnet programs

They are very unkind. The difference is high income can afford to pay cash for college and there are tons of colleges that care about money and not grades.

[Anonymous]

This board is wildly myopic and it’s fascinating to watch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I’m hearing, and it could be wrong, is that MCPS wants to give high performing kids stuck in underperforming kids a way to have their needs met through programs. But because MCPS didn’t actually ask anyone, they assumed wrong and these families just want their needs adequately met at the schools they chose for themselves (their home schools). High performing kids at well resourced schools also don’t tend to feel the need for these programs a lot of the time, so adding more of them is probably pretty unnecessary. Maybe they could slowly add a few more countywide ones to increase seats incrementally and so travel is not as long. Are we all in agreement?

Exactly! This was once done for Poolsville SMCS in a slow and corporative pace. Blair SMCS teachers and coordinators helped a lot in the first few years in building another strong program to benefit upper county high performers without sacrificing others' priorities. This round SMCS alumni foundation and coordinator tried to offer help and suggestions, and were shut the door from the beginning.

The regional model is going to drain every HS' existing resource to build a bunch of watered-down low quality programs that no one would be interested in.

Couldn't they just do this again by putting a 3rd SMCS magnet at Woodward and then divide the county into 3rds instead of 6 regions?

Am I missing some reason this wouldn't be a far more manageable project with a higher chance of success than their plan?

You are under the false impression that this is just about SMCS, and it is not. It is about addressing several things at once.
-Access to programs which they continually get complaints about do to limited seats and distance
-Ensure programs and courses to align with Maryland Career and College standards for completion that are being pushed by MSDE
- Coming up with a plan to reduce transportation cost
- Dealing with the inequity of the DCC/NEC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I’m hearing, and it could be wrong, is that MCPS wants to give high performing kids stuck in underperforming kids a way to have their needs met through programs. But because MCPS didn’t actually ask anyone, they assumed wrong and these families just want their needs adequately met at the schools they chose for themselves (their home schools). High performing kids at well resourced schools also don’t tend to feel the need for these programs a lot of the time, so adding more of them is probably pretty unnecessary. Maybe they could slowly add a few more countywide ones to increase seats incrementally and so travel is not as long. Are we all in agreement?

Exactly! This was once done for Poolsville SMCS in a slow and corporative pace. Blair SMCS teachers and coordinators helped a lot in the first few years in building another strong program to benefit upper county high performers without sacrificing others' priorities. This round SMCS alumni foundation and coordinator tried to offer help and suggestions, and were shut the door from the beginning.

The regional model is going to drain every HS' existing resource to build a bunch of watered-down low quality programs that no one would be interested in.

Couldn't they just do this again by putting a 3rd SMCS magnet at Woodward and then divide the county into 3rds instead of 6 regions?

Am I missing some reason this wouldn't be a far more manageable project with a higher chance of success than their plan?

You are under the false impression that this is just about SMCS, and it is not. It is about addressing several things at once.
-Access to programs which they continually get complaints about do to limited seats and distance
-Ensure programs and courses to align with Maryland Career and College standards for completion that are being pushed by MSDE
- Coming up with a plan to reduce transportation cost
- Dealing with the inequity of the DCC/NEC

The DCC has inequity? Gasp!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I’m hearing, and it could be wrong, is that MCPS wants to give high performing kids stuck in underperforming kids a way to have their needs met through programs. But because MCPS didn’t actually ask anyone, they assumed wrong and these families just want their needs adequately met at the schools they chose for themselves (their home schools). High performing kids at well resourced schools also don’t tend to feel the need for these programs a lot of the time, so adding more of them is probably pretty unnecessary. Maybe they could slowly add a few more countywide ones to increase seats incrementally and so travel is not as long. Are we all in agreement?

Exactly! This was once done for Poolsville SMCS in a slow and corporative pace. Blair SMCS teachers and coordinators helped a lot in the first few years in building another strong program to benefit upper county high performers without sacrificing others' priorities. This round SMCS alumni foundation and coordinator tried to offer help and suggestions, and were shut the door from the beginning.

The regional model is going to drain every HS' existing resource to build a bunch of watered-down low quality programs that no one would be interested in.

Couldn't they just do this again by putting a 3rd SMCS magnet at Woodward and then divide the county into 3rds instead of 6 regions?

Am I missing some reason this wouldn't be a far more manageable project with a higher chance of success than their plan?

You are under the false impression that this is just about SMCS, and it is not. It is about addressing several things at once.
-Access to programs which they continually get complaints about do to limited seats and distance
-Ensure programs and courses to align with Maryland Career and College standards for completion that are being pushed by MSDE
- Coming up with a plan to reduce transportation cost
- Dealing with the inequity of the DCC/NEC

And how do any of these issues be alleviated/improved by the regional model? Maybe just #2?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I’m hearing, and it could be wrong, is that MCPS wants to give high performing kids stuck in underperforming kids a way to have their needs met through programs. But because MCPS didn’t actually ask anyone, they assumed wrong and these families just want their needs adequately met at the schools they chose for themselves (their home schools). High performing kids at well resourced schools also don’t tend to feel the need for these programs a lot of the time, so adding more of them is probably pretty unnecessary. Maybe they could slowly add a few more countywide ones to increase seats incrementally and so travel is not as long. Are we all in agreement?

Exactly! This was once done for Poolsville SMCS in a slow and corporative pace. Blair SMCS teachers and coordinators helped a lot in the first few years in building another strong program to benefit upper county high performers without sacrificing others' priorities. This round SMCS alumni foundation and coordinator tried to offer help and suggestions, and were shut the door from the beginning.

The regional model is going to drain every HS' existing resource to build a bunch of watered-down low quality programs that no one would be interested in.

Couldn't they just do this again by putting a 3rd SMCS magnet at Woodward and then divide the county into 3rds instead of 6 regions?

Am I missing some reason this wouldn't be a far more manageable project with a higher chance of success than their plan?

You are under the false impression that this is just about SMCS, and it is not. It is about addressing several things at once.
-Access to programs which they continually get complaints about do to limited seats and distance
-Ensure programs and courses to align with Maryland Career and College standards for completion that are being pushed by MSDE
- Coming up with a plan to reduce transportation cost
- Dealing with the inequity of the DCC/NEC

The DCC has inequity? Gasp!

Multiple posters from the DCC have noted that it is not a perfect model and is inequitable in some important ways. Putting two criteria based academic magnets at BCC and Whitman will just reproduce the inequity among a different group of schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I’m hearing, and it could be wrong, is that MCPS wants to give high performing kids stuck in underperforming kids a way to have their needs met through programs. But because MCPS didn’t actually ask anyone, they assumed wrong and these families just want their needs adequately met at the schools they chose for themselves (their home schools). High performing kids at well resourced schools also don’t tend to feel the need for these programs a lot of the time, so adding more of them is probably pretty unnecessary. Maybe they could slowly add a few more countywide ones to increase seats incrementally and so travel is not as long. Are we all in agreement?

Exactly! This was once done for Poolsville SMCS in a slow and corporative pace. Blair SMCS teachers and coordinators helped a lot in the first few years in building another strong program to benefit upper county high performers without sacrificing others' priorities. This round SMCS alumni foundation and coordinator tried to offer help and suggestions, and were shut the door from the beginning.

The regional model is going to drain every HS' existing resource to build a bunch of watered-down low quality programs that no one would be interested in.

Couldn't they just do this again by putting a 3rd SMCS magnet at Woodward and then divide the county into 3rds instead of 6 regions?

Am I missing some reason this wouldn't be a far more manageable project with a higher chance of success than their plan?

You are under the false impression that this is just about SMCS, and it is not. It is about addressing several things at once.
-Access to programs which they continually get complaints about do to limited seats and distance
-Ensure programs and courses to align with Maryland Career and College standards for completion that are being pushed by MSDE
- Coming up with a plan to reduce transportation cost
- Dealing with the inequity of the DCC/NEC

The DCC has inequity? Gasp!

The DCC itself is an inequity because there are not consortium all across the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I’m hearing, and it could be wrong, is that MCPS wants to give high performing kids stuck in underperforming kids a way to have their needs met through programs. But because MCPS didn’t actually ask anyone, they assumed wrong and these families just want their needs adequately met at the schools they chose for themselves (their home schools). High performing kids at well resourced schools also don’t tend to feel the need for these programs a lot of the time, so adding more of them is probably pretty unnecessary. Maybe they could slowly add a few more countywide ones to increase seats incrementally and so travel is not as long. Are we all in agreement?

Exactly! This was once done for Poolsville SMCS in a slow and corporative pace. Blair SMCS teachers and coordinators helped a lot in the first few years in building another strong program to benefit upper county high performers without sacrificing others' priorities. This round SMCS alumni foundation and coordinator tried to offer help and suggestions, and were shut the door from the beginning.

The regional model is going to drain every HS' existing resource to build a bunch of watered-down low quality programs that no one would be interested in.

Couldn't they just do this again by putting a 3rd SMCS magnet at Woodward and then divide the county into 3rds instead of 6 regions?

Am I missing some reason this wouldn't be a far more manageable project with a higher chance of success than their plan?

You are under the false impression that this is just about SMCS, and it is not. It is about addressing several things at once.
-Access to programs which they continually get complaints about do to limited seats and distance
-Ensure programs and courses to align with Maryland Career and College standards for completion that are being pushed by MSDE
- Coming up with a plan to reduce transportation cost
- Dealing with the inequity of the DCC/NEC

The DCC has inequity? Gasp!

The DCC itself is an inequity because there are not consortium all across the county.

Yep. Making all six regions into consortia would be the best outcome.

But MCPS doesn’t want to pay for that much transportation. That’s why the numbers for the new programs are so small. They’re tied to bus capacity.

It would be smarter to create a core set of pathways (humanities, digital technology, PLTW bioscience/engineering and arts) at all schools. MCSP is planning to hire program coordinators for all school anyway and most of the suggested programs just repackage existing classes or add few new electives. Instead of paying for buses, MCPS should pay to improve curriculum and add more good electives. Hell, they could probably hire teachers to cover MVC in all schools with what they won’t spend on buses.

Then MCPS can improve the regional IB magnets and add a couple SMCS magnets that actually mirror Poolesville and Blair for kids who want the intensive challenge.

This proposal with 15 magnets but only 12 bus routes per region is stupid and it will prevent programs from ever growing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I’m hearing, and it could be wrong, is that MCPS wants to give high performing kids stuck in underperforming kids a way to have their needs met through programs. But because MCPS didn’t actually ask anyone, they assumed wrong and these families just want their needs adequately met at the schools they chose for themselves (their home schools). High performing kids at well resourced schools also don’t tend to feel the need for these programs a lot of the time, so adding more of them is probably pretty unnecessary. Maybe they could slowly add a few more countywide ones to increase seats incrementally and so travel is not as long. Are we all in agreement?

Exactly! This was once done for Poolsville SMCS in a slow and corporative pace. Blair SMCS teachers and coordinators helped a lot in the first few years in building another strong program to benefit upper county high performers without sacrificing others' priorities. This round SMCS alumni foundation and coordinator tried to offer help and suggestions, and were shut the door from the beginning.

The regional model is going to drain every HS' existing resource to build a bunch of watered-down low quality programs that no one would be interested in.

Couldn't they just do this again by putting a 3rd SMCS magnet at Woodward and then divide the county into 3rds instead of 6 regions?

Am I missing some reason this wouldn't be a far more manageable project with a higher chance of success than their plan?

You are under the false impression that this is just about SMCS, and it is not. It is about addressing several things at once.
-Access to programs which they continually get complaints about do to limited seats and distance
-Ensure programs and courses to align with Maryland Career and College standards for completion that are being pushed by MSDE
- Coming up with a plan to reduce transportation cost
- Dealing with the inequity of the DCC/NEC

The DCC has inequity? Gasp!

The DCC itself is an inequity because there are not consortium all across the county.

The plural of consortium is consortia

Schools in the DCC share programs that wealthy schools have all to themselves. That is inequitable,.I agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I’m hearing, and it could be wrong, is that MCPS wants to give high performing kids stuck in underperforming kids a way to have their needs met through programs. But because MCPS didn’t actually ask anyone, they assumed wrong and these families just want their needs adequately met at the schools they chose for themselves (their home schools). High performing kids at well resourced schools also don’t tend to feel the need for these programs a lot of the time, so adding more of them is probably pretty unnecessary. Maybe they could slowly add a few more countywide ones to increase seats incrementally and so travel is not as long. Are we all in agreement?

Exactly! This was once done for Poolsville SMCS in a slow and corporative pace. Blair SMCS teachers and coordinators helped a lot in the first few years in building another strong program to benefit upper county high performers without sacrificing others' priorities. This round SMCS alumni foundation and coordinator tried to offer help and suggestions, and were shut the door from the beginning.

The regional model is going to drain every HS' existing resource to build a bunch of watered-down low quality programs that no one would be interested in.

Couldn't they just do this again by putting a 3rd SMCS magnet at Woodward and then divide the county into 3rds instead of 6 regions?

Am I missing some reason this wouldn't be a far more manageable project with a higher chance of success than their plan?

You are under the false impression that this is just about SMCS, and it is not. It is about addressing several things at once.
-Access to programs which they continually get complaints about do to limited seats and distance
-Ensure programs and courses to align with Maryland Career and College standards for completion that are being pushed by MSDE
- Coming up with a plan to reduce transportation cost
- Dealing with the inequity of the DCC/NEC

The DCC has inequity? Gasp!

The DCC itself is an inequity because there are not consortium all across the county.

Many DCC families would be good without the consortium if the DCC schools had the same opportunities as the W schools.