What did the board say about the Regional model and the DCC for upcoming school year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

BCC HS and Rockville HS have Project Lead the Way engineering programs. Other high schools teach some engineering curriculum, but I would question the quality of the homemade curriculum with these. Project Lead the Way is an externally developed and evaluated curriculum, so it's high quality.

Thank you! Is Wheaton ranked better for engineering though? I have heard about Wheaton but not these programs. That may also be because of where my kid is attending MS now.

We are very happy with Wheaton. I'd choose it over BCC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Project Lead the Way is used in about 10-12 MCPS high schools, and even in some middle and elementary schools.

Notably, the team designing the Regional Program Model has not committed to using PLTW in all the engineering special programs, even though it is a high quality, externally vetted curriculum, with a history of successful implementation in MCPS.

Parents of today's 7th graders or below, ask a LOT of questions about the curriculum choices for these special programs. Their initial budget included paying MCPS staff $25/hour over the summer to develop curricula. You can make $22/hour at Target, btw. Not saying MCPS teachers aren't smart, but MCPS central office doesn't give a darn about high quality curriculum and how you get it.

Good lord. FU Rita Montoya

Central office, BOE and Taylor are to blame... all of them, even Yang.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

BCC HS and Rockville HS have Project Lead the Way engineering programs. Other high schools teach some engineering curriculum, but I would question the quality of the homemade curriculum with these. Project Lead the Way is an externally developed and evaluated curriculum, so it's high quality.

Thank you! Is Wheaton ranked better for engineering though? I have heard about Wheaton but not these programs. That may also be because of where my kid is attending MS now.

Wheaton HS has the largest high school cohort accepted into UMD's School of Engineering, more than any other high school in MD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Project Lead the Way is used in about 10-12 MCPS high schools, and even in some middle and elementary schools.

Notably, the team designing the Regional Program Model has not committed to using PLTW in all the engineering special programs, even though it is a high quality, externally vetted curriculum, with a history of successful implementation in MCPS.

Parents of today's 7th graders or below, ask a LOT of questions about the curriculum choices for these special programs. Their initial budget included paying MCPS staff $25/hour over the summer to develop curricula. You can make $22/hour at Target, btw. Not saying MCPS teachers aren't smart, but MCPS central office doesn't give a darn about high quality curriculum and how you get it.

This is MCPS equity in practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

I doubt that seriously. Usually you can apply to the HS magnets/programs in your region unless they were countywide. Given that there is no longer countywide programs/schools your kid can apply to the programs/magnets in region.

The ability to continue with your program is respect to the school and program the student would currently be in when the new model takes affect. Meaning if that if they are already in a HS program they won’t have to leave that school/program.

I wonder if the kids in the MSMC will actually be told which school's magnet program they can apply to or it will be left to the parents to figure it out themselves.

It worked a bit different with MSMC before - basically any kid attending those middle schools, even if they were not part of the DCC could apply to specific programs in the DCC - that was how they pulled in out of consortium kids by dangling this carrot in front of them. It was the only way upcounty school kids were able to go to down county schools like Wheaton Engineering and Blair CAP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

I doubt that seriously. Usually you can apply to the HS magnets/programs in your region unless they were countywide. Given that there is no longer countywide programs/schools your kid can apply to the programs/magnets in region.

The ability to continue with your program is respect to the school and program the student would currently be in when the new model takes affect. Meaning if that if they are already in a HS program they won’t have to leave that school/program.

I wonder if the kids in the MSMC will actually be told which school's magnet program they can apply to or it will be left to the parents to figure it out themselves.

It worked a bit different with MSMC before - basically any kid attending those middle schools, even if they were not part of the DCC could apply to specific programs in the DCC - that was how they pulled in out of consortium kids by dangling this carrot in front of them. It was the only way upcounty school kids were able to go to down county schools like Wheaton Engineering and Blair CAP

Yes, and that would be part of the inequity that folks want to see resolved. All 8th graders are sent letters indicating which programs they are eligible to apply currently. I don't see why that wouldn't continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

I doubt that seriously. Usually you can apply to the HS magnets/programs in your region unless they were countywide. Given that there is no longer countywide programs/schools your kid can apply to the programs/magnets in region.

The ability to continue with your program is respect to the school and program the student would currently be in when the new model takes affect. Meaning if that if they are already in a HS program they won’t have to leave that school/program.

I wonder if the kids in the MSMC will actually be told which school's magnet program they can apply to or it will be left to the parents to figure it out themselves.

It worked a bit different with MSMC before - basically any kid attending those middle schools, even if they were not part of the DCC could apply to specific programs in the DCC - that was how they pulled in out of consortium kids by dangling this carrot in front of them. It was the only way upcounty school kids were able to go to down county schools like Wheaton Engineering and Blair CAP

Yes, and that would be part of the inequity that folks want to see resolved. All 8th graders are sent letters indicating which programs they are eligible to apply currently. I don't see why that wouldn't continue.

So far all they have done is get rid of the NEC and DCC. If they were offering something they want others to have why are they getting rid of them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised QO does not have established programs. I originally thought that QO is considered a decent medium HS with okay students surrounded by other high FARM HS in nearby areas.

QO = Sports. No established programs in QO. If QO was asked to move to Crown, no one would have put up a fight like Wootton did.

I wonder if they will be as good now. Always thought the athletes were moving into apartments to be in QO territory. Will they still do that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

I doubt that seriously. Usually you can apply to the HS magnets/programs in your region unless they were countywide. Given that there is no longer countywide programs/schools your kid can apply to the programs/magnets in region.

The ability to continue with your program is respect to the school and program the student would currently be in when the new model takes affect. Meaning if that if they are already in a HS program they won’t have to leave that school/program.

I wonder if the kids in the MSMC will actually be told which school's magnet program they can apply to or it will be left to the parents to figure it out themselves.

It worked a bit different with MSMC before - basically any kid attending those middle schools, even if they were not part of the DCC could apply to specific programs in the DCC - that was how they pulled in out of consortium kids by dangling this carrot in front of them. It was the only way upcounty school kids were able to go to down county schools like Wheaton Engineering and Blair CAP

Yes, and that would be part of the inequity that folks want to see resolved. All 8th graders are sent letters indicating which programs they are eligible to apply currently. I don't see why that wouldn't continue.

So far all they have done is get rid of the NEC and DCC. If they were offering something they want others to have why are they getting rid of them?

In what will be a futile attempt to entice westside students to apply for eastside schools' ill-conceived, or collapsed, regional programs, MCPS instituted east-west regions. Instead there will be a Hunger Games scenario of eastside parents with the social/financial capital applying to get their students into westside programs, for which there will be too few seats.

Rearranging the chairs on the ship deck here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

I doubt that seriously. Usually you can apply to the HS magnets/programs in your region unless they were countywide. Given that there is no longer countywide programs/schools your kid can apply to the programs/magnets in region.

The ability to continue with your program is respect to the school and program the student would currently be in when the new model takes affect. Meaning if that if they are already in a HS program they won’t have to leave that school/program.

I wonder if the kids in the MSMC will actually be told which school's magnet program they can apply to or it will be left to the parents to figure it out themselves.

It worked a bit different with MSMC before - basically any kid attending those middle schools, even if they were not part of the DCC could apply to specific programs in the DCC - that was how they pulled in out of consortium kids by dangling this carrot in front of them. It was the only way upcounty school kids were able to go to down county schools like Wheaton Engineering and Blair CAP

Yes, and that would be part of the inequity that folks want to see resolved. All 8th graders are sent letters indicating which programs they are eligible to apply currently. I don't see why that wouldn't continue.

So far all they have done is get rid of the NEC and DCC. If they were offering something they want others to have why are they getting rid of them?

In what will be a futile attempt to entice westside students to apply for eastside schools' ill-conceived, or collapsed, regional programs, MCPS instituted east-west regions. Instead there will be a Hunger Games scenario of eastside parents with the social/financial capital applying to get their students into westside programs, for which there will be too few seats.

Rearranging the chairs on the ship deck here.

Many of us don’t want our kids at some of the schools in our region which is the bigger issue. There is an assumption we do but if we did we’d be living there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

I doubt that seriously. Usually you can apply to the HS magnets/programs in your region unless they were countywide. Given that there is no longer countywide programs/schools your kid can apply to the programs/magnets in region.

The ability to continue with your program is respect to the school and program the student would currently be in when the new model takes affect. Meaning if that if they are already in a HS program they won’t have to leave that school/program.

I wonder if the kids in the MSMC will actually be told which school's magnet program they can apply to or it will be left to the parents to figure it out themselves.

It worked a bit different with MSMC before - basically any kid attending those middle schools, even if they were not part of the DCC could apply to specific programs in the DCC - that was how they pulled in out of consortium kids by dangling this carrot in front of them. It was the only way upcounty school kids were able to go to down county schools like Wheaton Engineering and Blair CAP

Yes, and that would be part of the inequity that folks want to see resolved. All 8th graders are sent letters indicating which programs they are eligible to apply currently. I don't see why that wouldn't continue.

So far all they have done is get rid of the NEC and DCC. If they were offering something they want others to have why are they getting rid of them?

In what will be a futile attempt to entice westside students to apply for eastside schools' ill-conceived, or collapsed, regional programs, MCPS instituted east-west regions. Instead there will be a Hunger Games scenario of eastside parents with the social/financial capital applying to get their students into westside programs, for which there will be too few seats.

Rearranging the chairs on the ship deck here.

There shouldn't be. Taylor promised abundant program access and an end to the scarcity model that shut kids out from the countywide magnets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

I doubt that seriously. Usually you can apply to the HS magnets/programs in your region unless they were countywide. Given that there is no longer countywide programs/schools your kid can apply to the programs/magnets in region.

The ability to continue with your program is respect to the school and program the student would currently be in when the new model takes affect. Meaning if that if they are already in a HS program they won’t have to leave that school/program.

I wonder if the kids in the MSMC will actually be told which school's magnet program they can apply to or it will be left to the parents to figure it out themselves.

It worked a bit different with MSMC before - basically any kid attending those middle schools, even if they were not part of the DCC could apply to specific programs in the DCC - that was how they pulled in out of consortium kids by dangling this carrot in front of them. It was the only way upcounty school kids were able to go to down county schools like Wheaton Engineering and Blair CAP

Yes, and that would be part of the inequity that folks want to see resolved. All 8th graders are sent letters indicating which programs they are eligible to apply currently. I don't see why that wouldn't continue.

So far all they have done is get rid of the NEC and DCC. If they were offering something they want others to have why are they getting rid of them?

In what will be a futile attempt to entice westside students to apply for eastside schools' ill-conceived, or collapsed, regional programs, MCPS instituted east-west regions. Instead there will be a Hunger Games scenario of eastside parents with the social/financial capital applying to get their students into westside programs, for which there will be too few seats.

Rearranging the chairs on the ship deck here.

There shouldn't be. Taylor promised abundant program access and an end to the scarcity model that shut kids out from the countywide magnets.

He also promised closer programs with easy transportation, but his current plan has some students needing to travel further and offering buses from the home high school only.

He also said he'll balance overcrowding at schools by adjusting the number of seats in magnets - seems in direct conflict with his promise to end the scarcity model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

I doubt that seriously. Usually you can apply to the HS magnets/programs in your region unless they were countywide. Given that there is no longer countywide programs/schools your kid can apply to the programs/magnets in region.

The ability to continue with your program is respect to the school and program the student would currently be in when the new model takes affect. Meaning if that if they are already in a HS program they won’t have to leave that school/program.

I wonder if the kids in the MSMC will actually be told which school's magnet program they can apply to or it will be left to the parents to figure it out themselves.

It worked a bit different with MSMC before - basically any kid attending those middle schools, even if they were not part of the DCC could apply to specific programs in the DCC - that was how they pulled in out of consortium kids by dangling this carrot in front of them. It was the only way upcounty school kids were able to go to down county schools like Wheaton Engineering and Blair CAP

Yes, and that would be part of the inequity that folks want to see resolved. All 8th graders are sent letters indicating which programs they are eligible to apply currently. I don't see why that wouldn't continue.

So far all they have done is get rid of the NEC and DCC. If they were offering something they want others to have why are they getting rid of them?

In what will be a futile attempt to entice westside students to apply for eastside schools' ill-conceived, or collapsed, regional programs, MCPS instituted east-west regions. Instead there will be a Hunger Games scenario of eastside parents with the social/financial capital applying to get their students into westside programs, for which there will be too few seats.

Rearranging the chairs on the ship deck here.

There shouldn't be. Taylor promised abundant program access and an end to the scarcity model that shut kids out from the countywide magnets.

I wish there had been a discussion about what worked and what didn't work about the DCC. They never talked about that, just threw shade at DCC parents as though it's racist to want to keep access for our very economically and racially diverse populations to programs and coursework that the wealthier and less diverse neighborhoods get at their home schools. The DCC schools are geographically closer to each other and easier to get between than the east-west regions they are proposing. Traveling from Silver Spring to Bethesda in the mornings is a nightmare, to Whitman is even worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

I doubt that seriously. Usually you can apply to the HS magnets/programs in your region unless they were countywide. Given that there is no longer countywide programs/schools your kid can apply to the programs/magnets in region.

The ability to continue with your program is respect to the school and program the student would currently be in when the new model takes affect. Meaning if that if they are already in a HS program they won’t have to leave that school/program.

I wonder if the kids in the MSMC will actually be told which school's magnet program they can apply to or it will be left to the parents to figure it out themselves.

It worked a bit different with MSMC before - basically any kid attending those middle schools, even if they were not part of the DCC could apply to specific programs in the DCC - that was how they pulled in out of consortium kids by dangling this carrot in front of them. It was the only way upcounty school kids were able to go to down county schools like Wheaton Engineering and Blair CAP

Yes, and that would be part of the inequity that folks want to see resolved. All 8th graders are sent letters indicating which programs they are eligible to apply currently. I don't see why that wouldn't continue.

So far all they have done is get rid of the NEC and DCC. If they were offering something they want others to have why are they getting rid of them?

In what will be a futile attempt to entice westside students to apply for eastside schools' ill-conceived, or collapsed, regional programs, MCPS instituted east-west regions. Instead there will be a Hunger Games scenario of eastside parents with the social/financial capital applying to get their students into westside programs, for which there will be too few seats.

Rearranging the chairs on the ship deck here.

There won't be too few seats, except in regions where only one of the academic magnets ends up being considered desirable and the others are avoided.

They are assuming 15%+ of kids will attend criteria-based academic magnets (and over 40% will attend regional programs total) and creating spaces accordingly. Many families will not be able to make the transportation work, will not want to leave their home school, and/or will pick a different regional program other than the criteria-based ones (i.e. if they are interested in arts, for example.) So I would expect that anyone in the top 25%-30% of a given school/grade will be able to get into a criteria-based academic program if they want it (not necessarily the specific one they want, but one of them.)

The real problem will be putting some of these schools into academic "death spirals." If anyone in the top 25-30% of a given school -- which at most non-rich schools includes all or almost all kids who would be qualified for and interested in advanced classes-- can leave for a magnet at another school, and half or more of them actually do, it's really going to hollow out what's available at these schools. And if these schools have fewer advanced classes and fewer kids taking advanced classes (and probably also fewer skilled teachers with experience teaching advanced classes, many of whom will likely move to magnets and/or rich schools that still have a strong cohort of advanced kids), their academic reputations will drop. This will cause families who otherwise wanted to stay at their home school to feel like they have to travel elsewhere for their kids to get the basic education and course availability they need, which will then hollow out the home school even further, and the cycle will continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what I understand is all 3 MSMC schools feed into the region where Kennedy and Wheaton are.

My question now is can all the CURRENT 7th graders in those schools, (regardless of where they will go in 2027/28 when DCC will be dissolved) apply to Kennedy and Wheaton coming FALL since all three schools feed into that region? Basically grandfathering them because they are already attending those schools.

Yes. Current 7th graders in those schools can continue and will be grandfathered in.

But starting next year, those DCC kids outside of Region 3 should be cut off since the DCC no longer exists and they can't cross regions anymore.

Interesting. So my kid from Clarksburg who goes to Argyle now can actually apply to Blair CAP or Wheaton Engineering, along with applying to the magnets in our region?

Is Wheaton Engineering the only engineering focused high school is MCPS?

I doubt that seriously. Usually you can apply to the HS magnets/programs in your region unless they were countywide. Given that there is no longer countywide programs/schools your kid can apply to the programs/magnets in region.

The ability to continue with your program is respect to the school and program the student would currently be in when the new model takes affect. Meaning if that if they are already in a HS program they won’t have to leave that school/program.

I wonder if the kids in the MSMC will actually be told which school's magnet program they can apply to or it will be left to the parents to figure it out themselves.

It worked a bit different with MSMC before - basically any kid attending those middle schools, even if they were not part of the DCC could apply to specific programs in the DCC - that was how they pulled in out of consortium kids by dangling this carrot in front of them. It was the only way upcounty school kids were able to go to down county schools like Wheaton Engineering and Blair CAP

Yes, and that would be part of the inequity that folks want to see resolved. All 8th graders are sent letters indicating which programs they are eligible to apply currently. I don't see why that wouldn't continue.

So far all they have done is get rid of the NEC and DCC. If they were offering something they want others to have why are they getting rid of them?

In what will be a futile attempt to entice westside students to apply for eastside schools' ill-conceived, or collapsed, regional programs, MCPS instituted east-west regions. Instead there will be a Hunger Games scenario of eastside parents with the social/financial capital applying to get their students into westside programs, for which there will be too few seats.

Rearranging the chairs on the ship deck here.

There won't be too few seats, except in regions where only one of the academic magnets ends up being considered desirable and the others are avoided.

They are assuming 15%+ of kids will attend criteria-based academic magnets (and over 40% will attend regional programs total) and creating spaces accordingly. Many families will not be able to make the transportation work, will not want to leave their home school, and/or will pick a different regional program other than the criteria-based ones (i.e. if they are interested in arts, for example.) So I would expect that anyone in the top 25%-30% of a given school/grade will be able to get into a criteria-based academic program if they want it (not necessarily the specific one they want, but one of them.)

The real problem will be putting some of these schools into academic "death spirals." If anyone in the top 25-30% of a given school -- which at most non-rich schools includes all or almost all kids who would be qualified for and interested in advanced classes-- can leave for a magnet at another school, and half or more of them actually do, it's really going to hollow out what's available at these schools. And if these schools have fewer advanced classes and fewer kids taking advanced classes (and probably also fewer skilled teachers with experience teaching advanced classes, many of whom will likely move to magnets and/or rich schools that still have a strong cohort of advanced kids), their academic reputations will drop. This will cause families who otherwise wanted to stay at their home school to feel like they have to travel elsewhere for their kids to get the basic education and course availability they need, which will then hollow out the home school even further, and the cycle will continue.

DP

This is exactly my worry

In the DCC my impression is that Kennedy HS death spiraled. I don't see how the regional model will help Kennedy at all. The same kids that left Kennedy before will still leave, just to different schools.