New curriculum selection process delayed— new RFP must be issues now

[Anonymous]

^^^ Are individual ES in MCPS allowed to go rogue and just do their own curriculum? Can we ditch math 2.0 and do whatever we want at our school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder why Maria Navarro went out of her way to defend Discovery Education's actions? It's not like they hired Erik Lang for his amazing intellect. They hired him for his access.

It is important to note that Discovery Education’s leadership acted proactively, diligently and collaboratively throughout this process. As soon as it was brought to the attention of Discovery Education’s leadership that these individuals were connected to the RFP process, the company, citing an abundance of caution, took the initiative and immediately withdrew from consideration.

I was wondering about that, too. How could they NOT know that he was heavily involved in the RFP and all the central office curriculum issues of the day? It doesn’t make sense. And why would she be so sweet about them? Either they were complicit in unethical behavior or weirdly clueless.

+2 How would Discovery's team not know that the ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR CURRICULUM wasn't involved in the choice of a curriculum.

I think MCPS did the right thing, but this is just nonsense.

[Anonymous]

^^^ Sorry, how could they not know he WAS involved?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Although MCPS is a crap show. I heard my, my admin, that our school is purchasing curriculum for the fall. We are purchasing Jacob's Ladders (reading enrichment). They are still deciding on math curriculum. Many schools may do their own individual thing to ensure their students are being pushed. I would provide my school but we are already overcrowded, I'm so sorry DCUM. Our PTA is also generating a letter to be sent to cluster superintendents, BOE and the state of MD.

This has always been the case. READ 180 is a perfect example of internal decision-making at the MS/HS level.

And I bet that even with a canned guide countywide, schools will still continue to supplement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ Are individual ES in MCPS allowed to go rogue and just do their own curriculum? Can we ditch math 2.0 and do whatever we want at our school?

Come on, do you really need to ask that question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder why Maria Navarro went out of her way to defend Discovery Education's actions? It's not like they hired Erik Lang for his amazing intellect. They hired him for his access.

It is important to note that Discovery Education’s leadership acted proactively, diligently and collaboratively throughout this process. As soon as it was brought to the attention of Discovery Education’s leadership that these individuals were connected to the RFP process, the company, citing an abundance of caution, took the initiative and immediately withdrew from consideration.

I was wondering about that, too. How could they NOT know that he was heavily involved in the RFP and all the central office curriculum issues of the day? It doesn’t make sense. And why would she be so sweet about them? Either they were complicit in unethical behavior or weirdly clueless.

+2 How would Discovery's team not know that the ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR CURRICULUM wasn't involved in the choice of a curriculum.

I think MCPS did the right thing, but this is just nonsense.

+1 Such a weird tone deaf email. It didn't read: Sorry teachers and staff for yet another delay and sticking you with crappy 2.0 for longer. It was "Discovery Education is awesome despite having hired our curriculum guys to help get their bid through."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ Are individual ES in MCPS allowed to go rogue and just do their own curriculum? Can we ditch math 2.0 and do whatever we want at our school?

Come on, do you really need to ask that question?

PP on previous page is saying her school is doing just that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although MCPS is a crap show. I heard my, my admin, that our school is purchasing curriculum for the fall. We are purchasing Jacob's Ladders (reading enrichment). They are still deciding on math curriculum. Many schools may do their own individual thing to ensure their students are being pushed. I would provide my school but we are already overcrowded, I'm so sorry DCUM. Our PTA is also generating a letter to be sent to cluster superintendents, BOE and the state of MD.

This has always been the case. READ 180 is a perfect example of internal decision-making at the MS/HS level.

And I bet that even with a canned guide countywide, schools will still continue to supplement.

So can a school PTA just purchase Singapore Math for its ES?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although MCPS is a crap show. I heard my, my admin, that our school is purchasing curriculum for the fall. We are purchasing Jacob's Ladders (reading enrichment). They are still deciding on math curriculum. Many schools may do their own individual thing to ensure their students are being pushed. I would provide my school but we are already overcrowded, I'm so sorry DCUM. Our PTA is also generating a letter to be sent to cluster superintendents, BOE and the state of MD.

This has always been the case. READ 180 is a perfect example of internal decision-making at the MS/HS level.

And I bet that even with a canned guide countywide, schools will still continue to supplement.

So can a school PTA just purchase Singapore Math for its ES?

We can have a bake sale to fundraise for a new curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although MCPS is a crap show. I heard my, my admin, that our school is purchasing curriculum for the fall. We are purchasing Jacob's Ladders (reading enrichment). They are still deciding on math curriculum. Many schools may do their own individual thing to ensure their students are being pushed. I would provide my school but we are already overcrowded, I'm so sorry DCUM. Our PTA is also generating a letter to be sent to cluster superintendents, BOE and the state of MD.

This has always been the case. READ 180 is a perfect example of internal decision-making at the MS/HS level.

And I bet that even with a canned guide countywide, schools will still continue to supplement.

So can a school PTA just purchase Singapore Math for its ES?

I've found that if kids are achieving and parents aren't complaining, you can do whatever you want.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone happen to know what curricula MCPS used in elementary schools before 2.0? Just curious, as my only is in 2nd and 2.0 is all she knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although MCPS is a crap show. I heard my, my admin, that our school is purchasing curriculum for the fall. We are purchasing Jacob's Ladders (reading enrichment). They are still deciding on math curriculum. Many schools may do their own individual thing to ensure their students are being pushed. I would provide my school but we are already overcrowded, I'm so sorry DCUM. Our PTA is also generating a letter to be sent to cluster superintendents, BOE and the state of MD.

This has always been the case. READ 180 is a perfect example of internal decision-making at the MS/HS level.

And I bet that even with a canned guide countywide, schools will still continue to supplement.

So can a school PTA just purchase Singapore Math for its ES?

I've found that if kids are achieving and parents aren't complaining, you can do whatever you want.

And the irony is that if kids aren’t achieving, you can’t deviate at all—even if your students aren’t doing well with the status quo. Because of course it must be a teaching issue rather than a curriculum issue.

My friends who work in schools with wealthier populations have a ton of latitude to do what they want plus the money to buy it with. Those of us in schools with high FARMS rates have to stick to the script even if the script isn’t working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although MCPS is a crap show. I heard my, my admin, that our school is purchasing curriculum for the fall. We are purchasing Jacob's Ladders (reading enrichment). They are still deciding on math curriculum. Many schools may do their own individual thing to ensure their students are being pushed. I would provide my school but we are already overcrowded, I'm so sorry DCUM. Our PTA is also generating a letter to be sent to cluster superintendents, BOE and the state of MD.

This has always been the case. READ 180 is a perfect example of internal decision-making at the MS/HS level.

And I bet that even with a canned guide countywide, schools will still continue to supplement.

So can a school PTA just purchase Singapore Math for its ES?

I've found that if kids are achieving and parents aren't complaining, you can do whatever you want.

And the irony is that if kids aren’t achieving, you can’t deviate at all—even if your students aren’t doing well with the status quo. Because of course it must be a teaching issue rather than a curriculum issue.

My friends who work in schools with wealthier populations have a ton of latitude to do what they want plus the money to buy it with. Those of us in schools with high FARMS rates have to stick to the script even if the script isn’t working.

exactly true

The script doesn't work for low-performing kids b/c they need to feel integrated into a community. Throwing concepts at them when their exposure to the world is limited doesn't stick b/c they don't have the schemas to store new information.

But who am I but another cog in the wheel . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone happen to know what curricula MCPS used in elementary schools before 2.0? Just curious, as my only is in 2nd and 2.0 is all she knows.

I can only remember when we were given guides - very skeletal - and we would create all of the assessments for our own student population.

Here's some history about 2.0 - http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/Resources/Files/agenda/cm/2011/110307/20110307_ED2.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ Are individual ES in MCPS allowed to go rogue and just do their own curriculum? Can we ditch math 2.0 and do whatever we want at our school?

Our ES purchased and used Ready Common Core for the ELA curriculum for a few grades last year. They used school funds with permission. The principal described this at the last pta meeting discussing the planned curriculum change, and said a few other schools had done it, too. I think it cost too much to do for all grades, so they focused where they thought it was most important.