The Facts About the Districtwide Boundary Analysis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The boundary decisions will be made in line with MCPS policy FAA, which the board approved recently, and which according to the RFP, the consultant should follow:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/faa.pdf

Have a look at page 7, section G (2)(a):

Analyses of options take into account the impact of various options on the
overall populations of affected schools. Options should especially strive to
create a diverse student body in each of the affected schools in alignment
with Board Policy ACD, Quality Integrated Education.

Emphasis mine. That word was added in at the last minute before they approved the policy (and there was some objection by a few board members -- it's in the minutes).

Now.. why did they add that in? To me, that shows diversity trumps the other factors.

No, the word was not added in at the last minute. And diversity was already a factor. The only change was the addition of the word "especially".

Why did they add it in? Presumably because they want the options to especially strive to create a diversre student body in each of the affected schools.

Now, please explain how this relates to potential legal action related to the boundary analysis.

If you look at Regulation FAA-RA, it goes into further detail:

Options should
especially strive to create a diverse student body in each of the
affected schools in alignment with Board Policy ACD, Quality
Integrated Education. This means that a key consideration is
significant disparity in the demographic characteristics between
schools in the affected geographic areas that cannot be justified by
any other factor.

Emphasis mine. This means that diversity does not trump all.

And in fact this was demonstrated in the upcounty study when the option which did the most to advance the demographics factor was NOT selected, because it was not acceptable per the geography factor.

Option 4 was only put in there so the BOE could say that. It was never a real option. They still took an option that didn't optimize geography and facility utilization. They took an option that definitely prioritized demographics over facility and geography.

It was a real option that wasn't selected. Just like the other options that weren't selected. The selected option doesn't have to *optimize* all the factors, as it was acknowledged up front that no option could do that.

[Anonymous]

I think it was put specifically so BOE could say they didn’t prioritize diversity at ALL costs. The fact is they prioritized diversity over geography and facility utilization and went against what Clarksburg community wanted. They thought it was okay to move kids so they’d have an extra 30 minute commute everyday. That’s why people are upset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it was put specifically so BOE could say they didn’t prioritize diversity at ALL costs. The fact is they prioritized diversity over geography and facility utilization and went against what Clarksburg community wanted. They thought it was okay to move kids so they’d have an extra 30 minute commute everyday. That’s why people are upset.

against what SOME of the Clarksburg community

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've posted this a million times on DCUM already, in other threads, but my DC went to a high-FARMS school one year. Almost everyone got free lunch, and everyone qualified for free breakfast -- all they had to do was show up. My DC was the only white kid in their class for half the school year (then one other white kid was transferred into his class around Christmas). The parents of many of these kids could speak practically no English at all.

The school was kick-ass. Every single teacher, right down to the gym teacher and the art teacher, was top-notch. That was one of the best years we've had at any MCPS school. My kid learned so much -- and was excited about what they'd learned in school every afternoon.

Besides that, I know that life is what you make it. Plenty of people go to less-than-stellar schools and grow up to be successful. Many kids grow up in the best schools and fail.

Roll with it. Your family is way more influential on your kids than their school is anyway.

I had a similar experience with Dd ES. We moved to a W pyramid after second grade and I liked the fist (Focus) school much better. However, that was ES. In high school, I think many are worried about potential safety issues (gangs, etc.). In fact, the reason we moved was that I heard about gang issues in the MS we were set to go to.

I have heard a lot about gang issues at the MS my child attends. Which is a bit surprising, because this is her third year there, and the number of gang issues so far has been 0.

They've been 0 throughout the county for years, but there are people who post about it on this board constantly trying to stir up fear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it was put specifically so BOE could say they didn’t prioritize diversity at ALL costs. The fact is they prioritized diversity over geography and facility utilization and went against what Clarksburg community wanted. They thought it was okay to move kids so they’d have an extra 30 minute commute everyday. That’s why people are upset.

against what SOME of the Clarksburg community

Most- I think it was 80 percent that wanted geography the priority

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Option 4 was only put in there so the BOE could say that. It was never a real option. They still took an option that didn't optimize geography and facility utilization. They took an option that definitely prioritized demographics over facility and geography.

Nope. They took an option that balanced demographics, facility utilization, and geography.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it was put specifically so BOE could say they didn’t prioritize diversity at ALL costs. The fact is they prioritized diversity over geography and facility utilization and went against what Clarksburg community wanted. They thought it was okay to move kids so they’d have an extra 30 minute commute everyday. That’s why people are upset.

No, that's not a fact.

What the respondents zoned for Clarksburg HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Clarksburg HS. Similarly, what the respondents zoned for Northwest HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Northwest HS. But somebody had to get rezoned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it was put specifically so BOE could say they didn’t prioritize diversity at ALL costs. The fact is they prioritized diversity over geography and facility utilization and went against what Clarksburg community wanted. They thought it was okay to move kids so they’d have an extra 30 minute commute everyday. That’s why people are upset.

No, that's not a fact.

What the respondents zoned for Clarksburg HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Clarksburg HS. Similarly, what the respondents zoned for Northwest HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Northwest HS. But somebody had to get rezoned.

Never thought about it that way. So neither wanted it so they went with diversity over geography. Still think that’s a mistake when kids will be commuting to Neelsville and that’s far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it was put specifically so BOE could say they didn’t prioritize diversity at ALL costs. The fact is they prioritized diversity over geography and facility utilization and went against what Clarksburg community wanted. They thought it was okay to move kids so they’d have an extra 30 minute commute everyday. That’s why people are upset.

No, that's not a fact.

What the respondents zoned for Clarksburg HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Clarksburg HS. Similarly, what the respondents zoned for Northwest HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Northwest HS. But somebody had to get rezoned.

Never thought about it that way. So neither wanted it so they went with diversity over geography. Still think that’s a mistake when kids will be commuting to Neelsville and that’s far.

Isn’t it the next closest middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it was put specifically so BOE could say they didn’t prioritize diversity at ALL costs. The fact is they prioritized diversity over geography and facility utilization and went against what Clarksburg community wanted. They thought it was okay to move kids so they’d have an extra 30 minute commute everyday. That’s why people are upset.

No, that's not a fact.

What the respondents zoned for Clarksburg HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Clarksburg HS. Similarly, what the respondents zoned for Northwest HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Northwest HS. But somebody had to get rezoned.

Never thought about it that way. So neither wanted it so they went with diversity over geography. Still think that’s a mistake when kids will be commuting to Neelsville and that’s far.

No, it's not far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it was put specifically so BOE could say they didn’t prioritize diversity at ALL costs. The fact is they prioritized diversity over geography and facility utilization and went against what Clarksburg community wanted. They thought it was okay to move kids so they’d have an extra 30 minute commute everyday. That’s why people are upset.

No, that's not a fact.

What the respondents zoned for Clarksburg HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Clarksburg HS. Similarly, what the respondents zoned for Northwest HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Northwest HS. But somebody had to get rezoned.

Never thought about it that way. So neither wanted it so they went with diversity over geography. Still think that’s a mistake when kids will be commuting to Neelsville and that’s far.

Isn’t it the next closest middle school?

It was an extra 30 minutes per day according to the BOE. 15 minutes each way and I think that the difference understated too. It’s not the second closest middle school either for those folks either. MlK, Hallie Wells (not in the study were both closer), so is Kingsview if you take into account traffic. That’s a FACT!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it was put specifically so BOE could say they didn’t prioritize diversity at ALL costs. The fact is they prioritized diversity over geography and facility utilization and went against what Clarksburg community wanted. They thought it was okay to move kids so they’d have an extra 30 minute commute everyday. That’s why people are upset.

No, that's not a fact.

What the respondents zoned for Clarksburg HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Clarksburg HS. Similarly, what the respondents zoned for Northwest HS wanted was: to not be rezoned from Northwest HS. But somebody had to get rezoned.

Never thought about it that way. So neither wanted it so they went with diversity over geography. Still think that’s a mistake when kids will be commuting to Neelsville and that’s far.

Isn’t it the next closest middle school?

It was an extra 30 minutes per day according to the BOE. 15 minutes each way and I think that the difference understated too. It’s not the second closest middle school either for those folks either. MlK, Hallie Wells (not in the study were both closer), so is Kingsview if you take into account traffic. That’s a FACT!

The 2 middle schools in question are 3 miles apart.

[Anonymous]

From the stuff posted on DCUM, a person would easily conclude that Neelsville MS is across the county from Cabin Branch.

Rocky Hill MS and Neelsville MS are 3 miles apart.

It's 3.2 miles from the elementary school site in Cabin Branch to Rocky Hill MS.

It's 4.9 miles from the elementary school site in Cabin Branch to Neelsville MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From the stuff posted on DCUM, a person would easily conclude that Neelsville MS is across the county from Cabin Branch.

Rocky Hill MS and Neelsville MS are 3 miles apart.

It's 3.2 miles from the elementary school site in Cabin Branch to Rocky Hill MS.

It's 4.9 miles from the elementary school site in Cabin Branch to Neelsville MS.

But that doesn't take into account traffic. By the BOE's one slides it will increase commute 30 minutes a day and I think they are underestimating this. 1 mile on my country road is no time at all. 1.7 miles on 355 in rush hour is a completely different story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the stuff posted on DCUM, a person would easily conclude that Neelsville MS is across the county from Cabin Branch.

Rocky Hill MS and Neelsville MS are 3 miles apart.

It's 3.2 miles from the elementary school site in Cabin Branch to Rocky Hill MS.

It's 4.9 miles from the elementary school site in Cabin Branch to Neelsville MS.

But that doesn't take into account traffic. By the BOE's one slides it will increase commute 30 minutes a day and I think they are underestimating this. 1 mile on my country road is no time at all. 1.7 miles on 355 in rush hour is a completely different story.

Traffic varies by the hour and the day. Some days are bad. Some days aren't. People tend to remember the bad days and forget the not-bad days.

The fact is that it just is not very far from Cabin Branch to Neelsville MS. It just isn't.

To say nothing of people who moved to Cabin Branch and are now complaining about the traffic...