Does the DCC HS lottery weight schools by size?

[Anonymous]

What I mean here is that Kennedy is the smallest school in the DCC, and it also has almost no programs of interest to my artsy kid. Are the odds somewhat disproportionately higher that kids - any kids - could get assigned there even if they rank it last, simply by virtue of the fact that the school theoretically has more room?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I mean here is that Kennedy is the smallest school in the DCC, and it also has almost no programs of interest to my artsy kid. Are the odds somewhat disproportionately higher that kids - any kids - could get assigned there even if they rank it last, simply by virtue of the fact that the school theoretically has more room?

Yes. MCPS is trying to steer more kids to Kennedy for two reasons:

1) To improve the profile of the school by infusing higher achieving kids into the student population

2) To offset the crowding at schools like Wheaton and Blair

[Anonymous]

Northwood is smaller, with 1654 students compared to Kennedy's 1876.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I mean here is that Kennedy is the smallest school in the DCC, and it also has almost no programs of interest to my artsy kid. Are the odds somewhat disproportionately higher that kids - any kids - could get assigned there even if they rank it last, simply by virtue of the fact that the school theoretically has more room?

I don't remember hearing about anyone getting a school which they ranked last.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Northwood is smaller, with 1654 students compared to Kennedy's 1876.

Isn't it only smaller because of them being in a holding school? I believe the Northwood population was higher than Kennedy's prior to this school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Northwood is smaller, with 1654 students compared to Kennedy's 1876.

Isn't it only smaller because of them being in a holding school? I believe the Northwood population was higher than Kennedy's prior to this school year.

Kennedy
2022-23: 1827
2023-24: 1854
2024-25: 1876

Northwood
2022-23: 1796
2023-24: 1745
2024-25: 1654

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Northwood is smaller, with 1654 students compared to Kennedy's 1876.

Isn't it only smaller because of them being in a holding school? I believe the Northwood population was higher than Kennedy's prior to this school year.

Kennedy
2022-23: 1827
2023-24: 1854
2024-25: 1876

Northwood
2022-23: 1796
2023-24: 1745
2024-25: 1654

I stand corrected.

Then I will amend my statement to say that MCPS steers kids to BOTH Kennedy and Northwood to ease the overcrowding and high demand for Blair and Wheaton.

[Anonymous]

You cannot be assigned to any school against your will unless it is your home school. If you rank your home school 1 or 2, you will get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Northwood is smaller, with 1654 students compared to Kennedy's 1876.

For right now, new building will have a capacity greater than Wheaton and probably be closer to Blair before you know it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Northwood is smaller, with 1654 students compared to Kennedy's 1876.

Isn't it only smaller because of them being in a holding school? I believe the Northwood population was higher than Kennedy's prior to this school year.

Kennedy
2022-23: 1827
2023-24: 1854
2024-25: 1876

Northwood
2022-23: 1796
2023-24: 1745
2024-25: 1654

I stand corrected.

Then I will amend my statement to say that MCPS steers kids to BOTH Kennedy and Northwood to ease the overcrowding and high demand for Blair and Wheaton.

They could do a much better job of that, considering Kennedy had nearly 300 empty seats this year, while Blair and Wheaton are still extremely overcrowded.

[Anonymous]

If they want to steer higher achieving kids to Kennedy, they need to ensure that the highest level and rigor classes are offered there every year. Basically anything that is not program-specific but offered at Blair, Whitman, Churchill or Poolesville and any IB class, including HL variations, offered at either RMIB or BCC. They can't put the cart before the horse and expect it to pull.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I mean here is that Kennedy is the smallest school in the DCC, and it also has almost no programs of interest to my artsy kid. Are the odds somewhat disproportionately higher that kids - any kids - could get assigned there even if they rank it last, simply by virtue of the fact that the school theoretically has more room?

Yes. MCPS is trying to steer more kids to Kennedy for two reasons:

1) To improve the profile of the school by infusing higher achieving kids into the student population

2) To offset the crowding at schools like Wheaton and Blair

I feel like MCPS is doing this with the NEC schools. Trying to steer more kids to Paint Branch as opposed to Blake.

[Anonymous]

Any updates on the results?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I mean here is that Kennedy is the smallest school in the DCC, and it also has almost no programs of interest to my artsy kid. Are the odds somewhat disproportionately higher that kids - any kids - could get assigned there even if they rank it last, simply by virtue of the fact that the school theoretically has more room?

Yes. MCPS is trying to steer more kids to Kennedy for two reasons:

1) To improve the profile of the school by infusing higher achieving kids into the student population

2) To offset the crowding at schools like Wheaton and Blair

I feel like MCPS is doing this with the NEC schools. Trying to steer more kids to Paint Branch as opposed to Blake.

Actually, Springbrook is the least populated of the NEC schools so I would expect more the steering to be directed there. But it could be happening to Paint Branch too, cause you’re right that Blake is definitely the most popular NEC high school.