Curriculum changes/RFPs planned for math (K-8), 6-7 SS, humanities magnets, etc

[Anonymous]

This was posted for the Board meeting on Thursday: https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DMBSWB74A454/$file/Curriculum%20Update%20251016%20PPT.pdf

Looks like potential changes to curriculum include:

- An RFP this year for an open-source math curriculum for K-8 to presumably replace Eureka and Illustrative Math starting next year
- Elementary science RFP this year
- RFP this year for a new open-source English curriculum for the MS humanities magnets that "includes extensions for highly-able learners" to replace the current highly-regarded English curriculum at the magnets that is entirely designed for advanced learners (this will probably end up being CKLA which doesn't really have much enrichment built in but claims it does)
- Revision of grade 6 & 7 social studies curriculum next year, to be implemented the year after (they seem to be primarily talking about it for the grade-level World Studies classes; presumably will ditch HiGH for advanced learners rather than update that too)
- Will be looking at HS biology, chemistry, and physics in future years

[Anonymous]

Thanks for sharing. MCPS continuing to head for the gutter.

Local MS has had high performance in Science MCAP. A teacher said that MCPS sent officials to understand what the school was doing. Apparently, local MS decided not to use the Central Office-approved curriculum 'cuz they realized how bad it was. So they stuck with their own, based on decades of experience. Teacher has since already retired.

Sad to eliminate MS Humanities magnets. Just about the only MS place where some rigorous writing is still required.

Math: Eureka was cutting edge at the time. Other than being super wordy sometimes, it was actually ok as a curriculum for the masses. But what I observed from kiddos experiences was that teachers didn't follow the curriculum page-by-page (or in other words "with fidelity"). So if you're skipping pages/lessons or going in a different order, then you miss the whole point of the structure that was built into Eureka. That's a disappointment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for sharing. MCPS continuing to head for the gutter.

Local MS has had high performance in Science MCAP. A teacher said that MCPS sent officials to understand what the school was doing. Apparently, local MS decided not to use the Central Office-approved curriculum 'cuz they realized how bad it was. So they stuck with their own, based on decades of experience. Teacher has since already retired.

Sad to eliminate MS Humanities magnets. Just about the only MS place where some rigorous writing is still required.

Math: Eureka was cutting edge at the time. Other than being super wordy sometimes, it was actually ok as a curriculum for the masses. But what I observed from kiddos experiences was that teachers didn't follow the curriculum page-by-page (or in other words "with fidelity"). So if you're skipping pages/lessons or going in a different order, then you miss the whole point of the structure that was built into Eureka. That's a disappointment.

If I understand your bolded part correctly, are you saying that local MSs now will get "punishment" for not following what MCPS told them to do (but used a better science curriculum)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for sharing. MCPS continuing to head for the gutter.

Local MS has had high performance in Science MCAP. A teacher said that MCPS sent officials to understand what the school was doing. Apparently, local MS decided not to use the Central Office-approved curriculum 'cuz they realized how bad it was. So they stuck with their own, based on decades of experience. Teacher has since already retired.

Sad to eliminate MS Humanities magnets. Just about the only MS place where some rigorous writing is still required.

Math: Eureka was cutting edge at the time. Other than being super wordy sometimes, it was actually ok as a curriculum for the masses. But what I observed from kiddos experiences was that teachers didn't follow the curriculum page-by-page (or in other words "with fidelity"). So if you're skipping pages/lessons or going in a different order, then you miss the whole point of the structure that was built into Eureka. That's a disappointment.

You may know this but the plan is not to get rid of the middle school Humanities magnets, just to weaken their curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Presentation link above no longer works, new one is here: https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DMEQEB68EB75/$file/Curriculum%20Update%20251016%20PPT%20REV.pdf