Question on engineering course offering in future STEM programs

[Anonymous]

There are some discussions on the future STEM program curriculum compared to the current SMCS one. However, as future STEM program folds engineering into it, I’m wondering if any Wheaton engineering track parents/students can tell me how it compares to your current curriculum? The two engineering courses list currently are identical to what’s offered right now at SMCS at least in names.

Insights are highly appreciated!

[Anonymous]

Apologies that I should have included the latest slides:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DMJHXR4AA9BD/$file/Boundary%20Studies%20Program%20Analysis%20Update%20251016%20PPT%20REV.pdf

The sample STEM program curriculum is on Page 79. I just noted that the name doesn't include engineering, but on Page 19 the five program themes clearly stated engineering in its STEM program. So will Region 4 and 5 (Page 26 & 27) have engineering course offering? If not, is it this inequitable before even starting?

[Anonymous]

STEM= Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
One of the main focus of STEM is Engineering.

SMCS= Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer science.
Even thought you have engineering classes in SMCS, the focus is not Engineering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:STEM= Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
One of the main focus of STEM is Engineering.

SMCS= Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer science.
Even thought you have engineering classes in SMCS, the focus is not Engineering.

Exactly! So when MCPS claims that the regional model is making equitable access to every student, region 4 and 5 do not get engineering classes that are comparable to other regions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STEM= Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
One of the main focus of STEM is Engineering.

SMCS= Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer science.
Even thought you have engineering classes in SMCS, the focus is not Engineering.

Exactly! So when MCPS claims that the regional model is making equitable access to every student, region 4 and 5 do not get engineering classes that are comparable to other regions.

The region 5 slide has Engineering at Magruder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STEM= Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
One of the main focus of STEM is Engineering.

SMCS= Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer science.
Even thought you have engineering classes in SMCS, the focus is not Engineering.

Exactly! So when MCPS claims that the regional model is making equitable access to every student, region 4 and 5 do not get engineering classes that are comparable to other regions.

The region 5 slide has Engineering at Magruder.

Thanks for pointing that out. So region 2 and 4 are no luck with engineering, expect one HS in each region has a local PLTW engineering program (CTE) that others in the same region cannot apply.

[Anonymous]

In Region 1, Whitman and BCC both have local engineering programs and Blair is slated for the regional engineering program so Northwood and Einstein are out of luck there as the 2 out of 5 schools without engineering in the home school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In Region 1, Whitman and BCC both have local engineering programs and Blair is slated for the regional engineering program so Northwood and Einstein are out of luck there as the 2 out of 5 schools without engineering in the home school.

So they can apply to the Blair program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Region 1, Whitman and BCC both have local engineering programs and Blair is slated for the regional engineering program so Northwood and Einstein are out of luck there as the 2 out of 5 schools without engineering in the home school.

So they can apply to the Blair program.

Yes. For us, that's fine because there is a public bus that goes to Blair from very close to our house. I don't know how the transportation will pan out for kids that live further from the right public bus route.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Region 1, Whitman and BCC both have local engineering programs and Blair is slated for the regional engineering program so Northwood and Einstein are out of luck there as the 2 out of 5 schools without engineering in the home school.

So they can apply to the Blair program.

Yes. For us, that's fine because there is a public bus that goes to Blair from very close to our house. I don't know how the transportation will pan out for kids that live further from the right public bus route.

I thought transportation is provided to/from all the schools. I can not imagine how this will work without kids arriving long before school starts but that is the plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Region 1, Whitman and BCC both have local engineering programs and Blair is slated for the regional engineering program so Northwood and Einstein are out of luck there as the 2 out of 5 schools without engineering in the home school.

So they can apply to the Blair program.

Yes. For us, that's fine because there is a public bus that goes to Blair from very close to our house. I don't know how the transportation will pan out for kids that live further from the right public bus route.

I thought transportation is provided to/from all the schools. I can not imagine how this will work without kids arriving long before school starts but that is the plan.

It seems like they are planning on the magnet/program buses only picking up at the other high schools-- they said that they will only need one new bus route per high school and I don't see how they keep it that low without that. But obviously many people live far from their assigned high school and getting there to catch the bus will be very difficult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Region 1, Whitman and BCC both have local engineering programs and Blair is slated for the regional engineering program so Northwood and Einstein are out of luck there as the 2 out of 5 schools without engineering in the home school.

So they can apply to the Blair program.

Einstein, Northwood and Blair are really close to each other. A student who can get to one of them can get to the other two.
Yes. For us, that's fine because there is a public bus that goes to Blair from very close to our house. I don't know how the transportation will pan out for kids that live further from the right public bus route.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Region 1, Whitman and BCC both have local engineering programs and Blair is slated for the regional engineering program so Northwood and Einstein are out of luck there as the 2 out of 5 schools without engineering in the home school.

So they can apply to the Blair program.

Einstein, Northwood and Blair are really close to each other. A student who can get to one of them can get to the other two.
Yes. For us, that's fine because there is a public bus that goes to Blair from very close to our house. I don't know how the transportation will pan out for kids that live further from the right public bus route.

In some places, yes, but not others. Takoma Park is like 6 miles away from Einstein, for example

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In Region 1, Whitman and BCC both have local engineering programs and Blair is slated for the regional engineering program so Northwood and Einstein are out of luck there as the 2 out of 5 schools without engineering in the home school.

The new proposal just lists “technology” for Blair, not engineering. Same for Wooton. The slides have Wooton getting "machine learning and data science,” not engineering. It seems likely that Blair would have something similar, since they already have good computer science classes.

If that happens, the only kids in Region 1 who can take engineering are the ones zoned for BCC and Whitman. The kids in DCC schools will be out of luck.

[Anonymous]

To my knowledge, it said it will be developing the program in a school in that region.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/22/mcps-proposed-regional-program-themes/