MCPS: New ELA curriculum for 2023-2024 school year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understood that the decision was up to the Board now. No mention of it during the meeting last week though. Anyone here reach out to Board members about it? I'm too afraid to put my name out there because my husband and I are both teachers in the system and have three kids at three schools.
If Benchmark is staying another year, we should all be allowed to make major adjustments - starting with the ridiculous assessments that take forever.

It hasn't even been presented to the board yet. It's still in the curriculum office's court.

DP. But the BOE should be asking them for an update given that they were supposed to vote on it already, so there is definitely a role for the BOE to play.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and this is incredibly frustrating but it's getting very hard to imagine the county making this change at this point for next school year.

Although we are all signed up for a mysterious professional development on this new curriculum.

The whole thing is very strange, honestly.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone tried contacting the curriculum office and asking them what the new timeline is?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OC3Sn0_PHkPiwmxRWHIfg6Q9QI92USGTJsOakY59fvE/edit?usp=sharing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher and this is incredibly frustrating but it's getting very hard to imagine the county making this change at this point for next school year.

Although we are all signed up for a mysterious professional development on this new curriculum.

The whole thing is very strange, honestly.

More later in me training..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also heard rumors flying at work today that Benchmark is most likely around for another year. I know that they plan on using it for summer school again.

Seems likely at this point, it's getting very late. I hope they stick with RGR at least.

But I don't understand why MCPS always has such a hard time choosing a proven ELA curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone tried contacting the curriculum office and asking them what the new timeline is?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OC3Sn0_PHkPiwmxRWHIfg6Q9QI92USGTJsOakY59fvE/edit?usp=sharing

What a silly idea. We on DCUM would much rather just kvetch and stir things up.

DCUM may be a toxic cesspool, but it's our toxic cesspool!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also heard rumors flying at work today that Benchmark is most likely around for another year. I know that they plan on using it for summer school again.

Seems likely at this point, it's getting very late. I hope they stick with RGR at least.

But I don't understand why MCPS always has such a hard time choosing a proven ELA curriculum.

I would not be surprised at all. They were already piloting the latest version of Benchmark this year, then that version got a seal of approval from EdReports in all categories. Add in that they have provided RGR for K-2 and ELC for advance students in grades 4&5. Also remember hearing that CO was working on novel studies, and its my understanding that principals always had the ability to decide whether to purchase the supplemental materials. Given the above there is no reason for them to ditch Benchmark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also heard rumors flying at work today that Benchmark is most likely around for another year. I know that they plan on using it for summer school again.

Seems likely at this point, it's getting very late. I hope they stick with RGR at least.

But I don't understand why MCPS always has such a hard time choosing a proven ELA curriculum.

I would not be surprised at all. They were already piloting the latest version of Benchmark this year, then that version got a seal of approval from EdReports in all categories. Add in that they have provided RGR for K-2 and ELC for advance students in grades 4&5. Also remember hearing that CO was working on novel studies, and its my understanding that principals always had the ability to decide whether to purchase the supplemental materials. Given the above there is no reason for them to ditch Benchmark.

The principal at our school said Benchmark was not one of the finalists. They were definitely getting ready to ditch unit — but perhaps they reconsidered and are now keeping it?

[Anonymous]

Has there been an official announcement yet, given that teachers are already hearing we are stuck with Benchmark? Central office and the BOE should at least be transparent about it.

[Anonymous]

My ES kid says they use RGR at their school. Is that good?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher and this is incredibly frustrating but it's getting very hard to imagine the county making this change at this point for next school year.

Although we are all signed up for a mysterious professional development on this new curriculum.

The whole thing is very strange, honestly.

More later in me training..

I was a cohort 1 school, boundary study, last hired, got moved to a cohort 2 school and still just did the training last summer as if I was a cohort 1 school just in case...

SO glad I missed out on the in-person experience. LIM training was a waste of 4 days of my life but at least it was virtual.

[Anonymous]

It’s pathetic that the Hopkins audit happened, they picked Benchmark, and they’re already looking for a replacement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My ES kid says they use RGR at their school. Is that good?

That the phonics program that is paired with the regular version of Benchmark. It provides a strong phonics foundation, but your kid is still getting Benchmark for everything else.

There are students who are piloting a new Benchmark curriculum, and they are not getting RGR. In talking to teachers in the pilot schools, the updated Benchmark curriculum is not nearly as good at teaching phonics as RGR -- so at a minimum, MCPS should have those schools adopt RGR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s pathetic that the Hopkins audit happened, they picked Benchmark, and they’re already looking for a replacement.

They should never have selected Benchmark. It is so awful that everyone hates it -- teachers, parents, students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s pathetic that the Hopkins audit happened, they picked Benchmark, and they’re already looking for a replacement.

They should never have selected Benchmark. It is so awful that everyone hates it -- teachers, parents, students.

Apparently, they've never selected any good curriculums and always change 1-2 years later then pick another loser, rinse repeat...