MCPS is no longer a desirable school district

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Email just now from mcps about increasing every many clasd sixes by one student but not cutting any teachers.
Who want to explain the math behind that?
More kids in your students class but no teachers cuts. What.

I just skimmed it. Makes you want to put your kid in a title 1 or focus school. I feel for the teachers with 25 kindergarteners. I know some people will think, it’s just one more, but it’s not, it will feel like 10 more.

We already had 26 kindergarteners per class this past year in our MCPS (in Bethesda).

You should come over to Silver Spring. We've never had a class over 20. Our first grade was 14 kids. It's great.

Outside of Title 1/Focus schools or those with declining enrollment I know no one that had a first grade class with 14. 20+ is the norm.

Right but there's plenty of Title I/Focus schools to choose from, if you value education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery County because of the schools, and now, we are moving out for the exact same reason. MCPS has been deteriorating on so many levels over the last decade. It feels like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Our kids deserve better.

Where are you going? ( I agree btw)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Email just now from mcps about increasing every many clasd sixes by one student but not cutting any teachers.
Who want to explain the math behind that?
More kids in your students class but no teachers cuts. What.

I just skimmed it. Makes you want to put your kid in a title 1 or focus school. I feel for the teachers with 25 kindergarteners. I know some people will think, it’s just one more, but it’s not, it will feel like 10 more.

We already had 26 kindergarteners per class this past year in our MCPS (in Bethesda).

You should come over to Silver Spring. We've never had a class over 20. Our first grade was 14 kids. It's great.

Our Bethesda kindergarten class this year was 18. Also under 20 for my older kids.

You got lucky. Sometimes the allotment works so you end up with an extra teacher — eg if you have 76! K, they might give you a foiurth and end with 19 per class.

The cagey parent probably would buy in Focus school for starter home and send kid there for k-5 but move to one of the better reesourced community for HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Email just now from mcps about increasing every many clasd sixes by one student but not cutting any teachers.
Who want to explain the math behind that?
More kids in your students class but no teachers cuts. What.

I just skimmed it. Makes you want to put your kid in a title 1 or focus school. I feel for the teachers with 25 kindergarteners. I know some people will think, it’s just one more, but it’s not, it will feel like 10 more.

We already had 26 kindergarteners per class this past year in our MCPS (in Bethesda).

You should come over to Silver Spring. We've never had a class over 20. Our first grade was 14 kids. It's great.

Outside of Title 1/Focus schools or those with declining enrollment I know no one that had a first grade class with 14. 20+ is the norm.

Right but there's plenty of Title I/Focus schools to choose from, if you value education.

You do realize that’s not how it works? If folks start moving en masse to Title1/Focus schools, those schools would lose the designation and be subject to the normal class size requirements.

The only potential benefit could be a better SES balance across the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Email just now from mcps about increasing every many clasd sixes by one student but not cutting any teachers.
Who want to explain the math behind that?
More kids in your students class but no teachers cuts. What.

I just skimmed it. Makes you want to put your kid in a title 1 or focus school. I feel for the teachers with 25 kindergarteners. I know some people will think, it’s just one more, but it’s not, it will feel like 10 more.

We already had 26 kindergarteners per class this past year in our MCPS (in Bethesda).

You should come over to Silver Spring. We've never had a class over 20. Our first grade was 14 kids. It's great.

Outside of Title 1/Focus schools or those with declining enrollment I know no one that had a first grade class with 14. 20+ is the norm.

Right but there's plenty of Title I/Focus schools to choose from, if you value education.

You do realize that’s not how it works? If folks start moving en masse to Title1/Focus schools, those schools would lose the designation and be subject to the normal class size requirements.

The only potential benefit could be a better SES balance across the county.

Any individual worried about class size can move without changing any designations, but not if you'd rather live in Bethesda than have your kid in a small class.

[Anonymous]

MCPS is great if you're a family who prioritizes education and is involved in their kid's lives. However, if you are one of those parents who expects the county to raise your kid then it's not so great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Email just now from mcps about increasing every many clasd sixes by one student but not cutting any teachers.
Who want to explain the math behind that?
More kids in your students class but no teachers cuts. What.

I just skimmed it. Makes you want to put your kid in a title 1 or focus school. I feel for the teachers with 25 kindergarteners. I know some people will think, it’s just one more, but it’s not, it will feel like 10 more.

We already had 26 kindergarteners per class this past year in our MCPS (in Bethesda).

You should come over to Silver Spring. We've never had a class over 20. Our first grade was 14 kids. It's great.

Outside of Title 1/Focus schools or those with declining enrollment I know no one that had a first grade class with 14. 20+ is the norm.

Right but there's plenty of Title I/Focus schools to choose from, if you value education.

You do realize that’s not how it works? If folks start moving en masse to Title1/Focus schools, those schools would lose the designation and be subject to the normal class size requirements.

The only potential benefit could be a better SES balance across the county.

Any individual worried about class size can move without changing any designations, but not if you'd rather live in Bethesda than have your kid in a small class.

Do you really believe MCPS is going to start a trend of allowing a bunch of people to COSA long term to Title 1/Focus schools because of class size? You should propose this as a solution in one of the threads about cuts and class size increases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about parents disciplining their kids at home and teaching kids to respect adults so kids behave when they get to school

As a teacher, I am scared if i discipline a kid, they will come back with a gun a shoot me.

I will say it also goes in reverse. I am a parent who does not tolerate having no consequences for late work. The teachers (maybe more administrator policies?) never knocked down assignments for late work. It made it more difficult as a parent because my high schooler knew there were no consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, have you lived elsewhere in the country?

I have lived in Boulder, CO; Los Angeles; Richmond, VA; North Carolina and Miami.

Whether people want to believe it or not DC area public schools are very well funded much moreso than many districts across the country.

Hate to break it to you, but "more funding" does not always equal better education. There is more waste and administrative bloat in MCPS than anywhere I've seen.

Yes, it does, m0re funding equals various programs that can be offered and available staffing. Summer sch00l enrichment was cut by 2/3rds this year as compared to previous years in MCPS and other sch00l districts. Funding in DC area suburban schools is directly tied to being able to 0fferr n0vel and enriching programs including acceleration f0r advanced kids.

[Anonymous]

I have had kids in a magnet and neighborhood schools in MCPS - both have flourished - they are happy, have found meaningful paths to pursue, and are at college or will soon be at a college of their choice. That said, most MCPS high schools are not places for a child that could get lost in the shuffle. I have seen several kids from various backgrounds move to private because they can get the attention they need to flourish - attention that is in short supply at a public school serving 2500-3000 kids. It is not an indictment of the parent, the kid, or the schools - just like college, it is about finding the right fit for the individual. Public schools have to try to be all things to all kids, and that sometimes means that not all kids get the best support. If your kid can self-advocate, or finds that niche that works for them in the public schools -great - if not, private schools, of which there are plenty here, are also an excellent option. Or, move out of county and see it a smaller school setting works. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about parents disciplining their kids at home and teaching kids to respect adults so kids behave when they get to school

As a teacher, I am scared if i discipline a kid, they will come back with a gun a shoot me.

I will say it also goes in reverse. I am a parent who does not tolerate having no consequences for late work. The teachers (maybe more administrator policies?) never knocked down assignments for late work. It made it more difficult as a parent because my high schooler knew there were no consequences.

Correct. I'm a parent who is similarly minded and my kid doesn't get why I fuss about late and missed assignments precisely because of the lack of tangible and real consequences for missing deadlines and not turning things in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is great if you're a family who prioritizes education and is involved in their kid's lives. However, if you are one of those parents who expects the county to raise your kid then it's not so great.

I used to believe that until I learned that my one child, who got A's in maths in HS, had to retake math classes in college because she never really learned it in HS. What was really happening was/is, the classes were brought down to the lowest common denominators. They are running regular ed like they run special ed, LREs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is great if you're a family who prioritizes education and is involved in their kid's lives. However, if you are one of those parents who expects the county to raise your kid then it's not so great.

I used to believe that until I learned that my one child, who got A's in maths in HS, had to retake math classes in college because she never really learned it in HS. What was really happening was/is, the classes were brought down to the lowest common denominators. They are running regular ed like they run special ed, LREs.

Also, kids who have strong GPAs that rely on a generous retake policy in MCPS are in for a rude awakening in college. MCPS is not setting our kids up for success with all of its lenient BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery County because of the schools, and now, we are moving out for the exact same reason. MCPS has been deteriorating on so many levels over the last decade. It feels like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Our kids deserve better.

Ok, private school recruiter you are starting early this admission cycle?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is great if you're a family who prioritizes education and is involved in their kid's lives. However, if you are one of those parents who expects the county to raise your kid then it's not so great.

I used to believe that until I learned that my one child, who got A's in maths in HS, had to retake math classes in college because she never really learned it in HS. What was really happening was/is, the classes were brought down to the lowest common denominators. They are running regular ed like they run special ed, LREs.

Also, kids who have strong GPAs that rely on a generous retake policy in MCPS are in for a rude awakening in college. MCPS is not setting our kids up for success with all of its lenient BS.

The retakes are ridiculous.