Top 10 Schools in MoCo

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:High performing students in any school - W or ganglandia- will end up in mostly AP classes. You could be in W or QO or Watkins Mill HS and not take AP classes and the chances would be that you were mediocre or below. There is a reason that colleges look for mostly A's in the hardest courses that your school offers. Hardest classes currently are either AP or IB.

The AP courses at these schools are not at the same level. Look at the test results (just a selection of schools):

2017 AP Pass Rates (3 or above):
Kennedy - 36.2
Watkins Mill - 34.1
Rockville - 54.9
QO - 57.2
Einstein - 61.9
Clarksburg - 69.1
RM - 79.9
B-CC - 80.4
Churchill - 85.3
Blair - 86.3
WJ - 87.1
Poolesville - 87.7
Whitman - 88.2
Wootton - 89.2

These pass rates also don't show the wide disparity between schools on scores between 3 and 5. The schools at the low end do not provide the same quality of education.

Thanks for posting this information about AP results

Oh dear me. What does it prove? That there are more students in Wootton taking AP courses than Watkins Mill? Duh! That is given,

If 3/10 students in WM take APs and 8/10 students in Wootton take APs is that surprising? No.

What is surprising is that anyone would think that the quality of education that the 3 students in WM in the AP classes received is less than that the 8 students receive in Wootton.

Those stats are for rates of passing APs, not taking them.

Yeah, so it becomes a proxy for the demographic profile of the school, just like most if not all test scores, and not a measure of the relative quality of the schools.

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is pointless. Parents have limited experience to rank a school other than their own.

[Anonymous]

Watkins Mill HS: 50.2% of students receive free or reduced meals, 79.5% of students receive free or reduced meals now or have done so in the past, the mobility rate (entrants + withdrawals) is 24.8%, 347 of ~350 graduates took at least one AP or IB test, 38.0% scored 3 or higher on an AP test or 4 of higher on an IB test.

Wootton HS: less than or equal to 5.0% of students receive free or reduced meals, 12.2% of students receive free or reduced meals now or have done so in the past, the mobility rate (entrants + withdrawals) is less than or equal to 5.0%, 532 of ~530 graduates took at least one AP test, 74.8% scored 3 or higher on an AP test.

I'm not seeing any evidence here that the teachers teach better at Wootton than at Watkins Mill, or that students from similar backgrounds do better at Wootton than at Watkins Mill. The results mainly indicate, to me, that the Wootton has a lot fewer students from poor families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:High performing students in any school - W or ganglandia- will end up in mostly AP classes. You could be in W or QO or Watkins Mill HS and not take AP classes and the chances would be that you were mediocre or below. There is a reason that colleges look for mostly A's in the hardest courses that your school offers. Hardest classes currently are either AP or IB.

The AP courses at these schools are not at the same level. Look at the test results (just a selection of schools):

2017 AP Pass Rates (3 or above):
Kennedy - 36.2
Watkins Mill - 34.1
Rockville - 54.9
QO - 57.2
Einstein - 61.9
Clarksburg - 69.1
RM - 79.9
B-CC - 80.4
Churchill - 85.3
Blair - 86.3
WJ - 87.1
Poolesville - 87.7
Whitman - 88.2
Wootton - 89.2

These pass rates also don't show the wide disparity between schools on scores between 3 and 5. The schools at the low end do not provide the same quality of education.

Thanks for posting this information about AP results

Oh dear me. What does it prove? That there are more students in Wootton taking AP courses than Watkins Mill? Duh! That is given,

If 3/10 students in WM take APs and 8/10 students in Wootton take APs is that surprising? No.

What is surprising is that anyone would think that the quality of education that the 3 students in WM in the AP classes received is less than that the 8 students receive in Wootton.

Those stats are for rates of passing APs, not taking them.

Yeah, so it becomes a proxy for the demographic profile of the school, just like most if not all test scores, and not a measure of the relative quality of the schools.

Peer group is the number one relative quality of a school. And that plays out pretty consistency across most statistics and measurables. Yes that does bode well for the poor kids but if we are really being honest they are going to fail at a much higher rate anyway. Which once again goes back to Peer group being the main measure of quality.

it isn't how new the paint is. And teacher and leadership quality only moves the needle so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:High performing students in any school - W or ganglandia- will end up in mostly AP classes. You could be in W or QO or Watkins Mill HS and not take AP classes and the chances would be that you were mediocre or below. There is a reason that colleges look for mostly A's in the hardest courses that your school offers. Hardest classes currently are either AP or IB.

The AP courses at these schools are not at the same level. Look at the test results (just a selection of schools):

2017 AP Pass Rates (3 or above):
Kennedy - 36.2
Watkins Mill - 34.1
Rockville - 54.9
QO - 57.2
Einstein - 61.9
Clarksburg - 69.1
RM - 79.9
B-CC - 80.4
Churchill - 85.3
Blair - 86.3
WJ - 87.1
Poolesville - 87.7
Whitman - 88.2
Wootton - 89.2

These pass rates also don't show the wide disparity between schools on scores between 3 and 5. The schools at the low end do not provide the same quality of education.

Thanks for posting this information about AP results

Oh dear me. What does it prove? That there are more students in Wootton taking AP courses than Watkins Mill? Duh! That is given,

If 3/10 students in WM take APs and 8/10 students in Wootton take APs is that surprising? No.

What is surprising is that anyone would think that the quality of education that the 3 students in WM in the AP classes received is less than that the 8 students receive in Wootton.

Those stats are for rates of passing APs, not taking them.

Yeah, so it becomes a proxy for the demographic profile of the school, just like most if not all test scores, and not a measure of the relative quality of the schools.

Peer group is the number one relative quality of a school. And that plays out pretty consistency across most statistics and measurables. Yes that does bode well for the poor kids but if we are really being honest they are going to fail at a much higher rate anyway. Which once again goes back to Peer group being the main measure of quality.

it isn't how new the paint is. And teacher and leadership quality only moves the needle so far.

does not bode well

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Peer group is the number one relative quality of a school. And that plays out pretty consistency across most statistics and measurables. Yes that does bode well for the poor kids but if we are really being honest they are going to fail at a much higher rate anyway. Which once again goes back to Peer group being the main measure of quality.

it isn't how new the paint is. And teacher and leadership quality only moves the needle so far.

And how do you measure "quality of peer group"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Peer group is the number one relative quality of a school. And that plays out pretty consistency across most statistics and measurables. Yes that does bode well for the poor kids but if we are really being honest they are going to fail at a much higher rate anyway. Which once again goes back to Peer group being the main measure of quality.

it isn't how new the paint is. And teacher and leadership quality only moves the needle so far.

And how do you measure "quality of peer group"?

Access to opportunities and outcomes that facilitate happiness

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Peer group is the number one relative quality of a school. And that plays out pretty consistency across most statistics and measurables. Yes that does bode well for the poor kids but if we are really being honest they are going to fail at a much higher rate anyway. Which once again goes back to Peer group being the main measure of quality.

it isn't how new the paint is. And teacher and leadership quality only moves the needle so far.

And how do you measure "quality of peer group"?

Access to opportunities and outcomes that facilitate happiness

No.

Quality of peer group is driven by their values. The kids and parents value: academic excellence, hard work, staying out of trouble, teamwork, honesty, integrity.

How do you measure that? I’d take a hard look at their parent(s) or just ask the kid wha s/he values. Ultimately, stats like truancy, delinquency, petty crimes, lying, test scores, grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Peer group is the number one relative quality of a school. And that plays out pretty consistency across most statistics and measurables. Yes that does bode well for the poor kids but if we are really being honest they are going to fail at a much higher rate anyway. Which once again goes back to Peer group being the main measure of quality.

it isn't how new the paint is. And teacher and leadership quality only moves the needle so far.

And how do you measure "quality of peer group"?

Access to opportunities and outcomes that facilitate happiness

No.

Quality of peer group is driven by their values. The kids and parents value: academic excellence, hard work, staying out of trouble, teamwork, honesty, integrity.

How do you measure that? I’d take a hard look at their parent(s) or just ask the kid wha s/he values. Ultimately, stats like truancy, delinquency, petty crimes, lying, test scores, grades.

Churchill measures high on the AP score list, and normally ranks high of any rating used to measure Maryland high schools, but I wouldn't equate that with a high rating for honesty and integrity. My children have reported that cheating amongst peers is high at the school because of the pressure to get As by any means necessary. This "peer group" vibe has been deeply instilled for a long time including back when students hacked into the electronic grade books of teachers and changed grades.

The "peer group" at Churchill also likes to party with drugs and alcohol. Drugs range from marijuana to acid, heroin, and fentanyl. Some parents have the philosophy that partying is a part of teenage life so they condone the activities. The drugs are sold everywhere in the school - in the classroom, in the hallways, in bathrooms, and on athletic fields. Even the athletes use drugs to enhance their performance and cheat.

This is not the peer group I would have knowingly chosen for my children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

No.

Quality of peer group is driven by their values. The kids and parents value: academic excellence, hard work, staying out of trouble, teamwork, honesty, integrity.

How do you measure that? I’d take a hard look at their parent(s) or just ask the kid wha s/he values. Ultimately, stats like truancy, delinquency, petty crimes, lying, test scores, grades.

Test scores? You think that honesty and integrity are reflected in test scores?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No.

Quality of peer group is driven by their values. The kids and parents value: academic excellence, hard work, staying out of trouble, teamwork, honesty, integrity.

How do you measure that? I’d take a hard look at their parent(s) or just ask the kid wha s/he values. Ultimately, stats like truancy, delinquency, petty crimes, lying, test scores, grades.

Test scores? You think that honesty and integrity are reflected in test scores?

Reading comprehension issue... this is what happens if you don’t study in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No.

Quality of peer group is driven by their values. The kids and parents value: academic excellence, hard work, staying out of trouble, teamwork, honesty, integrity.

How do you measure that? I’d take a hard look at their parent(s) or just ask the kid wha s/he values. Ultimately, stats like truancy, delinquency, petty crimes, lying, test scores, grades.

Test scores? You think that honesty and integrity are reflected in test scores?

Reading comprehension issue... this is what happens if you don’t study in HS.

Here's what the PP said:

Values: academic excellence, hard work, staying out of trouble, teamwork, honesty, integrity.

Variable that displays values: truancy, delinquency, petty crimes, lying, test scores, grades.

Maybe you can explain, for each value, which variables do and do not display that value.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Peer group is the number one relative quality of a school. And that plays out pretty consistency across most statistics and measurables. Yes that does bode well for the poor kids but if we are really being honest they are going to fail at a much higher rate anyway. Which once again goes back to Peer group being the main measure of quality.

it isn't how new the paint is. And teacher and leadership quality only moves the needle so far.

And how do you measure "quality of peer group"?

Access to opportunities and outcomes that facilitate happiness

No.

Quality of peer group is driven by their values. The kids and parents value: academic excellence, hard work, staying out of trouble, teamwork, honesty, integrity.

How do you measure that? I’d take a hard look at their parent(s) or just ask the kid wha s/he values. Ultimately, stats like truancy, delinquency, petty crimes, lying, test scores, grades.

Churchill measures high on the AP score list, and normally ranks high of any rating used to measure Maryland high schools, but I wouldn't equate that with a high rating for honesty and integrity. My children have reported that cheating amongst peers is high at the school because of the pressure to get As by any means necessary. This "peer group" vibe has been deeply instilled for a long time including back when students hacked into the electronic grade books of teachers and changed grades.

The "peer group" at Churchill also likes to party with drugs and alcohol. Drugs range from marijuana to acid, heroin, and fentanyl. Some parents have the philosophy that partying is a part of teenage life so they condone the activities. The drugs are sold everywhere in the school - in the classroom, in the hallways, in bathrooms, and on athletic fields. Even the athletes use drugs to enhance their performance and cheat.

This is not the peer group I would have knowingly chosen for my children.

Do schools still use undercover narcotics officers to stop this stuff? Sounds like your new principal has her hands full. Anyway, I find any kind of top ten list hard to do. How do you factor in the feeder schools when evaluating a cluster? I like Whitman for example, but have a very low view of Pyle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Peer group is the number one relative quality of a school. And that plays out pretty consistency across most statistics and measurables. Yes that does bode well for the poor kids but if we are really being honest they are going to fail at a much higher rate anyway. Which once again goes back to Peer group being the main measure of quality.

it isn't how new the paint is. And teacher and leadership quality only moves the needle so far.

And how do you measure "quality of peer group"?

Access to opportunities and outcomes that facilitate happiness

No.

Quality of peer group is driven by their values. The kids and parents value: academic excellence, hard work, staying out of trouble, teamwork, honesty, integrity.



How do you measure that? I’d take a hard look at their parent(s) or just ask the kid wha s/he values. Ultimately, stats like truancy, delinquency, petty crimes, lying, test scores, grades.

Churchill measures high on the AP score list, and normally ranks high of any rating used to measure Maryland high schools, but I wouldn't equate that with a high rating for honesty and integrity. My children have reported that cheating amongst peers is high at the school because of the pressure to get As by any means necessary. This "peer group" vibe has been deeply instilled for a long time including back when students hacked into the electronic grade books of teachers and changed grades.

The "peer group" at Churchill also likes to party with drugs and alcohol. Drugs range from marijuana to acid, heroin, and fentanyl. Some parents have the philosophy that partying is a part of teenage life so they condone the activities. The drugs are sold everywhere in the school - in the classroom, in the hallways, in bathrooms, and on athletic fields. Even the athletes use drugs to enhance their performance and cheat.

This is not the peer group I would have knowingly chosen for my children.

Serious question for non-Churchill parents. Are there schools where the social life does not favor drinking/drugs? I would seriously consider moving out of the Churchill cluster if I thought there was a public school with good educational outcomes and a much less of a party culture. From what I see, it is pervasive. Even the kids with high academic potential/aspirations are drinking and partying as freshmen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Magnet MCPS anything
Private school HS
Catholic school HS
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W schools

I actually don't think so.
The W's are equal to the top privates but they both (W's & privates ) are way behind the Magnets.

MCPS is working hard to make sure that this won't be the case in 5 years.