Changes in MCPS in the last 15 years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:<sigh>

Things don’t look great for folks looking for old school MCPS - the world class education etc. My older kids had that and it’s served them well. But I have a younger child too, who has to contend with all the changes, divisiveness over boundary studies, and overcrowding ... and hopefully no permanent damage from Curriculum 2.0.

Old-school MCPS had overcrowding. Just ask the people who were in school in Montgomery County in the 1960s and early 1970s. It had changes, too. And I bet that if there had been DCUM in those days, there would have been plenty of people lamenting the passing of the good old days (including de jure segregation).

Overcrowding is one problem. Now there is overcrowding IN ADDITION to a multitude of other problems (see above posts).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:<sigh>

Things don’t look great for folks looking for old school MCPS - the world class education etc. My older kids had that and it’s served them well. But I have a younger child too, who has to contend with all the changes, divisiveness over boundary studies, and overcrowding ... and hopefully no permanent damage from Curriculum 2.0.

Old-school MCPS had overcrowding. Just ask the people who were in school in Montgomery County in the 1960s and early 1970s. It had changes, too. And I bet that if there had been DCUM in those days, there would have been plenty of people lamenting the passing of the good old days (including de jure segregation).

I’m opposed to any type of segregation. I’m lamenting what appears to be a shift away from gifted and talented instruction. And yes I know that screams privilege. But here’s the thing - if your kids really are gifted and talented, they’ll be bored out of their minds with on-level instruction without differentiation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:<sigh>

Things don’t look great for folks looking for old school MCPS - the world class education etc. My older kids had that and it’s served them well. But I have a younger child too, who has to contend with all the changes, divisiveness over boundary studies, and overcrowding ... and hopefully no permanent damage from Curriculum 2.0.

Old-school MCPS had overcrowding. Just ask the people who were in school in Montgomery County in the 1960s and early 1970s. It had changes, too. And I bet that if there had been DCUM in those days, there would have been plenty of people lamenting the passing of the good old days (including de jure segregation).

I’m opposed to any type of segregation. I’m lamenting what appears to be a shift away from gifted and talented instruction. And yes I know that screams privilege. But here’s the thing - if your kids really are gifted and talented, they’ll be bored out of their minds with on-level instruction without differentiation.

I don't think that screams privilege. And you are correct. My DC went to magnet ES and HS, but skipped MS magnet due to logistics, and DC was bored out of DC's mind even with "differentiation", which equates to a few more worksheets. A low income gifted child would also be bored of their minds in these "honors" classes.

[Anonymous]

One change that parents may or may not be noticing is how MCPS is having so much difficulty retaining and recruiting good teachers. The culture from the central office is very anti-teacher. Principals and AP are chosen based on their willingness to support the central office not the students or teachers within the school. The amount of time that MCPS requires from teachers for data collection and other new ideas has grown substantially. Every new brainstorm idea coming out of the idiots in the central office is never funded and teachers are expected to make the magic happen. Teacher safety is a huge concern in many schools. Restorative justice is being implemented in ways that simply leave disruptive and often dangerous kids in the classroom. Kids who might have behaved if there were consequences are now becoming more and more disruptive. Since the principals and APs are so close to the central office, lost of toxic games of favoritism get played out within schools. Good teachers can be transferred or tormented.

As prices and traffic have grown over the past 15 years, many teachers live up in Frederick/Howard with terrible commutes. A bad working environment combined with an awful commute is making more and more teachers either leave the profession or get a job in Frederick or Howard.

[Anonymous]

It doesn’t sound like the GT population is a priority any longer for MCPS. And that’s okay. Sounds pretty selfish to demand GT education when plenty of kids don’t have enough to eat or a place to sleep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One change that parents may or may not be noticing is how MCPS is having so much difficulty retaining and recruiting good teachers. The culture from the central office is very anti-teacher. Principals and AP are chosen based on their willingness to support the central office not the students or teachers within the school. The amount of time that MCPS requires from teachers for data collection and other new ideas has grown substantially. Every new brainstorm idea coming out of the idiots in the central office is never funded and teachers are expected to make the magic happen. Teacher safety is a huge concern in many schools. Restorative justice is being implemented in ways that simply leave disruptive and often dangerous kids in the classroom. Kids who might have behaved if there were consequences are now becoming more and more disruptive. Since the principals and APs are so close to the central office, lost of toxic games of favoritism get played out within schools. Good teachers can be transferred or tormented.

As prices and traffic have grown over the past 15 years, many teachers live up in Frederick/Howard with terrible commutes. A bad working environment combined with an awful commute is making more and more teachers either leave the profession or get a job in Frederick or Howard.

Where do you get this information? It's not unreasonable but I'd like citations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t sound like the GT population is a priority any longer for MCPS. And that’s okay. Sounds pretty selfish to demand GT education when plenty of kids don’t have enough to eat or a place to sleep.

GT population was never a priority. Starr would've axed these programs if he could've. State law requires they support all kids including GT and disabled kids so these programs exist.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but all means all, which means the GT kids are entitled to appropriate education too (meaning not doing worksheets all day because teacher is spending time with struggling students all day and ignoring the bored GT kids).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One change that parents may or may not be noticing is how MCPS is having so much difficulty retaining and recruiting good teachers. The culture from the central office is very anti-teacher. Principals and AP are chosen based on their willingness to support the central office not the students or teachers within the school. The amount of time that MCPS requires from teachers for data collection and other new ideas has grown substantially. Every new brainstorm idea coming out of the idiots in the central office is never funded and teachers are expected to make the magic happen. Teacher safety is a huge concern in many schools. Restorative justice is being implemented in ways that simply leave disruptive and often dangerous kids in the classroom. Kids who might have behaved if there were consequences are now becoming more and more disruptive. Since the principals and APs are so close to the central office, lost of toxic games of favoritism get played out within schools. Good teachers can be transferred or tormented.

As prices and traffic have grown over the past 15 years, many teachers live up in Frederick/Howard with terrible commutes. A bad working environment combined with an awful commute is making more and more teachers either leave the profession or get a job in Frederick or Howard.

there is a teacher shortage across the country. This is not unique to MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:<sigh>

Things don’t look great for folks looking for old school MCPS - the world class education etc. My older kids had that and it’s served them well. But I have a younger child too, who has to contend with all the changes, divisiveness over boundary studies, and overcrowding ... and hopefully no permanent damage from Curriculum 2.0.

Old-school MCPS had overcrowding. Just ask the people who were in school in Montgomery County in the 1960s and early 1970s. It had changes, too. And I bet that if there had been DCUM in those days, there would have been plenty of people lamenting the passing of the good old days (including de jure segregation).

Overcrowding is one problem. Now there is overcrowding IN ADDITION to a multitude of other problems (see above posts).

Gifted and Talented programs for top performers —-> Centers is Excellence for any range of outliers in a poorly performing school

NCLB —> Common Core MCPS curriculum 2.0 home brew disaster for k-8

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
One change that parents may or may not be noticing is how MCPS is having so much difficulty retaining and recruiting good teachers. The culture from the central office is very anti-teacher. Principals and AP are chosen based on their willingness to support the central office not the students or teachers within the school. The amount of time that MCPS requires from teachers for data collection and other new ideas has grown substantially. Every new brainstorm idea coming out of the idiots in the central office is never funded and teachers are expected to make the magic happen. Teacher safety is a huge concern in many schools. Restorative justice is being implemented in ways that simply leave disruptive and often dangerous kids in the classroom. Kids who might have behaved if there were consequences are now becoming more and more disruptive. Since the principals and APs are so close to the central office, lost of toxic games of favoritism get played out within schools. Good teachers can be transferred or tormented.

As prices and traffic have grown over the past 15 years, many teachers live up in Frederick/Howard with terrible commutes. A bad working environment combined with an awful commute is making more and more teachers either leave the profession or get a job in Frederick or Howard.

there is a teacher shortage across the country. This is not unique to MCPS.

Sigh - MCPS is being ht doubly harder because of all the above factors. The overall shortage has been giving teachers who already live in Frederick and Howard more options so more are moving from MCPS. The ones that leave the profession all together are doing so because of the bad conditions. No one gets into teaching thinking it will be a money maker. It isn't the salary or the benefits. Its the environment.

Your post is EXACTLY what is wrong with MCPS. MCPS will look at their teacher shortage and say oh well there is some shortage across the country so not our fault! Yeah! We are not to blame and don't have to do anything about it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t sound like the GT population is a priority any longer for MCPS. And that’s okay. Sounds pretty selfish to demand GT education when plenty of kids don’t have enough to eat or a place to sleep.

Said no non-socialist country ever.

Let’s import some more unskilled poors from other countries and play that one out PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe the charters in DC now educate almost half the students. And they’ve seen improvements in test scores in traditional public and the charters. Huge success, I would say.

MoCo is changing and maybe what always worked historically doesn’t work today.

Philly has also seen benefits from charter schools.

Charters or not, MCPS needs to undergo some major changes.

Most of MoCo is suburban with families that have two parents who are highly educated and dual income earners. I do not expect to be treated as if I am in the same boat as large poor urban areas (DC. Chicago, New Orleans, L.A., Philly, Baltimore)

But a large portion of MoCo is similar to those urban areas.

LA educated families demanded charter schools. LA went from a top performing public school district to below average, families pulled out via moving or private/parochial, LA countered with charter schools, educated families went to those. LA continued to be below average test score for years and now way below as illiterate, unskilled, uneducated families surpassed the 50% mark of the community and public school district.

Now they have the worst performing schools in the nation, getting shoveled a ton of tax payer money with no results. Teachers union wants more money, but keeps delivering less teaching/student learning results.

Well, as a teacher myself, they DESERVE more money bc of the challenges they face each day. Results? Lol - When we flip the systems and demand that teachers are autonomous, that central office serves then, that discipline be restored, that teachers determine how to best instruct their kids, you'll see results.

Until then, you'll be part of a crumbling system that will implode very soon!

That’s why the only thing educating poor students well in this county is parochial schools- uniforms, high expectations, discipline, sports, community, parental involvement all required.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:<sigh>

Things don’t look great for folks looking for old school MCPS - the world class education etc. My older kids had that and it’s served them well. But I have a younger child too, who has to contend with all the changes, divisiveness over boundary studies, and overcrowding ... and hopefully no permanent damage from Curriculum 2.0.

Old-school MCPS had overcrowding. Just ask the people who were in school in Montgomery County in the 1960s and early 1970s. It had changes, too. And I bet that if there had been DCUM in those days, there would have been plenty of people lamenting the passing of the good old days (including de jure segregation).

I’ll take overcrowding with literate, hardworking students with 2 involved parents, autonomously teachers, and differentiated classes any day over today’s joke of a mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Print it out and read it. Might take you more than 30 seconds. It’s a fantastic report on the state of MoCo 2019. they didn’t have the balls to publicize it much nor summarize the worst points.

You can also go hang out in the MoCo SSA office and CASA de Maryland for a visual report on the state of illegal immigration and its welfare implications. Or stop by any East county elementary school the first several weeks of the school year for “Open Enrollment, dental checks, doctor checks, shots, and one-in-one counseling in Spanish and variable tribal dialects.”

I've had kids in three East County schools and none have dental checks, doctor's checks, or immunizations. All three are fantastic ideas, though, and I do hope those wrap-around services can be expanded to include more kids at economically diverse schools.

But it is instructive to read you rant about wraparound services just as others in this forum are arguing that boundary revisions shouldn't be undertaken because low-income kids should be given wrap-around services in their own neighborhoods. It turns out folks like you don't like those services much, either.

I feel sorry for those kids with their lack of parenting and adulting from their caretakers. It’s a real shame kids keep showing up en masse at MCPS having never been to a doctor, dentist, or school ever before in any country. What more can we do for theses poor desperate people?