When/how did MCPS go downhill?

[Anonymous]

There’s a correlation to the shifting demographics.

MoCo has lost a big chunk of its most affluent taxpayers (they either died, retired to other states, or avoided what was once considered the more desirable affluent county over DC and NoVA decades ago).

And the schools have a much bigger immigrant and First Gen population that is less affluent and needs more resources.

The curriculum has made a lot of big shifts over the last 15-20 years (dumping spelling and phonics at certain points; switching up math; implementing subpar reading curriculum; abandoning grammar altogether). And let’s not forget a shift away from grouping by ability; forcing teachers to rapidly shift through multiple groups at varying levels serves nobody well. Much of this was done to help poor performing minorities do better on testing.

In short: this is complicated and not easily corrected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a former MCPS (graduated in the early 90’s), I remember MCPS being the top district in Maryland. People moved here for the schools. Reading this forum and looking at Great Schools rating, I’m shocked by all the negative comments and how many people opt for private school. Plus I’m surprised to see that majority of the schools have such low ratings. What on earth happened and when? What can be done to get the old MCPS reputation back?

MCPS is still objectively and comparatively a top district. It now has to be that to a larger more diverse population. And it can’t as easily get away with ignoring or keeping out students that it didn’t previously serve well.

There are problems in MCPS to be certain, but many on DCUM have no idea how to solve them particularly in the interest of all students so instead complain on DCUM (and in school).


Yes, top in mismanagement and waste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former MCPS (graduated in the early 90’s), I remember MCPS being the top district in Maryland. People moved here for the schools. Reading this forum and looking at Great Schools rating, I’m shocked by all the negative comments and how many people opt for private school. Plus I’m surprised to see that majority of the schools have such low ratings. What on earth happened and when? What can be done to get the old MCPS reputation back?

I dispute your premise that it has “gone downhill.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with others above that much of the "decline" is just due to demographic shift, as well as new metrics propagated by real estate agents to institutionalize residential segregation.

With that said, this is part of a broader attack on public education nationwide, including through tax cuts for the wealthy.

In 1993, the highest corporate tax rate was 38%. By 2020, that number had gone down to 21%.

In 1993,, the highest individual tax rate was almost 40%. By 2020, that number was down to 37% even as the highest income Americans gained new mechanisms to shield their wealth from taxation.

It's harder to do more with less.

MCPS, at a $3 billion+ plus budget, has more resources and staff than it has ever had in its history. What are you even talking about “doing more with less”?

And we have way more students. Don't forget that part of the equation.

The budget has tripled and enrollment only increased 20%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are already multiple threads on this topic and ones over from this year. Search. If OP is a private school recruiter, go away.

I don't think you understand that almost all private schools in the area turn away students. They aren't here begging for yours...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s a correlation to the shifting demographics.

MoCo has lost a big chunk of its most affluent taxpayers (they either died, retired to other states, or avoided what was once considered the more desirable affluent county over DC and NoVA decades ago).

And the schools have a much bigger immigrant and First Gen population that is less affluent and needs more resources.

The curriculum has made a lot of big shifts over the last 15-20 years (dumping spelling and phonics at certain points; switching up math; implementing subpar reading curriculum; abandoning grammar altogether). And let’s not forget a shift away from grouping by ability; forcing teachers to rapidly shift through multiple groups at varying levels serves nobody well. Much of this was done to help poor performing minorities do better on testing.

In short: this is complicated and not easily corrected.

This isn’t true at all. A huge chunk of housing is now over 800k or more so that’s a lot of tax money. It’s no accountability at the county or mcps level so they have whacked priorities and out of control spending.

[Anonymous]

Is this your thread too, OP?

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1210439.page

[Anonymous]

If MCPS has gone downhill, the private schools and other school districts in the area have reached the bottom.
They still cannot compete with MCPS.

[Anonymous]

https://montgomeryplanning.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Income-Shifts-Research-Brief-Final.pdf

Just read the handful of trends in the summary on the first page. It backs up the dramatic growth of low-income residents.