Could a new consortium make boundary changes more acceptable?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let’s force the entire county be divided into consortiums. No reason schools like Sherwood and WJ can stay out of the NEC and the DCC.

They're going to do this but call them regions instead. Each region will have special programs.

Yes, this seems to be the direction Taylor wants to go in. Hopefully the consortiums are smaller than the DCC. I think the DCC doesn't work so great great because it's too big. If there are more than 3 high schools in the consortium, it's too big.

Who said the DCC doesn't work so great?

Many people. Who said it works great?

Curious what the issues are? We are in the DCC but our oldest is still in elementary school so no experience yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let’s force the entire county be divided into consortiums. No reason schools like Sherwood and WJ can stay out of the NEC and the DCC.

They're going to do this but call them regions instead. Each region will have special programs.

Yes, this seems to be the direction Taylor wants to go in. Hopefully the consortiums are smaller than the DCC. I think the DCC doesn't work so great great because it's too big. If there are more than 3 high schools in the consortium, it's too big.

Who said the DCC doesn't work so great?

Many people. Who said it works great?

Many people. If you want to go to your home Hs no one is stopping you.

And if you don't want to go to your home school, you're essentially subjected to a lottery which does not work in your favor.

[Anonymous]

The problem with the DCC is that it seems like you have access to stuff but you don’t.

We are zoned for Einstein. It’s a great school and neighbors love it, but it doesn’t have advanced STEM programming. If you want that, MCPS says, go to Wheaton. But despite putting Wheaton first on the lottery, my STEM kid didn’t get assigned Wheaton. So he goes to Einstein (without any close friends) and can’t get access to programs available to peers because he lost a lottery. Einstein says they don’t have enough interest to have advanced STEM classes, and they are probably mostly right, but that’s because some of those kids were shipped elsewhere.

He has made friends and will be fine. But the DCC process will always result in things like this. Having specialized high schools is fine, but only if access is real for every kid.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the poster about the limitations to the lottery process. We've benefited from the magnet programs at Wheaton b/they're a good fit for my kids. Many others weren't able to be a part of it. Like all magnets, (county wide or consortium based) there aren't enough seats in those programs. That said, Wheaton is terrific. You can play sports there but other things are lacking

[Anonymous]

It certainly feels like regional options are the way MCPS is going and I’m open to it. As a MCPS teacher, I see that community is not created by attending a certain school/the closest school to you. It is created by active family participation and their willingness to work hard to create opportunities for connection and relationship building. Someone mentioned private schools are ruining their area’s sense of community - but I know families who leave MCPS and choose private school specifically for the tight knit sense of community they provide. My school has both a neighborhood side and an immersion program (choice after lottery). There are wayyyy more parent volunteers/requests for family involvement from those that chose the immersion program compared to those zoned into the school. I think MCPS sees if parents choose a program because they believe in it, they are more actively engaged. In this way, regional programs may create MORE community because of active family involvement versus passive zoned school placement.

[Anonymous]

Agreed about the limitations to lotteries/DCC, as a family zoned for Einstein. MCPS should focus more on equity between individual high schools (and robust options within individual high schools) and less on the special programs that end up being available to very few kids across the county. They sound great in theory but in practice, they leave too many kids out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let’s force the entire county be divided into consortiums. No reason schools like Sherwood and WJ can stay out of the NEC and the DCC.

They're going to do this but call them regions instead. Each region will have special programs.

Yes, this seems to be the direction Taylor wants to go in. Hopefully the consortiums are smaller than the DCC. I think the DCC doesn't work so great great because it's too big. If there are more than 3 high schools in the consortium, it's too big.

Who said the DCC doesn't work so great?

Many people. Who said it works great?

Many people. If you want to go to your home Hs no one is stopping you.

And if you don't want to go to your home school, you're essentially subjected to a lottery which does not work in your favor.

It depends on the school you pick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed about the limitations to lotteries/DCC, as a family zoned for Einstein. MCPS should focus more on equity between individual high schools (and robust options within individual high schools) and less on the special programs that end up being available to very few kids across the county. They sound great in theory but in practice, they leave too many kids out.

Part of that is the principle. Einstein principle will never make higher level classes or more money to the arts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let’s force the entire county be divided into consortiums. No reason schools like Sherwood and WJ can stay out of the NEC and the DCC.

They're going to do this but call them regions instead. Each region will have special programs.

Yes, this seems to be the direction Taylor wants to go in. Hopefully the consortiums are smaller than the DCC. I think the DCC doesn't work so great great because it's too big. If there are more than 3 high schools in the consortium, it's too big.

Who said the DCC doesn't work so great?

Many people. Who said it works great?

Many people. If you want to go to your home Hs no one is stopping you.

And if you don't want to go to your home school, you're essentially subjected to a lottery which does not work in your favor.

Isn't this the same situation you would be in if there was no consortium, though?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let’s force the entire county be divided into consortiums. No reason schools like Sherwood and WJ can stay out of the NEC and the DCC.

They're going to do this but call them regions instead. Each region will have special programs.

Yes, this seems to be the direction Taylor wants to go in. Hopefully the consortiums are smaller than the DCC. I think the DCC doesn't work so great great because it's too big. If there are more than 3 high schools in the consortium, it's too big.

Who said the DCC doesn't work so great?

Many people. Who said it works great?

Many people. If you want to go to your home Hs no one is stopping you.

And if you don't want to go to your home school, you're essentially subjected to a lottery which does not work in your favor.

Isn't this the same situation you would be in if there was no consortium, though?

If there was no consortium PP would be stuck with a home school they don’t want and no other choices except for magnets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let’s force the entire county be divided into consortiums. No reason schools like Sherwood and WJ can stay out of the NEC and the DCC.

They're going to do this but call them regions instead. Each region will have special programs.

Yes, this seems to be the direction Taylor wants to go in. Hopefully the consortiums are smaller than the DCC. I think the DCC doesn't work so great great because it's too big. If there are more than 3 high schools in the consortium, it's too big.

Who said the DCC doesn't work so great?

Many people. Who said it works great?

Many people. If you want to go to your home Hs no one is stopping you.

And if you don't want to go to your home school, you're essentially subjected to a lottery which does not work in your favor.

Isn't this the same situation you would be in if there was no consortium, though?

If there was no consortium PP would be stuck with a home school they don’t want and no other choices except for magnets.

I am the PP and you’re right. But the key is that then all the other STEM kids would also be at Einstein, and it would be easier to advocate for advanced programming. Removing 70% of STEM kids really sucks for the 30% left behind.

[Anonymous]

For those complaining about Einstein: Just stop it - you have access to IB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It certainly feels like regional options are the way MCPS is going and I’m open to it. As a MCPS teacher, I see that community is not created by attending a certain school/the closest school to you. It is created by active family participation and their willingness to work hard to create opportunities for connection and relationship building. Someone mentioned private schools are ruining their area’s sense of community - but I know families who leave MCPS and choose private school specifically for the tight knit sense of community they provide. My school has both a neighborhood side and an immersion program (choice after lottery). There are wayyyy more parent volunteers/requests for family involvement from those that chose the immersion program compared to those zoned into the school. I think MCPS sees if parents choose a program because they believe in it, they are more actively engaged. In this way, regional programs may create MORE community because of active family involvement versus passive zoned school placement.

Of course they are. Immersion parents disproportionately UMC with resources to make that choice that's more complicated than sending their kid to the local school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed about the limitations to lotteries/DCC, as a family zoned for Einstein. MCPS should focus more on equity between individual high schools (and robust options within individual high schools) and less on the special programs that end up being available to very few kids across the county. They sound great in theory but in practice, they leave too many kids out.

+1

Taking out 10 out of 20 kids interested in higher level math cours means, 10 kids who did not get lucky can not take higher level math course becasue school does not have 20 kids for form a class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let’s force the entire county be divided into consortiums. No reason schools like Sherwood and WJ can stay out of the NEC and the DCC.

They're going to do this but call them regions instead. Each region will have special programs.

Yes, this seems to be the direction Taylor wants to go in. Hopefully the consortiums are smaller than the DCC. I think the DCC doesn't work so great great because it's too big. If there are more than 3 high schools in the consortium, it's too big.

Who said the DCC doesn't work so great?

Many people. Who said it works great?

Many people. If you want to go to your home Hs no one is stopping you.

And if you don't want to go to your home school, you're essentially subjected to a lottery which does not work in your favor.

Isn't this the same situation you would be in if there was no consortium, though?

If there was no consortium PP would be stuck with a home school they don’t want and no other choices except for magnets.

I am the PP and you’re right. But the key is that then all the other STEM kids would also be at Einstein, and it would be easier to advocate for advanced programming. Removing 70% of STEM kids really sucks for the 30% left behind.

+1

Consortium system is hugely negative for kids who are left behind.