7/24 BOE meeting thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I reading this slides correctly? Are they getting rid of the countywide programs at Blair and RM?

Looks like affirmative. It’s clearly stated in their slides now.

It's clearly stated that they recommend it. The board still gets to decide (next year).

Anything about the VAC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I reading this slides correctly? Are they getting rid of the countywide programs at Blair and RM?

Looks like affirmative. It’s clearly stated in their slides now.

It's clearly stated that they recommend it. The board still gets to decide (next year).

Anything about the VAC?

Would be stopped, but each region would have a performing arts program which might incorporate some (as they say that music is in that)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I reading this slides correctly? Are they getting rid of the countywide programs at Blair and RM?

Looks like affirmative. It’s clearly stated in their slides now.

It's clearly stated that they recommend it. The board still gets to decide (next year).

Anything about the VAC?

Would be stopped, but each region would have a performing arts program which might incorporate some (as they say that music is in that)?

No, they just said the VAC would stay at Einstein but be for that region. Presumably there would also be VAC-like programs available in the other regions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I reading this slides correctly? Are they getting rid of the countywide programs at Blair and RM?

Looks like affirmative. It’s clearly stated in their slides now.

It's clearly stated that they recommend it. The board still gets to decide (next year).

Anything about the VAC?

Would be stopped, but each region would have a performing arts program which might incorporate some (as they say that music is in that)?

No, they just said the VAC would stay at Einstein but be for that region. Presumably there would also be VAC-like programs available in the other regions.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

These programs are going to create more problems than they will solve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The last map here, option 5, is what the new region proposal is:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DJVQ6D678692/$file/Attachment%20A%20Program%20Study%20Regions%20Options%20250724.pdf

Except they are using existing high school boundaries and zones to inform their numbers (utilization, demographics) but these numbers are all wrong because the zones will change!

[Anonymous]

Has Blair's magnet and RM's IB program been cancelled or reduced to students in their respective new regions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has Blair's magnet and RM's IB program been cancelled or reduced to students in their respective new regions?

Both are gone as full county magnets. Instead, each region will have anIB program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has Blair's magnet and RM's IB program been cancelled or reduced to students in their respective new regions?

Both are gone as full county magnets. Instead, each region will have anIB program.

Blair Magnet was not countywide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has Blair's magnet and RM's IB program been cancelled or reduced to students in their respective new regions?

Both are gone as full county magnets. Instead, each region will have anIB program.

Blair Magnet was not countywide.

If you're going to keep posting that Blair SMCS is not a full county program, you need to say that it covers about 2/3 of the county, where Poolesville SMCS covers the rest. In leaving that bit out, you leave the incorrect impression that its being "regional" is the same as the way it would be regional with the new plan, when the draw, instead, would be from about a quarter of the present population.

That may be a good thing, as long as the program doesn't get watered down as a result and as long as the new STEM magnets replicate the depth and breadth of the Blair SMCS program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has Blair's magnet and RM's IB program been cancelled or reduced to students in their respective new regions?

Both are gone as full county magnets. Instead, each region will have anIB program.

Blair Magnet was not countywide.

If you're going to keep posting that Blair SMCS is not a full county program, you need to say that it covers about 2/3 of the county, where Poolesville SMCS covers the rest. In leaving that bit out, you leave the incorrect impression that its being "regional" is the same as the way it would be regional with the new plan, when the draw, instead, would be from about a quarter of the present population.

That may be a good thing, as long as the program doesn't get watered down as a result and as long as the new STEM magnets replicate the depth and breadth of the Blair SMCS program.

All of the programs will be watered down. Just take a look at the regional IB programs. You also won’t have enough trained teachers for all of these programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has Blair's magnet and RM's IB program been cancelled or reduced to students in their respective new regions?

Not cancelled. Incoming 9th this year will still be countywide. Incoming 9th next year (rising 8th graders applying) will still be countywide. All of those students will get to remain in the program all 4 years. Program will still exist in the school after that, but incoming 9th in 2027 will be criteria based applications from kids in that region. There will be an equivalent criteria based program located in one school in each region that will start in 2027.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why, why, why can't we just work on 26 strong high schools that all offer a variety of leveled work? Why can't all students just go to their zoned school? What if we used all of this money from their "Research," buses, program procurement etc, to add more teachers to the county and reduce the size of classes? Why does everyone need a program?

+1

Have all students attend their zoned schools and just focus on making them all strong. Utilize virtual education and dual enrollment if needed to add rigor and equality. Stop wasting money.

Great. Except the virtual/dual enrollment bit, which is a huge equity issue, offering a diminished experience and/or additional burdens.

If you want local-only schools, vote to provide enough differential funding to allow all of the same classes to be available at each local school whenever there is a student who qualifies for them. You might have to pay more in taxes, of course, or be willing not to have certain classes offered at any school if the funding can't be found to resource them at every school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why, why, why can't we just work on 26 strong high schools that all offer a variety of leveled work? Why can't all students just go to their zoned school? What if we used all of this money from their "Research," buses, program procurement etc, to add more teachers to the county and reduce the size of classes? Why does everyone need a program?

+1

Have all students attend their zoned schools and just focus on making them all strong. Utilize virtual education and dual enrollment if needed to add rigor and equality. Stop wasting money.

Great. Except the virtual/dual enrollment bit, which is a huge equity issue, offering a diminished experience and/or additional burdens.

If you want local-only schools, vote to provide enough differential funding to allow all of the same classes to be available at each local school whenever there is a student who qualifies for them. You might have to pay more in taxes, of course, or be willing not to have certain classes offered at any school if the funding can't be found to resource them at every school.

Do you think that even with these regional programs, there are going to be seats for everyone who wants each program? This is going to create more disparity between schools, not less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why, why, why can't we just work on 26 strong high schools that all offer a variety of leveled work? Why can't all students just go to their zoned school? What if we used all of this money from their "Research," buses, program procurement etc, to add more teachers to the county and reduce the size of classes? Why does everyone need a program?

+1

Have all students attend their zoned schools and just focus on making them all strong. Utilize virtual education and dual enrollment if needed to add rigor and equality. Stop wasting money.

Great. Except the virtual/dual enrollment bit, which is a huge equity issue, offering a diminished experience and/or additional burdens.

If you want local-only schools, vote to provide enough differential funding to allow all of the same classes to be available at each local school whenever there is a student who qualifies for them. You might have to pay more in taxes, of course, or be willing not to have certain classes offered at any school if the funding can't be found to resource them at every school.

Do you think that even with these regional programs, there are going to be seats for everyone who wants each program? This is going to create more disparity between schools, not less.

Who knows? They have no way of knowing demand. The kids who have historically applied to countrywide programs might not be interested in a brand new untested regional program. The kids who haven’t considered countywide programs due to geography might be more interested if offerings are closer to home or in their home school. Some people may use programs as a way to boomerang back to a school that got changed in the boundary study. I’m just not sure that many kids want to leave their home high schools and friends unless programs are very attractive and offer them something they can’t access at their zoned school. I think they are overestimating demand tbh.