Middle school magnet consortium - any good?

[Anonymous]

Since the application process is so easy, I would suggest that you should apply first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've heard that they stare at the meeting that the leftover spots are more likely to go to students in lower income schools.

You are mistaken. The lottery process for out of bounds students actually favors applicants from more affluent clusters in order to achieve a balance the socioeconomic status of students.

I was really impressed with the student presentations for Parkland and Argyle. Argyle students get to learn the same programming languages as TPMS magnet.

How do you know that? My child went to an HGC at a Title I school and the kids who were in the home school who applied to the MSMC all got it and I've head that this is typical of students applying from that school.

[Anonymous]

They also adjust for gender..so girls are more likely to get into Parklawn and boys to Loiderman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've heard that they stare at the meeting that the leftover spots are more likely to go to students in lower income schools.

You are mistaken. The lottery process for out of bounds students actually favors applicants from more affluent clusters in order to achieve a balance the socioeconomic status of students.

I was really impressed with the student presentations for Parkland and Argyle. Argyle students get to learn the same programming languages as TPMS magnet.

How do you know that? My child went to an HGC at a Title I school and the kids who were in the home school who applied to the MSMC all got it and I've head that this is typical of students applying from that school.

Because it was part of the presentation. Selection takes into account a child's home school's affluence not the HGC school they attended. And all of this is not to say that kids scheduled to attend lower income middle schools can't win a spot.

from page 13 of the choice program booklet you can find on the MCPS website:

Will current Grade 6 students who live outside the Consortium area have the opportunity to participate in the MSMC Choice process for the next school year?
Current Grade 6 students may participate in the Choice process Factors that may be considered in the process include the total number of available seats, total number of applicants for those seats, choice ranking, sibling link, socioeconomic status, gender, and the percentage of students on the Free and Reduced- price Meals System (FARMS) at the applicant’s home school Some students who are invited to MSMC schools may receive a school assignment other than their first choice Students currently in Grade 7 are not eligible to participate in the Choice process for the next school year due to sequencing of courses in the school’s magnet focus

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/msmagnet/homepage/msmc%20program%20booklet%202013.pdf

[Anonymous]

This doesn't say that students with higher inc

[Anonymous]

This says socioeconomic status and FARMS are considered. It doesn't say that students from wealthy schools are favored. How do you know it's not the other way around?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This says socioeconomic status and FARMS are considered. It doesn't say that students from wealthy schools are favored. How do you know it's not the other way around?

Because without the out of consortium students allowed in by lottery, these schools would be nearly 100% low income. The whole point of the lottery is to diversify the SES of the schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This says socioeconomic status and FARMS are considered. It doesn't say that students from wealthy schools are favored. How do you know it's not the other way around?

Because the lottery middle schools are mostly (all?) housed at high FARMS, majority minority schools. So if you are balancing the school, there will be more high SES kids accepted.

We were considering Loiderman for our musical and performance-focused child, but the drive just seemed too daunting and our home school (TPMS) has a strong orchestra. So we'll try the Eastern Magnet or do our home school rather than driving 30 minutes each way, twice a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This says socioeconomic status and FARMS are considered. It doesn't say that students from wealthy schools are favored. How do you know it's not the other way around?

Because without the out of consortium students allowed in by lottery, these schools would be nearly 100% low income. The whole point of the lottery is to diversify the SES of the schools.

The magnet program for these schools was founded through a federal de-segregation grant. The PP is correct- the goal is to bring higher SES students into these 3 schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've heard that they stare at the meeting that the leftover spots are more likely to go to students in lower income schools.

You are mistaken. The lottery process for out of bounds students actually favors applicants from more affluent clusters in order to achieve a balance the socioeconomic status of students.

I was really impressed with the student presentations for Parkland and Argyle. Argyle students get to learn the same programming languages as TPMS magnet.

Just do not tell me that Argyle student would be in 7th grade read the same College level book by themselves like in Mr. Taliff class at Takoma.
There is NO WAY.
My child struggled a lot in that class, and I know at least several other students in TPMS who did.
So there is no way average student from Argyle to cover the same material on the same level in Computer Science.

If student will get some basic Python, I will believe it, but not more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've heard that they stare at the meeting that the leftover spots are more likely to go to students in lower income schools.

You are mistaken. The lottery process for out of bounds students actually favors applicants from more affluent clusters in order to achieve a balance the socioeconomic status of students.

I was really impressed with the student presentations for Parkland and Argyle. Argyle students get to learn the same programming languages as TPMS magnet.

Just do not tell me that Argyle student would be in 7th grade read the same College level book by themselves like in Mr. Taliff class at Takoma.
There is NO WAY.
My child struggled a lot in that class, and I know at least several other students in TPMS who did.
So there is no way average student from Argyle to cover the same material on the same level in Computer Science.

If student will get some basic Python, I will believe it, but not more.

All I meant was that they teach the same programming languages (Python and another language I can't recall). I can't speak to the level of instruction at either school, but would imagine that TP probably goes more in depth.

[Anonymous]

When you're looking at these different middle school programs check out each schools course catalogs/bulletins. It lists the classes available plus a course description. In addition look at after school activities available for students. This will give you a sense of what is available at your homeschool vs. the magnet programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This says socioeconomic status and FARMS are considered. It doesn't say that students from wealthy schools are favored. How do you know it's not the other way around?

Because without the out of consortium students allowed in by lottery, these schools would be nearly 100% low income. The whole point of the lottery is to diversify the SES of the schools.

Nearly 100 percent low income? Not true. While there is a significant amount of low income families using the public schools in the area (40-60%, approximately) there are a sizable amount of us here that do not fall in the low-income category that send our kids to the area schools.

-an in-boundary parent

[Anonymous]

They are 50-60% FARMS with the out of boundary kids included, and the program's purpose was to increase the Ses diversity of the schools. Check the stats of the feeder elementaries compared to the middle schools if you want the most accurate picture of what the magnets impact is on see diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This says socioeconomic status and FARMS are considered. It doesn't say that students from wealthy schools are favored. How do you know it's not the other way around?

FARMs are number one.

The other PP is fooling herself.