Differences in school curriculum between Montgomery county and Fairfax county

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also HGC in MCPS is very selective (top 3 to 5%) in their admissions, whereas FFX AAP admits top 10 to 15%.

And many complain they are not really that accelerated since they include a broader range of kids (I have seen higher percentages than PP but can't confirm).

This is a complaint I hear a lot from friends in Fairfax. The difference between the top 5% of students and top 15% of students is really big and the curriculum is aimed more at the lower end of this group of students.
To the OP - you are probably fine in either school system. I think MCPS does a better job educating the top 5%. Post high school options are better in VA.

MCPS does, but it's not due to its teeny weeny magnet program (of which I interview for for my alum's admissions). It's due to many other heavy hitter high performance high schools in the mix. There are some truly impressive kids out there.

[Anonymous]

I have taught in both. They are very similar. FCPS offers school based GT services, MCPS does not. FCPS has better special Ed teachers. MCPS pays teachers more. Both are excellent systems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also HGC in MCPS is very selective (top 3 to 5%) in their admissions, whereas FFX AAP admits top 10 to 15%.

And many complain they are not really that accelerated since they include a broader range of kids (I have seen higher percentages than PP but can't confirm).

This is a complaint I hear a lot from friends in Fairfax. The difference between the top 5% of students and top 15% of students is really big and the curriculum is aimed more at the lower end of this group of students.
To the OP - you are probably fine in either school system. I think MCPS does a better job educating the top 5%. Post high school options are better in VA.

MCPS does, but it's not due to its teeny weeny magnet program (of which I interview for for my alum's admissions). It's due to many other heavy hitter high performance high schools in the mix. There are some truly impressive kids out there.

Which magnet program has interviews?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also HGC in MCPS is very selective (top 3 to 5%) in their admissions, whereas FFX AAP admits top 10 to 15%.

And many complain they are not really that accelerated since they include a broader range of kids (I have seen higher percentages than PP but can't confirm).

This is a complaint I hear a lot from friends in Fairfax. The difference between the top 5% of students and top 15% of students is really big and the curriculum is aimed more at the lower end of this group of students.
To the OP - you are probably fine in either school system. I think MCPS does a better job educating the top 5%. Post high school options are better in VA.

I have heard similar thing from DH who went to Blair in the 1980s. He is pretty darn smart but he met many there who appeared to be in a different stratisphere. We now live in Fairfax Co. and our DC is on AAP track. We would prefer that DC stays in-state for the undergraduate studies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also HGC in MCPS is very selective (top 3 to 5%) in their admissions, whereas FFX AAP admits top 10 to 15%.

And many complain they are not really that accelerated since they include a broader range of kids (I have seen higher percentages than PP but can't confirm).

This is a complaint I hear a lot from friends in Fairfax. The difference between the top 5% of students and top 15% of students is really big and the curriculum is aimed more at the lower end of this group of students.
To the OP - you are probably fine in either school system. I think MCPS does a better job educating the top 5%. Post high school options are better in VA.

MCPS does, but it's not due to its teeny weeny magnet program (of which I interview for for my alum's admissions). It's due to many other heavy hitter high performance high schools in the mix. There are some truly impressive kids out there.

Which magnet program has interviews?

PP is likely referring to interviews for college admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also HGC in MCPS is very selective (top 3 to 5%) in their admissions, whereas FFX AAP admits top 10 to 15%.

Correct, MCPS can only serve a tiny sliver of its huge population for gifted & talented. Fairfax offers more gifted seats per capita.

Furthermore, MCPS, a HUGE county (200+ schools, so many square miles they have 2 different weather forecast alerts), chose the magnet/Gifted program host schools politically. To increase overall school test scores.
They are in more struggling school districts and neighborhoods and are a beltway traffic nightmare for 2/3s the country to get to/from. Therefore, many gifted kids do not bother applying to the middle or high school programs, and the attrition out of the ES gifted program is high as kids not in SIlver SPring don't care for the 6AM and 6PM 1-2 hour bus ride. it's tolerable for ES, but after that you are giving up a lot of your time and extracurricular options.

SO I would say big negative for MCPS.

AAP is not really a gifted program -- Advanced Academics, yes, Highly Gifted, no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also HGC in MCPS is very selective (top 3 to 5%) in their admissions, whereas FFX AAP admits top 10 to 15%.

Correct, MCPS can only serve a tiny sliver of its huge population for gifted & talented. Fairfax offers more gifted seats per capita.

Furthermore, MCPS, a HUGE county (200+ schools, so many square miles they have 2 different weather forecast alerts), chose the magnet/Gifted program host schools politically. To increase overall school test scores.
They are in more struggling school districts and neighborhoods and are a beltway traffic nightmare for 2/3s the country to get to/from. Therefore, many gifted kids do not bother applying to the middle or high school programs, and the attrition out of the ES gifted program is high as kids not in SIlver SPring don't care for the 6AM and 6PM 1-2 hour bus ride. it's tolerable for ES, but after that you are giving up a lot of your time and extracurricular options.

SO I would say big negative for MCPS.

AAP is not really a gifted program -- Advanced Academics, yes, Highly Gifted, no.

HGC is not truly highly gifted. Maybe they have the smarted kids but it is teacher picked and honestly the curriculum was not gifted at all. We were very disappointed in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also HGC in MCPS is very selective (top 3 to 5%) in their admissions, whereas FFX AAP admits top 10 to 15%.

Correct, MCPS can only serve a tiny sliver of its huge population for gifted & talented. Fairfax offers more gifted seats per capita.

Furthermore, MCPS, a HUGE county (200+ schools, so many square miles they have 2 different weather forecast alerts), chose the magnet/Gifted program host schools politically. To increase overall school test scores.
They are in more struggling school districts and neighborhoods and are a beltway traffic nightmare for 2/3s the country to get to/from. Therefore, many gifted kids do not bother applying to the middle or high school programs, and the attrition out of the ES gifted program is high as kids not in SIlver SPring don't care for the 6AM and 6PM 1-2 hour bus ride. it's tolerable for ES, but after that you are giving up a lot of your time and extracurricular options.

SO I would say big negative for MCPS.

AAP is not really a gifted program -- Advanced Academics, yes, Highly Gifted, no.

HGC is not truly highly gifted. Maybe they have the smarted kids but it is teacher picked and honestly the curriculum was not gifted at all. We were very disappointed in it.

+1

In HGC, the only so-called "gifted" content is a) some projects instead of mostly worksheets, and b) exposed to propaganda (like such venerable sources as the Huffington Post for so-called "science" content) and more mature content (like reading about putting Vicks Vapo-Rub in female reproductive parts for dogs in heat), even though "health" isn't until end of 5th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also HGC in MCPS is very selective (top 3 to 5%) in their admissions, whereas FFX AAP admits top 10 to 15%.

Correct, MCPS can only serve a tiny sliver of its huge population for gifted & talented. Fairfax offers more gifted seats per capita.

Furthermore, MCPS, a HUGE county (200+ schools, so many square miles they have 2 different weather forecast alerts), chose the magnet/Gifted program host schools politically. To increase overall school test scores.
They are in more struggling school districts and neighborhoods and are a beltway traffic nightmare for 2/3s the country to get to/from. Therefore, many gifted kids do not bother applying to the middle or high school programs, and the attrition out of the ES gifted program is high as kids not in SIlver SPring don't care for the 6AM and 6PM 1-2 hour bus ride. it's tolerable for ES, but after that you are giving up a lot of your time and extracurricular options.

SO I would say big negative for MCPS.

AAP is not really a gifted program -- Advanced Academics, yes, Highly Gifted, no.

HGC is not truly highly gifted. Maybe they have the smarted kids but it is teacher picked and honestly the curriculum was not gifted at all. We were very disappointed in it.

+1

In HGC, the only so-called "gifted" content is a) some projects instead of mostly worksheets, and b) exposed to propaganda (like such venerable sources as the Huffington Post for so-called "science" content) and more mature content (like reading about putting Vicks Vapo-Rub in female reproductive parts for dogs in heat), even though "health" isn't until end of 5th grade.

OK, so how is AAP's curriculum "truly gifted" when they allow in 15% of the population?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also HGC in MCPS is very selective (top 3 to 5%) in their admissions, whereas FFX AAP admits top 10 to 15%.

Correct, MCPS can only serve a tiny sliver of its huge population for gifted & talented. Fairfax offers more gifted seats per capita.

Furthermore, MCPS, a HUGE county (200+ schools, so many square miles they have 2 different weather forecast alerts), chose the magnet/Gifted program host schools politically. To increase overall school test scores.
They are in more struggling school districts and neighborhoods and are a beltway traffic nightmare for 2/3s the country to get to/from. Therefore, many gifted kids do not bother applying to the middle or high school programs, and the attrition out of the ES gifted program is high as kids not in SIlver SPring don't care for the 6AM and 6PM 1-2 hour bus ride. it's tolerable for ES, but after that you are giving up a lot of your time and extracurricular options.

SO I would say big negative for MCPS.

AAP is not really a gifted program -- Advanced Academics, yes, Highly Gifted, no.

HGC is not truly highly gifted. Maybe they have the smarted kids but it is teacher picked and honestly the curriculum was not gifted at all. We were very disappointed in it.

+1

In HGC, the only so-called "gifted" content is a) some projects instead of mostly worksheets, and b) exposed to propaganda (like such venerable sources as the Huffington Post for so-called "science" content) and more mature content (like reading about putting Vicks Vapo-Rub in female reproductive parts for dogs in heat), even though "health" isn't until end of 5th grade.

OK, so how is AAP's curriculum "truly gifted" when they allow in 15% of the population?

It’s not “truly gifted” and doesn’t purport to be.
It’s the “advanced academic program.” And in Lake Woebegon where all the kids are above average, 15% is about right. That assumes one wanters to get in -- some parents say they pass up all that nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also HGC in MCPS is very selective (top 3 to 5%) in their admissions, whereas FFX AAP admits top 10 to 15%.

Correct, MCPS can only serve a tiny sliver of its huge population for gifted & talented. Fairfax offers more gifted seats per capita.

Furthermore, MCPS, a HUGE county (200+ schools, so many square miles they have 2 different weather forecast alerts), chose the magnet/Gifted program host schools politically. To increase overall school test scores.
They are in more struggling school districts and neighborhoods and are a beltway traffic nightmare for 2/3s the country to get to/from. Therefore, many gifted kids do not bother applying to the middle or high school programs, and the attrition out of the ES gifted program is high as kids not in SIlver SPring don't care for the 6AM and 6PM 1-2 hour bus ride. it's tolerable for ES, but after that you are giving up a lot of your time and extracurricular options.

SO I would say big negative for MCPS.

AAP is not really a gifted program -- Advanced Academics, yes, Highly Gifted, no.

HGC is not truly highly gifted. Maybe they have the smarted kids but it is teacher picked and honestly the curriculum was not gifted at all. We were very disappointed in it.

+1

In HGC, the only so-called "gifted" content is a) some projects instead of mostly worksheets, and b) exposed to propaganda (like such venerable sources as the Huffington Post for so-called "science" content) and more mature content (like reading about putting Vicks Vapo-Rub in female reproductive parts for dogs in heat), even though "health" isn't until end of 5th grade.

OK, so how is AAP's curriculum "truly gifted" when they allow in 15% of the population?

It’s not “truly gifted” and doesn’t purport to be.
It’s the “advanced academic program.” And in Lake Woebegon where all the kids are above average, 15% is about right. That assumes one wanters to get in -- some parents say they pass up all that nonsense.

And apparently because so many get in to AAP, it causes all kinds of angst among parents, and kids even, if their kids don't get in. Appears that if you don't get into AAP, then your child must not be very smart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also HGC in MCPS is very selective (top 3 to 5%) in their admissions, whereas FFX AAP admits top 10 to 15%.

Correct, MCPS can only serve a tiny sliver of its huge population for gifted & talented. Fairfax offers more gifted seats per capita.

Furthermore, MCPS, a HUGE county (200+ schools, so many square miles they have 2 different weather forecast alerts), chose the magnet/Gifted program host schools politically. To increase overall school test scores.
They are in more struggling school districts and neighborhoods and are a beltway traffic nightmare for 2/3s the country to get to/from. Therefore, many gifted kids do not bother applying to the middle or high school programs, and the attrition out of the ES gifted program is high as kids not in SIlver SPring don't care for the 6AM and 6PM 1-2 hour bus ride. it's tolerable for ES, but after that you are giving up a lot of your time and extracurricular options.

SO I would say big negative for MCPS.

AAP is not really a gifted program -- Advanced Academics, yes, Highly Gifted, no.

HGC is not truly highly gifted. Maybe they have the smarted kids but it is teacher picked and honestly the curriculum was not gifted at all. We were very disappointed in it.

+1

In HGC, the only so-called "gifted" content is a) some projects instead of mostly worksheets, and b) exposed to propaganda (like such venerable sources as the Huffington Post for so-called "science" content) and more mature content (like reading about putting Vicks Vapo-Rub in female reproductive parts for dogs in heat), even though "health" isn't until end of 5th grade.

IDK, my HGC kid has written some amazing poetry, but I don't know about propaganda or about the Vicks Vapo rub.. I will say, DC does hear "we hate trump" a lot at school. But, I have a feeling that's pretty much everywhere in MCPS. DC is reading Wonder right now as part of the class curriculum... the book is quite critically acclaimed, and I really like it, too. Sometimes I look at DC's work and think it's not very advanced, but then, I'm not a 5th grade teacher, and I don't really know what's considered "advanced" for 5th graders, so I will leave the judgement of that up to the HGC teachers who I assume know better than me regarding what is considered a "gifted" curriculum.

I don't what kind of "gifted" curriculum you were expecting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMHO, Fairfax has a good system. For Montgomery County Public Schools:

- In terms of program availability, many good students left in home schools have no formal enrichment programs.

- The formal enrichment program (HGC) starts from 3rd grade while Fairfax has it since 2nd grade.

- In terms of school funding, there is a huge disparity among schools. Some schools have ~30% more budgets than others.

- Overall, the school system spend a lot more per student. However, the effectiveness is hard to see.

The HGC starts in fourth grade.

Also, MCPS has middle and high school test-in magnets. Other than TJ, I don't think FFX has this.

Yes the do. Blair, and others. Have a look. http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms/high/

You must not have graduated from a MoCo school, since you seem to have failed geography.