Compacted Math Class Structure

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school rotates two CM classrooms along with two classrooms participating in the new ELC program. My son was just complaining this morning that some of the kids in class can not keep up and wonders why they are there because last year "they were in the lower groups" while in regular 3rd grade math. Sad that he is frustrated with CM because they cannot move faster because MCPS feels the need to try and bolster their Math numbers at the cost of the children.

MCPS just can't win. If they don't accelerate lots of kids, that's bad. If they do accelerate lots of kids, that's bad too.

No. The problem is that MCPS has decided to accelerate kids who should not be accelerated just to make their stats looks good and to pretend that they are closing the ‘achievement gap’.

You're the second poster who seems to have assumed that the kids who can't keep up, in the top PP's post, must be poor/black/Hispanic kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school rotates two CM classrooms along with two classrooms participating in the new ELC program. My son was just complaining this morning that some of the kids in class can not keep up and wonders why they are there because last year "they were in the lower groups" while in regular 3rd grade math. Sad that he is frustrated with CM because they cannot move faster because MCPS feels the need to try and bolster their Math numbers at the cost of the children.

MCPS just can't win. If they don't accelerate lots of kids, that's bad. If they do accelerate lots of kids, that's bad too.

No. The problem is that MCPS has decided to accelerate kids who should not be accelerated just to make their stats looks good and to pretend that they are closing the ‘achievement gap’.

You're the second poster who seems to have assumed that the kids who can't keep up, in the top PP's post, must be poor/black/Hispanic kids.

Can you come up with a good reason as to why MCPS decided to push all kids at our ES into Compacted Math? Every kid.

Combined with the fact that much of the literature and rhetoric that comes out of MCPS discusses how we need to close the ‘achievement gap’, it’s fair to propose that the two are connected.

[Anonymous]

PP again - and if you have a better reason then I am more than happy to hear it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school rotates two CM classrooms along with two classrooms participating in the new ELC program. My son was just complaining this morning that some of the kids in class can not keep up and wonders why they are there because last year "they were in the lower groups" while in regular 3rd grade math. Sad that he is frustrated with CM because they cannot move faster because MCPS feels the need to try and bolster their Math numbers at the cost of the children.

MCPS just can't win. If they don't accelerate lots of kids, that's bad. If they do accelerate lots of kids, that's bad too.

No. The problem is that MCPS has decided to accelerate kids who should not be accelerated just to make their stats looks good and to pretend that they are closing the ‘achievement gap’.

You're the second poster who seems to have assumed that the kids who can't keep up, in the top PP's post, must be poor/black/Hispanic kids.

Can you come up with a good reason as to why MCPS decided to push all kids at our ES into Compacted Math? Every kid.

Combined with the fact that much of the literature and rhetoric that comes out of MCPS discusses how we need to close the ‘achievement gap’, it’s fair to propose that the two are connected.

How do you know that it was an MCPS decision? And how can I possibly answer this question, if I don't even know what school your ES is?

But I will ask you a question -- how do you know which kids can and which kids can't keep up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school rotates two CM classrooms along with two classrooms participating in the new ELC program. My son was just complaining this morning that some of the kids in class can not keep up and wonders why they are there because last year "they were in the lower groups" while in regular 3rd grade math. Sad that he is frustrated with CM because they cannot move faster because MCPS feels the need to try and bolster their Math numbers at the cost of the children.

MCPS just can't win. If they don't accelerate lots of kids, that's bad. If they do accelerate lots of kids, that's bad too.

No. The problem is that MCPS has decided to accelerate kids who should not be accelerated just to make their stats looks good and to pretend that they are closing the ‘achievement gap’.

But the achievement gap is calculated by standardized test scores -- not just "participation" in compacted math. So how does this close the gap? I assume that if some kids can't keep up - their PARCC scores will still show it.

[Anonymous]

The curriculum for compacted math is the same, regardless of whether kids you deem inferior are in it or not. So the "unworthy" kids aren't slowing down your math genius. If you want more math enrichment, you'll need to find it outside of compacted math. For example, we send our DC to mathnasium and focus on her performance, and don't worry about who she is sitting next to in compacted math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school rotates two CM classrooms along with two classrooms participating in the new ELC program. My son was just complaining this morning that some of the kids in class can not keep up and wonders why they are there because last year "they were in the lower groups" while in regular 3rd grade math. Sad that he is frustrated with CM because they cannot move faster because MCPS feels the need to try and bolster their Math numbers at the cost of the children.

MCPS just can't win. If they don't accelerate lots of kids, that's bad. If they do accelerate lots of kids, that's bad too.

No. The problem is that MCPS has decided to accelerate kids who should not be accelerated just to make their stats looks good and to pretend that they are closing the ‘achievement gap’.

You're the second poster who seems to have assumed that the kids who can't keep up, in the top PP's post, must be poor/black/Hispanic kids.

I hesitate to post this but our school is mostly white with very few minority kids. The minority kids in my school consists of Hispanics, blacks, non-US born blacks, and Middle Eastern families, and asians. While visiting for back to school night I noticed that the fourth grade regular math class consisted of a majority of minorities. Now, I know my child definitely does not qualify for compacted math and he is in the right placement for math and I don't know if it is The same for the other families but I was hard not to notice the division. I think all the Asian kids were and compacted math (haha & of course!) and just a couple of the US-born blacks. It was very strange seeing it and since I don't know the details I would never say anything to anybody at the school but it did catch my eye.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I hesitate to post this but our school is mostly white with very few minority kids. The minority kids in my school consists of Hispanics, blacks, non-US born blacks, and Middle Eastern families, and asians. While visiting for back to school night I noticed that the fourth grade regular math class consisted of a majority of minorities. Now, I know my child definitely does not qualify for compacted math and he is in the right placement for math and I don't know if it is The same for the other families but I was hard not to notice the division. I think all the Asian kids were and compacted math (haha & of course!) and just a couple of the US-born blacks. It was very strange seeing it and since I don't know the details I would never say anything to anybody at the school but it did catch my eye.

Are you referring to the kids themselves, or to their parents?

[Anonymous]

There are two families and they are from Africa. Including the kids. I believe they came when they were very little and the youngest ones were born here. I have talk to them before but I don't remember their details.

Anyhow, I hesitated posting that because I don't know the details but it was something I noticed. and just to clarify, the compacted math classes were not whites only there were some minorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But the achievement gap is calculated by standardized test scores -- not just "participation" in compacted math. So how does this close the gap? I assume that if some kids can't keep up - their PARCC scores will still show it.

You're right, it doesn't -- UNLESS placement in compacted math improves their PARCC scores. In which case compacted math was the right class for those kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school rotates two CM classrooms along with two classrooms participating in the new ELC program. My son was just complaining this morning that some of the kids in class can not keep up and wonders why they are there because last year "they were in the lower groups" while in regular 3rd grade math. Sad that he is frustrated with CM because they cannot move faster because MCPS feels the need to try and bolster their Math numbers at the cost of the children.

MCPS just can't win. If they don't accelerate lots of kids, that's bad. If they do accelerate lots of kids, that's bad too.

No. The problem is that MCPS has decided to accelerate kids who should not be accelerated just to make their stats looks good and to pretend that they are closing the ‘achievement gap’.

You're the second poster who seems to have assumed that the kids who can't keep up, in the top PP's post, must be poor/black/Hispanic kids.

Can you come up with a good reason as to why MCPS decided to push all kids at our ES into Compacted Math? Every kid.

Combined with the fact that much of the literature and rhetoric that comes out of MCPS discusses how we need to close the ‘achievement gap’, it’s fair to propose that the two are connected.

But just for your school -- which is what demographic? Our school is 30% white and 2 out of 5 classes are compacted math. So its certainly not county-wide....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school rotates two CM classrooms along with two classrooms participating in the new ELC program. My son was just complaining this morning that some of the kids in class can not keep up and wonders why they are there because last year "they were in the lower groups" while in regular 3rd grade math. Sad that he is frustrated with CM because they cannot move faster because MCPS feels the need to try and bolster their Math numbers at the cost of the children.

MCPS just can't win. If they don't accelerate lots of kids, that's bad. If they do accelerate lots of kids, that's bad too.

No. The problem is that MCPS has decided to accelerate kids who should not be accelerated just to make their stats looks good and to pretend that they are closing the ‘achievement gap’.

You're the second poster who seems to have assumed that the kids who can't keep up, in the top PP's post, must be poor/black/Hispanic kids.

Can you come up with a good reason as to why MCPS decided to push all kids at our ES into Compacted Math? Every kid.

Combined with the fact that much of the literature and rhetoric that comes out of MCPS discusses how we need to close the ‘achievement gap’, it’s fair to propose that the two are connected.

But just for your school -- which is what demographic? Our school is 30% white and 2 out of 5 classes are compacted math. So its certainly not county-wide....

And to note -- I have no idea what percentage of what race makes up those 2 classes. I'm just saying we have a diverse school and they didn't make all our classes compacted math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school rotates two CM classrooms along with two classrooms participating in the new ELC program. My son was just complaining this morning that some of the kids in class can not keep up and wonders why they are there because last year "they were in the lower groups" while in regular 3rd grade math. Sad that he is frustrated with CM because they cannot move faster because MCPS feels the need to try and bolster their Math numbers at the cost of the children.

MCPS just can't win. If they don't accelerate lots of kids, that's bad. If they do accelerate lots of kids, that's bad too.

DP... if they accelerate a child who is not ready for it, then yes, it's bad. Why are they doing it? Parents complaining a lot that their kid can do it, even if they really can't? Administrators want to push URM kids who aren't ready into it to make the URM numbers look better? IDK. But, in either case, it's not helping the student.

Yes. Are you new to DCUM? When MCPS was doing a lot of accelerating, parents complained on DCUM that MCPS was pushing their kids. When MCPS was going to maybe stop accelerating, parents complained on DCUM that MCPS was holding back their kids. When MCPS went back to accelerating, but limited, parents complained on DCUM that MCPS was holding back their kids. Now MCPS is accelerating more, parents are complaining on DCUM that MCPS is pushing their kids and that MCPS is holding back their kids.

Now, why did you bring up "URM" kids?

Because of the Metis report. They seem to be heavily focused on closing the achievement gap, which by itself, is a good thing to focus on. But, if the student is not ready for CM, then the student shouldn't be put in it. Doesn't matter what the skin color is. There are some wealthier white children whose parents push the school to put their kid in CM. Neither serves the student.

I'm just wondering why schools are putting more kids into CM. And it does seem to be a county wide thing, not just a few schools. When my older DC was in CM, it was the first or second year of it, and there were only something like twelve kids in it. This year, the number is more than double. I highly doubt that this year's crop of kids is that much more smarter than a few years ago.

Also, they changed the HGC test structure. Again, when my DC applied, it was something like a two hour test. Last year, it was 30minutes. Why the change?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Because of the Metis report. They seem to be heavily focused on closing the achievement gap, which by itself, is a good thing to focus on. But, if the student is not ready for CM, then the student shouldn't be put in it. Doesn't matter what the skin color is. There are some wealthier white children whose parents push the school to put their kid in CM. Neither serves the student.

I'm just wondering why schools are putting more kids into CM. And it does seem to be a county wide thing, not just a few schools. When my older DC was in CM, it was the first or second year of it, and there were only something like twelve kids in it. This year, the number is more than double. I highly doubt that this year's crop of kids is that much more smarter than a few years ago.

Also, they changed the HGC test structure. Again, when my DC applied, it was something like a two hour test. Last year, it was 30minutes. Why the change?

More kids are in compacted math because everything old is new again. More acceleration, less acceleration, more acceleration, less acceleration...

MCPS is redoing the admissions processes for all of the application magnet programs because of the Metis report. They started with the elementary school program, now they're working on the middle school program, then they'll get to the high school programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school rotates two CM classrooms along with two classrooms participating in the new ELC program. My son was just complaining this morning that some of the kids in class can not keep up and wonders why they are there because last year "they were in the lower groups" while in regular 3rd grade math. Sad that he is frustrated with CM because they cannot move faster because MCPS feels the need to try and bolster their Math numbers at the cost of the children.

MCPS just can't win. If they don't accelerate lots of kids, that's bad. If they do accelerate lots of kids, that's bad too.

DP... if they accelerate a child who is not ready for it, then yes, it's bad. Why are they doing it? Parents complaining a lot that their kid can do it, even if they really can't? Administrators want to push URM kids who aren't ready into it to make the URM numbers look better? IDK. But, in either case, it's not helping the student.

Yes. Are you new to DCUM? When MCPS was doing a lot of accelerating, parents complained on DCUM that MCPS was pushing their kids. When MCPS was going to maybe stop accelerating, parents complained on DCUM that MCPS was holding back their kids. When MCPS went back to accelerating, but limited, parents complained on DCUM that MCPS was holding back their kids. Now MCPS is accelerating more, parents are complaining on DCUM that MCPS is pushing their kids and that MCPS is holding back their kids.

Now, why did you bring up "URM" kids?

Because of the Metis report. They seem to be heavily focused on closing the achievement gap, which by itself, is a good thing to focus on. But, if the student is not ready for CM, then the student shouldn't be put in it. Doesn't matter what the skin color is. There are some wealthier white children whose parents push the school to put their kid in CM. Neither serves the student.

I'm just wondering why schools are putting more kids into CM. And it does seem to be a county wide thing, not just a few schools. When my older DC was in CM, it was the first or second year of it, and there were only something like twelve kids in it. This year, the number is more than double. I highly doubt that this year's crop of kids is that much more smarter than a few years ago.

Also, they changed the HGC test structure. Again, when my DC applied, it was something like a two hour test. Last year, it was 30minutes. Why the change?

based on what information?