HS Magnet decisions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which means they picking with different criteria

No. The schools are still doing their own selection process. They get the data from central office, but it is de-identified (no names or demographics).

This is not what we were told at the information nights. The magnet coordinator was very clear that they will no longer be involved in the selection process and that it would be handled completely by the central office. This is the first head.

They aren't involved in the application process anymore, but they are most certainly involved in selection. RM is holding its all-day selection committee meeting next week and it includes teachers from all the departments. I'm sure central office representatives will be there too- they have been in the past- but the schools are still involved in the selection.

At the CAP meeting, the coordinator said that the school would have no involvement in selection. The school would provide criteria to the selection committee of what they were looking for in applicants but would not have any involvement in actual selection.

Does this vary by program? And why are they imposing this on CAP but not RM?

[Anonymous]

Here is what I see in Poolsville website (this was updated on Oct 10th 2019):

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/poolesvillehs/magnet/Magnet%20FAQs%2010.10.19.pdf

What selection criteria are used?
The selection committee is made of 20-30 staff members from PHS and MCPS central office. Every
application is read twice. If the student is applying to all three programs the application is read six times.The
contents of the application are used as the criteria for selection: the application itself, 7th and 8th grade (first nine
weeks) report cards, 4 confidential teacher recommendations, scores from the CogAT test given on the testing
day, and a writing sample that was created on the testing day. Additional standardized test scores may be
considered as well.

[Anonymous]

This makes it seem like other standardized test scores (presumably MAP and PARCC) are not that important/aren't routinely considered.

[Anonymous]

Did you miss the previous post that says "Additional standardized test scores may be considered as well."

[Anonymous]

“May be” considered. Not will be. The other factors are all definitely considered. Therefore the additional tests are less important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they going to review all the 1000+ applications, essays and scores and select 100 students on a single day?

they are not going to read each of 1000+ applicant's scores/essays/recommendations -- the cogat test acts like a filter to reduce the number of candidates.

It would be nice if this week, they notified whoever didn’t make the first cut so those students could move on with their lives. DH has a friend who found an amazing house, but the friend’s DD and DW won’t even go look at it until they hear back from RMIB. The DD plans to attend a specific neighborhood school if she doesn’t get in to IB.

It could be quite a while longer to wait, as many kids get wait listed and many kids get spots from the wait list as kids that get multiple offers make their decisions.

That is a reasonable approach.

[Anonymous]

Anyone knows specific number of kids that took magnet tests?

[Anonymous]

Was there universal consideration for HS this year? Were all kids evaluated and then thousands invited to take the test or is it still opt-in at the high school level?

[Anonymous]

The forms were sent to every one (thru portal). If kids chose application based programs, they had to fill additional form including essay , achievements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Was there universal consideration for HS this year? Were all kids evaluated and then thousands invited to take the test or is it still opt-in at the high school level?

No it’s opt in and test is on a Saturday. They did eliminate the application fee.

[Anonymous]

All the above is true:
- all kids were invited
- forms were available through the portal
- every child could have filled and apply for any schools of choice
- kids who choose magnet test-in schools had to take the test

Question remines:
HOW MANY kids actually applied to test-in magnet programs.
There was only one test to all test-in magnets and kids will be
considered from that pool. So again, HOW MANY kids did take
the test for all the magnets combined?

[Anonymous]

We were told it was 1000+ last year for upcountry (Poolsville and RMIB). Not sure about this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were told it was 1000+ last year for upcountry (Poolsville and RMIB). Not sure about this year.

There is one number that includes ALL kids that took tests as the test was a basis to qualify
to any of the selected magnets so the question still stands : how many kids took the test?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were told it was 1000+ last year for upcountry (Poolsville and RMIB). Not sure about this year.

There is one number that includes ALL kids that took tests as the test was a basis to qualify
to any of the selected magnets so the question still stands : how many kids took the test?

How would any of us know?

[Anonymous]

Maybe somebody does know from some public meeting or another. Also is it a secret
that MCPS would not share? I think it is not a secret number right?