TKPK public schools vs. AUP/Tenleytown/Friendship Heights public schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Piney Branch? And how do Takoma Park schools compare to other MoCo public schools (eg, Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase)?

We personally chose to be in TKPK over those areas. We found Takoma more charming and convenient, but we also like the schools.
The CES at PBES was wonderful when my kids went through it. They offer IM math like all other ES in MCPS too.
Blair produces something like 35-40 National Merit Scholars a year. Don't think there's anything else comparable in the county.

I like Blair a great deal..but most if not all of the NMSF are in the magnet which are some of the top students selected from 16 high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids went through TKPK schools here's the low down.

TPES (K-2) had the only ES magnet in MCPS. They still have enriched math unlike other ES in the county. It is a focus school so class sizes can run as low as 16 students but are more often 18-20.

PBES (3-6) has a local CES also a fine school. If you go by GS ratings it's a 10 for my kid's demographic cohort which is to say anyone can get a great education there.

TPMS (6-8) hosts the county's STEM magnet program. There is an in-boudnary set aside of 25 seats for the magnet. I think the school has a rating of 10/10 for test score averages but not sure that matters. It also offers the enriched classes like all other MCPS MS.

Blair (9-12) the largest HS in the county. It is also very diverse in a balanced way. It hosts the HS STEM magnet and CAP. You also can do great there just taking APs. Given its size, there's a lot of opportunities to find your niche. Bethesda Beat has a list of college admissions from local HSs. Blair does well. It also often wins things like "It's Academic" for the region and has students in both the US Math and Physics Olympiad.

This is all quite helpful. What do average class sizes look like for PBES, TPMS, and Blair?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Piney Branch? And how do Takoma Park schools compare to other MoCo public schools (eg, Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase)?

We personally chose to be in TKPK over those areas. We found Takoma more charming and convenient, but we also like the schools.
The CES at PBES was wonderful when my kids went through it. They offer IM math like all other ES in MCPS too.
Blair produces something like 35-40 National Merit Scholars a year. Don't think there's anything else comparable in the county.

I like Blair a great deal..but most if not all of the NMSF are in the magnet which are some of the top students selected from 16 high schools.

A couple were from the magnet sure but hardly all. That's the kind of sour grapes you always hear from W parents suffering from Blair envy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids went through TKPK schools here's the low down.

TPES (K-2) had the only ES magnet in MCPS. They still have enriched math unlike other ES in the county. It is a focus school so class sizes can run as low as 16 students but are more often 18-20.

PBES (3-6) has a local CES also a fine school. If you go by GS ratings it's a 10 for my kid's demographic cohort which is to say anyone can get a great education there.

TPMS (6-8) hosts the county's STEM magnet program. There is an in-boudnary set aside of 25 seats for the magnet. I think the school has a rating of 10/10 for test score averages but not sure that matters. It also offers the enriched classes like all other MCPS MS.

Blair (9-12) the largest HS in the county. It is also very diverse in a balanced way. It hosts the HS STEM magnet and CAP. You also can do great there just taking APs. Given its size, there's a lot of opportunities to find your niche. Bethesda Beat has a list of college admissions from local HSs. Blair does well. It also often wins things like "It's Academic" for the region and has students in both the US Math and Physics Olympiad.

This is all quite helpful. What do average class sizes look like for PBES, TPMS, and Blair?

PBES is also a focus school which means class sizes are smaller than a regular MCPS school but are usually around 25-26. By MS and HS these numbers are fairly consistent across schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Piney Branch? And how do Takoma Park schools compare to other MoCo public schools (eg, Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase)?

We personally chose to be in TKPK over those areas. We found Takoma more charming and convenient, but we also like the schools.
The CES at PBES was wonderful when my kids went through it. They offer IM math like all other ES in MCPS too.
Blair produces something like 35-40 National Merit Scholars a year. Don't think there's anything else comparable in the county.

I like Blair a great deal..but most if not all of the NMSF are in the magnet which are some of the top students selected from 16 high schools.

A couple were from the magnet sure but hardly all. That's the kind of sour grapes you always hear from W parents suffering from Blair envy.

My child's year it was all CAP and SMAC except for 1. Sorry but that is the norm. I am a Blair parent who thinks it is a great school but lets be honest.

[Anonymous]

PBES, TPMS, and Blair are all good at the regular level (non-magnet). PBES offers enriched math for all kids 4th and up (same math as the magnet kids, actually, which gets them through 6th by the end of 5th grade). I believe about half the kids at PBES did this accelerated math when we were there a year ago.

TPMS is a great, community-oriented, welcoming school. You'll read more about the magnet, but the school is largely just regular kids.

I am comfortable with these schools in and of themselves. Am not at Blair yet, but it also seems good. Neighbors like it (most in the regular program, some in CAP, some in other special programs). The kids we know who attend Blair in our Takoma Park neighborhood are good, smart, nice kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Piney Branch? And how do Takoma Park schools compare to other MoCo public schools (eg, Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase)?

We personally chose to be in TKPK over those areas. We found Takoma more charming and convenient, but we also like the schools.
The CES at PBES was wonderful when my kids went through it. They offer IM math like all other ES in MCPS too.
Blair produces something like 35-40 National Merit Scholars a year. Don't think there's anything else comparable in the county.

I like Blair a great deal..but most if not all of the NMSF are in the magnet which are some of the top students selected from 16 high schools.

A couple were from the magnet sure but hardly all. That's the kind of sour grapes you always hear from W parents suffering from Blair envy.

My child's year it was all CAP and SMAC except for 1. Sorry but that is the norm. I am a Blair parent who thinks it is a great school but lets be honest.

When my kids were there there were typically 5-6 who weren't SMAC or CAP which is similar to any MCPS HS school. Also, there are many many kids who are CAP and SMAC but zoned for Blair too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PBES, TPMS, and Blair are all good at the regular level (non-magnet). PBES offers enriched math for all kids 4th and up (same math as the magnet kids, actually, which gets them through 6th by the end of 5th grade). I believe about half the kids at PBES did this accelerated math when we were there a year ago.

TPMS is a great, community-oriented, welcoming school. You'll read more about the magnet, but the school is largely just regular kids.

I am comfortable with these schools in and of themselves. Am not at Blair yet, but it also seems good. Neighbors like it (most in the regular program, some in CAP, some in other special programs). The kids we know who attend Blair in our Takoma Park neighborhood are good, smart, nice kids.

For what it is worth, every MCPS school offers enriched math for grades 4 and up. That's not unique to PBES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids went through TKPK schools here's the low down.

TPES (K-2) had the only ES magnet in MCPS. They still have enriched math unlike other ES in the county. It is a focus school so class sizes can run as low as 16 students but are more often 18-20.

PBES (3-6) has a local CES also a fine school. If you go by GS ratings it's a 10 for my kid's demographic cohort which is to say anyone can get a great education there.

TPMS (6-8) hosts the county's STEM magnet program. There is an in-boudnary set aside of 25 seats for the magnet. I think the school has a rating of 10/10 for test score averages but not sure that matters. It also offers the enriched classes like all other MCPS MS.

Blair (9-12) the largest HS in the county. It is also very diverse in a balanced way. It hosts the HS STEM magnet and CAP. You also can do great there just taking APs. Given its size, there's a lot of opportunities to find your niche. Bethesda Beat has a list of college admissions from local HSs. Blair does well. It also often wins things like "It's Academic" for the region and has students in both the US Math and Physics Olympiad.

NP-- a couple of notes.

TPES is not a magnet-- a magnet is thus named because it draws kids from elsewhere. It is a "gifted" program or whatever you want to call it, though, for kids in zone.

FOCUS schools have a class size limit of 18 at the beginning of the school year for the lower grades, but can add a couple during the year if kids move in or whatever.

OP-- It really does sound like you started with Great Schools. Please know that GS is bunk. It's exactly why two schools with literally the same cohort and similar admins can have different GS scores. And their new diversity/equity metrics do a terrible job of what they want them to do, and inevitably and invariably penalize schools like Blair for existing. The primary purpose of the creation of the magnets at Blair (30 years ago) was to draw kids from the county at large (whiter, and now more Asian American) to a school that was disproportionately Black and Latino. By making it a very academically selective program, you end up with high achieving students who are disproportionately-- as compared to the natural cohort-- white and Asian. GS equity score compares the achievement of white and Asian students to Black and Latino. If the school had just its natural cohort, the differences would be much less stark-- it's less that most Black and Latino students are getting a bad education and more that half or more of the white and Asian students attend the school because they were selected for high test scores in the first place, and get an even (arguably) better education. (Blair absolutely has white and Asian students within its boundaries, by the way-- it's just a matter of proportion.)

[Anonymous]

TPES is not a magnet-- a magnet is thus named because it draws kids from elsewhere. It is a "gifted" program or whatever you want to call it, though, for kids in zone.

Up until three years ago, TPES did draw kids from outside the zone. It was the only primary (1st and 2nd) grade magnet in MCPS. That program was quietly shuttered but in-bounds kids still get some math acceleration as compared to K-2 kids outside the TPES zone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

TPES is not a magnet-- a magnet is thus named because it draws kids from elsewhere. It is a "gifted" program or whatever you want to call it, though, for kids in zone.

Up until three years ago, TPES did draw kids from outside the zone. It was the only primary (1st and 2nd) grade magnet in MCPS. That program was quietly shuttered but in-bounds kids still get some math acceleration as compared to K-2 kids outside the TPES zone.

Right-- it just isn't anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Piney Branch? And how do Takoma Park schools compare to other MoCo public schools (eg, Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase)?

We personally chose to be in TKPK over those areas. We found Takoma more charming and convenient, but we also like the schools.
The CES at PBES was wonderful when my kids went through it. They offer IM math like all other ES in MCPS too.
Blair produces something like 35-40 National Merit Scholars a year. Don't think there's anything else comparable in the county.

I like Blair a great deal..but most if not all of the NMSF are in the magnet which are some of the top students selected from 16 high schools.

A couple were from the magnet sure but hardly all. That's the kind of sour grapes you always hear from W parents suffering from Blair envy.

My child's year it was all CAP and SMAC except for 1. Sorry but that is the norm. I am a Blair parent who thinks it is a great school but lets be honest.

When my kids were there there were typically 5-6 who weren't SMAC or CAP which is similar to any MCPS HS school. Also, there are many many kids who are CAP and SMAC but zoned for Blair too.

That is a high number for a non-magnet school. Impressive if accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

TPES is not a magnet-- a magnet is thus named because it draws kids from elsewhere. It is a "gifted" program or whatever you want to call it, though, for kids in zone.

Up until three years ago, TPES did draw kids from outside the zone. It was the only primary (1st and 2nd) grade magnet in MCPS. That program was quietly shuttered but in-bounds kids still get some math acceleration as compared to K-2 kids outside the TPES zone.

Right-- it just isn't anymore.

+1 TPES/PBES/TPMS/Blair does have it's supporters, but MCPS watered down the Magnet program so it's not the best-of-the-best anymore. PBES also had a number of issues in recent years, so needs a clean-up. There are other schools that I would argue are just as good or better (if you don't like Great Schools, check U.S. News, SchoolDigger, Niche, Patch, Publicschoolview...).

[Anonymous]

Blech to this thread.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-urban-moms-school-segregation-study/2021/03/31/8320b6e4-9160-11eb-a74e-1f4cf89fd948_story.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids went through TKPK schools here's the low down.

TPES (K-2) had the only ES magnet in MCPS. They still have enriched math unlike other ES in the county. It is a focus school so class sizes can run as low as 16 students but are more often 18-20.

PBES (3-6) has a local CES also a fine school. If you go by GS ratings it's a 10 for my kid's demographic cohort which is to say anyone can get a great education there.

TPMS (6-8) hosts the county's STEM magnet program. There is an in-boudnary set aside of 25 seats for the magnet. I think the school has a rating of 10/10 for test score averages but not sure that matters. It also offers the enriched classes like all other MCPS MS.

Blair (9-12) the largest HS in the county. It is also very diverse in a balanced way. It hosts the HS STEM magnet and CAP. You also can do great there just taking APs. Given its size, there's a lot of opportunities to find your niche. Bethesda Beat has a list of college admissions from local HSs. Blair does well. It also often wins things like "It's Academic" for the region and has students in both the US Math and Physics Olympiad.

NP-- a couple of notes.

TPES is not a magnet-- a magnet is thus named because it draws kids from elsewhere. It is a "gifted" program or whatever you want to call it, though, for kids in zone.

FOCUS schools have a class size limit of 18 at the beginning of the school year for the lower grades, but can add a couple during the year if kids move in or whatever.

OP-- It really does sound like you started with Great Schools. Please know that GS is bunk. It's exactly why two schools with literally the same cohort and similar admins can have different GS scores. And their new diversity/equity metrics do a terrible job of what they want them to do, and inevitably and invariably penalize schools like Blair for existing. The primary purpose of the creation of the magnets at Blair (30 years ago) was to draw kids from the county at large (whiter, and now more Asian American) to a school that was disproportionately Black and Latino. By making it a very academically selective program, you end up with high achieving students who are disproportionately-- as compared to the natural cohort-- white and Asian. GS equity score compares the achievement of white and Asian students to Black and Latino. If the school had just its natural cohort, the differences would be much less stark-- it's less that most Black and Latino students are getting a bad education and more that half or more of the white and Asian students attend the school because they were selected for high test scores in the first place, and get an even (arguably) better education. (Blair absolutely has white and Asian students within its boundaries, by the way-- it's just a matter of proportion.)

TPES was in fact an ES magnet for many years. They had classes not offered elsewhere. The program ended a few years ago. They still offer enriched math not available at other schools in the county.