How to help MCPS' lowest performing students?

[Anonymous]

New to this thread.
Those kids need universal preschool as early as possible, with transportation and flexible start times. It has to be field trip based, not classroom based. Lots of hands on new experiences, reading to the kids, and no academic stuff until K. Low teacher student ratio too.
Their problem (besides lower IQ levels) is that their background knowledge is so narrow. They need field trips to the local parks, adults speaking to them beyond purely everyday things, learning some academic language.
Some kids need counseling due to SN and trauma.
This would cost a ton though, and stupid admin doesn’t understand the importance of it anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread.
Those kids need universal preschool as early as possible, with transportation and flexible start times. It has to be field trip based, not classroom based. Lots of hands on new experiences, reading to the kids, and no academic stuff until K. Low teacher student ratio too.
Their problem (besides lower IQ levels) is that their background knowledge is so narrow. They need field trips to the local parks, adults speaking to them beyond purely everyday things, learning some academic language.
Some kids need counseling due to SN and trauma.
This would cost a ton though, and stupid admin doesn’t understand the importance of it anyway.

Field trips require extra staffing and transportation...lots of things would be great but just not practical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread.
Those kids need universal preschool as early as possible, with transportation and flexible start times. It has to be field trip based, not classroom based. Lots of hands on new experiences, reading to the kids, and no academic stuff until K. Low teacher student ratio too.
Their problem (besides lower IQ levels) is that their background knowledge is so narrow. They need field trips to the local parks, adults speaking to them beyond purely everyday things, learning some academic language.
Some kids need counseling due to SN and trauma.
This would cost a ton though, and stupid admin doesn’t understand the importance of it anyway.

Universal preschool means that ALL kids get free preschool. It means providing space and staff for ALL kids, even middle class and wealthy kid to attend preschool for free (well, paid for using taxpayer dollars).

You want free preK for lower-income kids and recent immigrants. This is ALREADY offered. And transportation is provided. Not flexible start times, but not sure how much of a difference that would make anyway.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know if they break down data based on how long a kid has been on MCPS?

My guess is that the kids that enter McPS before 1st grade actually do okay by the time they get a middle school. My guess is the lowest performing students are those that enter the system much later. Some of them might just need more years in the McPS system to catch up. Others may just be too far behind — like the 15 year olds that come from countries where they had no real education—I can’t imagine how hard it would be for those kids to catch up.

[Anonymous]

Go private so taxpayers don't spend money on your kids who can afford private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if they break down data based on how long a kid has been on MCPS?

My guess is that the kids that enter McPS before 1st grade actually do okay by the time they get a middle school. My guess is the lowest performing students are those that enter the system much later. Some of them might just need more years in the McPS system to catch up. Others may just be too far behind — like the 15 year olds that come from countries where they had no real education—I can’t imagine how hard it would be for those kids to catch up.

I think this is a super relevant point and I don’t know if they ever break out this data particularly clearly. Imagine if they plopped my kid in a country where English is not the primary language and gave them middle school level exams in that county’s language. Even if it was an algebra or geometry exam, but the questions were in Greek, I’m sure it wouldn’t demonstrate any type of useful results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread.
Those kids need universal preschool as early as possible, with transportation and flexible start times. It has to be field trip based, not classroom based. Lots of hands on new experiences, reading to the kids, and no academic stuff until K. Low teacher student ratio too.
Their problem (besides lower IQ levels) is that their background knowledge is so narrow. They need field trips to the local parks, adults speaking to them beyond purely everyday things, learning some academic language.
Some kids need counseling due to SN and trauma.
This would cost a ton though, and stupid admin doesn’t understand the importance of it anyway.

Universal preschool means that ALL kids get free preschool. It means providing space and staff for ALL kids, even middle class and wealthy kid to attend preschool for free (well, paid for using taxpayer dollars).

You want free preK for lower-income kids and recent immigrants. This is ALREADY offered. And transportation is provided. Not flexible start times, but not sure how much of a difference that would make anyway.

It’s first come first serve and limited spaces.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if they break down data based on how long a kid has been on MCPS?

My guess is that the kids that enter McPS before 1st grade actually do okay by the time they get a middle school. My guess is the lowest performing students are those that enter the system much later. Some of them might just need more years in the McPS system to catch up. Others may just be too far behind — like the 15 year olds that come from countries where they had no real education—I can’t imagine how hard it would be for those kids to catch up.

Nope, mcps fails kids with learning and other disabilities and does not teach basics like spelling, grammar, math facts and much more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

OP's also asking: "Parents/guardians of these students need assistance too but there is time and language and cultural barriers- getting them information about identifying learning issues, ELL services, attitude/views about learning?"

You do realize that immigrants, including non-English speaking immigrants, have been arriving to the US for well over 200 years. Many thrive here today in just one generation. It takes a home environment that emphasizes education as a path to success. if you have this, the rest of your culture doesn’t really matter.

It’s not the immigrants that are arriving. It’s the sheer number of immigrants that are arriving on an already stressed out system and needing services that are beyond what the system can provide and it is already not providing It’s existing residents.

This. We have had an influx of thousands of children from all over the world and many of them need more services (help with food/housing/healthcare) than we have ever had before.

It is putting an unreasonable amount of pressure on teachers and admin in MCPS.

+1 even if it is necessary and the right thing to do to provide the extra resources, support, and academic attention, it can simultaneously be true that it takes resources away from other budget items that would otherwise be available for other/all groups of students. It’s not just extra money from the state. The EML staffing salary budget alone is a direct area that grows and shrinks based on this need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if they break down data based on how long a kid has been on MCPS?

My guess is that the kids that enter McPS before 1st grade actually do okay by the time they get a middle school. My guess is the lowest performing students are those that enter the system much later. Some of them might just need more years in the McPS system to catch up. Others may just be too far behind — like the 15 year olds that come from countries where they had no real education—I can’t imagine how hard it would be for those kids to catch up.

I think this is a super relevant point and I don’t know if they ever break out this data particularly clearly. Imagine if they plopped my kid in a country where English is not the primary language and gave them middle school level exams in that county’s language. Even if it was an algebra or geometry exam, but the questions were in Greek, I’m sure it wouldn’t demonstrate any type of useful results.

It is a relevant point but at the same time not the problem. For example Maryland is one of the few places that requires that GED to be passed in English. Folks say this is an accessibility issue and damages chances for people to pass. I disagree with that idea. The GED is supposed to show that you’ve mastered US High School content and have the basic skills to be ready for career and community. If you don’t have the English language skills then you don’t have what would be required to pass US HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if they break down data based on how long a kid has been on MCPS?

My guess is that the kids that enter McPS before 1st grade actually do okay by the time they get a middle school. My guess is the lowest performing students are those that enter the system much later. Some of them might just need more years in the McPS system to catch up. Others may just be too far behind — like the 15 year olds that come from countries where they had no real education—I can’t imagine how hard it would be for those kids to catch up.

I think this is a super relevant point and I don’t know if they ever break out this data particularly clearly. Imagine if they plopped my kid in a country where English is not the primary language and gave them middle school level exams in that county’s language. Even if it was an algebra or geometry exam, but the questions were in Greek, I’m sure it wouldn’t demonstrate any type of useful results.

It is a relevant point but at the same time not the problem. For example Maryland is one of the few places that requires that GED to be passed in English. Folks say this is an accessibility issue and damages chances for people to pass. I disagree with that idea. The GED is supposed to show that you’ve mastered US High School content and have the basic skills to be ready for career and community. If you don’t have the English language skills then you don’t have what would be required to pass US HS.

While I don’t disagree with you, that only makes sense in a scenario in which English is the official language of the U.S. But that’s not the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if they break down data based on how long a kid has been on MCPS?

My guess is that the kids that enter McPS before 1st grade actually do okay by the time they get a middle school. My guess is the lowest performing students are those that enter the system much later. Some of them might just need more years in the McPS system to catch up. Others may just be too far behind — like the 15 year olds that come from countries where they had no real education—I can’t imagine how hard it would be for those kids to catch up.

This is a great point and something people haven't mentioned yet in this thread. There used to be a program for kids who had experienced disrupted education. The goal was to get them back on track, but at one point mcps recognized that a kid who was herding goats in Guatemala six months ago could not be expected to just jump into an algebra class.

Unfortunately, McKnight all but dismantled the program.

[Anonymous]

You would be surprised the number of middle school students who have been in ELD programs since kindergarten and still score a 3 on the WIDA assessment (6 being proficient).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious answers only. How can schools raise performances of students at the lowest levels? Free meals help nourish brains and bodies, are they "healthy" is questionable. What else? It it sending home books (lots of books) for them to read? More math practice practice practice. Is it helping change their attitude towards learning, less screen time? Is it identifying learning disorders in Pre-K (if eligible) or by K? Parents/guardians of these students need assistance too but there is time and language and cultural barriers- getting them information about identifying learning issues, ELL services, attitude/views about learning?

Attract more Asian families. Get parents, alumni and star students to volunteer for tutoring.

Since they are considered smart, they left long time ago to Howard Co and NoVa.

in Moco: Most have left our majority-Latino school and now go to Wooten and similar schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious answers only. How can schools raise performances of students at the lowest levels? Free meals help nourish brains and bodies, are they "healthy" is questionable. What else? It it sending home books (lots of books) for them to read? More math practice practice practice. Is it helping change their attitude towards learning, less screen time? Is it identifying learning disorders in Pre-K (if eligible) or by K? Parents/guardians of these students need assistance too but there is time and language and cultural barriers- getting them information about identifying learning issues, ELL services, attitude/views about learning?

Attract more Asian families. Get parents, alumni and star students to volunteer for tutoring.

Since they are considered smart, they left long time ago to Howard Co and NoVa.

in Moco: Most have left our majority-Latino school and now go to Wooten and similar schools.

DP. In MoCo: you can pick between majority Latino schools to one Asian school (Wootton) and one White-ish school (Whitman). The demographics changed in MoCo. If you want white, go to rural areas in any state.