Initial boundary options for Woodward study area are up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is literally the same debate that occurred a few years ago.

I suspect they put these out there to distract from all the other nonsense going on. It was insane the amount they spent on this when they scream underfunding.

$1.3 million is not a lot of money for something like this, either absolutely or relatively. It’s a mere three one hundredths of 1% of the annual MCPS budget.

Honestly, they should have spent more to get better results. People like to demonize FLO, but things like this take time (which means people who cost money) and resources (more money!).

(And no I don’t work for FLO, my company would have charged more!)

Yes, it’s the equivalent of spending $10 for the median household in Montgomery County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is literally the same debate that occurred a few years ago.

I suspect they put these out there to distract from all the other nonsense going on. It was insane the amount they spent on this when they scream underfunding.

$1.3 million is not a lot of money for something like this, either absolutely or relatively. It’s a mere three one hundredths of 1% of the annual MCPS budget.

Honestly, they should have spent more to get better results. People like to demonize FLO, but things like this take time (which means people who cost money) and resources (more money!).

(And no I don’t work for FLO, my company would have charged more!)

It actually is when they cut an autism program,
MVA, and auto trade program, each of which was a few million and they claimed they could not find the funds. Meanwhile a few hundred kids left due to the MVA closing and other kids are not getting their needs met in the fake new program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FYI for folks who are curious, the survey basically just asks "what do you like" and "what don't you like" about each option. Nothing about ranking them and nothing they can analyze quantitatively at this point.

Did you expect anything different from MCPS? It's a convenience sample survey, so built-in bias and a research effort with little rigor. Of course nothing can be quantified. I'll bet MCPS doesn't even quantify the self-reported zip codes of respondents.

We know MCPS is a ship of full of fools; I guess they think we are all dumb. Mostly, they don't care what the public thinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is literally the same debate that occurred a few years ago.

I suspect they put these out there to distract from all the other nonsense going on. It was insane the amount they spent on this when they scream underfunding.

$1.3 million is not a lot of money for something like this, either absolutely or relatively. It’s a mere three one hundredths of 1% of the annual MCPS budget.

Honestly, they should have spent more to get better results. People like to demonize FLO, but things like this take time (which means people who cost money) and resources (more money!).

(And no I don’t work for FLO, my company would have charged more!)

It actually is when they cut an autism program,
MVA, and auto trade program, each of which was a few million and they claimed they could not find the funds. Meanwhile a few hundred kids left due to the MVA closing and other kids are not getting their needs met in the fake new program.

I’m not familiar with those programs, but am sorry to lose them. But if they’re doing these boundary studies once every 5 years, that’s ~$250k per year, which is almost nothing in the context of the budget and certainly not enough to justify cutting important programs.

Broader mismanagement is the culprit if they’re cutting small programs like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is literally the same debate that occurred a few years ago.

I suspect they put these out there to distract from all the other nonsense going on. It was insane the amount they spent on this when they scream underfunding.

$1.3 million is not a lot of money for something like this, either absolutely or relatively. It’s a mere three one hundredths of 1% of the annual MCPS budget.

Honestly, they should have spent more to get better results. People like to demonize FLO, but things like this take time (which means people who cost money) and resources (more money!).

(And no I don’t work for FLO, my company would have charged more!)

DP. The problem to me is not the consultant. I'm sure they can do their jobs and are competent. It is central office staff and leadership, who are telling them what to do. I'm sure they would not have released 4 maps each tied to one, and only one, priority, when they are supposed to be balacing the 4 priorities in any map.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is literally the same debate that occurred a few years ago.

I suspect they put these out there to distract from all the other nonsense going on. It was insane the amount they spent on this when they scream underfunding.

$1.3 million is not a lot of money for something like this, either absolutely or relatively. It’s a mere three one hundredths of 1% of the annual MCPS budget.

Honestly, they should have spent more to get better results. People like to demonize FLO, but things like this take time (which means people who cost money) and resources (more money!).

(And no I don’t work for FLO, my company would have charged more!)

It actually is when they cut an autism program,
MVA, and auto trade program, each of which was a few million and they claimed they could not find the funds. Meanwhile a few hundred kids left due to the MVA closing and other kids are not getting their needs met in the fake new program.

I’m not familiar with those programs, but am sorry to lose them. But if they’re doing these boundary studies once every 5 years, that’s ~$250k per year, which is almost nothing in the context of the budget and certainly not enough to justify cutting important programs.

Broader mismanagement is the culprit if they’re cutting small programs like that.

There is no need for this. Look at a map and make a decision that’s reasonable. Closing those programs hurt a lot of kids. A million is a lot of money that could go to student needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is literally the same debate that occurred a few years ago.

I suspect they put these out there to distract from all the other nonsense going on. It was insane the amount they spent on this when they scream underfunding.

$1.3 million is not a lot of money for something like this, either absolutely or relatively. It’s a mere three one hundredths of 1% of the annual MCPS budget.

Honestly, they should have spent more to get better results. People like to demonize FLO, but things like this take time (which means people who cost money) and resources (more money!).

(And no I don’t work for FLO, my company would have charged more!)

DP. The problem to me is not the consultant. I'm sure they can do their jobs and are competent. It is central office staff and leadership, who are telling them what to do. I'm sure they would not have released 4 maps each tied to one, and only one, priority, when they are supposed to be balacing the 4 priorities in any map.

Why are they in the same building as the electric bus company? 2 businesses from Massachusetts at same address get lucrative contracts with MCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is literally the same debate that occurred a few years ago.

I suspect they put these out there to distract from all the other nonsense going on. It was insane the amount they spent on this when they scream underfunding.

$1.3 million is not a lot of money for something like this, either absolutely or relatively. It’s a mere three one hundredths of 1% of the annual MCPS budget.

Honestly, they should have spent more to get better results. People like to demonize FLO, but things like this take time (which means people who cost money) and resources (more money!).

(And no I don’t work for FLO, my company would have charged more!)

DP. The problem to me is not the consultant. I'm sure they can do their jobs and are competent. It is central office staff and leadership, who are telling them what to do. I'm sure they would not have released 4 maps each tied to one, and only one, priority, when they are supposed to be balacing the 4 priorities in any map.

Why are they in the same building as the electric bus company? 2 businesses from Massachusetts at same address get lucrative contracts with MCPS?

1. They’re not in the same building.

2. As the previous poster pointed out, it’s not that lucrative. It’s the equivalent of you going to McDonalds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it maddening that MCPS allows (or promotes) two disparate elements that cannot be simultaneously true:

1. The first is the claim that equal opportunities are available to every student regardless of home school. This obviously fails when the benefits of parent engagement are included. I grew up in East County, and went to Paint Branch. I now have kids in the W schools. These might as well be on a different planet.

2. Teachers are allowed significant latitude as to where they teach once they obtain tenure. I was involved on a volunteer basis for years at a school with a significant FARMS %. 2 years in and the teachers would run to either a W school or leave the county.

There is no easy answer to the 2nd issue. Teachers are human and teaching is difficult under optimal circumstances. When you are dealing with the attendant problems of poverty, it is beyond difficult. But if you're going to let them move (or not incentivize them to stay), they are never going to get better and we'll be having this discussion forever.

At least in DCPS teachers get a pay bump for teaching at a Title I school. Is it different in Moco? It might not be enough of a bump at any rate.

They get nothing extra.

DCPS teachers get paid the same base pay no matter where they teach l. Only difference is that if you qualify for a bonus, it's bigger if you work at a title 1 school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rosemary Hills illustrates the naive cruelty of option 3. Rosemary Hills already goes to a “good” school in BCC, but option 3 sends them 10 minutes further to Whitman. To what end?

If the answer is “to raise the FARMS rate at Whitman,” that’s sort of missing the forrest for the trees.

They should necessarily raise farms and remove it from other schools as those schools loose extra funding.

They should do this by punishing the very kids this should purportedly help?

They aren’t helping kids by bussing them across town. Instead strengthen their schools. Give our kids the same opportunities as yours.

Yes, those specific kids already go to BCC and get the desired same opportunities. Why send them 10 minutes farther? Who is that helping?

And the rest of the student population? If DCUM is leaning heavily into "no bussing" and "it's unjust to subject higher-poverty populations to long bus rides" then DCUM needs to get behind making enormously differential funding per stident available so that those same opportunities are offered to all. Only 3 at Northwood interested in AP Econ? A teacher for that would need to be funded if one is funded for the 25 interested at WJ -- as we know, virtual and MC don't provide a similar enough experience.

And that might mean even higher class sizes at Whitman.

And/or higher taxes.

Or the populations can be evened out, but that generally means...bussing.

Pick your poison.

You’re creating a false choice by speaking for the people you’re purportedly trying to help and also making a weird hierarchy of their needs.

In my personal hierarchy (yours may vary), having a safe local school that isp a part of my community is priority #1. Access to AP Econ is maybe priority #250?

To this day, I get a warm feeling whenever I drive by my high school. Do I remember AP Econ? Nope, I remember endless afternoons with my friends on the outdoor basketball court. Afternoons that wouldn’t have been possible if I had to take the bus 45 minutes away.

Do those Northwood kids value AP Econ enough to ride the bus everyday from Wheaton to Whitman and give up those long afternoons? Maybe! But maybe not? I don’t know and neither do you.

If they do, then by all means, let’s pay for it.

That’s why the county sent out this survey.

Do you understand you cannot simply switch schools for a class? And, if you can, please let us know how. We asked and were refused. Mine would gladly ride the bus or we'd drive them. Or, better, how about offering those classes in these kids schools so all kids have equal access.

Yes, I do understand. My point is I personally would not want to switch schools for a class and I doubt many kids do either. I respect and support if your opinion is different.

2 questions:
1. Isn’t that the point of the DCC?
2. What’s your school and what class aren’t you getting?

Not that poster, so nothing on 2, but

1. That only works if there isn't overcrowding at the two schools with more robust options, Wheaton & Blair. So it doesn't work.

It’s all the crap schools clumped together for the impression of choice so values don’t tank in specific zones. Sally can rest at east that the discount on the modest rambler they buy won’t impact their kids because they can opt out of Kennedy and so on. They don’t really want the whole county shuffling around. Notice how not one really desirable school is in a consortium, tells you all you really need to know.

The carrot programs are then sprinkled into schools that need help perception and demographics wise. Blair is proof that reverse bussing works, it was the first school to slip in the county and had a horrible reputation. Now it’s best bad high school school in county.

Can we talk about what makes a school like Blair "bad"? Many graduates are very successful in a variety of fields.

Yah mainly the kids they bussed in. That program could be anywhere. Without the artificial boost Blair would be towards the bottom of the rankings in almost every metric. The few in zone, squared away kids would have been way less likely to live there if the schools core was the true basis for its perception causing further flight and plummeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is literally the same debate that occurred a few years ago.

I suspect they put these out there to distract from all the other nonsense going on. It was insane the amount they spent on this when they scream underfunding.

$1.3 million is not a lot of money for something like this, either absolutely or relatively. It’s a mere three one hundredths of 1% of the annual MCPS budget.

Honestly, they should have spent more to get better results. People like to demonize FLO, but things like this take time (which means people who cost money) and resources (more money!).

(And no I don’t work for FLO, my company would have charged more!)

DP. The problem to me is not the consultant. I'm sure they can do their jobs and are competent. It is central office staff and leadership, who are telling them what to do. I'm sure they would not have released 4 maps each tied to one, and only one, priority, when they are supposed to be balacing the 4 priorities in any map.

Why are they in the same building as the electric bus company? 2 businesses from Massachusetts at same address get lucrative contracts with MCPS?

1. They’re not in the same building.

2. As the previous poster pointed out, it’s not that lucrative. It’s the equivalent of you going to McDonalds.

They are in same building. Why lie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is literally the same debate that occurred a few years ago.

I suspect they put these out there to distract from all the other nonsense going on. It was insane the amount they spent on this when they scream underfunding.

$1.3 million is not a lot of money for something like this, either absolutely or relatively. It’s a mere three one hundredths of 1% of the annual MCPS budget.

Honestly, they should have spent more to get better results. People like to demonize FLO, but things like this take time (which means people who cost money) and resources (more money!).

(And no I don’t work for FLO, my company would have charged more!)

DP. The problem to me is not the consultant. I'm sure they can do their jobs and are competent. It is central office staff and leadership, who are telling them what to do. I'm sure they would not have released 4 maps each tied to one, and only one, priority, when they are supposed to be balacing the 4 priorities in any map.

Why are they in the same building as the electric bus company? 2 businesses from Massachusetts at same address get lucrative contracts with MCPS?

Interesting find. Someone is getting kickbacks is my guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can have one teacher teach AP Lang (for example) at one school in the am and another school in the pm. There are ways to do this.

Does this tie into the whole gifted and talented advocacy separately going on?? Because I’m all for G&T in EVERY school. Forget the boundary study - let the high achievers achieve!

Sorry, the county can't possibly do that AND close the achievement gap. The only way to close it is to make sure high achievers have a ceiling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it maddening that MCPS allows (or promotes) two disparate elements that cannot be simultaneously true:

1. The first is the claim that equal opportunities are available to every student regardless of home school. This obviously fails when the benefits of parent engagement are included. I grew up in East County, and went to Paint Branch. I now have kids in the W schools. These might as well be on a different planet.

2. Teachers are allowed significant latitude as to where they teach once they obtain tenure. I was involved on a volunteer basis for years at a school with a significant FARMS %. 2 years in and the teachers would run to either a W school or leave the county.

There is no easy answer to the 2nd issue. Teachers are human and teaching is difficult under optimal circumstances. When you are dealing with the attendant problems of poverty, it is beyond difficult. But if you're going to let them move (or not incentivize them to stay), they are never going to get better and we'll be having this discussion forever.

At least in DCPS teachers get a pay bump for teaching at a Title I school. Is it different in Moco? It might not be enough of a bump at any rate.

They get nothing extra.

DCPS teachers get paid the same base pay no matter where they teach l. Only difference is that if you qualify for a bonus, it's bigger if you work at a title 1 school

Ok? This is mcps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is literally the same debate that occurred a few years ago.

I suspect they put these out there to distract from all the other nonsense going on. It was insane the amount they spent on this when they scream underfunding.

$1.3 million is not a lot of money for something like this, either absolutely or relatively. It’s a mere three one hundredths of 1% of the annual MCPS budget.

Honestly, they should have spent more to get better results. People like to demonize FLO, but things like this take time (which means people who cost money) and resources (more money!).

(And no I don’t work for FLO, my company would have charged more!)

It actually is when they cut an autism program,
MVA, and auto trade program, each of which was a few million and they claimed they could not find the funds. Meanwhile a few hundred kids left due to the MVA closing and other kids are not getting their needs met in the fake new program.

And when they could've hired someone hourly on upwork to code up a tool that could be released to the public to autopopulate data. I think the public could've done a better job with access to such a tool.