What is the real reason MCPS uses Lottery for Middle School Magnet Program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Enjoy your sour grapes because your above-average learner didn't get into a special program. If your child is so damn brilliant then it shouldn't matter if they got into the program.

Not the PP. I have a child at Eastern, so I have no sour grapes here. I think it's a travesty that the choices for a literature/humanities focused kid are either: 1) Win the lottery; or 2) Get zero enrichment at your home school.

For math-focused kid, at least there is the potential for AIM or Algebra I in 6th, but if you have a child who is ready to engage in higher-level literary analysis and writing, you are out of luck.

If MCPS would just agree to differentiate at the MS level, I think the whole magnet question becomes almost moot. Leave the magnets for kids with no home school cohort, and provide differentiated instruction to kids with cohorts. Done and done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enjoy your sour grapes because your above-average learner didn't get into a special program. If your child is so damn brilliant then it shouldn't matter if they got into the program.

Not the PP. I have a child at Eastern, so I have no sour grapes here. I think it's a travesty that the choices for a literature/humanities focused kid are either: 1) Win the lottery; or 2) Get zero enrichment at your home school.

For math-focused kid, at least there is the potential for AIM or Algebra I in 6th, but if you have a child who is ready to engage in higher-level literary analysis and writing, you are out of luck.

If MCPS would just agree to differentiate at the MS level, I think the whole magnet question becomes almost moot. Leave the magnets for kids with no home school cohort, and provide differentiated instruction to kids with cohorts. Done and done.

+1000

I was so sad my book-loving DD didn't "win the lottery" for EMS.

[Anonymous]

^^hit send too soon - meant to add:

She comes home dismayed that "no one talks" when her 6th grade English teacher asks a question. No one reads, so no one has anything to add to the discussion. It's a huge bummer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enjoy your sour grapes because your above-average learner didn't get into a special program. If your child is so damn brilliant then it shouldn't matter if they got into the program.

Not the PP. I have a child at Eastern, so I have no sour grapes here. I think it's a travesty that the choices for a literature/humanities focused kid are either: 1) Win the lottery; or 2) Get zero enrichment at your home school.

For math-focused kid, at least there is the potential for AIM or Algebra I in 6th, but if you have a child who is ready to engage in higher-level literary analysis and writing, you are out of luck.

If MCPS would just agree to differentiate at the MS level, I think the whole magnet question becomes almost moot. Leave the magnets for kids with no home school cohort, and provide differentiated instruction to kids with cohorts. Done and done.

I agree but would add that my kid seems to be getting a lot out of the accelerated humanities class at our home middle school in terms of reading and analysis. English class is kind of a bummer because not enough kids are doing the reading…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enjoy your sour grapes because your above-average learner didn't get into a special program. If your child is so damn brilliant then it shouldn't matter if they got into the program.

Oh. Okay. (Not really sour grapes although you seem to enjoy if it was? Says a lot about you.)

Magnet program isn't so special anymore due to the lottery watering down the program. They just aren't the best of the best anymore. My point was that it's MCPS upper-level corruption that's penalizing families other than ours, but that's not something the current board cares about. They're on a holy war to punish children based upon their skin color.

To supplement the computer instruction (the real difference at TPMS or Argyle for example), we went the tutoring route and now pay for private tutors. The bonus is that private tutoring is exceptionally flexible with many options available, albeit at a financial cost. Drones, robots, 3-D printers, plus computer programming. Not everyone can put money into that.

It's a public school system and you should assume that all the needs of your kids will not be met. There is not enough resources for everyone, unless you want to pay higher taxes. My son gets the minimal amount of speech therapy at his middle school (1 hr a month) and I'm not happy about that. What do I do about it? I supplement outside of school.

Great. I'm sure you're exactly the type of parent that MCPS wants to have. You're already complacent and ready to raise taxes.

MCPS spends a billion dollars. There was another thread in the fall - MCPS was 14th(?) in best-funded programs across the nation? So how is it possible that it doesn't have the support programs that reflect that level of funding? Remember that MCPS used to have the best educational program in the DC area so why did it go into the toilet?

How can MCPS spend $168.7 million to lease electric buses (that no one is sure the county power grid can fully support), $11M on hiring outside attorneys to defend when they break the law, afford how many six-figure administrators or pay for all these "studies" that their six-figure administrator's can't do because they're too incompetent - yet can't switch another classroom to CES or Magnet? Don't have enough funding? Hmm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^hit send too soon - meant to add:

She comes home dismayed that "no one talks" when her 6th grade English teacher asks a question. No one reads, so no one has anything to add to the discussion. It's a huge bummer.

This is a pervasive problem at majority of MCPS schools. I feel for the teachers who wants to do the right thing but ofcourse that is not acceptable for the BOE. BOE wants to damp down the Kids who perform at higher to normalize the curve. Someone asked the question, does anyone on BOE has kids in the school system? I guess not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enjoy your sour grapes because your above-average learner didn't get into a special program. If your child is so damn brilliant then it shouldn't matter if they got into the program.

Oh. Okay. (Not really sour grapes although you seem to enjoy if it was? Says a lot about you.)

Magnet program isn't so special anymore due to the lottery watering down the program. They just aren't the best of the best anymore. My point was that it's MCPS upper-level corruption that's penalizing families other than ours, but that's not something the current board cares about. They're on a holy war to punish children based upon their skin color.

To supplement the computer instruction (the real difference at TPMS or Argyle for example), we went the tutoring route and now pay for private tutors. The bonus is that private tutoring is exceptionally flexible with many options available, albeit at a financial cost. Drones, robots, 3-D printers, plus computer programming. Not everyone can put money into that.

It's a public school system and you should assume that all the needs of your kids will not be met. There is not enough resources for everyone, unless you want to pay higher taxes. My son gets the minimal amount of speech therapy at his middle school (1 hr a month) and I'm not happy about that. What do I do about it? I supplement outside of school.

Have you taken a peak at MCPS budget? Its crazy large and vast majority of money is allocated for equity over excellence. Sometimes it makes us wonder whether superior education for children is the goal or something else

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enjoy your sour grapes because your above-average learner didn't get into a special program. If your child is so damn brilliant then it shouldn't matter if they got into the program.

Oh. Okay. (Not really sour grapes although you seem to enjoy if it was? Says a lot about you.)

Magnet program isn't so special anymore due to the lottery watering down the program. They just aren't the best of the best anymore. My point was that it's MCPS upper-level corruption that's penalizing families other than ours, but that's not something the current board cares about. They're on a holy war to punish children based upon their skin color.

To supplement the computer instruction (the real difference at TPMS or Argyle for example), we went the tutoring route and now pay for private tutors. The bonus is that private tutoring is exceptionally flexible with many options available, albeit at a financial cost. Drones, robots, 3-D printers, plus computer programming. Not everyone can put money into that.

It's a public school system and you should assume that all the needs of your kids will not be met. There is not enough resources for everyone, unless you want to pay higher taxes. My son gets the minimal amount of speech therapy at his middle school (1 hr a month) and I'm not happy about that. What do I do about it? I supplement outside of school.

Great. I'm sure you're exactly the type of parent that MCPS wants to have. You're already complacent and ready to raise taxes.

MCPS spends a billion dollars. There was another thread in the fall - MCPS was 14th(?) in best-funded programs across the nation? So how is it possible that it doesn't have the support programs that reflect that level of funding? Remember that MCPS used to have the best educational program in the DC area so why did it go into the toilet?

How can MCPS spend $168.7 million to lease electric buses (that no one is sure the county power grid can fully support), $11M on hiring outside attorneys to defend when they break the law, afford how many six-figure administrators or pay for all these "studies" that their six-figure administrator's can't do because they're too incompetent - yet can't switch another classroom to CES or Magnet? Don't have enough funding? Hmm.

Things have gone crazy since 2014. for the sake of future generations, we need to vote he current BOE members out to be able to see some improvement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No one is addressing the point that the county resorted to lottery because of covid (and therefore no Cogats). The point we should be addressing is when they'll get back to using Cogats. I don't think they'll do it in the spring, but they could do it starting the 2022-2023 school year.

IProblem is there is no transparency in the process. Lottery due to COVID is what they said earlier. However, if you read the case text related to the lawsuit someone posted earlier? MCPS states that if there is cohort of 20 or more kids in homeschool, they will not consider those kids in CES program. If there are less than 20, and the homeschool cannot meet their accilerated need, then they will be placed in Regional programs. It is unclear whether MCPS even considers academic performance at par when they place the kids in regional program.

There is no plan at the moment from MCPS to get back to CoGAT even though kids are back in school in person. Also there is a problem with Virtual Academy in the mix. There are no accelerated program in VA and there is no cohort either. CoGAT is also discontinued.
It is not clear whether MCPS will consider VA students for Regional CES programs based on performance. MCPS BOE gets an F for creating all this mess.

Around this time last year (2020) MCPS defended itself in the Asian discrimination lawsuit motion to dismiss by saying they had switched to a lottery so the specific complaint about MS magnet selection methodology, including cohort, was moot. If you read Jude Xinis's opinion on the motion, you see that no one in MCPS I ready to either commit to the lottery, or commit to the old method. Even to save themselves $100k in attorneys' fees. They don't know sh*t. As with many things we have seen over this pandemic period, there is no actual plan. They are adrift and meandering through the latest edu-speak opinion and reacting t the loudest parents.

This is why many parents believe that BOE lacks leadership and vision for future

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No one is addressing the point that the county resorted to lottery because of covid (and therefore no Cogats). The point we should be addressing is when they'll get back to using Cogats. I don't think they'll do it in the spring, but they could do it starting the 2022-2023 school year.

IProblem is there is no transparency in the process. Lottery due to COVID is what they said earlier. However, if you read the case text related to the lawsuit someone posted earlier? MCPS states that if there is cohort of 20 or more kids in homeschool, they will not consider those kids in CES program. If there are less than 20, and the homeschool cannot meet their accilerated need, then they will be placed in Regional programs. It is unclear whether MCPS even considers academic performance at par when they place the kids in regional program.

There is no plan at the moment from MCPS to get back to CoGAT even though kids are back in school in person. Also there is a problem with Virtual Academy in the mix. There are no accelerated program in VA and there is no cohort either. CoGAT is also discontinued.
It is not clear whether MCPS will consider VA students for Regional CES programs based on performance. MCPS BOE gets an F for creating all this mess.

Around this time last year (2020) MCPS defended itself in the Asian discrimination lawsuit motion to dismiss by saying they had switched to a lottery so the specific complaint about MS magnet selection methodology, including cohort, was moot. If you read Jude Xinis's opinion on the motion, you see that no one in MCPS I ready to either commit to the lottery, or commit to the old method. Even to save themselves $100k in attorneys' fees. They don't know sh*t. As with many things we have seen over this pandemic period, there is no actual plan. They are adrift and meandering through the latest edu-speak opinion and reacting t the loudest parents.

If Asians make up 15% of the county but typically account for 60% of the magnet seats I would think that case would get laughed out of court.

again why do you look through lens of race? why not academic ability of the students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With more than 160,000 students I imagine MCPS has a WHOLE LOT MORE on its plate than this. Using the oft repeated "99%" standard it sounds like this ENDLESS debate is about MAYBE 1600 of students? Less than half of 1% of the students MCPS works with?

One of these mornings or afternoons go and watch a county school bus load and unload a dozen SEVERELY SEVERELY SEVERELY handicapped children in wheelchairs.
Watch the county feed kids that don't get enoughto eat at home.
Watch them graduate kids whose parents are in jail or dead and manage to get some of them into college

Then drive home and

Hug your child because you can
Feed your child another healthy meal
Kick or throw a ball around with them because they can control their limbs

And hopefully... Hopefully... HOPEFULLY.... experience a moment of peace because you are blessed

Ok. so you will ingnore the needs of 1600 kids just because you have more kids in the school system? If you are tired, perhaps, time for you to step away from the thread. your intention to discourage others from discussing this important topic, which by the way will have significant impact on future generations to come, is very apparent.

DP - " The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"

ISn't MCPS BOE suppose to make decisions to meet the needs of all students? So are they making decisions based on the number of students? What happened to no child left behind? You seems to don't care.

They are but since they will never be able to please everybody, they are at least making decisions that will meet the needs of the many

BOE's job is not to please anyone.. but rather should be fair to everyone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No one is addressing the point that the county resorted to lottery because of covid (and therefore no Cogats). The point we should be addressing is when they'll get back to using Cogats. I don't think they'll do it in the spring, but they could do it starting the 2022-2023 school year.

IProblem is there is no transparency in the process. Lottery due to COVID is what they said earlier. However, if you read the case text related to the lawsuit someone posted earlier? MCPS states that if there is cohort of 20 or more kids in homeschool, they will not consider those kids in CES program. If there are less than 20, and the homeschool cannot meet their accilerated need, then they will be placed in Regional programs. It is unclear whether MCPS even considers academic performance at par when they place the kids in regional program.

There is no plan at the moment from MCPS to get back to CoGAT even though kids are back in school in person. Also there is a problem with Virtual Academy in the mix. There are no accelerated program in VA and there is no cohort either. CoGAT is also discontinued.
It is not clear whether MCPS will consider VA students for Regional CES programs based on performance. MCPS BOE gets an F for creating all this mess.

The process seems completely clear to me. I think you're confused. Not liking the process is different than not understanding it.

hum.. MCPS staff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With more than 160,000 students I imagine MCPS has a WHOLE LOT MORE on its plate than this. Using the oft repeated "99%" standard it sounds like this ENDLESS debate is about MAYBE 1600 of students? Less than half of 1% of the students MCPS works with?

One of these mornings or afternoons go and watch a county school bus load and unload a dozen SEVERELY SEVERELY SEVERELY handicapped children in wheelchairs.
Watch the county feed kids that don't get enoughto eat at home.
Watch them graduate kids whose parents are in jail or dead and manage to get some of them into college

Then drive home and

Hug your child because you can
Feed your child another healthy meal
Kick or throw a ball around with them because they can control their limbs

And hopefully... Hopefully... HOPEFULLY.... experience a moment of peace because you are blessed

Ok. so you will ingnore the needs of 1600 kids just because you have more kids in the school system? If you are tired, perhaps, time for you to step away from the thread. your intention to discourage others from discussing this important topic, which by the way will have significant impact on future generations to come, is very apparent.

DP - " The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"

ISn't MCPS BOE suppose to make decisions to meet the needs of all students? So are they making decisions based on the number of students? What happened to no child left behind? You seems to don't care.

They are but since they will never be able to please everybody, they are at least making decisions that will meet the needs of the many

BOE's job is not to please anyone.. but rather should be fair to everyone

No, that's not correct. If you work for MCPS or the board, you need to read the MCPS' mission.

"Every student will graduate career and college ready and become a productive, responsible citizen. We inspire learning by providing a nurturing environment, positive relationships, high expectations, and continuous growth."

This means having high expectations and continuous growth for every student, not just those that win the lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With more than 160,000 students I imagine MCPS has a WHOLE LOT MORE on its plate than this. Using the oft repeated "99%" standard it sounds like this ENDLESS debate is about MAYBE 1600 of students? Less than half of 1% of the students MCPS works with?

One of these mornings or afternoons go and watch a county school bus load and unload a dozen SEVERELY SEVERELY SEVERELY handicapped children in wheelchairs.
Watch the county feed kids that don't get enoughto eat at home.
Watch them graduate kids whose parents are in jail or dead and manage to get some of them into college

Then drive home and

Hug your child because you can
Feed your child another healthy meal
Kick or throw a ball around with them because they can control their limbs

And hopefully... Hopefully... HOPEFULLY.... experience a moment of peace because you are blessed

Ok. so you will ingnore the needs of 1600 kids just because you have more kids in the school system? If you are tired, perhaps, time for you to step away from the thread. your intention to discourage others from discussing this important topic, which by the way will have significant impact on future generations to come, is very apparent.

DP - " The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"

ISn't MCPS BOE suppose to make decisions to meet the needs of all students? So are they making decisions based on the number of students? What happened to no child left behind? You seems to don't care.

They are but since they will never be able to please everybody, they are at least making decisions that will meet the needs of the many

BOE's job is not to please anyone.. but rather should be fair to everyone

No, that's not correct. If you work for MCPS or the board, you need to read the MCPS' mission.

"Every student will graduate career and college ready and become a productive, responsible citizen. We inspire learning by providing a nurturing environment, positive relationships, high expectations, and continuous growth."

This means having high expectations and continuous growth for every student, not just those that win the lottery.

Exactly! how does lottery help every child? Why not consider everyone who qualify for CES program even if it means expand the program into other schools... to meet the needs of all students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enjoy your sour grapes because your above-average learner didn't get into a special program. If your child is so damn brilliant then it shouldn't matter if they got into the program.

Not the PP. I have a child at Eastern, so I have no sour grapes here. I think it's a travesty that the choices for a literature/humanities focused kid are either: 1) Win the lottery; or 2) Get zero enrichment at your home school.

For math-focused kid, at least there is the potential for AIM or Algebra I in 6th, but if you have a child who is ready to engage in higher-level literary analysis and writing, you are out of luck.

If MCPS would just agree to differentiate at the MS level, I think the whole magnet question becomes almost moot. Leave the magnets for kids with no home school cohort, and provide differentiated instruction to kids with cohorts. Done and done.

On the wealthy elementary schools let kids accelerate to where they can take Algebra in 6th.