Upcoming in-person boundary study & regional model "engagement session": how to engage?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the media center, a central office rep stated that each region will need about $1M to implement these special programs... where did they get that number? What does it cost to implement Blair, RM, and Poolesville programs??

There is zero transparency and data being shared - shame on MCPS.

In the 2016 METIS report, 4 programs (two SMCS + Wheaton Engineering + RMIB) = $1.5 million staffing costs. I forgot about transportation cost but you can check the report. That's in 2016 dollars, so it's about $2 million for now.

So basically we are going to get diluted "special programs" in name only without any substance, teacher training, expertise, etc. What's the point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in the room too and there was a comment made about improving the core curriculum to reduce dependence on these special programs because they end up being the only chance for academic rigor and that's part of the problem with demand for these special programs. MCCPTA has been saying the secondary curricula have been lacking for years with no willingness on CO part to address the problem, and so much of the talent could stay at local schools if they upgrade the current curricula for these classes (like English) that the special program kids also have to take anyway.

This exactly. And to do that, you need to have cohorted classes. Especially in high poverty schools, you can't put everyone into "honors." It's insane to me that MCPS thinks it would be "inequitable" to offer multiple levels of English 9 at Northwood or Einstein, but it's NOT inequitable to just allow the high-performing students who have parents who can drive them transfer to BCC or Whitman.

It’s only inequitable at the none schools. There are so few slots that they will lose more students due to the lack of offerings.

The Mccpta people barely do anything. They are in it for their own kids.

And, yes what happens is our kids end up in regular classes as there is no ap or real honors and the classes are basic at best.

Well there is AP. Or do you mean for the schools that have an IB focus and therefore prioritize IB over AP classes?

I think that comment was about English 9, and there's no AP (or IB) option there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in the room too and there was a comment made about improving the core curriculum to reduce dependence on these special programs because they end up being the only chance for academic rigor and that's part of the problem with demand for these special programs. MCCPTA has been saying the secondary curricula have been lacking for years with no willingness on CO part to address the problem, and so much of the talent could stay at local schools if they upgrade the current curricula for these classes (like English) that the special program kids also have to take anyway.

This exactly. And to do that, you need to have cohorted classes. Especially in high poverty schools, you can't put everyone into "honors." It's insane to me that MCPS thinks it would be "inequitable" to offer multiple levels of English 9 at Northwood or Einstein, but it's NOT inequitable to just allow the high-performing students who have parents who can drive them transfer to BCC or Whitman.

Yes, especially because even though they're saying they'd increase participation in these programs from 10% currently to 20%, the math makes no sense and will still exclude eligible students. *What about the other 80%????*

I think we're losing the plot if we're saying that 20% of high school students in our very large system have needs so specialized that they can't be met at their home high schools. You don't need a "major" in high school.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in the room too and there was a comment made about improving the core curriculum to reduce dependence on these special programs because they end up being the only chance for academic rigor and that's part of the problem with demand for these special programs. MCCPTA has been saying the secondary curricula have been lacking for years with no willingness on CO part to address the problem, and so much of the talent could stay at local schools if they upgrade the current curricula for these classes (like English) that the special program kids also have to take anyway.

This exactly. And to do that, you need to have cohorted classes. Especially in high poverty schools, you can't put everyone into "honors." It's insane to me that MCPS thinks it would be "inequitable" to offer multiple levels of English 9 at Northwood or Einstein, but it's NOT inequitable to just allow the high-performing students who have parents who can drive them transfer to BCC or Whitman.

Yes, especially because even though they're saying they'd increase participation in these programs from 10% currently to 20%, the math makes no sense and will still exclude eligible students. *What about the other 80%????*

I think we're losing the plot if we're saying that 20% of high school students in our very large system have needs so specialized that they can't be met at their home high schools. You don't need a "major" in high school.

+1

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the media center, a central office rep stated that each region will need about $1M to implement these special programs... where did they get that number? What does it cost to implement Blair, RM, and Poolesville programs??

There is zero transparency and data being shared - shame on MCPS.

In the 2016 METIS report, 4 programs (two SMCS + Wheaton Engineering + RMIB) = $1.5 million staffing costs. I forgot about transportation cost but you can check the report. That's in 2016 dollars, so it's about $2 million for now.

So basically we are going to get diluted "special programs" in name only without any substance, teacher training, expertise, etc. What's the point?

For Thomas Taylor to feel like a big boy boss man

[Anonymous]

Is the session at Rockville tomorrow no longer happening? https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/academic-programs-analysis/

[Anonymous]

Tonight’s meeting in Rockville is no longer listed on the website.