New curriculum selection process delayed— new RFP must be issues now

[Anonymous]

How is Lang not being investigated for an ethics violation? I hope he loses his pension.

[Anonymous]

Because there is no supervision of anyone, that is why.

[Anonymous]

WTF MCPS. I've been defending you, but can't you get anything right these days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Although MCPS is a crap show. I heard my, my admin, that our school is purchasing curriculum for the fall. We are purchasing Jacob's Ladders (reading enrichment). They are still deciding on math curriculum. Many schools may do their own individual thing to ensure their students are being pushed. I would provide my school but we are already overcrowded, I'm so sorry DCUM. Our PTA is also generating a letter to be sent to cluster superintendents, BOE and the state of MD.

This is aw some, ES, teachers, and PTA wake up and buy a new curriculum yourselves. Work together.

Next step, secede from MCPS central office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although MCPS is a crap show. I heard my, my admin, that our school is purchasing curriculum for the fall. We are purchasing Jacob's Ladders (reading enrichment). They are still deciding on math curriculum. Many schools may do their own individual thing to ensure their students are being pushed. I would provide my school but we are already overcrowded, I'm so sorry DCUM. Our PTA is also generating a letter to be sent to cluster superintendents, BOE and the state of MD.

This has always been the case. READ 180 is a perfect example of internal decision-making at the MS/HS level.

And I bet that even with a canned guide countywide, schools will still continue to supplement.

So can a school PTA just purchase Singapore Math for its ES?

Man I hope so. I’ll even train the teachers myself at our our house at 8am everyday. It’s a great math curriculum if taught right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although MCPS is a crap show. I heard my, my admin, that our school is purchasing curriculum for the fall. We are purchasing Jacob's Ladders (reading enrichment). They are still deciding on math curriculum. Many schools may do their own individual thing to ensure their students are being pushed. I would provide my school but we are already overcrowded, I'm so sorry DCUM. Our PTA is also generating a letter to be sent to cluster superintendents, BOE and the state of MD.

This is aw some, ES, teachers, and PTA wake up and buy a new curriculum yourselves. Work together.

Next step, secede from MCPS central office.

Unfortunately our useless MCCPTA is defending these delays while individual PTAs scramble to cover the gaps in MCPS curriculua:
http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2018/MCPS-Pauses-Search-for-New-Curriculum-After-Learning-Staff-Members-Are-Taking-Jobs-with-Vendor/

Amanda Graver, who chairs the curriculum committee for the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations, said some parents had complained the search for new instructional materials seemed rushed.

“This will appease the people who feel like it was moving too fast,” she said Tuesday.

She said she supported Smith’s attempt to dispel doubts about the selection process and voiced confidence that the search will proceed without a preference for Discovery Education, should the company resubmit its bid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because there is no supervision of anyone, that is why.

This is very true.

And echoing a PP - the county is large enough to hide things, as issues are easily buried in the bureaucracy.

And I’m certain Discovery knows the how to play by the RFP rules . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because there is no supervision of anyone, that is why.

This is very true.

And echoing a PP - the county is large enough to hide things, as issues are easily buried in the bureaucracy.

And I’m certain Discovery knows the how to play by the RFP rules . . .

As parents, don't we have a say on how all this should go down? Where can we complain and if we do, will it matter? I do think that if Discovery participated the next time, there's enough reason for another vendor to protest. The fact that Discovery has another chance at this is so messed up!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because there is no supervision of anyone, that is why.

This is very true.

And echoing a PP - the county is large enough to hide things, as issues are easily buried in the bureaucracy.

And I’m certain Discovery knows the how to play by the RFP rules . . .

As parents, don't we have a say on how all this should go down? Where can we complain and if we do, will it matter? I do think that if Discovery participated the next time, there's enough reason for another vendor to protest. The fact that Discovery has another chance at this is so messed up!!

Investigate.

Since this is a curriculum deal, who's in charge at Discovery? And how does the RFP process work in Discovery? Is it a separate office that processes requests independently? Or does it work closely with other offices interested in RFPs? In other words, how open is the communication process in Discovery?

[Anonymous]

In short: they couldn't acquire an adequate new curricula, so they will issue a new RFP in the fall.

Why is this so hard? Is it because they are looking for the silver bullet that simply doesn't exist? Instead of a new curricula with more digital content and cultural whatever they said, perhaps they would see improved outcomes if they simply grouped by ability for math and reading and switched classes so they could receive actual instruction for the entire block as opposed to being grouped within the classroom and racing through content in 10-15 minutes while they have the teacher's attention?

SMDH.

Private schools are able to close the achievement gap with outdated textbooks. And yes, private schools have low income minority students (catholic schools certainly do). It takes structure, discipline, and a more old fashioned approach to instruction...like European and Asian schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In short: they couldn't acquire an adequate new curricula, so they will issue a new RFP in the fall.

Why is this so hard? Is it because they are looking for the silver bullet that simply doesn't exist? Instead of a new curricula with more digital content and cultural whatever they said, perhaps they would see improved outcomes if they simply grouped by ability for math and reading and switched classes so they could receive actual instruction for the entire block as opposed to being grouped within the classroom and racing through content in 10-15 minutes while they have the teacher's attention?

SMDH.

Private schools are able to close the achievement gap with outdated textbooks. And yes, private schools have low income minority students (catholic schools certainly do). It takes structure, discipline, and a more old fashioned approach to instruction...like European and Asian schools.

No. Because this RFP was tainted, they will issue a new RFP in a few months.

Why is this so hard? Because it's spending public money. Government procurement is highly regulated. Private-school procurement is not.

(Also, no, private schools are not able to close the achievement gap. What private schools are able to do, is choose which students to include and which students to exclude.)

[Anonymous]

I would love to know how different the new RFP will be from the old one.

[Anonymous]

I think if they haven't done so, we need an unbiased and knowledgeable group to rewrite the RFP and we need the evaluation team to comprise of again, non biased individuals that include teachers external to the central office. The problem is Central Office.. Maybe Hogan needs to step in and stop the shitshow that MCPS beaurocrats are causing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know how different the new RFP will be from the old one.

RFPs are public. You can look at the old one. Then, when there's a new one, you can look at the new one, and compare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In short: they couldn't acquire an adequate new curricula, so they will issue a new RFP in the fall.

Why is this so hard? Is it because they are looking for the silver bullet that simply doesn't exist? Instead of a new curricula with more digital content and cultural whatever they said, perhaps they would see improved outcomes if they simply grouped by ability for math and reading and switched classes so they could receive actual instruction for the entire block as opposed to being grouped within the classroom and racing through content in 10-15 minutes while they have the teacher's attention?

SMDH.

Private schools are able to close the achievement gap with outdated textbooks. And yes, private schools have low income minority students (catholic schools certainly do). It takes structure, discipline, and a more old fashioned approach to instruction...like European and Asian schools.

No. Because this RFP was tainted, they will issue a new RFP in a few months.

Why is this so hard? Because it's spending public money. Government procurement is highly regulated. Private-school procurement is not.

(Also, no, private schools are not able to close the achievement gap. What private schools are able to do, is choose which students to include and which students to exclude.)

Not true. Google Cristo Rey. It's a catholic school model that caters exclusively to low-income minority students. If you look at catholic schools in big cities that operate with a charitable mission, you'll see how an old fashioned approach succeeds in closing the gap.

Unfortunately, mcps is searching for a silver bullet that doesn't exist. They punt to technology. They dumb it down so they can race through it in 10-15 minute chunks to cycle through small groups. If your kid is in compacted math, then they get a full math block of instruction. Otherwise, they get 10-15 mins with the teacher followed by independent work...also known as screwing around at a table with 5 other kids for 45 mins. Ditto for reading. And the writing instruction is very poor. In their defense, it's tough to teach writing once you've eliminated formal grammar instruction from the curriculum.