Middle school magnets - criteria-based
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Anonymous
Advocate for higher taxes to fund enough magnet seats or reasonably similar local programs to meet the need of anyone who would benefit. No need for a lottery, then. |
Anonymous
| Sorry what is HIGH |
Anonymous
A public school system should aim to give kids an education. It should give accelerated / magnet education only to the brightest kids. |
Anonymous
I do not understand why an English teacher or Science teacher in middle school, teaching 4 or 5 classes, cannot teach half at "regular" speed, and half at "advanced speed". Why is this so hard ? I went to school in MCPS in the 90s and this is exactly what we had - there were honors classes for each of the core subjects. Sometimes one teacher would only teach honors (this was generally unpopular because most of the teachers preferred teaching honors kids). Other times the teachers just split the load. But it was the same course, taught at greater speed, with some extra, more challenging assignments. For example, honors english had 2 or 3 more books total to be read, etc. |
Anonymous
I think all the teachers would love to teach students grouped by ability. But unfortunately, the no.1 mission of MCPS is equity. So MCPS just wants to close the achievement gap by dumbing everyone down. |
Anonymous
| Did anyone get into the pool with MAP-M scores at 240 or below? |
Anonymous
Don’t worry about it, seriously. We have a family member who was in a magnet and an equally bright one who wasn’t. At middle school age, it just doesn’t matter. Even high school and college - people who are successful and happy at life make the most out of the opportunities they are given. My impression is that the kids who take this the hardest are the ones whose parents make a huge deal of it. Move on, NBD. |
Anonymous
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Got into both pools, did not get a spot in either. Fall scores were MAP-M 258, MAP-R 235, straight As. I'm a little relieved though, because he didn't want to go even if he did get in, and this means we don't have to agonize over the decision. Our MS appears to be offering AIM and HIGH in 6th grade.
I remember entering public middle school after attending a private elementary school. It was my first time encountering loud, disruptive kids. Taking some classes with kids that aren't very much like you at all can be an education in itself. Some of the loudest girls who talked back to the teacher were actually really nice to me and found me just as unfamiliar as I found them. I was shy and they thought that was so cute and let me sit with them. We'd never have crossed paths if every single class was divided into gifted/not gifted. Learning how to get along with all kinds of people is still learning! |
Anonymous
The advanced MS social studies course(s). Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities. Not accelerated, like AIM for math, but considerably more enriched than the base Historical Inquiry into World Studies, depending on how well the school/teacher implements the curriculum. |
Anonymous
The 2020 NWEA norms (next norms don't come out until 2025, IIRC) for MAP-M in the fall of 5th grade show 60th %ile at 213 (MCPS locally-normed 85th %ile for high-FARMS schools, at least for last year) and 93rd %ile at 232 (for low-FARMS schools). There were three FARMS-rate gradations in between -- RIT scores of 215, 224 & 230. As long as there were As in Math & Science in the first quarter and an on-grade-level or above reading level reported in the same, a student with these scores/higher should have been put in the pool. Some students receiving services (FARMS, themselves, IEP, 504, EML) may have been placed in the pool with additional adjustments (unpublished/not made available to the public). For MAP-R, high-FARMS cutoff last year was 70th %ile at 213 and low-FARMS was 92nd %ile at 228 (though the published RIT for that %ile is 227). The gradations in between were 216, 224 and 228 (no locally-normed reading differential between low-FARMS and low-moderate-FATMS). As in Q1 Reading & Writing and an above-grade-level reading level reported that quarter are also required. Adjustments are made for those receiveing services. I doubt the RIT numbers changed much for this year, though the FARMS rates of individual schools may have put them in a different tranche. |
Anonymous
A public school system should aim to meet the educational needs of students. Sure, it has to balance providing differential instruction that meets the need against the impact on the "mainstream" population and alternate use of resources. Saying "only the brightest" ignores the fact that many, many students in our county have associated need, and would benefit from being afforded enriched/accelerated instruction. There is law on the books, and MCPS policy, to require this, but it is vague on the one hand and ignored to a great deal on the other. Law regarding the needs of those needing learning suppots is much more robust, and the system spends far more per pupil addressing their needs, though even this runs up against the balancing of resources/consideration for mainstream impact. |
Anonymous
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Just got an email from TPMS that my kid is in!! Notification letters are also on ParentVue, which is great because our mail had not arrived.
Kid was in the pool for both lotteries, accepted at TPMS which is his home school. |
Anonymous
I think a certain percentage of spots at TPMS are reserved for home school students. I am not sure if it's the same for Eastern. |
Anonymous
Correct. And what many fail to realize is that MCPS not only try’s to meet the needs but also the wants of a variety of students a la all these Special and Choice programs. Those are not required but nice to haves. |
Anonymous
Appreciate your best wishes and congratulations!! |