Did Dr. McKnight's antiracist speech fall flat?

[Anonymous]

The document reads like a lot of talking points that can be repeated by admin or turned into posters and PowerPoints. Very little concrete details. Most of it is already done in the schools. But at least it’s together in a flow chart now so admin can easily check boxes for (minimal) effort on staff training.

[Anonymous]

Page 14 of the Action Plan defined "Equity" as
Equity means that every student, family, and staff member has the opportunities, resources, and supports necessary to succeed. Equity is the goal.

I thought Equity means equal outcome??

This is different from MCPS Core Values
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/about/mission/

Equity is WE BELIEVE that each and every student matters; outcomes should not be predictable by race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status;

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The document reads like a lot of talking points that can be repeated by admin or turned into posters and PowerPoints. Very little concrete details. Most of it is already done in the schools. But at least it’s together in a flow chart now so admin can easily check boxes for (minimal) effort on staff training.

Yes, just change "MCPS" to any "company name" and "students" to "employees" or "citizens"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this mean they are getting rid of compacted to make sure that all kids receive the same curriculum?:

A change to the elementary mathematics course
structure and grouping practices that support all
students’ developing a solid mathematics foundation,
with increased rigor through heterogeneous grouping
(Special Education, Emergent Multilingual Learners, and
Focus Group Students)

I have no idea. And that's the problem with MCPS and how it communicates. They're as clear as mud and they'll spend an insane amount of time, energy and resources saying things in a way that no one knows what the hell they actually mean.

And MONEY!! Don’t forget that MCPS wastes millions of dollars in taxpayer money on useless initiatives and useless Central Office staff that do nothing to promote education for students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does this mean they are getting rid of compacted to make sure that all kids receive the same curriculum?:

A change to the elementary mathematics course
structure and grouping practices that support all
students’ developing a solid mathematics foundation,
with increased rigor through heterogeneous grouping
(Special Education, Emergent Multilingual Learners, and
Focus Group Students)

Probably Yes. Check out this
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EtpLRvaotYP5T0UgqQZ7mMtAH_6OMyKHs1ulZtZNhSc/edit

3.0
A change to the elementary mathematics course structure and grouping practices that support all students’ developing a solid mathematics foundation, with increased rigor through heterogeneous grouping (Special Education, Emergent Multilingual Learners, and Focus Group Students).

3.1
Develop new guidance for mathematics course placement in Grades 4&5. (Aligns with Recommendation 4.2)

3.2
Identify students in schools with small numbers of accelerated students to enter the virtual academy for Mathematics. (Aligns with Recommendation 4.2)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this mean they are getting rid of compacted to make sure that all kids receive the same curriculum?:

A change to the elementary mathematics course
structure and grouping practices that support all
students’ developing a solid mathematics foundation,
with increased rigor through heterogeneous grouping
(Special Education, Emergent Multilingual Learners, and
Focus Group Students)

I have no idea. And that's the problem with MCPS and how it communicates. They're as clear as mud and they'll spend an insane amount of time, energy and resources saying things in a way that no one knows what the hell they actually mean.

And MONEY!! Don’t forget that MCPS wastes millions of dollars in taxpayer money on useless initiatives and useless Central Office staff that do nothing to promote education for students.

No wonder MCPS needs more people at the central office (not at schools to teach) to implement all these important action plans!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this mean they are getting rid of compacted to make sure that all kids receive the same curriculum?:

A change to the elementary mathematics course
structure and grouping practices that support all
students’ developing a solid mathematics foundation,
with increased rigor through heterogeneous grouping
(Special Education, Emergent Multilingual Learners, and
Focus Group Students)

Probably Yes. Check out this
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EtpLRvaotYP5T0UgqQZ7mMtAH_6OMyKHs1ulZtZNhSc/edit

3.0
A change to the elementary mathematics course structure and grouping practices that support all students’ developing a solid mathematics foundation, with increased rigor through heterogeneous grouping (Special Education, Emergent Multilingual Learners, and Focus Group Students).

3.1
Develop new guidance for mathematics course placement in Grades 4&5. (Aligns with Recommendation 4.2)

3.2
Identify students in schools with small numbers of accelerated students to enter the virtual academy for Mathematics. (Aligns with Recommendation 4.2)

It sounds like all this busy work will cost a fortune and accomplish next to nothing.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:McKnight is an embarrassment and I'm furious MCPS spent so much money and we ended up with her anyway. I think having a non-white female would have been great but why her? I have never figured out what she has to offer. Because she doesn't have what it takes, it makes lots of women look bad.

I find her to be just infuriating. I want to hear what she has to say but she sounds like an idiot, and I don't sense she cares about these kids (her treatment of them during Covid was enough for me) and her inability to communicate effectively is humiliating for an adult in her position.

Agree. I guess nobody else wants the job.

MCPS is a large, dysfunctional, miserable school district on a downward trajectory. Hard to turn a ship this large around. Nobody wants to hop on a sinking ship.

Really? I think it's so much better today than when I attended a W back in the 90s. My kids are getting a much better education than I did, but I also try to ensure they get the most out of it. In fact, it's only dysfunctional for parents who expect the county to raise their kids.

So did I and the education is not better. The only better I see is writing and computer skills. They lack the basics in math in es. The no textbooks, little homework lacks any type of reinforcement. The lack of reading books is also bad too.

Your kids must be slow. Mine are in Algebra 2 in 8th. They didn't even offer that 20 years ago.

Just because Algebra 2 is being offered in 8th grade does not mean that it is being taught well.

Just look at the abysmal test results.

Agreed. My son is in the class now, easily earning As, but he still doesn't understand what he's doing. It's not even remotely like what I learned in Algebra II. No wonder I keep hearing that so many kids go on to struggle their first year in college.

Really? Your kid must be slow then. The curriculum is excellent. My kid managed to get a near perfect score on their MCAP even.

Maybe your kid did, but the majority of kids did not.

And a ‘near perfect’ score on MCAP? I’m pretty sure you are a troll.

My kid paid attention during the pandemic and actually shows up to class. Meanwhile your kids are passed out in the bathroom or vaping and you wonder why they are doing poorly.

If your kids are in-person now you shouldn't be so arrogant. You don't really actually know if they are going to class or just pretending.

Okay, while your kid watches TikTok videos during class mine doesn't have a phone and that is another reason why your child does poorly.

My kid has no interest in TikTok. They goof off on other things. And, yes, I know about it because I see what they are doing every day. And, they have excellent grades so good try.

[Anonymous]

I highly encourage folks to watch the presentation of the action plan. MCPS is interested in spin, buzzwords, talking in circles and patting themselves on the back. Dr. Alton (2 hours and 34 minutes in) in particular, is insane. He comes off so theatrical and performative that I thought he was auditioning for an MCPS high school play. He's not doing Dr. McKnight any favors and he makes the antiracist action plan and DEI seem like a joke. I say this as a POC.

[Anonymous]

"Work with the Office of Human Resources and Development on hiring additional accelerated mathematics teachers for Elementary."

What does it mean when college-educated well-paid teachers aren't capable of teaching <= 6th grade math?

[Anonymous]

"Develop a coaching plan for heterogeneous instruction, including language supports, in grades."

In which grades? Missed proofreading?

Also, they seem to be inconsistent about "Intermediate" and "Immediate" for goals with start date in 2023.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Page 14 of the Action Plan defined "Equity" as
Equity means that every student, family, and staff member has the opportunities, resources, and supports necessary to succeed. Equity is the goal.

I thought Equity means equal outcome??

This is different from MCPS Core Values
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/about/mission/

Equity is WE BELIEVE that each and every student matters; outcomes should not be predictable by race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status;

That's not what this says. "Outcomes should not be predictable ..." doesn't mean that everyone is the same, it means that when comparing any particular academic group, the proportions of the population should be similar to the overall student population within the school and countywide. For example, students taking AP courses shouldn't skew white and asian. Or honor roll should have the same proportions of students as the student body. Right now, you can walk into most high school classes and tell whether the class is AP/IB, Honors, or regular by the faces in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The document reads like a lot of talking points that can be repeated by admin or turned into posters and PowerPoints. Very little concrete details. Most of it is already done in the schools. But at least it’s together in a flow chart now so admin can easily check boxes for (minimal) effort on staff training.

It reads like they're planning on gutting what's left of education and just dumbing it all down so they can claim they closed the gap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this mean they are getting rid of compacted to make sure that all kids receive the same curriculum?:

A change to the elementary mathematics course
structure and grouping practices that support all
students’ developing a solid mathematics foundation,
with increased rigor through heterogeneous grouping
(Special Education, Emergent Multilingual Learners, and
Focus Group Students)

Probably Yes. Check out this
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EtpLRvaotYP5T0UgqQZ7mMtAH_6OMyKHs1ulZtZNhSc/edit

3.0
A change to the elementary mathematics course structure and grouping practices that support all students’ developing a solid mathematics foundation, with increased rigor through heterogeneous grouping (Special Education, Emergent Multilingual Learners, and Focus Group Students).

3.1
Develop new guidance for mathematics course placement in Grades 4&5. (Aligns with Recommendation 4.2)

3.2
Identify students in schools with small numbers of accelerated students to enter the virtual academy for Mathematics. (Aligns with Recommendation 4.2)

As a parent of 3 advanced math kids (who ended up in magnet ES, MS, and HS) and also a middle school teacher, I'm happy to see this. In grades K-3 I thought our ES did a very good job with heterogeneous classes and subgroups within the math lessons. I asked about how they taught the "same" lesson to different levels within the class and was impressed with the differentiation. Although the topic was 3 digit addition, the advanced group had more complex problems. It wasn't just about getting the answer. The kids had to solve it using multiple models, explain their models to the others, generate pros and cons as a group for all of the methods, and then be able to explain other student's thinking. While my kids ended up in a magnet, other kids equally mathy didn't and the level and methods of instruction in 4th and 5th grade (compacted) didn't have the same depth of thinking. It was more about rushing through the content.

In middle school I see kids who are bright and capable, but because there weren't enough kids to form a compacted math class, they weren't accelerated. And I see others who got accelerated but shouldn't have been because their parents pushed or the principal was trying to fill a class. Having a virtual academy option for kids who need acceleration but aren't getting it would be great. And then emphasizing better math instruction in 4th and 5th to manage heterogeneous groups will also help everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Develop a coaching plan for heterogeneous instruction, including language supports, in grades."

In which grades? Missed proofreading?

Also, they seem to be inconsistent about "Intermediate" and "Immediate" for goals with start date in 2023.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EtpLRvaotYP5T0UgqQZ7mMtAH_6OMyKHs1ulZtZNhSc/
Immediate - within a year
Intermediate - 1-3 years