Root cause of issues at MOCO schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And when I say the NWDC ES PTAs are awesome it's compared to our also highly active former Bethesda ES. However in DC the PTA funds and usages are not throttled down by MCPS Central Office. If we don't like the class size, we hire an aide. This is in addition to the better curriculum and more dedicated subjects than MCPS had (mainly reading, math), full time music (2x/week), art (2x/week) and PE (3x a week) classes.

Sure, but you realize that allowing PTAs to hire aides not only perpetuates inequality, but also isn’t a sustainable source of funding for that aide. Let’s say your kid’s class could use an aide, so you pay for one. What happens when your kid graduates from the school? Do you keep paying for the aide, or does the aide lose his/her job because you don’t want to pay the salary anymore and the current PTA parents don’t see the need for one?

I totally agree MCPS has problems, but the solution isn’t having PTAs pay for things like that. The public school system needs to be the one to provide those things.

Also, if you look at the national rankings, DCPS schools still lag far behind MCPS, with the exception of 2-3 charter schools. Some DCUM posters love to act like DCPS is this wonderful place, but it’s just not.

Stop with the meaningless averages, standardized test rankings, and pretend teacher aides in high school BS. MCPS has big problems and not just for ESOL and FARM kids. It is failing its middle and top kids daily with a crap curriculum that mainly teaches math and english badly and skips out on teaching science, social studies, any arts, and gym. A huge bifurcated COUNTY-RUN school district like MCPS does not provide well. At all. You will be supplementing and supplementing for holes and missing subjects until high school. Then the robotic federal AP curriculum kicks in.

Go tour 3 Bethesda ESs and 3 NW DC ES (Janney, LaFayette, Mann) and report back on class size, hourly/weekly curriculum, extracurriculars, community involvement. If you have a choice, and are informed firsthand, you would not chose MCPS.

Central office MCPS policies, procedures, curriculum have annihilated the MoCo reputation. Just peel back the onion one layer.

Well for starters the Janney ES website looks awesome, had tons of info, and the class schedule seems to cover double the subject matter than MCPS ES classes. https://www.janneyschool.org/

Look, an 8:30am start time for all - now your kids don't have to climb all over the house from 6:30am to 9:25am when school finally starts!
And look, a Responsive Classroom teaching methodology for PK-2 - can't do that with only one teacher and 27 kiddos.
Designated Science and Math teachers in ES! They might actually know math themselves then!
Inexpensive french, spanish and mandarin available year-round before or after school at multiple levels: https://www.janneyschool.org/janneyplus/jelp/

Looks more transparent than the meaningless jumbo MCPS slaps up on its generic websites.

I love people who come here to be braggadocious about nothing. Please go to the DC public school forum. Really, you have nothing to prove here. People are on this forum because of MCPS, NOT DCPS. Clearly you've made your choice so just move along.

DP here

I don’t see it as bragging at all.

I see it more as showing parents that we should expect better from MCPS. And that it is CAN be done better. It’s providing an example of how things could be different in MCPS. I find it helpful.

agree. those were basic facts. I don't see anything comparable at MCPS and old MoCo platitudes don't cut it among the high income educated populace any longer.

[Anonymous]

So DCPS is the answer?

Again, with the exception of 2 charter schools, all the DCPS schools are ranked lower than the vast majority of MCPS, FCPS, and APS schools.

I agree MCPS has massive problems, but it’s just wrong to think of DCPS as this panacea.

[Anonymous]

If you really want to see what an education can be, do a few private school tours.
We were aghast at how different public school is today versus when we went. The only thing remotely comparable was parochial or private school.
I second the PP's rec to do tours, very eye opening and up-to-date information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So DCPS is the answer?

Again, with the exception of 2 charter schools, all the DCPS schools are ranked lower than the vast majority of MCPS, FCPS, and APS schools.

I agree MCPS has massive problems, but it’s just wrong to think of DCPS as this panacea.

I put very little weight into GreatSchools or Niche or Best PARCC Scores "rankings". Has very little to do with the quality of the school, teaching or curriculum - has more to do with parent community who value education and instill that into their kids taking tests. W schools kids will always be ready for a PARCC, SAT or ACT and that is due to the parents and kids' goals. It masks a lot of MCPS shortcomings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So DCPS is the answer?

Again, with the exception of 2 charter schools, all the DCPS schools are ranked lower than the vast majority of MCPS, FCPS, and APS schools.

I agree MCPS has massive problems, but it’s just wrong to think of DCPS as this panacea.

I put very little weight into GreatSchools or Niche or Best PARCC Scores "rankings". Has very little to do with the quality of the school, teaching or curriculum - has more to do with parent community who value education and instill that into their kids taking tests. W schools kids will always be ready for a PARCC, SAT or ACT and that is due to the parents and kids' goals. It masks a lot of MCPS shortcomings.

So how do you all know DCPS is this amazingly awesome place?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So DCPS is the answer?

Again, with the exception of 2 charter schools, all the DCPS schools are ranked lower than the vast majority of MCPS, FCPS, and APS schools.

I agree MCPS has massive problems, but it’s just wrong to think of DCPS as this panacea.

I put very little weight into GreatSchools or Niche or Best PARCC Scores "rankings". Has very little to do with the quality of the school, teaching or curriculum - has more to do with parent community who value education and instill that into their kids taking tests. W schools kids will always be ready for a PARCC, SAT or ACT and that is due to the parents and kids' goals. It masks a lot of MCPS shortcomings.

So how do you all know DCPS is this amazingly awesome place?

You do your own research on the school or district. Not Dcum, Not rankings of different state test scores. You actually go to PTA mtgs, talk to parents, do the public school tour with the principal, look at the class schedules for each grade, EC offerings, class sizes, teacher turnover, etc. Then compare. Then choose.

I don't define "good school" as high state-specific standardized test scores. I expect my kid to test well.

I want good teachers, peers, curriculum, breadth, depth, good logistics, community, and teacher/coursework feedback to parents.

SERIOUSLY, NEXT TIME SOMEONE SAYS "XYZ IS A GOOD SCHOOL" ask WHY? Why is it a good school? What makes it a good school?
In MoCo they would stumble a bit and say stuff like "good test scores" or "nice neighbors" or "my kid has good friends".

My wife and I are more of the "show me it's good" type, not "tell me it's good".

[Anonymous]

Sometimes the problem is created by MCPS.

The rezoning of the new RM ES#5 was such an example. MCPS threw in two options for the rezoning that were non-starters to begin with, but it forced the parents in the effected areas to rally against those options. A lot of speaking time for the community was taken up by these parent, when that time could've been used for the community to actually debate and discuss the viable options. It was a waste of time for everyone to have to address these non-starter options that should never have been put on the table to begin with.

Exactly what do you think “forced” means? This is the *exact* behavior discussed in the article. Framing it as something you were “forced” to do is... I don’t even have the words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So DCPS is the answer?

Again, with the exception of 2 charter schools, all the DCPS schools are ranked lower than the vast majority of MCPS, FCPS, and APS schools.

I agree MCPS has massive problems, but it’s just wrong to think of DCPS as this panacea.

I put very little weight into GreatSchools or Niche or Best PARCC Scores "rankings". Has very little to do with the quality of the school, teaching or curriculum - has more to do with parent community who value education and instill that into their kids taking tests. W schools kids will always be ready for a PARCC, SAT or ACT and that is due to the parents and kids' goals. It masks a lot of MCPS shortcomings.

So how do you all know DCPS is this amazingly awesome place?

You do your own research on the school or district. Not Dcum, Not rankings of different state test scores. You actually go to PTA mtgs, talk to parents, do the public school tour with the principal, look at the class schedules for each grade, EC offerings, class sizes, teacher turnover, etc. Then compare. Then choose.

I don't define "good school" as high state-specific standardized test scores. I expect my kid to test well.

I want good teachers, peers, curriculum, breadth, depth, good logistics, community, and teacher/coursework feedback to parents.

SERIOUSLY, NEXT TIME SOMEONE SAYS "XYZ IS A GOOD SCHOOL" ask WHY? Why is it a good school? What makes it a good school?
In MoCo they would stumble a bit and say stuff like "good test scores" or "nice neighbors" or "my kid has good friends".

My wife and I are more of the "show me it's good" type, not "tell me it's good".

And you can honestly say DCPS gives you that, beyond elementary school, one middle school, and SWW?

[Anonymous]

Also, if DCPS is so amazing, then why does upper CT Ave NW (20008) send 73% of its kids to private schools?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.citylab.com/amp/article/375993/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So DCPS is the answer?

Again, with the exception of 2 charter schools, all the DCPS schools are ranked lower than the vast majority of MCPS, FCPS, and APS schools.

I agree MCPS has massive problems, but it’s just wrong to think of DCPS as this panacea.

I put very little weight into GreatSchools or Niche or Best PARCC Scores "rankings". Has very little to do with the quality of the school, teaching or curriculum - has more to do with parent community who value education and instill that into their kids taking tests. W schools kids will always be ready for a PARCC, SAT or ACT and that is due to the parents and kids' goals. It masks a lot of MCPS shortcomings.

So how do you all know DCPS is this amazingly awesome place?

You do your own research on the school or district. Not Dcum, Not rankings of different state test scores. You actually go to PTA mtgs, talk to parents, do the public school tour with the principal, look at the class schedules for each grade, EC offerings, class sizes, teacher turnover, etc. Then compare. Then choose.

I don't define "good school" as high state-specific standardized test scores. I expect my kid to test well.

I want good teachers, peers, curriculum, breadth, depth, good logistics, community, and teacher/coursework feedback to parents.

SERIOUSLY, NEXT TIME SOMEONE SAYS "XYZ IS A GOOD SCHOOL" ask WHY? Why is it a good school? What makes it a good school?
In MoCo they would stumble a bit and say stuff like "good test scores" or "nice neighbors" or "my kid has good friends".

My wife and I are more of the "show me it's good" type, not "tell me it's good".

If you ask any inarticulate person a question, you will get a vague answer. I don’t want to name DD’s school, but here is what I would say about it:
-Her schoolwork has been appropriately challenging for a GT student. Even if she dislikes a particular topic or subject, she has not told us she is bored. In fact, she threw herself into a project in a class she said was her least favorite because she liked the assignment itself.
-Excellent choices for electives beyond FL, art, music, and FACS. Being able to take STEM-related electives means a lot to her and made room in our schedule for her individual sport.
-Great peer group with many other high performing students of color. We were worried she would be an only, but either the pool is big enough or the counselor made an effort when scheduling to not isolate minority GT students.

I can’t tell you anything about test scores other than DD’s. And neighbors are irrelevant as our neighborhood sends many kids to other schools and her school receives kids from all over. Friends are important though and I love that DD found a group of motivated students from families similar to ours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, if DCPS is so amazing, then why does upper CT Ave NW (20008) send 73% of its kids to private schools?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.citylab.com/amp/article/375993/

I'd do K-8 DCPS and then private 9-12 in a flash. Best of all worlds.
My kids are happy but if I were to be objective, in terms of lost opportunities, K-8 in MCPS has been a terrible disappointment developmentally, breadth of academics, socially- overcrowded huge 6th grade was zero community, and athletically there is nothing but private options. And you had better do private sports options since the kids learn zilch in 30 minutes a week gym class and then show up for 7th grade tryouts in a 500+ person grade for a team!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So DCPS is the answer?

Again, with the exception of 2 charter schools, all the DCPS schools are ranked lower than the vast majority of MCPS, FCPS, and APS schools.

I agree MCPS has massive problems, but it’s just wrong to think of DCPS as this panacea.

I put very little weight into GreatSchools or Niche or Best PARCC Scores "rankings". Has very little to do with the quality of the school, teaching or curriculum - has more to do with parent community who value education and instill that into their kids taking tests. W schools kids will always be ready for a PARCC, SAT or ACT and that is due to the parents and kids' goals. It masks a lot of MCPS shortcomings.

So how do you all know DCPS is this amazingly awesome place?

You do your own research on the school or district. Not Dcum, Not rankings of different state test scores. You actually go to PTA mtgs, talk to parents, do the public school tour with the principal, look at the class schedules for each grade, EC offerings, class sizes, teacher turnover, etc. Then compare. Then choose.

I don't define "good school" as high state-specific standardized test scores. I expect my kid to test well.

I want good teachers, peers, curriculum, breadth, depth, good logistics, community, and teacher/coursework feedback to parents.

SERIOUSLY, NEXT TIME SOMEONE SAYS "XYZ IS A GOOD SCHOOL" ask WHY? Why is it a good school? What makes it a good school?
In MoCo they would stumble a bit and say stuff like "good test scores" or "nice neighbors" or "my kid has good friends".

My wife and I are more of the "show me it's good" type, not "tell me it's good".

If you ask any inarticulate person a question, you will get a vague answer. I don’t want to name DD’s school, but here is what I would say about it:
-Her schoolwork has been appropriately challenging for a GT student. Even if she dislikes a particular topic or subject, she has not told us she is bored. In fact, she threw herself into a project in a class she said was her least favorite because she liked the assignment itself.
-Excellent choices for electives beyond FL, art, music, and FACS. Being able to take STEM-related electives means a lot to her and made room in our schedule for her individual sport.
-Great peer group with many other high performing students of color. We were worried she would be an only, but either the pool is big enough or the counselor made an effort when scheduling to not isolate minority GT students.

I can’t tell you anything about test scores other than DD’s. And neighbors are irrelevant as our neighborhood sends many kids to other schools and her school receives kids from all over. Friends are important though and I love that DD found a group of motivated students from families similar to ours.

I'd like to here from a non-CES/HGC or non-Magnet school. We don't live near any and the logistics are not feasible for our family or most of our school pyramid's families.

Doesn't that tell you something if the only families satisfied are the handful that go to CES and magnet programs in 500 sq mile county district?

[Anonymous]

Neither MCPS nor DCPS provide high quality education for K-12, unless you can access a small number of schools/programs for at least some of those grades:

MCPS: K-8 is a problem unless you’re in a CES or magnet. High school is generally better.

DCPS: A few good elementary schools exist, but then you’re up a creek unless you’re going to Deal or SWW.

I don’t see how the two systems are so different, when you look at K-12 education as a whole. They both have some pluses and a ton of minuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, if DCPS is so amazing, then why does upper CT Ave NW (20008) send 73% of its kids to private schools?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.citylab.com/amp/article/375993/

Because that’s one of the wealthiest enclaves in the country?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, if DCPS is so amazing, then why does upper CT Ave NW (20008) send 73% of its kids to private schools?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.citylab.com/amp/article/375993/

Because that’s one of the wealthiest enclaves in the country?

Look more at the article. Chappaqua NY is just as wealthy and only 2% of kids go to private schools. Wealth isn’t the answer.