Compacted Math- FYI

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How having an almost perfect record in Math in 4th Grade connects to learning loss during the pandemic has not been announced.

This is the truly bothersome point for me. It’s because they said so. Or it’s because of some unshared information about how well, or not, students are doing in Algebra. Or it’s about some new educational studies about acceleration. I would like to hear how any of these lines in the sand connect to learning loss. If on Day 1 Principals, teachers, parents and students had been told “All As or else” many would have approached things differently this year; or at least would have been given the option of deciding whether it was worth the pandemic energy to them.

Math acceleration can be important to families for any number of reasons; there’s no reason to limit it as a scarce resource. Guaranteed it is not the reason MCPS kids are underperforming on standardized tests. Admin should leave it be.

This is weird. It is one thing to say that students are behind due to COVID, it is another to the-evaluate who should be in the class at a big picture level. Continuing on has never been a “thing” before. AND MCPS proposed getting rid of a Accelerated math in general earlier in the year, but changed course because parents freaked, so they promised it would continue. This seems like using COVID to shrink the accelerated numbers. If there’s a legitimate reason and evidence based plan to narrow access to acceleration, MCPS should expose it to some sunlight. Otherwise they look arbitrary, and like they’re hiding the ball with parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How having an almost perfect record in Math in 4th Grade connects to learning loss during the pandemic has not been announced.

This is the truly bothersome point for me. It’s because they said so. Or it’s because of some unshared information about how well, or not, students are doing in Algebra. Or it’s about some new educational studies about acceleration. I would like to hear how any of these lines in the sand connect to learning loss. If on Day 1 Principals, teachers, parents and students had been told “All As or else” many would have approached things differently this year; or at least would have been given the option of deciding whether it was worth the pandemic energy to them.

Math acceleration can be important to families for any number of reasons; there’s no reason to limit it as a scarce resource. Guaranteed it is not the reason MCPS kids are underperforming on standardized tests. Admin should leave it be.

This is weird. It is one thing to say that students are behind due to COVID, it is another to the-evaluate who should be in the class at a big picture level. Continuing on has never been a “thing” before. AND MCPS proposed getting rid of a Accelerated math in general earlier in the year, but changed course because parents freaked, so they promised it would continue. This seems like using COVID to shrink the accelerated numbers. If there’s a legitimate reason and evidence based plan to narrow access to acceleration, MCPS should expose it to some sunlight. Otherwise they look arbitrary, and like they’re hiding the ball with parents.

I absolutely think this is what is going on here. They are looking for a different way to get rid of the differentiation. The standard is so arbitrary and applying it in the "middle" of the curriculum makes no sense - unless you look at it through this lens.

I remember asking why there was no more enrichment after our school transitioned to Benchmark at the beginning of last year and was told that it was already above grade level so there was no need for additional enrichment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How having an almost perfect record in Math in 4th Grade connects to learning loss during the pandemic has not been announced.

This is the truly bothersome point for me. It’s because they said so. Or it’s because of some unshared information about how well, or not, students are doing in Algebra. Or it’s about some new educational studies about acceleration. I would like to hear how any of these lines in the sand connect to learning loss. If on Day 1 Principals, teachers, parents and students had been told “All As or else” many would have approached things differently this year; or at least would have been given the option of deciding whether it was worth the pandemic energy to them.

Math acceleration can be important to families for any number of reasons; there’s no reason to limit it as a scarce resource. Guaranteed it is not the reason MCPS kids are underperforming on standardized tests. Admin should leave it be.

This is weird. It is one thing to say that students are behind due to COVID, it is another to the-evaluate who should be in the class at a big picture level. Continuing on has never been a “thing” before. AND MCPS proposed getting rid of a Accelerated math in general earlier in the year, but changed course because parents freaked, so they promised it would continue. This seems like using COVID to shrink the accelerated numbers. If there’s a legitimate reason and evidence based plan to narrow access to acceleration, MCPS should expose it to some sunlight. Otherwise they look arbitrary, and like they’re hiding the ball with parents.

I absolutely think this is what is going on here. They are looking for a different way to get rid of the differentiation. The standard is so arbitrary and applying it in the "middle" of the curriculum makes no sense - unless you look at it through this lens.

I remember asking why there was no more enrichment after our school transitioned to Benchmark at the beginning of last year and was told that it was already above grade level so there was no need for additional enrichment.

And yet some schools have ELC! I’m sure some schools will figure out a way around this mandate and other schools will not. Lovely equity in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How having an almost perfect record in Math in 4th Grade connects to learning loss during the pandemic has not been announced.

This is the truly bothersome point for me. It’s because they said so. Or it’s because of some unshared information about how well, or not, students are doing in Algebra. Or it’s about some new educational studies about acceleration. I would like to hear how any of these lines in the sand connect to learning loss. If on Day 1 Principals, teachers, parents and students had been told “All As or else” many would have approached things differently this year; or at least would have been given the option of deciding whether it was worth the pandemic energy to them.

Math acceleration can be important to families for any number of reasons; there’s no reason to limit it as a scarce resource. Guaranteed it is not the reason MCPS kids are underperforming on standardized tests. Admin should leave it be.

This is weird. It is one thing to say that students are behind due to COVID, it is another to the-evaluate who should be in the class at a big picture level. Continuing on has never been a “thing” before. AND MCPS proposed getting rid of a Accelerated math in general earlier in the year, but changed course because parents freaked, so they promised it would continue. This seems like using COVID to shrink the accelerated numbers. If there’s a legitimate reason and evidence based plan to narrow access to acceleration, MCPS should expose it to some sunlight. Otherwise they look arbitrary, and like they’re hiding the ball with parents.

I absolutely think this is what is going on here. They are looking for a different way to get rid of the differentiation. The standard is so arbitrary and applying it in the "middle" of the curriculum makes no sense - unless you look at it through this lens.

I remember asking why there was no more enrichment after our school transitioned to Benchmark at the beginning of last year and was told that it was already above grade level so there was no need for additional enrichment.

And yet some schools have ELC! I’m sure some schools will figure out a way around this mandate and other schools will not. Lovely equity in MCPS.

The lack of uniformity in access to ELC is absolutely maddening. The "pilot" started years ago. It should be at all schools. They are using the pandemic as an excuse not to do so.

[Anonymous]

I don’t even see the MAP from last week in ParentVUE. Where are you seeing your kids score?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t even see the MAP from last week in ParentVUE. Where are you seeing your kids score?

The most recent score flashes across the screen at the end of the test. Kid needs to write it down or remember it. You can also just email the teacher and get it that way.

Historic results show up in Documents on ParentVue. These MAP tests won't be up there for weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t even see the MAP from last week in ParentVUE. Where are you seeing your kids score?

Ask the teacher for the scores. It won’t be in the portal for at least a month (typically longer).

[Anonymous]

Fun fact. US math curriculum was reevaluated and rewritten in 1957 following the launch of Sputnik by UsSr. Advanced topics such as inequalities and linear algebra were introduced so that US can compete with Russian mathematicians. Now that the space race is over we can dumb down the curriculum. Russia teaches both Algebra and Geometry concurrently to all kids from grade 7 through 11.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't even mind a cut-off but this seems like such a random cut-off that is just meant to limit access, rather than being a cut-off that represents the level of knowledge that they are supposed to have at the end of the class they are taking.

I suspect there is a way to get there with MAP, but I am not sure what that number would be. I would think it would not be higher than something like the 50% score for children finishing Math 6 in order to advance to AIM, and the 50% score for children finishing Math 5 (or a bit lower) in order to advance to math 5/6. So something like the 50% score for the grade above you would be sufficient to keep you in the course that is a half year to a year advanced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But what about that kid who is in the 89th percentile? Are you really positive that kid can not succeed and are willing to just not include him for no other reason than ONE question on MAP testing?

The point is why is one cutoff score the end all be all?

I've been in MCPS long enough to know that there is always flex. But we've got someone on this thread whose kids have scores in the range of 60th percentile arguing that their child should advance on (pandemic era) grades alone. That's bananas and does not end well for anyone. Moreover, I'd note that we are talking about 90th percentile nationwide. In a country that includes Baltimore, and Appalachia, and the parts of rural Idado where I grew up.

Also, I desperately want to see the overlap between folks claiming that MPCS is "watering down" the curriculum due to "equity" and people arguing that THEIR kid is different and the rules should not apply. I suspect there is substantial overlap.

If you look at the MAP reports in the document section of ParentVue, they show the difference between the nationwide an county mean. It's not that different.

Less than half of the US school districts use MAP, so you can't assume that they are using it in all the more challenged school districts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fun fact. US math curriculum was reevaluated and rewritten in 1957 following the launch of Sputnik by UsSr. Advanced topics such as inequalities and linear algebra were introduced so that US can compete with Russian mathematicians. Now that the space race is over we can dumb down the curriculum. Russia teaches both Algebra and Geometry concurrently to all kids from grade 7 through 11.

This is done in the UK too. It seems more intuitive than switching back and forth between Algebra and Geometry from year to year.

[Anonymous]

The truth is that the US system, for all of its faults, produces plenty of amazing mathematicians. Are we really going to pretend that you must be from another country to have great math instruction? Plenty of people get the same common core instruction and are wildly successful.

What separates the US from most of the others, is that our country is founded on giving ALL children the opportunities rather than just the select few. That’s why our special needs services blow most other countries away.

What concerns me about the new path is that we are veering away from that and saying that only the elite (as determined when a child is 8 or 9) can have access to those opportunities. Then, on top of that, we are defining elite by doing well on one test.

I think that is what is upsetting everyone. For kids not successful- of course they should not continue on the path. But for the kids that are successful- why are we taking this opportunity away?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The truth is that the US system, for all of its faults, produces plenty of amazing mathematicians. Are we really going to pretend that you must be from another country to have great math instruction? Plenty of people get the same common core instruction and are wildly successful.

What separates the US from most of the others, is that our country is founded on giving ALL children the opportunities rather than just the select few. That’s why our special needs services blow most other countries away.

What concerns me about the new path is that we are veering away from that and saying that only the elite (as determined when a child is 8 or 9) can have access to those opportunities. Then, on top of that, we are defining elite by doing well on one test.

I think that is what is upsetting everyone. For kids not successful- of course they should not continue on the path. But for the kids that are successful- why are we taking this opportunity away?

Well, that's quite an accomplishment.
'Nuff said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How having an almost perfect record in Math in 4th Grade connects to learning loss during the pandemic has not been announced.

This is the truly bothersome point for me. It’s because they said so. Or it’s because of some unshared information about how well, or not, students are doing in Algebra. Or it’s about some new educational studies about acceleration. I would like to hear how any of these lines in the sand connect to learning loss. If on Day 1 Principals, teachers, parents and students had been told “All As or else” many would have approached things differently this year; or at least would have been given the option of deciding whether it was worth the pandemic energy to them.

Math acceleration can be important to families for any number of reasons; there’s no reason to limit it as a scarce resource. Guaranteed it is not the reason MCPS kids are underperforming on standardized tests. Admin should leave it be.

This is weird. It is one thing to say that students are behind due to COVID, it is another to the-evaluate who should be in the class at a big picture level. Continuing on has never been a “thing” before. AND MCPS proposed getting rid of a Accelerated math in general earlier in the year, but changed course because parents freaked, so they promised it would continue. This seems like using COVID to shrink the accelerated numbers. If there’s a legitimate reason and evidence based plan to narrow access to acceleration, MCPS should expose it to some sunlight. Otherwise they look arbitrary, and like they’re hiding the ball with parents.

I absolutely think this is what is going on here. They are looking for a different way to get rid of the differentiation. The standard is so arbitrary and applying it in the "middle" of the curriculum makes no sense - unless you look at it through this lens.

I remember asking why there was no more enrichment after our school transitioned to Benchmark at the beginning of last year and was told that it was already above grade level so there was no need for additional enrichment.

And yet some schools have ELC! I’m sure some schools will figure out a way around this mandate and other schools will not. Lovely equity in MCPS.

The lack of uniformity in access to ELC is absolutely maddening. The "pilot" started years ago. It should be at all schools. They are using the pandemic as an excuse not to do so.

Yes! Very good point 2 of our 5 cluster Elementary schools have it. Ours does not. Very equitable. I’d love to know why they bother marking my kid as above grade level for reading. How can you tell? And what difference does it make if there is no enrichment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How having an almost perfect record in Math in 4th Grade connects to learning loss during the pandemic has not been announced.

This is the truly bothersome point for me. It’s because they said so. Or it’s because of some unshared information about how well, or not, students are doing in Algebra. Or it’s about some new educational studies about acceleration. I would like to hear how any of these lines in the sand connect to learning loss. If on Day 1 Principals, teachers, parents and students had been told “All As or else” many would have approached things differently this year; or at least would have been given the option of deciding whether it was worth the pandemic energy to them.

Math acceleration can be important to families for any number of reasons; there’s no reason to limit it as a scarce resource. Guaranteed it is not the reason MCPS kids are underperforming on standardized tests. Admin should leave it be.

This is weird. It is one thing to say that students are behind due to COVID, it is another to the-evaluate who should be in the class at a big picture level. Continuing on has never been a “thing” before. AND MCPS proposed getting rid of a Accelerated math in general earlier in the year, but changed course because parents freaked, so they promised it would continue. This seems like using COVID to shrink the accelerated numbers. If there’s a legitimate reason and evidence based plan to narrow access to acceleration, MCPS should expose it to some sunlight. Otherwise they look arbitrary, and like they’re hiding the ball with parents.

I absolutely think this is what is going on here. They are looking for a different way to get rid of the differentiation. The standard is so arbitrary and applying it in the "middle" of the curriculum makes no sense - unless you look at it through this lens.

I remember asking why there was no more enrichment after our school transitioned to Benchmark at the beginning of last year and was told that it was already above grade level so there was no need for additional enrichment.

And yet some schools have ELC! I’m sure some schools will figure out a way around this mandate and other schools will not. Lovely equity in MCPS.

The lack of uniformity in access to ELC is absolutely maddening. The "pilot" started years ago. It should be at all schools. They are using the pandemic as an excuse not to do so.

Yes! Very good point 2 of our 5 cluster Elementary schools have it. Ours does not. Very equitable. I’d love to know why they bother marking my kid as above grade level for reading. How can you tell? And what difference does it make if there is no enrichment?

The ELC has separate classes, so the kids who get it aren't just in pull-outs. The entire class is advanced and doing the same thing. So even if non-ELC schools use some of the same materials, it's definitely not the same thing as what the kids who have ELC get.