What are the real facts about MCPS inequities?

[Anonymous]

MCPS has a mandate to distribute funding in the same manner countywide. Some schools get more resources based on need, yes. But it's not like many school districts throughout the US, where literally that school's specific tax base funds that school or cluster of schools. It "shouldn't" be the case that rich schools have more resources and better facilities because the families with kids who attend are rich. Not to say this doesn't happen, because it does. Especially because the parents at wealthier schools push harder and are listened to more. But it's not like places where the wealthy township has much more money to go hog wild and the neighboring township in the same county has a less affluent tax base and no budget, and that directly explains why one school is new and beautiful and the other is falling apart.

It's even true that boosters or PTAs in MCPS cannot raise funds for additional paraeducators and many such resources-- because of the inequity issue. (I believe they can do this in DCPS.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make no mistake, MCPS talks a big game about equity but they cave a lot to the squeakiest wheels which are wealthy white parents.

This is hysterical [NOT], as my children are at a W, and we get ignored by MCPS and the BOE. They cave to everything for TP/SS. If we want something done, we have to fund it ourselves, which are fortunate to be able to do. But it has nothing to do with MCPS caving to us, and everything to do with parents spending money on things that should have been provided.

[Anonymous]

I don't care how MCPS redraws the boundaries--you are always going to have kids who have more and kids who have less because their parents have the means, money, connections, education, whatever. It's the way of the world. And I guarantee that once you start bussing kids for the sake of equity, there will be parents who will donate less time and money to that school than they would their local school either out of spite or because its not in their community so there's less incentive to be involved because they don't feel part of the community where their child goes to school.

I don't live in a W school zone nor a DCC school zone (though I have lived in both) and I chose to live in our school zone because I wanted to be part of this community and I wanted my kids to have friends in this community. It goes beyond just the school--its about connecting with neighbors and creating a better community. My kids are almost done with elementary school but its still important to me that the school succeeds because my neighbor's kids will go there next year and I want them to have a good experience. And frankly, it keeps my housing value up to have a good elementary school.

I'm not saying that the system is perfect and fair but it is what it is. Bussing is not going to solve the issue because those with big money aren't going to send that money to a public school 10 miles away. They are going to send their kids to private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't care how MCPS redraws the boundaries--you are always going to have kids who have more and kids who have less because their parents have the means, money, connections, education, whatever. It's the way of the world. And I guarantee that once you start bussing kids for the sake of equity, there will be parents who will donate less time and money to that school than they would their local school either out of spite or because its not in their community so there's less incentive to be involved because they don't feel part of the community where their child goes to school.

I don't live in a W school zone nor a DCC school zone (though I have lived in both) and I chose to live in our school zone because I wanted to be part of this community and I wanted my kids to have friends in this community. It goes beyond just the school--its about connecting with neighbors and creating a better community. My kids are almost done with elementary school but its still important to me that the school succeeds because my neighbor's kids will go there next year and I want them to have a good experience. And frankly, it keeps my housing value up to have a good elementary school.

I'm not saying that the system is perfect and fair but it is what it is. Bussing is not going to solve the issue because those with big money aren't going to send that money to a public school 10 miles away. They are going to send their kids to private.

Yes, but they could at least try to do a better job with many of the 4 factors. Even with something as simple as proximity is one they typically fail on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:some parents care, some don't. it's not really an issue with MCPS. it's an issue w/ families' involvement (or lack thereof)

Some parents have the agency to be involved, both with job flexibility and income.

Will agree the earlier poster is living in a bubble. Not everyone has the ability or flexibility to do this. In fact, many wealthier families just outsource it even which others can't even consider.

Yes, the PP is missing the point and living in an elitist bubble, but I would argue something more: attributing outcomes to "lack of parental involvement" misses the point of public education in the United States. Our public education system was designed to provide opportunities to ALL kids. If you decide a child is not worthy of investment because you don't approve of their parents, or don't think their parents are wealthy enough to deserve for their child to have opportunities, you are making a fundamentaly unAmerican argument.

The same argument can be made about educational opportunities for students with disabilities in MCPS, especially in W schools. MCPS drags its feet and often refuses to evaluate students with disabilities. So parents with means and health insurance pay for private comprehensive evaluations to identify a child’s disabilities. However, there seems to constantly be the restraint that supports are only offered in certain classes but not all, despite a student’s abilities and needs. Wealthy parents fill in the shortfalls of MCPS with private services to help their child when services don’t exist or they are not consistently implemented in school.

As a W parent, I have often felt the disproportionate offerings for my child with special needs was due to a stereotype of our zip code versus a climate of equal opportunities for students with disabilities. I’ve often wondered if we lived in a Title I school if my child would have more opportunities because of the extra services and smaller class sizes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP and that's what I thought - but my child insists that they are "richer schools" and that the county provides more money to them. Is it ONLY boosters? I mean, that could result in huge inequities I realize - I do know that the costumes and programs in my younger child's school theater program are extravagant and that my older child has crappy sports unforms and Churchill has a huge new scoreboard. But, I'm not sure I believe those things alone disadvantage our DCC kids that much. Does it make our programs scrappier and more desperate for funds? Yes. Is it unfair? Yes. But it doesn't mean our kids are getting a sub-par education. In fact, I see no difference in the administration and teachers at one school over the other.

OP your DD probably isn't aware of what booster money can and does buy. I agree with you that admin and teachers can be equivalent across schools. Class sizes in poorer schools are sometimes smaller due to Title I money.

Similarly, let us not pretend that the vast majority parents of children participating in MCPS extracurriculars can afford to purchase uniforms for their children. Some PTAs and booster clubs lack the fundraising infrastructure to maximize fundraising. That makes it harder to do things like buy new uniforms; but that does not mean that the parents cannot afford to do so. Does MCPS offer fundraising tutorials available or have fundraising professionals available to assist parent groups. That could improve the budgets of some PTAs and booster clubs.

[Anonymous]

As far as athletics at a W school, I am often in sticker shock as to what parents are expected to pay so our child can participate on a team and the range of expense per sport. Cheer was about $500 with uniforms, bows, shoes, etc. Football was $350 but that included pregame meals but didn’t include equipment costs that were an additional $200. Banquet tickets were always extra and were usually $100 per parent.

We do have a small portion of section 8 families in our school, so I often wonder if they feel discouraged to participate because of the high cost to participate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make no mistake, MCPS talks a big game about equity but they cave a lot to the squeakiest wheels which are wealthy white parents.

This is hysterical [NOT], as my children are at a W, and we get ignored by MCPS and the BOE. They cave to everything for TP/SS. If we want something done, we have to fund it ourselves, which are fortunate to be able to do. But it has nothing to do with MCPS caving to us, and everything to do with parents spending money on things that should have been provided.

Please describe the things that MCPS should have provided, that the parents provided instead.

[Anonymous]

W schools may have more money from boosters and some nicer things for athletics (but it is becoming more even), but take a look at the Wheaton High School matriculation list this year and any jealousy might disappear (it’s pretty amazing — CalTech, a couple MITs, Harvard, Stanford, Harvey Mudd, Swathmore and many more. It is an impressive list).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make no mistake, MCPS talks a big game about equity but they cave a lot to the squeakiest wheels which are wealthy white parents.

This is hysterical [NOT], as my children are at a W, and we get ignored by MCPS and the BOE. They cave to everything for TP/SS. If we want something done, we have to fund it ourselves, which are fortunate to be able to do. But it has nothing to do with MCPS caving to us, and everything to do with parents spending money on things that should have been provided.

Please describe the things that MCPS should have provided, that the parents provided instead.

I'd like to see the response to this as well. I was PTA president at a non-W/ non-Title I school and there were quite a few things that the county was supposed to provide, and would have provided, had the principal been willing to push hard enough. But MCPS makes it so hard to get certain materials and services that it's easier to just have the PTA/parents fund it so they can get it done quicker and circumvent the system. I'm not saying this is always the case but I saw it happen over and over again at my kids' school. We had a good fundraising program in place so the money wasn't an issue but it's hard to convince the school administration to fight with the central office when the PTA is willing/able to be an ATM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As far as athletics at a W school, I am often in sticker shock as to what parents are expected to pay so our child can participate on a team and the range of expense per sport. Cheer was about $500 with uniforms, bows, shoes, etc. Football was $350 but that included pregame meals but didn’t include equipment costs that were an additional $200. Banquet tickets were always extra and were usually $100 per parent.

We do have a small portion of section 8 families in our school, so I often wonder if they feel discouraged to participate because of the high cost to participate.

Apologies to any hockey parents who read that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make no mistake, MCPS talks a big game about equity but they cave a lot to the squeakiest wheels which are wealthy white parents.

This is hysterical [NOT], as my children are at a W, and we get ignored by MCPS and the BOE. They cave to everything for TP/SS. If we want something done, we have to fund it ourselves, which are fortunate to be able to do. But it has nothing to do with MCPS caving to us, and everything to do with parents spending money on things that should have been provided.

Please describe the things that MCPS should have provided, that the parents provided instead.

I'd like to see the response to this as well. I was PTA president at a non-W/ non-Title I school and there were quite a few things that the county was supposed to provide, and would have provided, had the principal been willing to push hard enough. But MCPS makes it so hard to get certain materials and services that it's easier to just have the PTA/parents fund it so they can get it done quicker and circumvent the system. I'm not saying this is always the case but I saw it happen over and over again at my kids' school. We had a good fundraising program in place so the money wasn't an issue but it's hard to convince the school administration to fight with the central office when the PTA is willing/able to be an ATM.

Okay. Can you describe the items or services that MCPS should have provided to your school, that the PTA did instead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make no mistake, MCPS talks a big game about equity but they cave a lot to the squeakiest wheels which are wealthy white parents.

This is hysterical [NOT], as my children are at a W, and we get ignored by MCPS and the BOE. They cave to everything for TP/SS. If we want something done, we have to fund it ourselves, which are fortunate to be able to do. But it has nothing to do with MCPS caving to us, and everything to do with parents spending money on things that should have been provided.

Please describe the things that MCPS should have provided, that the parents provided instead.

I'd like to see the response to this as well. I was PTA president at a non-W/ non-Title I school and there were quite a few things that the county was supposed to provide, and would have provided, had the principal been willing to push hard enough. But MCPS makes it so hard to get certain materials and services that it's easier to just have the PTA/parents fund it so they can get it done quicker and circumvent the system. I'm not saying this is always the case but I saw it happen over and over again at my kids' school. We had a good fundraising program in place so the money wasn't an issue but it's hard to convince the school administration to fight with the central office when the PTA is willing/able to be an ATM.

Okay. Can you describe the items or services that MCPS should have provided to your school, that the PTA did instead?

Paper towels, disinfecting wipes, landscaping supplies/mulch/groundskeeping labor. Off the top of my head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:W schools may have more money from boosters and some nicer things for athletics (but it is becoming more even), but take a look at the Wheaton High School matriculation list this year and any jealousy might disappear (it’s pretty amazing — CalTech, a couple MITs, Harvard, Stanford, Harvey Mudd, Swathmore and many more. It is an impressive list).

Super Jealous of Wheaton by looking at the few kids who made it though one can totally overlook the 50% FARMS rate, poor test scores, almost unmeasurable AP participation rate (2%),high dropout and suspension rate. It's a Gem

[Anonymous]

Anecdotally, some wealthier PTA’s give hundreds of dollars to teachers to purchase supplies, have grants for larger purchases, support teachers with food, messages, awards etc. The boosters make sure the sports teams and music programs have the best equipment and uniforms. I don’t think there is much difference in teaching overall, but anything outside of the classroom has a big difference between wealthy and poor schools. Over time staff end up gravitating to schools easier to commute to more than anything else. Poorer neighborhoods don’t have a lot of good overall housing/location for teachers. If a poor school is getting more money it is going to special programs and staffing that high most achieving students are not part of.