What does this mean? 9th grade “curriculum update”

[Anonymous]

Can the Montgomery County PTSA protest this? It's bad for students, bad for teachers, just bad for learning.

[Anonymous]

Damn. I thought we got rid of finals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teens aren't so cooperative on this sort of thing, but if anyone wants to start ensuring their kid "gets it" for the end-of-year exercise, here are the standards:
https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DAAIT/Assessment/MISA/LSMISAStandards.pdf

So we all have to supplement at home now for this ridiculous decision the state and the district made? Why not just give back our tax money so we can all homeschool.

The district didn’t make any decision, its a state requirement.

https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DAAIT/Assessment/EOCs/index.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's going to be very interesting to see how they do this, especially given the state-wide high school Biology MCAP scores in 2022 had only 3.5% scoring a level 4 (highest), 31.6% with a level 3 (proficient), 40.5% at level 2, and 24.4% at level 1.

That's going to really affect semester grades, and also seems like an indication that the test may not be well aligned to how the classes are being taught.

https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/

This should be the real concern. Are there things in the state standard that are missing or poorly covered by the MCPS curriculum (whether standard, honors or AP)? If not, and if the tests are not poorly written, then the shock of the high non-proficiency rate may simply be due to ongoing grade inflation.

I'm not sure I'm a fan of semester grading in the first place. It's a double-edged sword.

To clear, the PP referred to how the courses are being taught. The curriculum IS aligned to the standards, but some teachers/schools have been doing their own thing since the tests haven’t “counted”. This year they have to actually make sure they are covering the standards.

[Anonymous]

In the past final were very low bar since they needed kids to pass them. I would not worry unless your kid is really struggling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m really so upset about this., does anyone know how it will translate to grades? Like will a proficient be a B?
I really don’t think it should count for more than 10%. The poor teachers are now gojng to have to spend a month just purely teaching the test given that the test has not been aligned to the curriculum. I can’t even recall if my older kid took it or if they skipped it due to the pandemic. Those grades aren’t on parentvue are they?

+1. This is why conservatives loath liberal pols. No Red state is attempting to create Oxford style exams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teens aren't so cooperative on this sort of thing, but if anyone wants to start ensuring their kid "gets it" for the end-of-year exercise, here are the standards:
https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DAAIT/Assessment/MISA/LSMISAStandards.pdf

So we all have to supplement at home now for this ridiculous decision the state and the district made? Why not just give back our tax money so we can all homeschool.

The district didn’t make any decision, its a state requirement.

https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DAAIT/Assessment/EOCs/index.aspx

These silly exams simply place the focus on the test. If I’m a teacher I’m now focused on making sure kids make me look good (ie to the detriment of more interesting activities). What ever happened to the goal of fostering a love for learning on its own?

So glad my kids are nearly through with this political nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Q for the strong-willed amongst us who follow the swamp that is Maryland politics: this has to be the work of the Kirwan Commission, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can the Montgomery County PTSA protest this? It's bad for students, bad for teachers, just bad for learning.

MCCPTA wouldn't do anything that isn't in their benefit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Starting this school year for students in Grade 9 (Class of 2027), the Maryland Comprehensive Assessments for biology and government will count as 20 percent of the student’s final grade in each course. A virtual parent night will be scheduled this fall to share additional information.”

My ninth grader isn’t taking government. Does this mean it’s required in 9th grade?

No. I hope your kid has better reading comprehension than you

[Anonymous]

It would have to count for more than 20% of their AT grade to be over 20% of final grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teens aren't so cooperative on this sort of thing, but if anyone wants to start ensuring their kid "gets it" for the end-of-year exercise, here are the standards:
https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DAAIT/Assessment/MISA/LSMISAStandards.pdf

So we all have to supplement at home now for this ridiculous decision the state and the district made? Why not just give back our tax money so we can all homeschool.

The district didn’t make any decision, its a state requirement.

https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DAAIT/Assessment/EOCs/index.aspx

These silly exams simply place the focus on the test. If I’m a teacher I’m now focused on making sure kids make me look good (ie to the detriment of more interesting activities). What ever happened to the goal of fostering a love for learning on its own?

So glad my kids are nearly through with this political nonsense.

Or just be sure as a teacher/ teaching team everyone really understands the standards and covers them throughout the course. Ensure the work in the class and quizzes and test gives students an understanding of the depth of knowledge they need and the critical analysis skills that need to be applied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Starting this school year for students in Grade 9 (Class of 2027), the Maryland Comprehensive Assessments for biology and government will count as 20 percent of the student’s final grade in each course. A virtual parent night will be scheduled this fall to share additional information.”

My ninth grader isn’t taking government. Does this mean it’s required in 9th grade?

No. I hope your kid has better reading comprehension than you

Do you really just get off on being nasty and mean? F you.

Also read it again, it clearly says that this will happen IN 9th grade. If they meant something else they should have worded it better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Starting this school year for students in Grade 9 (Class of 2027), the Maryland Comprehensive Assessments for biology and government will count as 20 percent of the student’s final grade in each course. A virtual parent night will be scheduled this fall to share additional information.”

My ninth grader isn’t taking government. Does this mean it’s required in 9th grade?

No. I hope your kid has better reading comprehension than you

Do you really just get off on being nasty and mean? F you.

Also read it again, it clearly says that this will happen IN 9th grade. If they meant something else they should have worded it better.

Right this policy begins for grade 9 students.
If they had wanted to say 'all students must take the assessment in grade 9" then they would have just said that. Duh.
It clearly means that the policy of bio and gov having 20% of the course grade rely on the test will begin this year with freshman
So while the policy begins this year, sophomores and above taking bio or gov will not be under the policy.

Duh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teens aren't so cooperative on this sort of thing, but if anyone wants to start ensuring their kid "gets it" for the end-of-year exercise, here are the standards:
https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DAAIT/Assessment/MISA/LSMISAStandards.pdf

I’m more worried about the test itself. My oldest kid is a super highly motivated kid who gets top marks and takes the hardest classes, 5s on APs, etc. But even she doesn’t always get the highest level on these state tests—she says the questions are confusing and sometimes don’t make much sense. I just do not trust these tests at all and am really upset that my younger kid is probably going to have his GPA tanked. Unless they are just going to give everyone that gets proficient the full 20%?