2024 MS Criteria Based Lottery Results

[Anonymous]

Can anyone chime in about how they compare? Lottery results favorable for both programs.

Seems like TpMS could be more balanced. Really torn. Oddly, EMS is DS’s home school so they’d have to leave friends. Both programs sound like they prepare students really well for high school.

[Anonymous]

We got a letter in the mail today.

In pool/waitlist for Takoma.

Not in pool/waitlist for Eastern.

Girl of color with an IEP. Takes compacted 5/6 math and ELC curriculum in a downcounty FOCUS school.

Fall MAP M 245 (99th percentile)

Fall MAP R 238 (98th percentile)

Straight A's throughout her ES career, but got an 89 (B) for first quarter Reading, this year only. I assume this is why she wasn't in the Eastern pool. NBD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know very few (including me) will be lucky enough to be in this position but...

If you are eligible for both, and accept a position in one, does that automatically withdraw you from the waitlist for the other? Just thinking if your kid has a clear inclination towards one, but gets into the other, should you accept the one that you got into originally? Or hold out to see if you get a spot in the one that may be a better fit.

No. My kid got in to TPMS last Jan but waitlisted for Eastern. In July he was offered a space at Eastern.

We were specifically told we would be taken out of the pool for one if we accepted the other. I wonder if your experience was due to the trouble they had filling spots at Eastern last year.

You are only taken out of the pool for the other if you are offered them both at the same time. Otherwise you definitely remain in the pool for the other program. If anyone tells you differently they are wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone chime in about how they compare? Lottery results favorable for both programs.

Seems like TpMS could be more balanced. Really torn. Oddly, EMS is DS’s home school so they’d have to leave friends. Both programs sound like they prepare students really well for high school.

Takoma park is considered the better run school of the two on this board. The classes are engaging and the teachers are excellent. Many kids go on to the Blair magnet. Kids are hardworking and supportive. There is not a heavy homework load. If your kid is a STEM kid it’s a great choice.

Eastern is considered a rougher, less well run school. The program is excellent and very rigorous. A good choice for creative, driven kids with strengths in the humanities, theater literature. The homework load is intense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We got a letter in the mail today.

In pool/waitlist for Takoma.

Not in pool/waitlist for Eastern.

Girl of color with an IEP. Takes compacted 5/6 math and ELC curriculum in a downcounty FOCUS school.

Fall MAP M 245 (99th percentile)

Fall MAP R 238 (98th percentile)

Straight A's throughout her ES career, but got an 89 (B) for first quarter Reading, this year only. I assume this is why she wasn't in the Eastern pool. NBD

If you are interested in Eastern you could likely successfully appeal on the basis of her IEP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you to the PPs for posting that I didn't have to do anything. I would have gotten an anxiety attack (or maybe already did after seeing this thread lol). Since we didn't get any notification if we were even in the lottery I went and appealed. Not sure if that will matter. Deadline is 2/2/24.

You jumped the gun here. You should wait until you get the notification. If it doesn’t arrive in the mail it will be on ParentVue next week.

[Anonymous]

W school, DC got placed in the lottery pool for both Humanities and Math, waitlisted for both.

Congrats to those who made it!

[Anonymous]

DCC feeder, dual immersion Spanish program, in pool for both with 242 MAP-M and 240 MAP-R. Placed at TPMS and will accept.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got a letter in the mail today.

In pool/waitlist for Takoma.

Not in pool/waitlist for Eastern.

Girl of color with an IEP. Takes compacted 5/6 math and ELC curriculum in a downcounty FOCUS school.

Fall MAP M 245 (99th percentile)

Fall MAP R 238 (98th percentile)

Straight A's throughout her ES career, but got an 89 (B) for first quarter Reading, this year only. I assume this is why she wasn't in the Eastern pool. NBD

If you are interested in Eastern you could likely successfully appeal on the basis of her IEP.

Unlikely, as there already is an adjustment for those with IEPs. It's applied to the MAP, allowing a lower score (not that PP's DD needs that accommodation) but not to grades, presumably because the IEP currently in place is supposed to have provided adequate support on that front.

The appeals are supposed to be about new info that they didn't have (e.g., grade change) or individual circumstances not envisioned in their paradigm (IEP is). They also would put a student into the pool for subsequent lottery selection (as spots are declined) and ensure local enriched classes, rather than result in placement, directly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got a letter in the mail today.

In pool/waitlist for Takoma.

Not in pool/waitlist for Eastern.

Girl of color with an IEP. Takes compacted 5/6 math and ELC curriculum in a downcounty FOCUS school.

Fall MAP M 245 (99th percentile)

Fall MAP R 238 (98th percentile)

Straight A's throughout her ES career, but got an 89 (B) for first quarter Reading, this year only. I assume this is why she wasn't in the Eastern pool. NBD

If you are interested in Eastern you could likely successfully appeal on the basis of her IEP.

Unlikely, as there already is an adjustment for those with IEPs. It's applied to the MAP, allowing a lower score (not that PP's DD needs that accommodation) but not to grades, presumably because the IEP currently in place is supposed to have provided adequate support on that front.

The appeals are supposed to be about new info that they didn't have (e.g., grade change) or individual circumstances not envisioned in their paradigm (IEP is). They also would put a student into the pool for subsequent lottery selection (as spots are declined) and ensure local enriched classes, rather than result in placement, directly.

Wrong. They have said vaguely that IEPs will be taken into account but not specifically how. It stands to reason that they’d give leeway for one grade with otherwise stellar test scores. It is absolutely worth an appeal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know very few (including me) will be lucky enough to be in this position but...

If you are eligible for both, and accept a position in one, does that automatically withdraw you from the waitlist for the other? Just thinking if your kid has a clear inclination towards one, but gets into the other, should you accept the one that you got into originally? Or hold out to see if you get a spot in the one that may be a better fit.

No. My kid got in to TPMS last Jan but waitlisted for Eastern. In July he was offered a space at Eastern.

Also, I should add that quite a lot of families seemed to be in this position last year. A significant number seemed to be offered both off the bat.

That's odd because it's a lottery.

It is but they went way through the waitlist at eastern and had trouble filling spots. That doesn’t explain why some families got two offers up front though.

It's because the lotteries are conducted independently from pools that are determined independently (though clearly with similar rubrics). There will be overlaps in the pools, probably a significant percentage, and overlap in the offers, though a much smaller percentage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got a letter in the mail today.

In pool/waitlist for Takoma.

Not in pool/waitlist for Eastern.

Girl of color with an IEP. Takes compacted 5/6 math and ELC curriculum in a downcounty FOCUS school.

Fall MAP M 245 (99th percentile)

Fall MAP R 238 (98th percentile)

Straight A's throughout her ES career, but got an 89 (B) for first quarter Reading, this year only. I assume this is why she wasn't in the Eastern pool. NBD

If you are interested in Eastern you could likely successfully appeal on the basis of her IEP.

Unlikely, as there already is an adjustment for those with IEPs. It's applied to the MAP, allowing a lower score (not that PP's DD needs that accommodation) but not to grades, presumably because the IEP currently in place is supposed to have provided adequate support on that front.

The appeals are supposed to be about new info that they didn't have (e.g., grade change) or individual circumstances not envisioned in their paradigm (IEP is). They also would put a student into the pool for subsequent lottery selection (as spots are declined) and ensure local enriched classes, rather than result in placement, directly.

Wrong. They have said vaguely that IEPs will be taken into account but not specifically how. It stands to reason that they’d give leeway for one grade with otherwise stellar test scores. It is absolutely worth an appeal.

Not this, again. Please see:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/1178989.page#26604725

There's a new FAQ with the slightest of changes -- 85th locally normed %ile from either last Spring or this Fall for the Math magnet only, instead of just the Fall score, because of the different MAP versions administered between Math 5 and Math 5/6. The linked MCPS doc from the post, above, was to the BOE in response to questions last year. The adjustment for those receiving services (FARMS, EML, 504, IEP) has to do with a MAP %ile allowance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know very few (including me) will be lucky enough to be in this position but...

If you are eligible for both, and accept a position in one, does that automatically withdraw you from the waitlist for the other? Just thinking if your kid has a clear inclination towards one, but gets into the other, should you accept the one that you got into originally? Or hold out to see if you get a spot in the one that may be a better fit.

No. My kid got in to TPMS last Jan but waitlisted for Eastern. In July he was offered a space at Eastern.

Also, I should add that quite a lot of families seemed to be in this position last year. A significant number seemed to be offered both off the bat.

That's odd because it's a lottery.

It is but they went way through the waitlist at eastern and had trouble filling spots. That doesn’t explain why some families got two offers up front though.

It's because the lotteries are conducted independently from pools that are determined independently (though clearly with similar rubrics). There will be overlaps in the pools, probably a significant percentage, and overlap in the offers, though a much smaller percentage.

That would make sense but here on DCUM last year it was clear that a disproportionate number of people were offered both simultaneously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you to the PPs for posting that I didn't have to do anything. I would have gotten an anxiety attack (or maybe already did after seeing this thread lol). Since we didn't get any notification if we were even in the lottery I went and appealed. Not sure if that will matter. Deadline is 2/2/24.

You jumped the gun here. You should wait until you get the notification. If it doesn’t arrive in the mail it will be on ParentVue next week.

So they don't send emails out if your child is in the lottery then? How would we know if our kid is selected to be in lottery then and appeal if not? I checked my emails and nada so I thought I would appeal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We received our acceptance email for TPMS magnet this morning. DS's grades are good, but we were not expecting a spot since its a lottery and very competitive. TPMS is our zone school, so that that probably helped. Excited to hear such great things about the school on this board and the community.

Unless they changed the local set-aside, your TPMS-zoned child had about three times the chance of those who weren't in-zone for TPMS, based on the ratios of spots available to each underlying population. If they had, TKPK would be up in arms.