Reduced schedule in HS within MCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi. Am the OP. The challenge we are facing is that my kid can handle the content, but not 6-7 periods a day of academic work. Even with a resource class, still has a ton a task switching, tests, homework, etc. in their program.

My question is: has anyone successfully applied for a waiver so they don't have to take 7 periods. And anyone not take math (or any other core subject) during the school year.

Thanks for all the other reflections as well. We are in a unique circumstance.

They can do a resource class. They have to take 4 years of math and english. There are specific state graduation requirements. It sounds like you are looking at it the wrong way. They aren't handling the content well if they cannot do it and a full schedule. The AP classes are very demanding, especially math and government/history. Even if they took a reduced schedule, they'd have to go an extra year or just do the absolute minimum to graduate and that wouldn't look good if they are college bound. Can you supplement with tutors?

Not OP but this attitude is so frustrating. This is not at all true! You can absolutely handle the content of certain advanced classes without having the stamina to take several at once in a full schedule of classes. This is exactly why some people with chronic diseases work part time jobs. Drop the electives, take PE over the summer, and you're looking at a half day of advanced classes instead of a full day of unfulfilling ones. I'm not saying this is possible in MCPS, I have no experience, but it SHOULD be. Disability/accessibility needs cannot be the barrier to advanced classes, per the US Department of Ed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is possible. At our school they have the equivalent of a study hall (separate from resource) which can be used for at least one period. The rule at our school is you must leave school property if you don’t have a class during a period, so you’d need to make sure you didn’t have any gaps in the schedule or you elect to take the study hall class during the free period so you can stay on campus.

I was specifically told we could not do a study hall! I feel like McPS admins don’t really understand the rules.

I think it's school dependent. At DC's friend's school they allow study halls and the class is coded as such but they don't offer study halls at DC's school. You can only have a "free" period if it's resource. It makes me so upset that option is not given because doing a resource class does mark you as a special ed student whereas having a study hall is something that's available to everyone at the other school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi. Am the OP. The challenge we are facing is that my kid can handle the content, but not 6-7 periods a day of academic work. Even with a resource class, still has a ton a task switching, tests, homework, etc. in their program.

My question is: has anyone successfully applied for a waiver so they don't have to take 7 periods. And anyone not take math (or any other core subject) during the school year.

Thanks for all the other reflections as well. We are in a unique circumstance.

They can do a resource class. They have to take 4 years of math and english. There are specific state graduation requirements. It sounds like you are looking at it the wrong way. They aren't handling the content well if they cannot do it and a full schedule. The AP classes are very demanding, especially math and government/history. Even if they took a reduced schedule, they'd have to go an extra year or just do the absolute minimum to graduate and that wouldn't look good if they are college bound. Can you supplement with tutors?

Not OP but this attitude is so frustrating. This is not at all true! You can absolutely handle the content of certain advanced classes without having the stamina to take several at once in a full schedule of classes. This is exactly why some people with chronic diseases work part time jobs. Drop the electives, take PE over the summer, and you're looking at a half day of advanced classes instead of a full day of unfulfilling ones. I'm not saying this is possible in MCPS, I have no experience, but it SHOULD be. Disability/accessibility needs cannot be the barrier to advanced classes, per the US Department of Ed.

There is no pe in the summers in MCPS. He should start with regular classes then later on add ap. Ap history and gov are tons of work. Same with precaculus. Op wants reduced homework. Thise are high homework classes, for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is possible. At our school they have the equivalent of a study hall (separate from resource) which can be used for at least one period. The rule at our school is you must leave school property if you don’t have a class during a period, so you’d need to make sure you didn’t have any gaps in the schedule or you elect to take the study hall class during the free period so you can stay on campus.

I was specifically told we could not do a study hall! I feel like McPS admins don’t really understand the rules.

I think it's school dependent. At DC's friend's school they allow study halls and the class is coded as such but they don't offer study halls at DC's school. You can only have a "free" period if it's resource. It makes me so upset that option is not given because doing a resource class does mark you as a special ed student whereas having a study hall is something that's available to everyone at the other school.

There is no consistency between the schools. If op is downcounty she can lottery him in so maybe look at what schools offer what.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For kids who are college bound, what is the impact of taking resource classes? Would that be seen as a negative on college apps (it shouldn't be, of course, but reality is often disappointing).

I would think it’s ok. I know a few kids doing resource and some like it and others don’t. The important thing is if they need it, take it as the grades are more important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids can definitely opt for a shortened schedule for senior year, so I would think you could do other years as long as you are getting math and English each year. I do not think a child like this should take math over the summer- it is grueling.

The other option is to work with your counselor to get a schedule that works. During my son's freshman year, we alternated an academic block with an easier class. I don't remember the exact order, but it went something like this:

Period 1: Math
Period 2: Guitar
Period 3: English
Period 4: Resource
Period 5: Lunch
Period 6: History
Period 7: PE
Period 8: Science

He was in Bridge so there was some more flexibility like if he couldn't handle a transition he would hang out in the bridge office. This worked great for him.

Maybe it depends on the school but in our MCPS we only have 7 periods so they'd take Guitar or PE, not both if they do a resource class.

You need four years of math and English but you don't for science and history so maybe do one or the other for freshman year just for a transition? Not sure if that's allowed. But, you also need two years of a foreign language so that schedule that poster is the right idea but wouldn't work.

Another option might be to take classes online through pathways to graduation - think you can mix it but not sure. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/onlinelearning/courses/pathway/

You don’t have to take English and Math each year. You just have to get four years of them between 9th and 12th grade. My son doubled up on his one year and didn’t take it another.

That’s a good point. For English it would be easier but you could always double up with statistics or I think they have consumer math or other basic math classes. My concern with skipping a year of math would be forgetting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For kids who are college bound, what is the impact of taking resource classes? Would that be seen as a negative on college apps (it shouldn't be, of course, but reality is often disappointing).

My daughter is one of those kids that both took resource and is academically very strong (1500+ on SAT, 20+ AP/DE classes with all A’s and 4s or 5s, 4+ years above grade level in math).

Realistically schools that would negatively judge kids that take resource probably aren’t going to be a good fit for her anyway. Cutthroat and competitive is not where she thrives.

I would do what works for my kid. There are thousands of colleges. If a kid can’t keep their grades up that is likely to be a much more limiting barrier to admissions than a resource class.

Ok, that's a fair point. My DC is the opposite - can pull a 3.3 or maybe 3.5 with lots of tutoring, and very much wants to go off to a 4 year college. We could just keep paying for tutoring and executive functioning coaching and avoid the resource class if it's going to be another negative on the application. OTOH, DC is absolutely going to need services in college, so it's not like we're going to be hiding it anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For kids who are college bound, what is the impact of taking resource classes? Would that be seen as a negative on college apps (it shouldn't be, of course, but reality is often disappointing).

My daughter is one of those kids that both took resource and is academically very strong (1500+ on SAT, 20+ AP/DE classes with all A’s and 4s or 5s, 4+ years above grade level in math).

Realistically schools that would negatively judge kids that take resource probably aren’t going to be a good fit for her anyway. Cutthroat and competitive is not where she thrives.

I would do what works for my kid. There are thousands of colleges. If a kid can’t keep their grades up that is likely to be a much more limiting barrier to admissions than a resource class.

Ok, that's a fair point. My DC is the opposite - can pull a 3.3 or maybe 3.5 with lots of tutoring, and very much wants to go off to a 4 year college. We could just keep paying for tutoring and executive functioning coaching and avoid the resource class if it's going to be another negative on the application. OTOH, DC is absolutely going to need services in college, so it's not like we're going to be hiding it anyway.

I would continue to pay for the tutoring and executive functioning coach and maybe consider the resource class. There is a huge learning curve from 8th to 9th, so maybe just a year of the resource class or even one semester? And, a college set up with lots of supports. Problem with MCPS is they don't teach the kids to study, take notes and a host of other things and they need those skills starting in 9th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here and I just had the same conversation with my 8th grader. We are wondering if DC could somehow do math over the summer (weakest subject, needs LOTS of help) and thereby make the school years easier.

Condensing 10 weeks into 3 doesn't sound good, but if it's a lot of hours every day maybe it is doable?

It's half a year, not just 10 weeks, into 3 weeks.

If your kid is taking math at a regular speed during the school year, and they don't understand something on Monday, they have an opportunity to ask for extra help, or see a tutor, or review the work, before Tuesday. If they don't realize they don't understand till the quiz on Thursday, they can get help before the test on Monday.

With the summer school, each day is 6 periods worth of instruction, so that time period is compressed into one single day with no time to get help between learning and the test.

I would have them do a different class in the summer, but not math.

Extending their high school timeline so it's 5 years can help as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids can definitely opt for a shortened schedule for senior year, so I would think you could do other years as long as you are getting math and English each year. I do not think a child like this should take math over the summer- it is grueling.

The other option is to work with your counselor to get a schedule that works. During my son's freshman year, we alternated an academic block with an easier class. I don't remember the exact order, but it went something like this:

Period 1: Math
Period 2: Guitar
Period 3: English
Period 4: Resource
Period 5: Lunch
Period 6: History
Period 7: PE
Period 8: Science

He was in Bridge so there was some more flexibility like if he couldn't handle a transition he would hang out in the bridge office. This worked great for him.

Maybe it depends on the school but in our MCPS we only have 7 periods so they'd take Guitar or PE, not both if they do a resource class.

You need four years of math and English but you don't for science and history so maybe do one or the other for freshman year just for a transition? Not sure if that's allowed. But, you also need two years of a foreign language so that schedule that poster is the right idea but wouldn't work.

Another option might be to take classes online through pathways to graduation - think you can mix it but not sure. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/onlinelearning/courses/pathway/

You don’t have to take English and Math each year. You just have to get four years of them between 9th and 12th grade. My son doubled up on his one year and didn’t take it another.

You do have to take math every year.

Here is the language from MCPS:

Students must also be enrolled in a math course each year of high school, which may result in earning more than four credits.

Students with disabilities who take 5 or 6 years to graduate, need to enroll in 5 or 6 math classes.

Technically, I do not believe you have to pass all of them, so a kid on a 6 year plan can fail twice. But you have to be enrolled in math every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids can definitely opt for a shortened schedule for senior year, so I would think you could do other years as long as you are getting math and English each year. I do not think a child like this should take math over the summer- it is grueling.

The other option is to work with your counselor to get a schedule that works. During my son's freshman year, we alternated an academic block with an easier class. I don't remember the exact order, but it went something like this:

Period 1: Math
Period 2: Guitar
Period 3: English
Period 4: Resource
Period 5: Lunch
Period 6: History
Period 7: PE
Period 8: Science

He was in Bridge so there was some more flexibility like if he couldn't handle a transition he would hang out in the bridge office. This worked great for him.

Maybe it depends on the school but in our MCPS we only have 7 periods so they'd take Guitar or PE, not both if they do a resource class.

You need four years of math and English but you don't for science and history so maybe do one or the other for freshman year just for a transition? Not sure if that's allowed. But, you also need two years of a foreign language so that schedule that poster is the right idea but wouldn't work.

Another option might be to take classes online through pathways to graduation - think you can mix it but not sure. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/onlinelearning/courses/pathway/

You don’t have to take English and Math each year. You just have to get four years of them between 9th and 12th grade. My son doubled up on his one year and didn’t take it another.

You do have to take math every year.

Here is the language from MCPS:

Students must also be enrolled in a math course each year of high school, which may result in earning more than four credits.

Students with disabilities who take 5 or 6 years to graduate, need to enroll in 5 or 6 math classes.

Technically, I do not believe you have to pass all of them, so a kid on a 6 year plan can fail twice. But you have to be enrolled in math every year.

So what are the four easiest high school math classes? My daughter is barely making it through Math 8 right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids can definitely opt for a shortened schedule for senior year, so I would think you could do other years as long as you are getting math and English each year. I do not think a child like this should take math over the summer- it is grueling.

The other option is to work with your counselor to get a schedule that works. During my son's freshman year, we alternated an academic block with an easier class. I don't remember the exact order, but it went something like this:

Period 1: Math
Period 2: Guitar
Period 3: English
Period 4: Resource
Period 5: Lunch
Period 6: History
Period 7: PE
Period 8: Science

He was in Bridge so there was some more flexibility like if he couldn't handle a transition he would hang out in the bridge office. This worked great for him.

Maybe it depends on the school but in our MCPS we only have 7 periods so they'd take Guitar or PE, not both if they do a resource class.

You need four years of math and English but you don't for science and history so maybe do one or the other for freshman year just for a transition? Not sure if that's allowed. But, you also need two years of a foreign language so that schedule that poster is the right idea but wouldn't work.

Another option might be to take classes online through pathways to graduation - think you can mix it but not sure. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/onlinelearning/courses/pathway/

You don’t have to take English and Math each year. You just have to get four years of them between 9th and 12th grade. My son doubled up on his one year and didn’t take it another.

You do have to take math every year.

Here is the language from MCPS:

Students must also be enrolled in a math course each year of high school, which may result in earning more than four credits.

Students with disabilities who take 5 or 6 years to graduate, need to enroll in 5 or 6 math classes.

Technically, I do not believe you have to pass all of them, so a kid on a 6 year plan can fail twice. But you have to be enrolled in math every year.

So what are the four easiest high school math classes? My daughter is barely making it through Math 8 right now.

There is a course called Math 180 Course II, but I don't have experience with it. I think you might be able to do it before Algebra 1.

Other than that, I think the easiest path is

Algebra 1 (with Related Math as an option for a second period of support)
Geometry
Two Year Algebra 2 part A
Two Year Algebra 2 part B

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids can definitely opt for a shortened schedule for senior year, so I would think you could do other years as long as you are getting math and English each year. I do not think a child like this should take math over the summer- it is grueling.

The other option is to work with your counselor to get a schedule that works. During my son's freshman year, we alternated an academic block with an easier class. I don't remember the exact order, but it went something like this:

Period 1: Math
Period 2: Guitar
Period 3: English
Period 4: Resource
Period 5: Lunch
Period 6: History
Period 7: PE
Period 8: Science

He was in Bridge so there was some more flexibility like if he couldn't handle a transition he would hang out in the bridge office. This worked great for him.

Maybe it depends on the school but in our MCPS we only have 7 periods so they'd take Guitar or PE, not both if they do a resource class.

You need four years of math and English but you don't for science and history so maybe do one or the other for freshman year just for a transition? Not sure if that's allowed. But, you also need two years of a foreign language so that schedule that poster is the right idea but wouldn't work.

Another option might be to take classes online through pathways to graduation - think you can mix it but not sure. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/onlinelearning/courses/pathway/

You don’t have to take English and Math each year. You just have to get four years of them between 9th and 12th grade. My son doubled up on his one year and didn’t take it another.

You do have to take math every year.

Here is the language from MCPS:

Students must also be enrolled in a math course each year of high school, which may result in earning more than four credits.

Students with disabilities who take 5 or 6 years to graduate, need to enroll in 5 or 6 math classes.

Technically, I do not believe you have to pass all of them, so a kid on a 6 year plan can fail twice. But you have to be enrolled in math every year.

So what are the four easiest high school math classes? My daughter is barely making it through Math 8 right now.

They are required to take algebra and geometry to graduate.

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseLists/Index/234/#Mathematics_Courses

Maybe Math180 for 9th - talk to the counselor. https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseDetails/Index/MAT2077

Then the two-year algebra class, then geometry?

Otherwise - Maybe financial math or college test prep?

And, get a tutor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids can definitely opt for a shortened schedule for senior year, so I would think you could do other years as long as you are getting math and English each year. I do not think a child like this should take math over the summer- it is grueling.

The other option is to work with your counselor to get a schedule that works. During my son's freshman year, we alternated an academic block with an easier class. I don't remember the exact order, but it went something like this:

Period 1: Math
Period 2: Guitar
Period 3: English
Period 4: Resource
Period 5: Lunch
Period 6: History
Period 7: PE
Period 8: Science

He was in Bridge so there was some more flexibility like if he couldn't handle a transition he would hang out in the bridge office. This worked great for him.

Maybe it depends on the school but in our MCPS we only have 7 periods so they'd take Guitar or PE, not both if they do a resource class.

You need four years of math and English but you don't for science and history so maybe do one or the other for freshman year just for a transition? Not sure if that's allowed. But, you also need two years of a foreign language so that schedule that poster is the right idea but wouldn't work.

Another option might be to take classes online through pathways to graduation - think you can mix it but not sure. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/onlinelearning/courses/pathway/

You don’t have to take English and Math each year. You just have to get four years of them between 9th and 12th grade. My son doubled up on his one year and didn’t take it another.

You do have to take math every year.

Here is the language from MCPS:

Students must also be enrolled in a math course each year of high school, which may result in earning more than four credits.

Students with disabilities who take 5 or 6 years to graduate, need to enroll in 5 or 6 math classes.

Technically, I do not believe you have to pass all of them, so a kid on a 6 year plan can fail twice. But you have to be enrolled in math every year.

So what are the four easiest high school math classes? My daughter is barely making it through Math 8 right now.

There is a course called Math 180 Course II, but I don't have experience with it. I think you might be able to do it before Algebra 1.

Other than that, I think the easiest path is

Algebra 1 (with Related Math as an option for a second period of support)
Geometry
Two Year Algebra 2 part A
Two Year Algebra 2 part B

She should do:
180
Two year of algebra 1
Geometry

She needs Algebra and Geometry for graduation.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, PPs. Unfortunately the HS we are zoned for doesn't have the Math 180 and I also don't think they allow anyone to spread Algebra 1 over 2 years anymore.

Looks like it will be:
Algebra 1 with related math for support (although losing an elective for this sounds miserable)
geometry
Algebra 2A
Algebra 2B