Seeking Insights on MCPS Magnet Middle School Selection Process

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The criteria is for the pool. Then it's a lottery from within the pool. Criteria is not just scores, also recs from teachers and consideration if their needs can be met at the home school.

BS. Does a lottery pick several friends from same class at same school while students of same "criteria" in a different class are not chosen?

Ok, we get it, you keep insisting that it’s not a real lottery. The truth is they’ve had a hard time filling spots since the lottery and most kids get offered a place.

No they have not "since the lottery."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The criteria is for the pool. Then it's a lottery from within the pool. Criteria is not just scores, also recs from teachers and consideration if their needs can be met at the home school.

BS. Does a lottery pick several friends from same class at same school while students of same "criteria" in a different class are not chosen?

Ok, we get it, you keep insisting that it’s not a real lottery. The truth is they’ve had a hard time filling spots since the lottery and most kids get offered a place.

No they have not "since the lottery."

Many kids who are friends have been offered spots at Eastern as pp claims not because of nefarious lottery rigging but because for the last couple of years they have gone very deep into the wait pool and offered very many spots.

[Anonymous]

OP, was your child placed in the pool? If so, then you are just complaining about not being selected — which is true for most people in the pool.

[Anonymous]

Relax! It’s NOT that a big deal. Your child will thrive no matter where they go in MIDDLE school. Your child would have gotten long bus ride (less free time), token academic challenges, sense of elitism and parents’ bragging rights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Relax! It’s NOT that a big deal. Your child will thrive no matter where they go in MIDDLE school. Your child would have gotten long bus ride (less free time), token academic challenges, sense of elitism and parents’ bragging rights.

Are you kidding? WHO cares about that? There are parents who are thinking best for THEIR KID, not to brag especially parents who don't even talk to other parents to brag to. Geez

[Anonymous]

My kid who was at 99th percentile in MAP-M did not get into a STEM magnet last year but was at 95th percentile for MAP-R and got into a Humanities magnet. Also got into the Choice magnet of choice. 30% FARMS school.

[Anonymous]

When do we find out results if our kid is in the lottery?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Relax! It’s NOT that a big deal. Your child will thrive no matter where they go in MIDDLE school. Your child would have gotten long bus ride (less free time), token academic challenges, sense of elitism and parents’ bragging rights.

Are you kidding? WHO cares about that? There are parents who are thinking best for THEIR KID, not to brag especially parents who don't even talk to other parents to brag to. Geez

Plenty of people. Same as folks like to brag about their kids being in certain private schools.

[Anonymous]

I think so many posters here are confused with localized norm versus norm…..

I know one parent whose kid was MAP M of 96 however, the localized norm was 82, did not meet the criteria despite having a 96. You just have to call Central and ask for your kids localized norm. Don’t get offended. They’re just in a super competitive school so they’re not a strong candidate for magnets or CES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think so many posters here are confused with localized norm versus norm…..

I know one parent whose kid was MAP M of 96 however, the localized norm was 82, did not meet the criteria despite having a 96. You just have to call Central and ask for your kids localized norm. Don’t get offended. They’re just in a super competitive school so they’re not a strong candidate for magnets or CES.

The only data I've ever seen is from 2022, which is the data the MCCPTA managed to get out of the Central Office. At that time, where were maybe 35 or 40 schools in the "lowest FARMS" list, and the cut-off was 93rd percentile nationally. Which honestly seems pretty reasonable. If you are in the wealthiest schools in the wealthiest neighborhood of one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, you are coming in with a ton of advantages and being in the top 7 percent nationally sounds about right for a program meant to serve the most able learners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think so many posters here are confused with localized norm versus norm…..

I know one parent whose kid was MAP M of 96 however, the localized norm was 82, did not meet the criteria despite having a 96. You just have to call Central and ask for your kids localized norm. Don’t get offended. They’re just in a super competitive school so they’re not a strong candidate for magnets or CES.

The only data I've ever seen is from 2022, which is the data the MCCPTA managed to get out of the Central Office. At that time, where were maybe 35 or 40 schools in the "lowest FARMS" list, and the cut-off was 93rd percentile nationally. Which honestly seems pretty reasonable. If you are in the wealthiest schools in the wealthiest neighborhood of one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, you are coming in with a ton of advantages and being in the top 7 percent nationally sounds about right for a program meant to serve the most able learners.

It went up from that year, as CovID effects on learning lessened and as the shift in selection paradigm encouraged those with means towards more prepping.

[Anonymous]

So everyone has it, here is the info that MCCPTA got in 2022. I know they have filed MPIAs since then requested updated data and been denied.

The norms used for each FARMs group for kids without accommodations, which ranged from 60-93 percentile nationally for Math and 70-97 percintile nationally for humanities:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e0Szg2jJ8F1rL2BZSqCV1fb_R1gLwaRl/view

Keep in mind that while the locally normed 85th percentile is used for those without accommodations, for those who have a 504, IEP, are FARMS (or attend a community eligibility school), or are ELL, a 70 percentile local norm is needed. So they will have a lower cutoff to be included in the lottery.

The ES in each FARM group can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/120BRtShXf9_kQcNvKSxHKG4nJhnyTjL7/view

[Anonymous]

If these parents want to get into magnets so bad all they have to do is send their child to a high farms school. It’s that simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If these parents want to get into magnets so bad all they have to do is send their child to a high farms school. It’s that simple.

What? They would still have to lottery in.

[Anonymous]

The idea that there is something nefarious going on is bizarre. Yes, there are localized norms and that has been known for quite some time.

My kids went to a super low farms rate elementary, non minority and scores were mostly in the high 90s but not always. My younger kid got in. I assure you we did literally nothing to get them in, because there was no chance we were going to send them there anyway. We felt their needs could be met at their home school and they’d be happier there.

Sometimes it’s just luck of the draw and really a good student will excel wherever they go to school.