MCPS email: "Why would we continue the practice of denying talented students an opportunity to thrive?" "

[Anonymous]

This is probably just wishful thinking, but they just started an audit of high school honors classes earlier this year to make sure that only rigorous ones get an honors designation, right? Is that maybe a positive sign that the tide is turning towards having more advanced classes available?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did folks see the email from MCPS about the program changes (also at this link: https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/publicinfo/community/school-year-2024-2025/Community-Message-20250730-b.html )? Do you think this could possibly be an actual change of approach that will carry through in other ways as well to better serve advanced and gifted students throughout MCPS?

A lot of what they cite is true of middle school magnets and elementary school CESs as well,--might this be a sign they will expand seats for those as well? ("what we’re really facing is a classic supply-and-demand problem: too many students chasing too few seats, burdened by long commutes and uneven program quality and availability. Thousands apply to specialized programs, but with only a handful of openings, most are left on the sidelines.")

And the question about "Why would we continue the practice of denying talented students an opportunity to thrive?" could easily be asked about the lack of enriched/advanced classes at the elementary and middle school level as well (they've said elsewhere they're planning to do that at all high schools.)

Might this also indicate a change for the better at those levels too? Or are there ways to use this expressed commitment to betted advocate for those changes?

The only thing that MCPS central office excels at is gaslighting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is probably just wishful thinking, but they just started an audit of high school honors classes earlier this year to make sure that only rigorous ones get an honors designation, right? Is that maybe a positive sign that the tide is turning towards having more advanced classes available?

hahaha... you got a lot to learn about mcps but that was a good one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably just wishful thinking, but they just started an audit of high school honors classes earlier this year to make sure that only rigorous ones get an honors designation, right? Is that maybe a positive sign that the tide is turning towards having more advanced classes available?

hahaha... you got a lot to learn about mcps but that was a good one.

Sorry, could you say more? Are you saying you think the audit/honors designation changes are just about combatting GPA inflation but not evidence of a broader position on advanced coursework (could definitely be true, IMO)? Or do you mean something else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is probably just wishful thinking, but they just started an audit of high school honors classes earlier this year to make sure that only rigorous ones get an honors designation, right? Is that maybe a positive sign that the tide is turning towards having more advanced classes available?

Oh, that's interesting. If what I read here is any indication, a honest reckoning would probably find 80% of those classes aren't really advanced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I never trust reading MCPS threads anymore since the crazy alt-right people have been hired to attack it.

None of the responses seem intelligent or measured.

It’s a bummer. We can’t have an intelligent conversation about these things.

100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never trust reading MCPS threads anymore since the crazy alt-right people have been hired to attack it.

None of the responses seem intelligent or measured.

It’s a bummer. We can’t have an intelligent conversation about these things.

100%

It's good to click the report button on posts like that, especially if they're going off topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably just wishful thinking, but they just started an audit of high school honors classes earlier this year to make sure that only rigorous ones get an honors designation, right? Is that maybe a positive sign that the tide is turning towards having more advanced classes available?

hahaha... you got a lot to learn about mcps but that was a good one.

Sorry, could you say more? Are you saying you think the audit/honors designation changes are just about combatting GPA inflation but not evidence of a broader position on advanced coursework (could definitely be true, IMO)? Or do you mean something else?

Central office fails at everything they try, we just went through an audit for antiracism. We just went through a program audit. Taylor may have some ideas, but he doesn’t have anyone capable of executing them,and the entrenched admins blow smoke at him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they got new PR people because that letter was much better written than ones in the past. It was almost convincing.

It’s AI slop. It has nonsensical figurative speech and the telltale emdash—that’s just bad business.

[Anonymous]

Take off your tinfoil hat, I'm as far left as they come, but having been through MCPS nonsense for more than 15 years, I tell it like I see it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably just wishful thinking, but they just started an audit of high school honors classes earlier this year to make sure that only rigorous ones get an honors designation, right? Is that maybe a positive sign that the tide is turning towards having more advanced classes available?

hahaha... you got a lot to learn about mcps but that was a good one.

Sorry, could you say more? Are you saying you think the audit/honors designation changes are just about combatting GPA inflation but not evidence of a broader position on advanced coursework (could definitely be true, IMO)? Or do you mean something else?

Teachers will still be getting pressure from assistant principals to commit grade fraud by raising failing grades to passing grades. That pressure is always going to be there. That doesn't address honors designation, but it is one indicator that grades will be manipulated despite what the superintendent might declare in public meetings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably just wishful thinking, but they just started an audit of high school honors classes earlier this year to make sure that only rigorous ones get an honors designation, right? Is that maybe a positive sign that the tide is turning towards having more advanced classes available?

hahaha... you got a lot to learn about mcps but that was a good one.

Sorry, could you say more? Are you saying you think the audit/honors designation changes are just about combatting GPA inflation but not evidence of a broader position on advanced coursework (could definitely be true, IMO)? Or do you mean something else?

Central office fails at everything they try, we just went through an audit for antiracism. We just went through a program audit. Taylor may have some ideas, but he doesn’t have anyone capable of executing them,and the entrenched admins blow smoke at him.

Yeah, Taylor is out of his depth. How long do we give him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably just wishful thinking, but they just started an audit of high school honors classes earlier this year to make sure that only rigorous ones get an honors designation, right? Is that maybe a positive sign that the tide is turning towards having more advanced classes available?

hahaha... you got a lot to learn about mcps but that was a good one.

Sorry, could you say more? Are you saying you think the audit/honors designation changes are just about combatting GPA inflation but not evidence of a broader position on advanced coursework (could definitely be true, IMO)? Or do you mean something else?

Teachers will still be getting pressure from assistant principals to commit grade fraud by raising failing grades to passing grades. That pressure is always going to be there. That doesn't address honors designation, but it is one indicator that grades will be manipulated despite what the superintendent might declare in public meetings.

Okay sure, I don't doubt that, but frankly I care way more about increasing the chances that my kids get to take classes that are actually challenging than whether other people's kids get barely-passing grades rather than failing grades....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably just wishful thinking, but they just started an audit of high school honors classes earlier this year to make sure that only rigorous ones get an honors designation, right? Is that maybe a positive sign that the tide is turning towards having more advanced classes available?

hahaha... you got a lot to learn about mcps but that was a good one.

Sorry, could you say more? Are you saying you think the audit/honors designation changes are just about combatting GPA inflation but not evidence of a broader position on advanced coursework (could definitely be true, IMO)? Or do you mean something else?

Central office fails at everything they try, we just went through an audit for antiracism. We just went through a program audit. Taylor may have some ideas, but he doesn’t have anyone capable of executing them,and the entrenched admins blow smoke at him.

Yeah, Taylor is out of his depth. How long do we give him?

We can't keep changing superintendents every 18 months. The board generally likes Taylor, and they're going to give his new-ish team time to make some changes. He'll be here for his full four-year term at least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably just wishful thinking, but they just started an audit of high school honors classes earlier this year to make sure that only rigorous ones get an honors designation, right? Is that maybe a positive sign that the tide is turning towards having more advanced classes available?

hahaha... you got a lot to learn about mcps but that was a good one.

Sorry, could you say more? Are you saying you think the audit/honors designation changes are just about combatting GPA inflation but not evidence of a broader position on advanced coursework (could definitely be true, IMO)? Or do you mean something else?

Central office fails at everything they try, we just went through an audit for antiracism. We just went through a program audit. Taylor may have some ideas, but he doesn’t have anyone capable of executing them,and the entrenched admins blow smoke at him.

Yeah, Taylor is out of his depth. How long do we give him?

I think he's doing well, honestly. Other than rolling back ELC, I like the changes I've seen in terms of the magnet review, moving forward on boundary studies ahead of new schools opening, and school security. I even like the dumb videos and more importantly my kids think they are cringey-cool.