Has the fall off of MCPS been as bad as people say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The demographics in the county have completely changed and MCPS has had to adapt. This has been a challenge in most areas of the country, so definitely not just here. MCPS has made questionable decisions to try to even the playing field including lowering a lot of standards, taking away most homework, and not expecting as much effort from the students. A child with a strong home life can continue to flourish, but the lowered standards can be a tough pill to swallow.

However, for me, this is not the biggest problem in MCPS-the lack of discipline is. Kids being allowed to skip class, talk back, be disrespectful, start fights, talk in class, etc… Even students who are highly motivated and want to learn are getting distracted and unable to have great school experiences.

All kids should have access to rigorous classes with students who are not ruining the class. This starts in elementary where they are allowing horrible behaviors to just stay in class.

So, yes, MCPS has fallen so far.

This and the changes in demographics are tied together; if you discipline you’re called racist. Just relax, take a deep breath and repeat: “diversity is our strength” over and over until the virtue signaling dopamine kicks in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are both products of MCPS and sent our kids through MCPS 30 years later. We were surprised that there was little traditional learning, as in, here's the topic, here's how you do it, let's practice together, now here is some practice for you to do at home. It seems so basic and I was very well prepared for college. My kids' experience was very disorganized, missing major topics in science (human biology) and history (they only did American history, American gov't, and some case studies). The math instruction was delivered from videos with very little practice assigned. The English did not demand reading any books, they watched movies and talked about comic books. They are all out of HS now and I would not be keen to send the next generation to MCPS.

This wasn’t my kid’s experience but it’s true they did IB (not at RM). I think IB english and the extended essay were pretty valuable (and they learned a lot of non-US history too).

+1. Everyone has to take world history to graduate.

[Anonymous]

Publics sucked before and COVID drove in the stake. Publics everywhere are nothing but a food distribution and babysitting depot for impoverished, overwhelmed or confused families. Families of clear thinking people are all homeschool or private. Publics everywhere are horrible.

[Anonymous]

I think elementary and high school remain solid, if not the platinum edition of the past. Middle School is abysmal.

[Anonymous]

People used to give the magnets high marks...but now they will wither and disappear.

[Anonymous]

The lowest of the low is very low at MCPS. We are absolutely graduating kids who have a 5-6th grade education level. Discipline is non existent. This may or may not affect your kids depending on where you live

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think elementary and high school remain solid, if not the platinum edition of the past. Middle School is abysmal.

Not elementary unless you’re in one of the privileged ones without major student issues. My own children attended Beverly Farms and it was wonderful- caring admin, sweet students, helpful parents, appropriate rigor. But I work in a Title 1 school. The difference is incredible and it has nothing to do with the teachers. The student population is just too challenging- too many behaviors and too many children below grade level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Publics sucked before and COVID drove in the stake. Publics everywhere are nothing but a food distribution and babysitting depot for impoverished, overwhelmed or confused families. Families of clear thinking people are all homeschool or private. Publics everywhere are horrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Publics sucked before and COVID drove in the stake. Publics everywhere are nothing but a food distribution and babysitting depot for impoverished, overwhelmed or confused families. Families of clear thinking people are all homeschool or private. Publics everywhere are horrible.

See there are so many people like this posting on this board that it’s near impossible to get meaningful information about how your kid will do (esp because
complaints about how mcps is failing different groups may or may not be relevant to your kid)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are both products of MCPS and sent our kids through MCPS 30 years later. We were surprised that there was little traditional learning, as in, here's the topic, here's how you do it, let's practice together, now here is some practice for you to do at home. It seems so basic and I was very well prepared for college. My kids' experience was very disorganized, missing major topics in science (human biology) and history (they only did American history, American gov't, and some case studies). The math instruction was delivered from videos with very little practice assigned. The English did not demand reading any books, they watched movies and talked about comic books. They are all out of HS now and I would not be keen to send the next generation to MCPS.

Same situation here. We used to love MCPS. Sad situation getting worse everyday

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think MCPS has a huge population and has to serve a very diverse community. They provide an amazing breadth of special ed services, vocational training, specialized programs of study for students to who have special interests, excellent STEM and writing opportunities, a wide variety of extracurricular activities and much more. As a parent who has had kids in MCPS for the past 21 years, I have seen a lot of growth and increased opportunities for kids. And I’ve observed that a lot that goes on at individual schools is principal and school leadership driven so a school can be amazing one year and in the toilet in certain respects the next if the leadership changes. But overall, I don’t agree that MCPS is worse now than it had been in the past.

Coming from a long time resident that’s a stunningly wrong statement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Publics sucked before and COVID drove in the stake. Publics everywhere are nothing but a food distribution and babysitting depot for impoverished, overwhelmed or confused families. Families of clear thinking people are all homeschool or private. Publics everywhere are horrible.

I feel sorry for the normal kids who get herded into the bus to those sloppy, slovenly and somewhat stinky vomitoriums.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. My kids are 20 and 15 and have been in MCPS since K.

I am very unhappy with the English curriculum, because it's frankly abysmal, but the STEM is great, and better than in any DC area private school.

Agree with this. STEM is good for the smart kids in advanced classes. But English is weak. History is cursory.

What seems to be the most important thing is peer group. And that is very school dependent.

English is weak but AP Lang was a game changer for my kid's writing. That class is a must for anyone. They are taking AP Lit this year so I will report back.

Stem has been great and I've been super impressed with the high school teachers. Elementary teachers were pretty great too, with only an occasional dud. Middle school teachers were kind of meh but you couldn't pay me enough to teach middle school so I get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. My kids are 20 and 15 and have been in MCPS since K.

I am very unhappy with the English curriculum, because it's frankly abysmal, but the STEM is great, and better than in any DC area private school.

Agree with this. STEM is good for the smart kids in advanced classes. But English is weak. History is cursory.

What seems to be the most important thing is peer group. And that is very school dependent.

English is weak but AP Lang was a game changer for my kid's writing. That class is a must for anyone. They are taking AP Lit this year so I will report back.

Stem has been great and I've been super impressed with the high school teachers. Elementary teachers were pretty great too, with only an occasional dud. Middle school teachers were kind of meh but you couldn't pay me enough to teach middle school so I get it.

Not the class it’s the teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are both products of MCPS and sent our kids through MCPS 30 years later. We were surprised that there was little traditional learning, as in, here's the topic, here's how you do it, let's practice together, now here is some practice for you to do at home. It seems so basic and I was very well prepared for college. My kids' experience was very disorganized, missing major topics in science (human biology) and history (they only did American history, American gov't, and some case studies). The math instruction was delivered from videos with very little practice assigned. The English did not demand reading any books, they watched movies and talked about comic books. They are all out of HS now and I would not be keen to send the next generation to MCPS.

Same situation here. We used to love MCPS. Sad situation getting worse everyday

Both our kids attended MCPS (2022 and 2024 grads) and found great opportunities academically and with extracurriculars. Overall, they were decent students, liked most of their teachers and seemed to have solid peer groups.

DC1 is more STEM oriented and did loads of music activities (orchestra, chorus and singing clubs, which continued into college. DC1 now in grad school for biochemistry and sings with a choir.

DC2 didn’t love science (more history and math) and did school-based athletics. DC2 is currently doing history and statistics undergrad.