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Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)
Current MCPS language immersion programs are incredibly classist
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Anonymous
you don't need to be registered in MCPS to apply for a magnet program. You do need to provide a MOCO address although no residency verification is required. signed, A MOCO mom whose child applied to a magnet program while in private school and was accepted. |
Anonymous
Maybe they would admit it in an anonymous survey. We know one family at RCF who is planning on bringing their kid back to their home school for HS b/c they prefer the DCC over their perception of the BCC. So not all families from the DCC are going to RCF for the pyramid. Some (hopefully most) really do think full Spanish immersion is good for language development. |
Anonymous
For the language immersion programs, you have to have a MCPS ID. You do have to be enrolled at a MCPS to apply. This perhaps isn't the case for other magnet programs. |
Anonymous
Here we go again. Correlation and causation aren't the same thing. You could just as easily conclude that parents who live in Takoma Park and Silver Spring are more internationally minded. Or that they have more Spanish speaking neighbors and therefore view Spanish as an important skill. Or that Silver Spring and Takoma Park have more parents who work in international development and feel language experience is important for their kids. I bet there are more Peace Corps alum in TPSS too. My kids went through RCF/Westland and are now back in the DCC for high school. It was a big investment in time and attention to keep them in those programs and there were many downsides. The language issue was valued highly by all the parents I knew when my kid was there. |
Anonymous
Can you give some examples of other opportunities? |
Anonymous
Wifi is available at the local library for free? Why don't you try it for a week and let us know how it goes. Think about how much time you spend online and imagine spending that much time each day in the library. If you are typing away on this forum, you probably have the time, but for many of our community members, getting to a library to get access to the Internet adds another burden to a daily routine of perhaps working 2-3 jobs, taking care of multiple family members and caring for yourself. Moreover, not having wifi in the home (nearly one-third of low-income households with school-aged children lack a high-speed Internet connection) puts you at a distinct disadvantage for many things, one being the ability to easily and conveniently surf the Internet for resources to benefit your child, but also job hunting, continuing education, managing finances, researching decent health care or checking email. It's easy to say go to the library, but many of our community members have not been gifted with the luxury of time and/or transportation. |
Anonymous
I am assume you are asking because you aren't aware of any other opportunities. Why single out language immersion? |
Anonymous
How would you account for the socio-econcomic divide between a DCC neighborhood program and an eastern MoCO language immersion program? Do you seriously think poor people do not want the best for their child? Or do you think that maybe they don't know what if available to them? It is a lottery so I get everyone has same chance once they are in it. Not everyone knowing they can get in the lottery in is the issue. |
Anonymous
MCPS does a LOT to publicize lottery and magnet programs. They have info available in Spanish and other languages, they send things home, etc. etc. At a certain point there is some parental/community responsibility, though. MCPS can't be mind readers and know where kids are when they haven't yet registered. Parents should inform themselves. If they are in a vulnerable community, then community organizations should mobilize to make sure that parents are informed. It wouldn't take much -- flyers in key locations would be helpful and cheap. BTW research shows that the only real way to close the achievement gap ix by integrating schools. Since people here wouldn't tolerate bussing, magnets and special programs are really the only tool left. While these classes aren't integrated, at least the families get involved in the school. |
Anonymous
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For those of you who are resentful of immersion, maybe listen to this:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/562/the-problem-we-all-live-with IMO we should be encouraging MCPS to voluntarily integrate schools by setting up special programs in lowe performing schools. Getting rid of magnets is just going to further the segregation of MCPS, which will lead to more panicky efforts by the BoE to "close the achievement gap" in ways that aren't proven, cost lots of money, and are largely ineffective. I hope people log on to the comment page (today is the last day) and support magent and lottery programs as a way to integrate schools. My child is in a high school magnet in a very low performing school -- she's getting very high level material and enriched content and her classes are very diverse. The teachers are great and teach both the magnet and neighborhood kids -- the enriched STEM content is available to all. |
Anonymous
| ** low performing schools |
Anonymous
I know of at least 3 families within 3 blocks of our house that applied to and were accepted at immersion programs within the past 3 years. The ONLY reason they applied was because the neighborhood school is not considered a great option. Each of these families expressed concern about their children adjusting to the language, and it was viewed almost as a sacrifice/risk, but one that was preferable to attending the neighborhood school. I spoke with all of them, because it was our plan as well. I was told, and I quote "we looked at [local school] and we just couldn't do it." This isn't everyone, but this is a very real dynamic in some neighborhoods in Silver Spring. I know there are other reasons, but in some neighborhoods where the parents have decided for whatever reason that they don't have faith in their assigned school, they apply to the lottery and hope for a good outcome. Anyone who thinks this isn't a dynamic and is just some random and unconfirmed theory should just come to our hood and talk to the parents, especially those who did NOT get in! You'll get an earful about the mass exodus from our local school (ours being one of the poorest in the county) and how effectively and completely it diminishes middle class enrollment at the local school. |
Anonymous
The FARMS kids at RTES are likely from non-native speakers and likely their parents cannot read even in their native language. The language immersion kids are from families who knew enough to navigate MCPS to get into lottery (educated likely). They are learning to read and write in Spanish. The neighborhood kids in "standard" mcps program are not learning these things. It's 2 schools under one roof. Recess and lunch is their common ground. MCPS maybe had best of intention when implementing the language immersion programs, but it has not worked to help the local school - maybe with a PTA but definitely not in the classroom. Okay, big breeders was low. This is close the the bone. My kids both attended Sligo Creek "Academy" as it referred to (always found that like MCPS was pandering to us non-immersion - it's just school) and there was a sad divide and lack of unity in the school. I know from friends from other MCPS these programs can divide. It's a bummer and I would like a more equitable education in the classroom. |
Anonymous
+1. Can you imagine trying to figure this stuff out with kid(s) in tow, too? My kids would be tearing up the library and I wouldn't be able to do anything. How many elementary schools now have pre-K program for those financially eligible? Our school has a new class this year. I wonder if that will help even it out more in future years - it provides another way to get the word out, at least! |
Anonymous
But in the immersion programs the neighbourhood programs hardly mix at all except for specials. My kid is in the English side at one school and only knows immersion kids because of aftercare and sports. And those two activities have almost no minority kids in them and certainly no low income kids. So, at least on the elementary level I don't see how it integrates at all. If anything, it shows a sharp contrast between the two programs. |