Another article about the magnet programs in Washington Post

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/maryland-school-district-examines-racial-disparities-in-its-gifted-programs/2016/03/21/1caacdf6-eb88-11e5-b0fd-073d5930a7b7_story.html

How is it that people don't know about these programs? I got something in the mail and ConnectEd multiple calls / emails.

I had a child at an HGC several years back. I would have heard about the process through ConnectEd, etc, but the real reason we applied was we knew a neighbor who's kid had attended. Similarly I know people who've applied since in no small part because they spoke with us. The process is bizarre and it's hard to navigate without some first hand experience for encouragement. ConnectEd is over used and half of it sounds like spam, it's not surprising that families don't change the course of their kid's education based on a robo call. I don't have any suggestions for improving the system, but I have no trouble believing there's inertia that keeps the same groups of people applying/not applying.

DC does an excellent job of informing residents of the DC lottery. I have seen bus advertisements, television ads, heard radio ads, community events, as well as online ads. Why does Moco rely one a robo call to alert residents of the presence of the HGC application process.

I think the people who are OVERSEEING the FARMS program and the ESOL program should be in charge of telling the population they serve about the magnet opportunities, the application process, the tutoring services (George B Thomas Saturday School), and provide guidance to them. MCPS should also advertize often through multiple channels. This should be part of the BTSN for the prospective parents.

[Anonymous]

That study is worthless. Of course there is a gap in both applications and admit rates. Instead of looking at race as the factor how about having involved parents and a stable home life. Making this a race issue is naive.

[Anonymous]

Recommendation 3a in the report is extremely misleading. We should never select kids based on their skin color. This is illegal!! Are we going to examine race and ethnicity in the NBA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Recommendation 3a in the report is extremely misleading. We should never select kids based on their skin color. This is illegal!! Are we going to examine race and ethnicity in the NBA?

Metis is not proposing to select kids based on their skin color, MCPS is not proposing to select kids based on their skin color, it would be illegal for MCPS to select kids based on their skin color, and race/ethnicity in the NBA has basically zero relevance to MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Recommendation 3a in the report is extremely misleading. We should never select kids based on their skin color. This is illegal!! Are we going to examine race and ethnicity in the NBA?

Metis is not proposing to select kids based on their skin color, MCPS is not proposing to select kids based on their skin color, it would be illegal for MCPS to select kids based on their skin color, and race/ethnicity in the NBA has basically zero relevance to MCPS.

You are not reading the same report as the rest of us.

I do understand they cannot use race by law. That is where the noncognitive criteria and different standard by groups come in. They need a roundabout to skirt the legal issue.

[Anonymous]

The report did mention skin color in the recommendation, instead it used twords like OTHER GROUP. Mcps can tell us if Other groups are determined by skin color

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Recommendation 3a in the report is extremely misleading. We should never select kids based on their skin color. This is illegal!! Are we going to examine race and ethnicity in the NBA?

Metis is not proposing to select kids based on their skin color, MCPS is not proposing to select kids based on their skin color, it would be illegal for MCPS to select kids based on their skin color, and race/ethnicity in the NBA has basically zero relevance to MCPS.

You are not reading the same report as the rest of us.

I do understand they cannot use race by law. That is where the noncognitive criteria and different standard by groups come in. They need a roundabout to skirt the legal issue.

Please cite the part of the report where they propose using race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Recommendation 3a in the report is extremely misleading. We should never select kids based on their skin color. This is illegal!! Are we going to examine race and ethnicity in the NBA?

Metis is not proposing to select kids based on their skin color, MCPS is not proposing to select kids based on their skin color, it would be illegal for MCPS to select kids based on their skin color, and race/ethnicity in the NBA has basically zero relevance to MCPS.

You are not reading the same report as the rest of us.

I do understand they cannot use race by law. That is where the noncognitive criteria and different standard by groups come in. They need a roundabout to skirt the legal issue.

The whole report is about race. Dont you see that?

Please cite the part of the report where they propose using race.

[Anonymous]

The whole report is about race. How do you increase the URM percentage if they cannot compete on the magnet application process. No?

Some approach such as more outreach we can all get behind. Using bogus standard such as the noncognitive measures is bullshit that needs to be stopped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The whole report is about race. Dont you see that?

Please cite the part of the report where they propose using race as a criterion for admission to the HGC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole report is about race. How do you increase the URM percentage if they cannot compete on the magnet application process. No?

Some approach such as more outreach we can all get behind. Using bogus standard such as the noncognitive measures is bullshit that needs to be stopped.

Yup, pretty sure HGC success is tied to cognitive measures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The whole report is about race. How do you increase the URM percentage if they cannot compete on the magnet application process. No?

Some approach such as more outreach we can all get behind. Using bogus standard such as the noncognitive measures is bullshit that needs to be stopped.

Yup, pretty sure HGC success is tied to cognitive measures.

My kid is in the HGC. Non-cognitive measures have also been very important for success in the HGC for my kid. Self-discipline, for example. Motivation. Persistence. Organization. What has your kid's experience been?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The whole report is about race. How do you increase the URM percentage if they cannot compete on the magnet application process. No?

Some approach such as more outreach we can all get behind. Using bogus standard such as the noncognitive measures is bullshit that needs to be stopped.

Yup, pretty sure HGC success is tied to cognitive measures.

My kid is in the HGC. Non-cognitive measures have also been very important for success in the HGC for my kid. Self-discipline, for example. Motivation. Persistence. Organization. What has your kid's experience been?

These traits absolutely contribute to success. But it is not advisable to use them in selection foe gifted program. First, if you think ability testing is a mess, then these traits are much much harder to measure. Second, highly gifted kids are sometimes asynchronous in their development and therefore may present as not motivated and not disciplined in regular classroom, they may need the hgc more than the disciplined and mature peers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Recommendation 3a in the report is extremely misleading. We should never select kids based on their skin color. This is illegal!! Are we going to examine race and ethnicity in the NBA?

Metis is not proposing to select kids based on their skin color, MCPS is not proposing to select kids based on their skin color, it would be illegal for MCPS to select kids based on their skin color, and race/ethnicity in the NBA has basically zero relevance to MCPS.

You are not reading the same report as the rest of us.

I do understand they cannot use race by law. That is where the noncognitive criteria and different standard by groups come in. They need a roundabout to skirt the legal issue.

Please cite the part of the report where they propose using race.

They are specifically talking about "in-group comparison." So, they may not be using "skin color" in the sense of a paper bag test, but they are sure as heck considering using reported race/ethnicity. There is no other metric. The school doesn't collect SES data other than FARMS, and they don't collect parental education level. So, yes, they are considering using reported race/ethnicity in order to make in-group comparisons. Whether or not that is legal probably remains to be litigated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They are specifically talking about "in-group comparison." So, they may not be using "skin color" in the sense of a paper bag test, but they are sure as heck considering using reported race/ethnicity. There is no other metric. The school doesn't collect SES data other than FARMS, and they don't collect parental education level. So, yes, they are considering using reported race/ethnicity in order to make in-group comparisons. Whether or not that is legal probably remains to be litigated.

OK, you're right. MCPS paid Metis to write a report that recommended that MCPS break the law, and then MCPS published that report and asked for public comment, to make sure that everybody knew that Metis was recommending (on MCPS's dime) for MCPS to break the law. It's a terrible way to run a school district, and you should

a. run for the Board of Education
b. sue.