I fear for the future of Einstein.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

I’m in-bound for Einstein. I think the new regional model is just a new shell game replacing the old shell game. Programs that look good on paper but actually serve relatively few students. I would prefer no regions and kids just go to the school they’re zoned for like a normal school district.

It's all about PR. It's doing something without actually doing anything. Nothing is actually changing except a few specialty programs and magnet labels but they aren't real magnets. It doesn't look good on paper, and it only serves a few students, so it will harm more than it will help when students cannot get into Wheaton or Blair due to the regions.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

I read some of the proposal and they're actually adding a few hundred busses and expecting this restricting to increase transportation costs... So I don't know why everyone is talking about driving.

But this poster is correct in that there will be reverse migration: everyone who is affluent will migrate to the rich kid schools.

Will there really be enough spaces in the "rich kid schools" for it have a statistically significant impact on the home schools?

We're another DCC family who could afford to move and aren't going to/don't want to. We're waiting to learn if our home school will be Blair or Northwood (it's currently Northwood). I would much prefer to stay at the home school unless there is an incredibly compelling program, and even then, the commute and social aspects are not insignificant.

My guess is it will be an average of 30-40 kids per grade in total attending the 3 programs at Whitman and BCC. Might vary by school. Einstein might have more since it is the closest to BCC and Blair will have CAP and whatever the new version of SMCS.

That's not nothing especially when admin are telling kids at Einstein they "don't have enough interest" to staff the courses that kids want.

For context, high schools have about 400-600 kids per grade. So 30-40 kids per school per grade leaving for criteria-based academic magnets elsewhere is 5-10% of the grade. This may not be a huge deal if you are also hosting an academic magnet yourself where top kids from other schools come in to balance it out. But if you don't, you are potentially losing half or more of your demand for certain advanced classes.

Thank you.

At Einstein 18% of students scored a 4 (the highest score) on the ELA MCAP. That's 72 kids per grade in a school with 1,600 enrolled (that's what's planned for Einstein). 30-40 kids going to BCC and Whitman for IB, Humanities and Languages per grade from Einstein is literally half the cohort. And that is just two schools. Blair's CAP program will draw another 10 kids.

Maybe the biomedical program will shore up STEM at Einstein at least? I have my doubts about that and would absolutely prefer to have no regional programs over this disgrace.

MCAP is uncalibrated and useless. 1% of the county got 4 on Math.

Ok. How many kids would you say are interested in advanced humanities coursework at Einstein?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

Most don’t drive till junior year and will schools provide parking? The expectation that kids have cares is not equity.

Good point. The programs at BCC and Whitman will be for kids whose parents can drive them to and from school. Gee, I wonder what the demographics of that group will be relative to their home school demographics.

There are wealthy neighborhoods in and around Silver Spring / Takoma Park. Those parents could easily drive their kids to B-CC on the way to work.

Maybe to BCC, but Whitman would be a stretch. But, ever considered the wealthy parents don't want their kids in those schools and encouraging that just reduces diversity and increases farms. How about meeting all kids' needs at their home schools, not just a select few?

Heaven forbid your kids go to school with other wealthy children like themselves and they’re not the wealthiest ones anymore.

My kids are not wealthy. They don't have any money. Be real. My kids aren't running to Starbucks and $20 lunches every day, for example. Nor would we allow it. Our values are to fully pay for college and grad school. Many of the more comfortable families at the schools you wouldn't send your kids to aren't living lavish lives and wouldn't fit in. You don't have a clue how much many of the families have or don't have.

It's the culture and attitudes I don't like. It's also harder to get into college from one of those schools.

College outcomes are actually better for high performing students from lower performing schools. Colleges compare what you took to what was offered and your performance to the their expectations of the school.

I think this whole thing is a mess but just pointing that out for anyone freaking out about college outcomes.

Better is subjective. I don't care about college ratings and I want the best fit for my kids. The big difference is the opportunities and course offerings. If all schools had what the W schools had, the college outcomes might be similar.

No, if we had full demographic data (actual incomes not just FARMS or not FARMS and parental education) I suspect that would explain most of the differences in test scores. You can see it by looking at test scores by race. The scores for Black, EML and FARMS students are atrocious at every school. We are utterly failing these kids.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

I read some of the proposal and they're actually adding a few hundred busses and expecting this restricting to increase transportation costs... So I don't know why everyone is talking about driving.

But this poster is correct in that there will be reverse migration: everyone who is affluent will migrate to the rich kid schools.

Will there really be enough spaces in the "rich kid schools" for it have a statistically significant impact on the home schools?

We're another DCC family who could afford to move and aren't going to/don't want to. We're waiting to learn if our home school will be Blair or Northwood (it's currently Northwood). I would much prefer to stay at the home school unless there is an incredibly compelling program, and even then, the commute and social aspects are not insignificant.

It doesn’t sound like anyone will go to the “rich kid schools” bc of distance and distaste.

Also: BCC has nearly a 30% FARMS rate.

"Almost 30%" is low. Nearly 40% of MCPS high school students are enrolled in FARMS.

Also, yes some families will absolutely want to send their kids to wealthier schools to access the coursework those schools offer. The fact some parents prefer not to doesn't mean no kids will use this option.

How many of the higher HHI Einstein families do you think want their kids to go to Whitman or BCC? Don't you think we'd move if we wanted that?

I don't know but I am certain some would want this and/or would let their kids decide. Many young Einstein families bought small 1950s ramblers under $500k 5-10 years ago. Their family incomes are maybe $150k. Several are out of work now. They can't buy in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

I read some of the proposal and they're actually adding a few hundred busses and expecting this restricting to increase transportation costs... So I don't know why everyone is talking about driving.

But this poster is correct in that there will be reverse migration: everyone who is affluent will migrate to the rich kid schools.

Will there really be enough spaces in the "rich kid schools" for it have a statistically significant impact on the home schools?

We're another DCC family who could afford to move and aren't going to/don't want to. We're waiting to learn if our home school will be Blair or Northwood (it's currently Northwood). I would much prefer to stay at the home school unless there is an incredibly compelling program, and even then, the commute and social aspects are not insignificant.

It doesn’t sound like anyone will go to the “rich kid schools” bc of distance and distaste.

Also: BCC has nearly a 30% FARMS rate.

"Almost 30%" is low. Nearly 40% of MCPS high school students are enrolled in FARMS.

Also, yes some families will absolutely want to send their kids to wealthier schools to access the coursework those schools offer. The fact some parents prefer not to doesn't mean no kids will use this option.

How many of the higher HHI Einstein families do you think want their kids to go to Whitman or BCC? Don't you think we'd move if we wanted that?

I don't know but I am certain some would want this and/or would let their kids decide. Many young Einstein families bought small 1950s ramblers under $500k 5-10 years ago. Their family incomes are maybe $150k. Several are out of work now. They can't buy in Bethesda.

Where are you getting this information? Some yes, but there are a lot of higher HHI's than that. You really think the average HHI for the higher income is $150K? A young family cannot buy a $500K house plus child care on that income. Maybe stretching or family help with a SAHP.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

I read some of the proposal and they're actually adding a few hundred busses and expecting this restricting to increase transportation costs... So I don't know why everyone is talking about driving.

But this poster is correct in that there will be reverse migration: everyone who is affluent will migrate to the rich kid schools.

Will there really be enough spaces in the "rich kid schools" for it have a statistically significant impact on the home schools?

We're another DCC family who could afford to move and aren't going to/don't want to. We're waiting to learn if our home school will be Blair or Northwood (it's currently Northwood). I would much prefer to stay at the home school unless there is an incredibly compelling program, and even then, the commute and social aspects are not insignificant.

My guess is it will be an average of 30-40 kids per grade in total attending the 3 programs at Whitman and BCC. Might vary by school. Einstein might have more since it is the closest to BCC and Blair will have CAP and whatever the new version of SMCS.

That's not nothing especially when admin are telling kids at Einstein they "don't have enough interest" to staff the courses that kids want.

For context, high schools have about 400-600 kids per grade. So 30-40 kids per school per grade leaving for criteria-based academic magnets elsewhere is 5-10% of the grade. This may not be a huge deal if you are also hosting an academic magnet yourself where top kids from other schools come in to balance it out. But if you don't, you are potentially losing half or more of your demand for certain advanced classes.

Thank you.

At Einstein 18% of students scored a 4 (the highest score) on the ELA MCAP. That's 72 kids per grade in a school with 1,600 enrolled (that's what's planned for Einstein). 30-40 kids going to BCC and Whitman for IB, Humanities and Languages per grade from Einstein is literally half the cohort. And that is just two schools. Blair's CAP program will draw another 10 kids.

Maybe the biomedical program will shore up STEM at Einstein at least? I have my doubts about that and would absolutely prefer to have no regional programs over this disgrace.

MCAP is uncalibrated and useless. 1% of the county got 4 on Math.

Ok. How many kids would you say are interested in advanced humanities coursework at Einstein?

I think there would be a good number with the arts program but there is a big interest in STEM as well - science, engineering and computer science. These so-called programs really aren't anything to get worked up about. There is little information on what they are, how the curriculum will be different and will there be extra funding and staff?

Regardless of music, arts, theater, and dance at Einstein or Northwood, how will anything change or be a magnet if there is no extra funding for equipment, music, supplies, etc. and staffing? Both schools have bare bones staffing so they cannot add anything even if they wanted to.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

I read some of the proposal and they're actually adding a few hundred busses and expecting this restricting to increase transportation costs... So I don't know why everyone is talking about driving.

But this poster is correct in that there will be reverse migration: everyone who is affluent will migrate to the rich kid schools.

Will there really be enough spaces in the "rich kid schools" for it have a statistically significant impact on the home schools?

We're another DCC family who could afford to move and aren't going to/don't want to. We're waiting to learn if our home school will be Blair or Northwood (it's currently Northwood). I would much prefer to stay at the home school unless there is an incredibly compelling program, and even then, the commute and social aspects are not insignificant.

It doesn’t sound like anyone will go to the “rich kid schools” bc of distance and distaste.

Also: BCC has nearly a 30% FARMS rate.

"Almost 30%" is low. Nearly 40% of MCPS high school students are enrolled in FARMS.

Also, yes some families will absolutely want to send their kids to wealthier schools to access the coursework those schools offer. The fact some parents prefer not to doesn't mean no kids will use this option.

How many of the higher HHI Einstein families do you think want their kids to go to Whitman or BCC? Don't you think we'd move if we wanted that?

I don't know but I am certain some would want this and/or would let their kids decide. Many young Einstein families bought small 1950s ramblers under $500k 5-10 years ago. Their family incomes are maybe $150k. Several are out of work now. They can't buy in Bethesda.

Where are you getting this information? Some yes, but there are a lot of higher HHI's than that. You really think the average HHI for the higher income is $150K? A young family cannot buy a $500K house plus child care on that income. Maybe stretching or family help with a SAHP.

I'm getting this information from people in my neighborhood that is zoned for Einstein. The people I know bought their houses when interest rates were lower, many before kids. Some have a SAHP so they aren't paying for full time child care.

[Anonymous]

Oh also many with a parent that works a flexible/part time job

[Anonymous]

And a bunch have only one kid

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

I read some of the proposal and they're actually adding a few hundred busses and expecting this restricting to increase transportation costs... So I don't know why everyone is talking about driving.

But this poster is correct in that there will be reverse migration: everyone who is affluent will migrate to the rich kid schools.

Will there really be enough spaces in the "rich kid schools" for it have a statistically significant impact on the home schools?

We're another DCC family who could afford to move and aren't going to/don't want to. We're waiting to learn if our home school will be Blair or Northwood (it's currently Northwood). I would much prefer to stay at the home school unless there is an incredibly compelling program, and even then, the commute and social aspects are not insignificant.

It doesn’t sound like anyone will go to the “rich kid schools” bc of distance and distaste.

Also: BCC has nearly a 30% FARMS rate.

"Almost 30%" is low. Nearly 40% of MCPS high school students are enrolled in FARMS.

Also, yes some families will absolutely want to send their kids to wealthier schools to access the coursework those schools offer. The fact some parents prefer not to doesn't mean no kids will use this option.

How many of the higher HHI Einstein families do you think want their kids to go to Whitman or BCC? Don't you think we'd move if we wanted that?

I don't know but I am certain some would want this and/or would let their kids decide. Many young Einstein families bought small 1950s ramblers under $500k 5-10 years ago. Their family incomes are maybe $150k. Several are out of work now. They can't buy in Bethesda.

Where are you getting this information? Some yes, but there are a lot of higher HHI's than that. You really think the average HHI for the higher income is $150K? A young family cannot buy a $500K house plus child care on that income. Maybe stretching or family help with a SAHP.

I'm getting this information from people in my neighborhood that is zoned for Einstein. The people I know bought their houses when interest rates were lower, many before kids. Some have a SAHP so they aren't paying for full time child care.

You go around asking people their HHI and house costs? Bizzare. And, no, this doesn't fully represent all.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

I read some of the proposal and they're actually adding a few hundred busses and expecting this restricting to increase transportation costs... So I don't know why everyone is talking about driving.

But this poster is correct in that there will be reverse migration: everyone who is affluent will migrate to the rich kid schools.

Will there really be enough spaces in the "rich kid schools" for it have a statistically significant impact on the home schools?

We're another DCC family who could afford to move and aren't going to/don't want to. We're waiting to learn if our home school will be Blair or Northwood (it's currently Northwood). I would much prefer to stay at the home school unless there is an incredibly compelling program, and even then, the commute and social aspects are not insignificant.

It doesn’t sound like anyone will go to the “rich kid schools” bc of distance and distaste.

Also: BCC has nearly a 30% FARMS rate.

"Almost 30%" is low. Nearly 40% of MCPS high school students are enrolled in FARMS.

Also, yes some families will absolutely want to send their kids to wealthier schools to access the coursework those schools offer. The fact some parents prefer not to doesn't mean no kids will use this option.

How many of the higher HHI Einstein families do you think want their kids to go to Whitman or BCC? Don't you think we'd move if we wanted that?

I don't know but I am certain some would want this and/or would let their kids decide. Many young Einstein families bought small 1950s ramblers under $500k 5-10 years ago. Their family incomes are maybe $150k. Several are out of work now. They can't buy in Bethesda.

Where are you getting this information? Some yes, but there are a lot of higher HHI's than that. You really think the average HHI for the higher income is $150K? A young family cannot buy a $500K house plus child care on that income. Maybe stretching or family help with a SAHP.

I'm getting this information from people in my neighborhood that is zoned for Einstein. The people I know bought their houses when interest rates were lower, many before kids. Some have a SAHP so they aren't paying for full time child care.

You go around asking people their HHI and house costs? Bizzare. And, no, this doesn't fully represent all.

I didn't say it "fully represents all". jeezus lady, I'm not the census bureau. I don't ask people their HHIs, obviously. I just have friends and I know a little about their lives and their jobs and can guesstimate that they certainly can't afford a $1 million house. Yes, some people can, in fact many houses nearby have sold for over $1 million. But the majority are old and small ramblers and the families in them are mostly not raking in tons of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

I read some of the proposal and they're actually adding a few hundred busses and expecting this restricting to increase transportation costs... So I don't know why everyone is talking about driving.

But this poster is correct in that there will be reverse migration: everyone who is affluent will migrate to the rich kid schools.

Will there really be enough spaces in the "rich kid schools" for it have a statistically significant impact on the home schools?

We're another DCC family who could afford to move and aren't going to/don't want to. We're waiting to learn if our home school will be Blair or Northwood (it's currently Northwood). I would much prefer to stay at the home school unless there is an incredibly compelling program, and even then, the commute and social aspects are not insignificant.

It doesn’t sound like anyone will go to the “rich kid schools” bc of distance and distaste.

Also: BCC has nearly a 30% FARMS rate.

"Almost 30%" is low. Nearly 40% of MCPS high school students are enrolled in FARMS.

Also, yes some families will absolutely want to send their kids to wealthier schools to access the coursework those schools offer. The fact some parents prefer not to doesn't mean no kids will use this option.

How many of the higher HHI Einstein families do you think want their kids to go to Whitman or BCC? Don't you think we'd move if we wanted that?

I don't know but I am certain some would want this and/or would let their kids decide. Many young Einstein families bought small 1950s ramblers under $500k 5-10 years ago. Their family incomes are maybe $150k. Several are out of work now. They can't buy in Bethesda.

Where are you getting this information? Some yes, but there are a lot of higher HHI's than that. You really think the average HHI for the higher income is $150K? A young family cannot buy a $500K house plus child care on that income. Maybe stretching or family help with a SAHP.

I'm getting this information from people in my neighborhood that is zoned for Einstein. The people I know bought their houses when interest rates were lower, many before kids. Some have a SAHP so they aren't paying for full time child care.

You go around asking people their HHI and house costs? Bizzare. And, no, this doesn't fully represent all.

I didn't say it "fully represents all". jeezus lady, I'm not the census bureau. I don't ask people their HHIs, obviously. I just have friends and I know a little about their lives and their jobs and can guesstimate that they certainly can't afford a $1 million house. Yes, some people can, in fact many houses nearby have sold for over $1 million. But the majority are old and small ramblers and the families in them are mostly not raking in tons of money.

You are making huge generalizations. Huge. Many are doing well, but expensive housing is not a priority.

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

Most don’t drive till junior year and will schools provide parking? The expectation that kids have cares is not equity.

Good point. The programs at BCC and Whitman will be for kids whose parents can drive them to and from school. Gee, I wonder what the demographics of that group will be relative to their home school demographics.

There are wealthy neighborhoods in and around Silver Spring / Takoma Park. Those parents could easily drive their kids to B-CC on the way to work.

Maybe to BCC, but Whitman would be a stretch. But, ever considered the wealthy parents don't want their kids in those schools and encouraging that just reduces diversity and increases farms. How about meeting all kids' needs at their home schools, not just a select few?

Heaven forbid your kids go to school with other wealthy children like themselves and they’re not the wealthiest ones anymore.

My kids are not wealthy. They don't have any money. Be real. My kids aren't running to Starbucks and $20 lunches every day, for example. Nor would we allow it. Our values are to fully pay for college and grad school. Many of the more comfortable families at the schools you wouldn't send your kids to aren't living lavish lives and wouldn't fit in. You don't have a clue how much many of the families have or don't have.

It's the culture and attitudes I don't like. It's also harder to get into college from one of those schools.

Imagine coming in here and saying you don’t want your kids to go to Northwood or Einstein bc of the “culture” and “attitudes.”

DP

The people who say those things about Northwood and Einstein haven't set foot in those schools.

Many DCC parents attended Whitman, BCC and Walter Johnson. We know what we're talking about and so do you.

+1 from one of those DCC parents. You could not pay me to send my kids to Whitman, or even WJ at this point.

A large part of that is the research showing increased risk for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse associated with going to highly resourced schools. There’s enough pressure within the DCC due to being in MoCo, the number of highly educated parents (of which I am one), etc. I have no intention of deliberately stressing my kids beyond what is healthy.

+100, completely agree and purposely avoided those schools.

Same, that was one thing I loved about Kennedy. Yes. Kennedy. The horror. But we also avoided 99.9% of that social bs.

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Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

I honestly think they could swap the medical programs and put them at Whitman and put the Humanities program at Einstein and give back the performing arts to Northwood and everyone would feel a little more satisfied.

DP - no, thank you. I’m glad Einstein will have medical sciences. Whitman doesn’t need anything special beyond being Whitman and I mean that sincerely.

That’s fine, and you can have your opinion, but they are putting a program in every school so unless you think 24 schools should get a program and Whitman should be excluded because reasons, they’re going to get something. Honestly it doesn’t sound like Einstein people will be satisfied no matter what is offered to them.

We want the same opportunities that your kids get at Whitman at our home schools. If you get arts and academics, shouldn’t our kids as well. I think you don’t understand the huge disparities at each school.

The medical program is very basic.

You’d be much better served advocating as a group for reasonable things like getting the Humanities magnet rather than asking for ridiculous things like getting the humanities AND medical AND performing arts and Northwood and Whitman getting nothing. It seems like you have several very reasonable posters but the unrealistic ones are hurting your cause.

I don't care about humantities. Northwood can advocate for themselves. Whitman has everything they need so saying they get nothing is false. They get to keep everything they have and are in a bubble.

Einstein parents just want to protect VAPA. A Visual and Performing arts magnet only makes sense at Einstein. Einstein has the best arts program in the DCC and arguably the entire county.

“Einstein parents” are not a monolith. I care about things other than VAPA and plenty of other Einstein parents to, too. Stop pretending to speak for the entire group.

+1 adding that this is even more complicated because the majority of families that will be impacted by this do not yet have children at Einstein. Our ES PTA is organizing feedback from.the community. However, MCPS should really be doing much more to understand what communities want or need instead of farming out community engagement to the PTAs. And they should have done this before developing any proposals or any dumb rules like that every school should have a criteria based program.

No, Whitman does not need a criteria based program. They already have a multitude of wealth based programs. In Region 1, vanishingly few BCC or Whitman students are going to travel to Einstein or Northwood or even Blair. But a larger portion (not all) Einstein students especially (due to geography) but also Northwood and Blair students, especially if they have cars and no work/sibling care commitments, will be interested in going to Whitman and BCC. It is the reverse of the original intention of the Blair magnet which was to reduce segregation. This plus the boundaries they are proposing will supercharge racial and socioeconomic segregation because the kids that can travel to Whitman and BCC will be wealthier and Whiter than the rest of their home school populations.

I read some of the proposal and they're actually adding a few hundred busses and expecting this restricting to increase transportation costs... So I don't know why everyone is talking about driving.

But this poster is correct in that there will be reverse migration: everyone who is affluent will migrate to the rich kid schools.

Will there really be enough spaces in the "rich kid schools" for it have a statistically significant impact on the home schools?

We're another DCC family who could afford to move and aren't going to/don't want to. We're waiting to learn if our home school will be Blair or Northwood (it's currently Northwood). I would much prefer to stay at the home school unless there is an incredibly compelling program, and even then, the commute and social aspects are not insignificant.

It doesn’t sound like anyone will go to the “rich kid schools” bc of distance and distaste.

Also: BCC has nearly a 30% FARMS rate.

"Almost 30%" is low. Nearly 40% of MCPS high school students are enrolled in FARMS.

Also, yes some families will absolutely want to send their kids to wealthier schools to access the coursework those schools offer. The fact some parents prefer not to doesn't mean no kids will use this option.

How many of the higher HHI Einstein families do you think want their kids to go to Whitman or BCC? Don't you think we'd move if we wanted that?

I don't know but I am certain some would want this and/or would let their kids decide. Many young Einstein families bought small 1950s ramblers under $500k 5-10 years ago. Their family incomes are maybe $150k. Several are out of work now. They can't buy in Bethesda.

Where are you getting this information? Some yes, but there are a lot of higher HHI's than that. You really think the average HHI for the higher income is $150K? A young family cannot buy a $500K house plus child care on that income. Maybe stretching or family help with a SAHP.

I'm getting this information from people in my neighborhood that is zoned for Einstein. The people I know bought their houses when interest rates were lower, many before kids. Some have a SAHP so they aren't paying for full time child care.

You go around asking people their HHI and house costs? Bizzare. And, no, this doesn't fully represent all.

I didn't say it "fully represents all". jeezus lady, I'm not the census bureau. I don't ask people their HHIs, obviously. I just have friends and I know a little about their lives and their jobs and can guesstimate that they certainly can't afford a $1 million house. Yes, some people can, in fact many houses nearby have sold for over $1 million. But the majority are old and small ramblers and the families in them are mostly not raking in tons of money.

You are making huge generalizations. Huge. Many are doing well, but expensive housing is not a priority.

Lady I am not the one claiming NO STUDENT zoned for Einstein will choose a program at Whitman or BCC

[Anonymous]

The sad thing is you're all sniping about the BCC/Einstein/etc cluster... But honestly, that's where UMC families who are moving here are all buying. They're not really going to Potomac. The BCC et al cluster in ten years will be the gentrified section. I am more concerned about the exurban schools, the ones y'all don't care about. Larlo and Larletta will be fine. I'm less sure about the more farflung moco.