When is the plan for new HS programs coming out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:For those of you with super special bright children, good for you. But this is public school and it cannot cater to the needs of a tiny minority.

I don’t understand why this kind of narrative continues to prevail. Whether it’s countywide or regional magnet programs, they only serve a small minority of students. Take TJ in Fairfax, for example — it’s the same case. So why can’t MCPS offer the same level of opportunity that Fairfax County does? Are we just inferior to our neighbors?

A small minority and one select minority are very different things. For example, a small minority of kids are in compacted math because they need acceleration and can be grouped together and provided services along a continuum all across the county. Some of these same student need even more acceleration and challenge that the district can't setup in every school because of resources, so magnets are provided. That is different than 1 Kid that would be taking Pre-Cal in 8th grade that might not even be in the same school as kids already taking Alg2. That 1 Kid needs parental support to take Pre-Cal at the HS first thing in the morning and then come back to MS for other classes.

You understand it’s not just 1 kid in this county who can do this? Right now many kids in Blair and Poolesville are that advanced and get their needs fulfilled

You understand that the regional model would likely create similar program across the 6 regions thus creating more opportunity for more capable students. So yes, I understand that it's not just 1 kid. I also understand that's why getting rid of the countywide magnets in favor of 6 regions makes sense.

That’s your imagination. For example, right now only 20+ kids per grade can successfully complete Blair function class, while others drop out. Now 20 kids split to 6 regions. How can MCPS support 6 high level classes with 3-4 students each? Same with other high level classes Blair offers.

You do realize that Blair is not a whole school magnet and does not serve the entire county? Also, you know the Functions class is only offered at Blair and maybe a similar class at Poolesville. So you can't actually say that only 20 kids can complete the class when only the kids in the Blair magnet program are even being offered the class.

It’s a criteria based program, not lottery. There might be more but each region definitely wouldn’t have 20 students to support such a class. Plus some of these regions will not be attractive for top students to leave their home school anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Why dod we need a county wide magnet if we have regional magnets. If the regional model offered what kids needed who would be choosing to go further away from home just to attend a county wide magnet. Yes you moved here because of what you heard about one magnet. That doesn't mean it's going to stay like that forever into eternity.

Let's say you have a great glass of orange juice from the oranges you grow. It's so good that you sell it at your local farmer's market. But only some people near the farmer's market can get your orange juice. It's not a question of who deserves the juice the most: it's who has the opportunity. Later, you implement a system trying to make sure that only the superfans of the juice get it, so the deserving get it. However, people (who don't superfan the juice as much) complain. If you try to bring everyone who wants the juice, no matter how close they live or how much they deserve it, you have to either plant more orange trees, at great expense to yourself, or dilute the juice with water and hope that the people who care are quickly silenced because you're too powerful. Which do you think you will do?

Now: the juice is the magnet programs, "deserving/wanting" the juice more means showing more need by not having enough challenge at your home school, and you are MCPS.
It's not that countywide programs are bad; rather, MCPS' implementation is bad.

Nobody has explained why having very smart but not top 1% kids participate is like "watering down" high quality orange juice...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with super special bright children, good for you. But this is public school and it cannot cater to the needs of a tiny minority.

I don’t understand why this kind of narrative continues to prevail. Whether it’s countywide or regional magnet programs, they only serve a small minority of students. Take TJ in Fairfax, for example — it’s the same case. So why can’t MCPS offer the same level of opportunity that Fairfax County does? Are we just inferior to our neighbors?

A small minority and one select minority are very different things. For example, a small minority of kids are in compacted math because they need acceleration and can be grouped together and provided services along a continuum all across the county. Some of these same student need even more acceleration and challenge that the district can't setup in every school because of resources, so magnets are provided. That is different than 1 Kid that would be taking Pre-Cal in 8th grade that might not even be in the same school as kids already taking Alg2. That 1 Kid needs parental support to take Pre-Cal at the HS first thing in the morning and then come back to MS for other classes.

You understand it’s not just 1 kid in this county who can do this? Right now many kids in Blair and Poolesville are that advanced and get their needs fulfilled

You understand that the regional model would likely create similar program across the 6 regions thus creating more opportunity for more capable students. So yes, I understand that it's not just 1 kid. I also understand that's why getting rid of the countywide magnets in favor of 6 regions makes sense.

That’s your imagination. For example, right now only 20+ kids per grade can successfully complete Blair function class, while others drop out. Now 20 kids split to 6 regions. How can MCPS support 6 high level classes with 3-4 students each? Same with other high level classes Blair offers.

You do realize that Blair is not a whole school magnet and does not serve the entire county? Also, you know the Functions class is only offered at Blair and maybe a similar class at Poolesville. So you can't actually say that only 20 kids can complete the class when only the kids in the Blair magnet program are even being offered the class.

It’s a criteria based program, not lottery. There might be more but each region definitely wouldn’t have 20 students to support such a class. Plus some of these regions will not be attractive for top students to leave their home school anymore.

You know this how?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with super special bright children, good for you. But this is public school and it cannot cater to the needs of a tiny minority.

I don’t understand why this kind of narrative continues to prevail. Whether it’s countywide or regional magnet programs, they only serve a small minority of students. Take TJ in Fairfax, for example — it’s the same case. So why can’t MCPS offer the same level of opportunity that Fairfax County does? Are we just inferior to our neighbors?

It’s about resources. There are limited resources.

Yeah in MoCo we pay higher taxes but have fewer resources. Maybe they should look at all the wasteful spending MCPS does. So if Blair/poolsville/RM no longer exist as countywide programs, more people will be fleeing away from this crappy place. It’s asinine and shortsighted to kill these long time established flagship programs at Moco while Fairfax keeps to be proud of its well-known TJ.

If parents are really going to flee because they can't bear to have their top 1% kid in class with a lowly top 5% kid, or because they might have to take one math class virtually their senior year, then good riddance, honestly. They can go to the private schools they crave and their families can afford, and meanwhile 6 times more kids who would benefit from strong programming will get it (including top 1% kids who used to not be able to go to countywide programs due to logistics.)

The vast majority of magnet kids are not wealthy enough to send their kids to specialized private school. But even if they could, most private schools cannot offer what MCPS magnet schools offer, which is why some private school students end up going to these magnets if they get in.

Those county wide magnets are one of the few shining stars in MCPS. It's one of the reasons why we were drawn to this school district from out west. It offers various programs for very high achieving kids that many school districts do not. Even if my kid didn't make it to one of the magnets, the fact that there are such programs here means it draws high achieving kids to the school district.

If you take that away, MCPS becomes a middling school district. It's ironic that MCPS likes to tout the SAT/AP scores etc of high achieving students, and then at the same time tell them that they should not expect to have their needs met in school.

Dumbing down the entire school district is not a worthy goal. A county wide magnet attracts the very top, which means they have a sizeable cohort of like high achieving students.

I think regional programs have its place, but so does a county wide magnet.

Why dod we need a county wide magnet if we have regional magnets. If the regional model offered what kids needed who would be choosing to go further away from home just to attend a county wide magnet. Yes you moved here because of what you heard about one magnet. That doesn't mean it's going to stay like that forever into eternity.

A county wide magnet draws the top performers in the entire county, whereas the regional only draws from a few HS. The peer group will be different.

Look at the IB classes offered at RMIB vs a school like Kennedy, a regional IB magnet. RMIB offers more IB classes than Kennedy because there is demand for it. RM has IB AN/APP HL, and it also has two MVC classes. Kennedy doesn't offer IB HL math.

If you make RM regional, the demand for these classes will be lower, and it will not be cost effective to keep those additional IB classes.

This effectively dumbs down the IB program.

That's an assumption. The Kennedy IB program and the RMIB program were not setup to operate the same initially.

It's been a few years since Kennedy regional IB opened. If there were enough interest in IB AA HL Math, they'd have offered it by now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with super special bright children, good for you. But this is public school and it cannot cater to the needs of a tiny minority.

I don’t understand why this kind of narrative continues to prevail. Whether it’s countywide or regional magnet programs, they only serve a small minority of students. Take TJ in Fairfax, for example — it’s the same case. So why can’t MCPS offer the same level of opportunity that Fairfax County does? Are we just inferior to our neighbors?

It’s about resources. There are limited resources.

Yeah in MoCo we pay higher taxes but have fewer resources. Maybe they should look at all the wasteful spending MCPS does. So if Blair/poolsville/RM no longer exist as countywide programs, more people will be fleeing away from this crappy place. It’s asinine and shortsighted to kill these long time established flagship programs at Moco while Fairfax keeps to be proud of its well-known TJ.

If parents are really going to flee because they can't bear to have their top 1% kid in class with a lowly top 5% kid, or because they might have to take one math class virtually their senior year, then good riddance, honestly. They can go to the private schools they crave and their families can afford, and meanwhile 6 times more kids who would benefit from strong programming will get it (including top 1% kids who used to not be able to go to countywide programs due to logistics.)

The vast majority of magnet kids are not wealthy enough to send their kids to specialized private school. But even if they could, most private schools cannot offer what MCPS magnet schools offer, which is why some private school students end up going to these magnets if they get in.

Those county wide magnets are one of the few shining stars in MCPS. It's one of the reasons why we were drawn to this school district from out west. It offers various programs for very high achieving kids that many school districts do not. Even if my kid didn't make it to one of the magnets, the fact that there are such programs here means it draws high achieving kids to the school district.

If you take that away, MCPS becomes a middling school district. It's ironic that MCPS likes to tout the SAT/AP scores etc of high achieving students, and then at the same time tell them that they should not expect to have their needs met in school.

Dumbing down the entire school district is not a worthy goal. A county wide magnet attracts the very top, which means they have a sizeable cohort of like high achieving students.

I think regional programs have its place, but so does a county wide magnet.

Why dod we need a county wide magnet if we have regional magnets. If the regional model offered what kids needed who would be choosing to go further away from home just to attend a county wide magnet. Yes you moved here because of what you heard about one magnet. That doesn't mean it's going to stay like that forever into eternity.

A county wide magnet draws the top performers in the entire county, whereas the regional only draws from a few HS. The peer group will be different.

Look at the IB classes offered at RMIB vs a school like Kennedy, a regional IB magnet. RMIB offers more IB classes than Kennedy because there is demand for it. RM has IB AN/APP HL, and it also has two MVC classes. Kennedy doesn't offer IB HL math.

If you make RM regional, the demand for these classes will be lower, and it will not be cost effective to keep those additional IB classes.

This effectively dumbs down the IB program.

That's an assumption. The Kennedy IB program and the RMIB program were not setup to operate the same initially.

The "magnet" portion of the Kennedy IB program is also very new. Class of 2025 was the first graduating class, which means it was also the first real opportunity for HL math. I'm not defending the decision not to offer it, but this is a new program, in a troubled school, with a tiny cohort. I don't think it tells us much about regional programs.

Exactly. And the fact that the RM county-wide program still exist as a county program, actually dilutes from the regional programs.

RM has 100 kids per class, and like 20 or so from RM. You split 100 kids across 5 regions, that's 20 kids per class. Not all of them will want IB HL AA math. So, I doubt you will have all IB regional magnets offering HL math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with super special bright children, good for you. But this is public school and it cannot cater to the needs of a tiny minority.

I don’t understand why this kind of narrative continues to prevail. Whether it’s countywide or regional magnet programs, they only serve a small minority of students. Take TJ in Fairfax, for example — it’s the same case. So why can’t MCPS offer the same level of opportunity that Fairfax County does? Are we just inferior to our neighbors?

It’s about resources. There are limited resources.

Yeah in MoCo we pay higher taxes but have fewer resources. Maybe they should look at all the wasteful spending MCPS does. So if Blair/poolsville/RM no longer exist as countywide programs, more people will be fleeing away from this crappy place. It’s asinine and shortsighted to kill these long time established flagship programs at Moco while Fairfax keeps to be proud of its well-known TJ.

If parents are really going to flee because they can't bear to have their top 1% kid in class with a lowly top 5% kid, or because they might have to take one math class virtually their senior year, then good riddance, honestly. They can go to the private schools they crave and their families can afford, and meanwhile 6 times more kids who would benefit from strong programming will get it (including top 1% kids who used to not be able to go to countywide programs due to logistics.)

The vast majority of magnet kids are not wealthy enough to send their kids to specialized private school. But even if they could, most private schools cannot offer what MCPS magnet schools offer, which is why some private school students end up going to these magnets if they get in.

Those county wide magnets are one of the few shining stars in MCPS. It's one of the reasons why we were drawn to this school district from out west. It offers various programs for very high achieving kids that many school districts do not. Even if my kid didn't make it to one of the magnets, the fact that there are such programs here means it draws high achieving kids to the school district.

If you take that away, MCPS becomes a middling school district. It's ironic that MCPS likes to tout the SAT/AP scores etc of high achieving students, and then at the same time tell them that they should not expect to have their needs met in school.

Dumbing down the entire school district is not a worthy goal. A county wide magnet attracts the very top, which means they have a sizeable cohort of like high achieving students.

I think regional programs have its place, but so does a county wide magnet.

Why dod we need a county wide magnet if we have regional magnets. If the regional model offered what kids needed who would be choosing to go further away from home just to attend a county wide magnet. Yes you moved here because of what you heard about one magnet. That doesn't mean it's going to stay like that forever into eternity.

A county wide magnet draws the top performers in the entire county, whereas the regional only draws from a few HS. The peer group will be different.

Look at the IB classes offered at RMIB vs a school like Kennedy, a regional IB magnet. RMIB offers more IB classes than Kennedy because there is demand for it. RM has IB AN/APP HL, and it also has two MVC classes. Kennedy doesn't offer IB HL math.

If you make RM regional, the demand for these classes will be lower, and it will not be cost effective to keep those additional IB classes.

This effectively dumbs down the IB program.

That's an assumption. The Kennedy IB program and the RMIB program were not setup to operate the same initially.

The "magnet" portion of the Kennedy IB program is also very new. Class of 2025 was the first graduating class, which means it was also the first real opportunity for HL math. I'm not defending the decision not to offer it, but this is a new program, in a troubled school, with a tiny cohort. I don't think it tells us much about regional programs.

Exactly. And the fact that the RM county-wide program still exist as a county program, actually dilutes from the regional programs.

It's the other way. If you split the strong RMIB cohort across six regions mixed with other students you will just have weaker regional IB programs. RMIB is the strongest program in part because the top 100 or so are in one program. Splitting them up just dilutes a strong program into several weaker ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with super special bright children, good for you. But this is public school and it cannot cater to the needs of a tiny minority.

I don’t understand why this kind of narrative continues to prevail. Whether it’s countywide or regional magnet programs, they only serve a small minority of students. Take TJ in Fairfax, for example — it’s the same case. So why can’t MCPS offer the same level of opportunity that Fairfax County does? Are we just inferior to our neighbors?

It’s about resources. There are limited resources.

Yeah in MoCo we pay higher taxes but have fewer resources. Maybe they should look at all the wasteful spending MCPS does. So if Blair/poolsville/RM no longer exist as countywide programs, more people will be fleeing away from this crappy place. It’s asinine and shortsighted to kill these long time established flagship programs at Moco while Fairfax keeps to be proud of its well-known TJ.

If parents are really going to flee because they can't bear to have their top 1% kid in class with a lowly top 5% kid, or because they might have to take one math class virtually their senior year, then good riddance, honestly. They can go to the private schools they crave and their families can afford, and meanwhile 6 times more kids who would benefit from strong programming will get it (including top 1% kids who used to not be able to go to countywide programs due to logistics.)

The vast majority of magnet kids are not wealthy enough to send their kids to specialized private school. But even if they could, most private schools cannot offer what MCPS magnet schools offer, which is why some private school students end up going to these magnets if they get in.

Those county wide magnets are one of the few shining stars in MCPS. It's one of the reasons why we were drawn to this school district from out west. It offers various programs for very high achieving kids that many school districts do not. Even if my kid didn't make it to one of the magnets, the fact that there are such programs here means it draws high achieving kids to the school district.

If you take that away, MCPS becomes a middling school district. It's ironic that MCPS likes to tout the SAT/AP scores etc of high achieving students, and then at the same time tell them that they should not expect to have their needs met in school.

Dumbing down the entire school district is not a worthy goal. A county wide magnet attracts the very top, which means they have a sizeable cohort of like high achieving students.

I think regional programs have its place, but so does a county wide magnet.

Why dod we need a county wide magnet if we have regional magnets. If the regional model offered what kids needed who would be choosing to go further away from home just to attend a county wide magnet. Yes you moved here because of what you heard about one magnet. That doesn't mean it's going to stay like that forever into eternity.

A county wide magnet draws the top performers in the entire county, whereas the regional only draws from a few HS. The peer group will be different.

Look at the IB classes offered at RMIB vs a school like Kennedy, a regional IB magnet. RMIB offers more IB classes than Kennedy because there is demand for it. RM has IB AN/APP HL, and it also has two MVC classes. Kennedy doesn't offer IB HL math.

If you make RM regional, the demand for these classes will be lower, and it will not be cost effective to keep those additional IB classes.

This effectively dumbs down the IB program.

That's an assumption. The Kennedy IB program and the RMIB program were not setup to operate the same initially.

The "magnet" portion of the Kennedy IB program is also very new. Class of 2025 was the first graduating class, which means it was also the first real opportunity for HL math. I'm not defending the decision not to offer it, but this is a new program, in a troubled school, with a tiny cohort. I don't think it tells us much about regional programs.

Exactly. And the fact that the RM county-wide program still exist as a county program, actually dilutes from the regional programs.

It's the other way. If you split the strong RMIB cohort across six regions mixed with other students you will just have weaker regional IB programs. RMIB is the strongest program in part because the top 100 or so are in one program. Splitting them up just dilutes a strong program into several weaker ones.

You guys really need to provide some evidence of how having 95th-98th percentile kids in a program makes it "weak" and ruins it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with super special bright children, good for you. But this is public school and it cannot cater to the needs of a tiny minority.

I don’t understand why this kind of narrative continues to prevail. Whether it’s countywide or regional magnet programs, they only serve a small minority of students. Take TJ in Fairfax, for example — it’s the same case. So why can’t MCPS offer the same level of opportunity that Fairfax County does? Are we just inferior to our neighbors?

It’s about resources. There are limited resources.

Yeah in MoCo we pay higher taxes but have fewer resources. Maybe they should look at all the wasteful spending MCPS does. So if Blair/poolsville/RM no longer exist as countywide programs, more people will be fleeing away from this crappy place. It’s asinine and shortsighted to kill these long time established flagship programs at Moco while Fairfax keeps to be proud of its well-known TJ.

If parents are really going to flee because they can't bear to have their top 1% kid in class with a lowly top 5% kid, or because they might have to take one math class virtually their senior year, then good riddance, honestly. They can go to the private schools they crave and their families can afford, and meanwhile 6 times more kids who would benefit from strong programming will get it (including top 1% kids who used to not be able to go to countywide programs due to logistics.)

The vast majority of magnet kids are not wealthy enough to send their kids to specialized private school. But even if they could, most private schools cannot offer what MCPS magnet schools offer, which is why some private school students end up going to these magnets if they get in.

Those county wide magnets are one of the few shining stars in MCPS. It's one of the reasons why we were drawn to this school district from out west. It offers various programs for very high achieving kids that many school districts do not. Even if my kid didn't make it to one of the magnets, the fact that there are such programs here means it draws high achieving kids to the school district.

If you take that away, MCPS becomes a middling school district. It's ironic that MCPS likes to tout the SAT/AP scores etc of high achieving students, and then at the same time tell them that they should not expect to have their needs met in school.

Dumbing down the entire school district is not a worthy goal. A county wide magnet attracts the very top, which means they have a sizeable cohort of like high achieving students.

I think regional programs have its place, but so does a county wide magnet.

Why dod we need a county wide magnet if we have regional magnets. If the regional model offered what kids needed who would be choosing to go further away from home just to attend a county wide magnet. Yes you moved here because of what you heard about one magnet. That doesn't mean it's going to stay like that forever into eternity.

A county wide magnet draws the top performers in the entire county, whereas the regional only draws from a few HS. The peer group will be different.

Look at the IB classes offered at RMIB vs a school like Kennedy, a regional IB magnet. RMIB offers more IB classes than Kennedy because there is demand for it. RM has IB AN/APP HL, and it also has two MVC classes. Kennedy doesn't offer IB HL math.

If you make RM regional, the demand for these classes will be lower, and it will not be cost effective to keep those additional IB classes.

This effectively dumbs down the IB program.

That's an assumption. The Kennedy IB program and the RMIB program were not setup to operate the same initially.

The "magnet" portion of the Kennedy IB program is also very new. Class of 2025 was the first graduating class, which means it was also the first real opportunity for HL math. I'm not defending the decision not to offer it, but this is a new program, in a troubled school, with a tiny cohort. I don't think it tells us much about regional programs.

Exactly. And the fact that the RM county-wide program still exist as a county program, actually dilutes from the regional programs.

It's the other way. If you split the strong RMIB cohort across six regions mixed with other students you will just have weaker regional IB programs. RMIB is the strongest program in part because the top 100 or so are in one program. Splitting them up just dilutes a strong program into several weaker ones.

I think you are making an assumption here that is not factual. You are assuming that all kids who would thrive in the program apply, and that all those who are accepted choose to attend. I have a child who was accepted and did not choose to attend based almost exclusively on distance, and I know others who never applied for the same reason who seem equally competent.

Folks are always going on about how high achieving the area is, so I don't think it is unreasonable to expect that there are many more kids who would benefit from a program like this one, and who would thrive and succeed, then there are applicants with commutes being what they are at the moment.

[Anonymous]

Ugh. * Than

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So does BOE actually care about public sentiment? Bc it seems from DCUM that they vociferously oppose public and want to do the exact opposit

I’m sure it’s tricky. I remember seeing a slide about responses to the boundary study, and I noted that a much larger share of responses had come from W clusters. The DCC was much less represented. While I am sure the BOE is interested in feedback, I’m sure they note that not all perspectives are equally represented.

As a DCC family, I know they don’t care about us so why bother. They will make their decisions and we will make our decisions accordingly. Worst case for us is we do a private virtual school or go private which we may anyway as we have no choice as one of my kids is struggling to get all the graduation requirements in due to lack of offerings.

All high schools offer classes for graduation. This doesn’t make sense

No, they don't. If your child starts Algebra in 6th they don't have enough math and are missing a year (assuming one year is AP stats).

Look our friend has a math genius kid who is doing grade 11 and 12 math at MC virtual. His parents aren’t saying WJ doesn’t care about him or kids graduating. There are so many summer and evening classes at MC. You need to stop whining that no one cares and do more problem solving.

Evening classes only work if your kids are in no sports or extracurricular activities. So, that's not an option.

Look, it seems you want the county to solve all the logistical problems and that's just not going to happen. Does there need to be more transportation times/options to MC, yes. But believe that the school district is going to offer very very advance classes when the population just isn't there for that, isn't going to happen. Just because parents are choosing to accelerate their kids outside of school, it is not now on the district to figure out a way to keep these parents and students happy and engaged beyond a normal on-grade level or accelerated curriculum. As has already been noted, most school districts don't offer the level of magnets or special programs that MCPS does. Now you're asking them to go beyond that, when there is a larger group of families that are asking them to provide more resource so that all the current programs can thrive and so that kids don't have to be bussed for hours each way.

No, I want my kids to have the same opportunities as others and meet graduation requirements. I’m asking that they provide appropriate classes for kids when they put them on this track and waitlisted the kids for magnet programs. It doesn’t matter about what other school districts do. My kids were put on this track by MCP.s and they have an obligation to provide four years of hs math for graduation. We did not accelerate outside of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with super special bright children, good for you. But this is public school and it cannot cater to the needs of a tiny minority.

I don’t understand why this kind of narrative continues to prevail. Whether it’s countywide or regional magnet programs, they only serve a small minority of students. Take TJ in Fairfax, for example — it’s the same case. So why can’t MCPS offer the same level of opportunity that Fairfax County does? Are we just inferior to our neighbors?

A small minority and one select minority are very different things. For example, a small minority of kids are in compacted math because they need acceleration and can be grouped together and provided services along a continuum all across the county. Some of these same student need even more acceleration and challenge that the district can't setup in every school because of resources, so magnets are provided. That is different than 1 Kid that would be taking Pre-Cal in 8th grade that might not even be in the same school as kids already taking Alg2. That 1 Kid needs parental support to take Pre-Cal at the HS first thing in the morning and then come back to MS for other classes.

You understand it’s not just 1 kid in this county who can do this? Right now many kids in Blair and Poolesville are that advanced and get their needs fulfilled

You understand that the regional model would likely create similar program across the 6 regions thus creating more opportunity for more capable students. So yes, I understand that it's not just 1 kid. I also understand that's why getting rid of the countywide magnets in favor of 6 regions makes sense.

That’s your imagination. For example, right now only 20+ kids per grade can successfully complete Blair function class, while others drop out. Now 20 kids split to 6 regions. How can MCPS support 6 high level classes with 3-4 students each? Same with other high level classes Blair offers.

Do you not get some DCC schools put kids in algebra in 6th. This isn’t a functions issue. It’s the normal track for non magnet kids so they do calc bc sophomore year which leaves two more years of math. One can be statistics but there needs to be MV. How could they do it. Align the hs schedules and provide virtual or bus the kids to a central location for the one class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with super special bright children, good for you. But this is public school and it cannot cater to the needs of a tiny minority.

I don’t understand why this kind of narrative continues to prevail. Whether it’s countywide or regional magnet programs, they only serve a small minority of students. Take TJ in Fairfax, for example — it’s the same case. So why can’t MCPS offer the same level of opportunity that Fairfax County does? Are we just inferior to our neighbors?

A small minority and one select minority are very different things. For example, a small minority of kids are in compacted math because they need acceleration and can be grouped together and provided services along a continuum all across the county. Some of these same student need even more acceleration and challenge that the district can't setup in every school because of resources, so magnets are provided. That is different than 1 Kid that would be taking Pre-Cal in 8th grade that might not even be in the same school as kids already taking Alg2. That 1 Kid needs parental support to take Pre-Cal at the HS first thing in the morning and then come back to MS for other classes.

You understand it’s not just 1 kid in this county who can do this? Right now many kids in Blair and Poolesville are that advanced and get their needs fulfilled

You understand that the regional model would likely create similar program across the 6 regions thus creating more opportunity for more capable students. So yes, I understand that it's not just 1 kid. I also understand that's why getting rid of the countywide magnets in favor of 6 regions makes sense.

That’s your imagination. For example, right now only 20+ kids per grade can successfully complete Blair function class, while others drop out. Now 20 kids split to 6 regions. How can MCPS support 6 high level classes with 3-4 students each? Same with other high level classes Blair offers.

You do realize that Blair is not a whole school magnet and does not serve the entire county? Also, you know the Functions class is only offered at Blair and maybe a similar class at Poolesville. So you can't actually say that only 20 kids can complete the class when only the kids in the Blair magnet program are even being offered the class.

Some dcc schools and the MVA offered Algebra in 6th. It has nothing to do with Blair or functions. Functions is a bad idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:not 6, probably 3. keep in mind that upper county has PHS offers the same program.

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Anonymous wrote:For those of you with super special bright children, good for you. But this is public school and it cannot cater to the needs of a tiny minority.

I don’t understand why this kind of narrative continues to prevail. Whether it’s countywide or regional magnet programs, they only serve a small minority of students. Take TJ in Fairfax, for example — it’s the same case. So why can’t MCPS offer the same level of opportunity that Fairfax County does? Are we just inferior to our neighbors?

A small minority and one select minority are very different things. For example, a small minority of kids are in compacted math because they need acceleration and can be grouped together and provided services along a continuum all across the county. Some of these same student need even more acceleration and challenge that the district can't setup in every school because of resources, so magnets are provided. That is different than 1 Kid that would be taking Pre-Cal in 8th grade that might not even be in the same school as kids already taking Alg2. That 1 Kid needs parental support to take Pre-Cal at the HS first thing in the morning and then come back to MS for other classes.

You understand it’s not just 1 kid in this county who can do this? Right now many kids in Blair and Poolesville are that advanced and get their needs fulfilled

You understand that the regional model would likely create similar program across the 6 regions thus creating more opportunity for more capable students. So yes, I understand that it's not just 1 kid. I also understand that's why getting rid of the countywide magnets in favor of 6 regions makes sense.

That’s your imagination. For example, right now only 20+ kids per grade can successfully complete Blair function class, while others drop out. Now 20 kids split to 6 regions. How can MCPS support 6 high level classes with 3-4 students each? Same with other high level classes Blair offers.

The Board documents posted and then shut down say 6 regions of 4-5 HS each

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:A screenshot of the Regions that were online yesterday are available in this article:

https://montgomeryperspective.com/2025/06/24/will-there-be-regions-in-mcps/

MCPS Parents: They should subdivide the county into smaller regions. NO, not like that!

MCPS Parents: They should offer more magnet programs to meet the needs of our bright kids who have bright parents. NO, not like that!

The word “region” refers to geography. So explain how these regions make sense geographically. It’s clear they are doing everything they can to make certain schools more desirable (ie Kennedy)

Correct. If you're going to cluster schools into groups for reasons other than geography, it doesn't really make sense to call them regions.

Making horizontal regions across the county is not any more ridiculous than making vertical ones. It's just that the vertical cuts would have preserved segregation, so it's what certain parents wanted.

It still doesn’t make sense. How many high schools are there between Kennedy and Magruder? They aren’t all in the same region. It clear the BOE is dividing up the less desirable schools like Northwood and Kennedy

Because I love all of you so much, I made maps! Here are three of the zones that cover the southern half of the county. https://imgur.com/a/QBYCaLB

You can see that, for example, there are several schools between Kennedy and Magruder, but the zone is contiguous and makes sense.

Thank you! This is helpful. And arguably work MCPS should be doing as it explains its rationale for this model.

Would love to see more data about these regions like they included in the boundary study options from travel distance and demographics. It’s 10 miles from Kennedy to Wootton, so they think a kid would apply for that kind of commute? One could also argue that worst kind of commute in MoCo is the east to west or Vice versa commute. Maybe McPS thinks the purple line will solve these problems?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A screenshot of the Regions that were online yesterday are available in this article:

https://montgomeryperspective.com/2025/06/24/will-there-be-regions-in-mcps/

MCPS Parents: They should subdivide the county into smaller regions. NO, not like that!

MCPS Parents: They should offer more magnet programs to meet the needs of our bright kids who have bright parents. NO, not like that!

The word “region” refers to geography. So explain how these regions make sense geographically. It’s clear they are doing everything they can to make certain schools more desirable (ie Kennedy)

Correct. If you're going to cluster schools into groups for reasons other than geography, it doesn't really make sense to call them regions.

Making horizontal regions across the county is not any more ridiculous than making vertical ones. It's just that the vertical cuts would have preserved segregation, so it's what certain parents wanted.

It still doesn’t make sense. How many high schools are there between Kennedy and Magruder? They aren’t all in the same region. It clear the BOE is dividing up the less desirable schools like Northwood and Kennedy

Because I love all of you so much, I made maps! Here are three of the zones that cover the southern half of the county. https://imgur.com/a/QBYCaLB

You can see that, for example, there are several schools between Kennedy and Magruder, but the zone is contiguous and makes sense.

Thank you! This is helpful. And arguably work MCPS should be doing as it explains its rationale for this model.

Would love to see more data about these regions like they included in the boundary study options from travel distance and demographics. It’s 10 miles from Kennedy to Wootton, so they think a kid would apply for that kind of commute? One could also argue that worst kind of commute in MoCo is the east to west or Vice versa commute. Maybe McPS thinks the purple line will solve these problems?

Commute is longer from Wootton to Kennedy than Wootton to Blair! I thought MCPS wants to reduce bus time.