5th grade compact (5/6)
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Anonymous
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i saw this topic here before, but I would like to start a new --- for parents who might be in the similar situation as I was in.
First of all, my 5th grader is an average student all along since she started her school. In fact, she was so quiet and shy that she hardly talked to other kids and hardly answer questions when she was at K/1st grade. So she was indeed put an IEP (as developmental delay), that was removed at 2nd half year of her 1st grade. So we never expected her doing well at school and her report cards mostly Ps and and some Is. At her 4th grade, we knew she was on grade level of math while some of her classmates were in compact/enrich. When she started her 5th grade last fall, she was placed in on grade level math while some of her classmates who were previously with her at 4th grade math moved to compact math (5/6), the school basically divided all 5th graders into two groups (almost equally in numbers), half in compact 5/6) and half on grade level (5). She was obviously upset when she was told her placement. Kids at school do compare each other --- and she knew that some of her classmates were not any better/advanced than she was but they had got into compact (5/6). We did not know any other information on how the school decided placements except the fact we did receive MSA result which shows our 5th grader got 493 in math and (433 - 650) was labeled as advanced level (also it indicates that 41% of her grade kids were in the advanced level). We decided to appeal the decision of her placement to the school, and the school took our request seriously. After two weeks observation with updated information, they moved her to compact (5/6). She was very happy and encouraged. During the 1st quarter conference, I was told the she was doing well in her compact math, her test result showed that she was in the median of the compact class, that seemed to be consistent with her MSA test result. |
Anonymous
| So despite all the talk about very limited acceleration and strict criteria, MCPS is back to getting 1/2 the kids into 7th grade algebra (at least as 1 school) and responding to parent requests. I am not doubting your daughters ability in math. It is just that 2.0 has really not changed much. |
Anonymous
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I am the OP, I don't know much of the history of MCPS.
When she was at 4th grade, we knew there were only small number of kids were in compact math but they were all in the same classroom. their homework/classwork were different. At 5th grade, a lot non-compact/enrich at 4th grade got "promotion" -- we were told by some parents they got a letter in the summer but we did not receive any letter. |
Anonymous
| OP, you had a very different experience from us. I tried everything to get my son moved to compacted math during the first half of 4th after he came to me and pleaded to be moved up. At the time, it was clear that he wasn't remotely challenged. He earned 100% on everything. As in your school, 50% of kids were placed in compacted math. The school refused and showed me some rubric they used to determine who could do compacted math. Apparently, his 3rd grade teacher didn't view him as motivated or seeking a challenge (very inaccurate) and he shut down on the day they did the assessment. A little history. He had scored exceptionally well (superior range) in math on the Woodcock Johnson in 2nd grade and always scored advanced on the MSA. He also has the "gifted" label. They said that score on the rubric was all they were allowed to consider. My son was devastated as he knew that other kids were given the opportunity and he wasn't. He told me the school didn't think he was smart enough. Now we're in 5th grade and still earning 100% on everything in 5th grade level math. And now they have decided to accelerate him for middle school. The problem is I'm sure that he has missed concepts the others had in compacted math. I just found it ridiculously unfair that other kids were given an opportunity he wasn't when there was plenty of information to support giving him a test run. |
Anonymous
OP here again, Sorry to hear your experience, and we might just be lucky. I think there should not be a limit on how many can be placed into compact (this is not HGC that needs extra resource) All the teachers at the school can teach both 5 and 6 grade math, and more importantly, all motivated kids can handle the compact (I am sure your son will do very well too). It seems to me that the placement was based on 4th grade teacher's recommendation (maybe observation on class performance) which in my view, very subjective. If MCPS has to set a standard on admission into compact (5/6), they should have all the kids tested, the decision should be based on test results. |
Anonymous
By chance are you in Beverly Farms Elementary? The thing is that kids were not supposed to be moved into compact math in 5th grade because the kids end up missing 1/2 of 5th grade math. Because in 4th grade kids learn 4th and 1/2 of fifth. Then in 5th grade they learn 1/2 of Fifth and all of 6th. By going from regular to compact, your child missed a lot of concepts that were taught to the others in 4th grade. In Beverly Farms that was what happened. I feel bad for those kids that missed out and they didn't even tell the parents what topics were missed so that the kids could have learned it during the summer. |
Anonymous
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To PP, this is OP. Yes we are in BFES, it is a great school for our kids. I can't praise more on their thoughtfulness on review our case and have our DD to move up.
You were so right, we were not aware of the placement until our DD was sad, upset and even angry back home upon learning she was left out on grade level. I think she, (maybe just for being a girl), cares a lot more how her placement at school than the boys --- even repeating their grades won't bother them - 
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Anonymous
| I knew it was BFES too based on the description. Everything will be great until your child (and the others) get to Algebra and are missing 3/4 of the 5th grade curriculum... She will have holes which is what the county tried to get rid of. Make sure you look up the missing curriculum and fill in the holes! |
Anonymous
| Beverly farms has half of their students in compacted???? There is no way they are that much "smarter" than every other school. How is this fair? Let me guess, they didn't even have to go through the rest of the BS the rest of the county has to go through to get in. Do other schools also have half of their students in the compacted class? I feel like the county better figure out a way to make entry fair throughout the county. |
Anonymous
| Yes, sounds like a big mistake, just not for your child but for others. That is not how it is supposed to work. A lot of data went into the original compact math decisions. Sounds like this was arbitrary. Probably parents forced the school into this when they found out their snowflakes weren't in compacted math. |
Anonymous
Not sure its BS. Sounds like the county has put a lot of thought into it. Problem is the parents that just can't seem to accept when their kids don't get in. |
Anonymous
| I am okay with the very strict standards to get into the class if they are countywide standards. My issue (and what makes them BS) is that not all of the schools are following them as evidenced above- meaning that some students are being given the chance while others are not even if the children have identical abilities and scores. |
Anonymous
Exactly!!! |
Anonymous
| They started as strict standards. I wonder if parent complaining is what has caused them to bend. At our school they have not been bent. I am fine with that. |
Anonymous
| Are the schools that are not following the strict guidelines all W feeder schools? |