Making the most of the MCPS sessions on regional model 10/22 and 10/27

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Criteria programs will have specific metrics and their students who meet them will be placed in a lottery for access".
Admitting that even with many regions and many regional programs they won't have enough seats to meet all the kids who qualify.

They said, and repeated later, that "interest-based" is lottery, not criteria.

You don't need a lottery for criteria-based programs, because they can opaquely claim that the selection process isn't a lottery. They aren't lotteries today, but they are subjective admissions judgments.

You are incorrect. They absolutely stated that for criteria based programs, they will set minimum criteria and anyone who meets those gets placed in a lottery. Like the middle school magnets. This is a huge change from the way they handle high school criteria programs currently.

They are keeping lotteries and keeping set asides. So you still have different chances based on your zip code.

We're arguing about what was said by someone who had trouble speaking in complete sentences.


Here's the FAQ:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tQGbZGBPA6PPDW5Fq6UwKThPXpA-Vs44KJgUvC-t2M8/edit?tab=t.0

Will the new Regional Programs be lottery-based or criteria-based?

The new regional programs are expected to include both interest-based (lottery) and criteria-based program options, similar to the current system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Criteria programs will have specific metrics and their students who meet them will be placed in a lottery for access".
Admitting that even with many regions and many regional programs they won't have enough seats to meet all the kids who qualify.

They said, and repeated later, that "interest-based" is lottery, not criteria.

You don't need a lottery for criteria-based programs, because they can opaquely claim that the selection process isn't a lottery. They aren't lotteries today, but they are subjective admissions judgments.

You are incorrect. They absolutely stated that for criteria based programs, they will set minimum criteria and anyone who meets those gets placed in a lottery. Like the middle school magnets. This is a huge change from the way they handle high school criteria programs currently.

They are keeping lotteries and keeping set asides. So you still have different chances based on your zip code.

We're arguing about what was said by someone who had trouble speaking in complete sentences.


Here's the FAQ:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tQGbZGBPA6PPDW5Fq6UwKThPXpA-Vs44KJgUvC-t2M8/edit?tab=t.0

Will the new Regional Programs be lottery-based or criteria-based?

The new regional programs are expected to include both interest-based (lottery) and criteria-based program options, similar to the current system.

Right. The interest based options will be a straight lottery where any random kid can throw their hat in and potentially gain a spot. The criteria based will look at criteria related to the program (obviously dance programs will have different criteria from IB programs), take all kids who meet the criteria, and put them in a lottery pool. This is probably to streamline the process since evaluating applications for a billion new programs instantly created a lot of new work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Criteria programs will have specific metrics and their students who meet them will be placed in a lottery for access".
Admitting that even with many regions and many regional programs they won't have enough seats to meet all the kids who qualify.

They said, and repeated later, that "interest-based" is lottery, not criteria.

You don't need a lottery for criteria-based programs, because they can opaquely claim that the selection process isn't a lottery. They aren't lotteries today, but they are subjective admissions judgments.

You are incorrect. They absolutely stated that for criteria based programs, they will set minimum criteria and anyone who meets those gets placed in a lottery. Like the middle school magnets. This is a huge change from the way they handle high school criteria programs currently.

They are keeping lotteries and keeping set asides. So you still have different chances based on your zip code.

We're arguing about what was said by someone who had trouble speaking in complete sentences.


Here's the FAQ:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tQGbZGBPA6PPDW5Fq6UwKThPXpA-Vs44KJgUvC-t2M8/edit?tab=t.0

Will the new Regional Programs be lottery-based or criteria-based?

The new regional programs are expected to include both interest-based (lottery) and criteria-based program options, similar to the current system.

Right. The interest based options will be a straight lottery where any random kid can throw their hat in and potentially gain a spot. The criteria based will look at criteria related to the program (obviously dance programs will have different criteria from IB programs), take all kids who meet the criteria, and put them in a lottery pool. This is probably to streamline the process since evaluating applications for a billion new programs instantly created a lot of new work.

Currently the only two criteria for SMCS are on track to finish Algebra 1 at 8th grade and living in the region. In practice they don't select anyone at that slow level. If the same criteria are used and then pure lottery, the criteria-based STEM program will be killed literally.

[Anonymous]

MCPS has turned into a total circus with these regions.

Arts magnets? Seriously? Do they not understand the modern economy


https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has turned into a total circus with these regions.

Arts magnets? Seriously? Do they not understand the modern economy


https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

I think an arts program is fine, if done well. But my takeaway from today’s presentation is how many programs/ideas the district is proposing, and I struggle to understand how so many things can be done well. Meanwhile, are the basics done well? I’m fairly new to MCPS and my kid is still in elementary but even from that minimal experience, it doesn’t seem that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has turned into a total circus with these regions.

Arts magnets? Seriously? Do they not understand the modern economy


https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

I think an arts program is fine, if done well. But my takeaway from today’s presentation is how many programs/ideas the district is proposing, and I struggle to understand how so many things can be done well. Meanwhile, are the basics done well? I’m fairly new to MCPS and my kid is still in elementary but even from that minimal experience, it doesn’t seem that way.

+1 the absolute obsession with the specialty programs on DCUM is really something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has turned into a total circus with these regions.

Arts magnets? Seriously? Do they not understand the modern economy


https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

I think an arts program is fine, if done well. But my takeaway from today’s presentation is how many programs/ideas the district is proposing, and I struggle to understand how so many things can be done well. Meanwhile, are the basics done well? I’m fairly new to MCPS and my kid is still in elementary but even from that minimal experience, it doesn’t seem that way.

+1 the absolute obsession with the specialty programs on DCUM is really something.

You must be kidding me, right? Nearly everyone on DCUM talking about the specialty programs is against the regional model for various concerns. They are obsessed because they know the proposal has millions of issues in its details so they are trying to help MCPS or themselves improving or avoiding being lured into a horribly hastily put-together BS proposal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has turned into a total circus with these regions.

Arts magnets? Seriously? Do they not understand the modern economy


https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

I think an arts program is fine, if done well. But my takeaway from today’s presentation is how many programs/ideas the district is proposing, and I struggle to understand how so many things can be done well. Meanwhile, are the basics done well? I’m fairly new to MCPS and my kid is still in elementary but even from that minimal experience, it doesn’t seem that way.

+1 the absolute obsession with the specialty programs on DCUM is really something.

If your kid was in 7th grade, losing access to the existing magnet programs, your high school was dumped with all the high Farms schools, and giving the host school seats, with a very very watered down magnet in a poorly performing high school, you will say something different.

My kid is zoned for QO, wants to do STEM - Kid will be with Watkins Mills (81.8% Farms), Gaithersburg (76.6 Farms), Magruder (62.6% Farms), and probably just as high Farms rate with the new Crown HS, with the STEM program in Gaithersburg. How do you think that will work out? Do you think the Watkins Mills IB program is a success? Kid would just have to stay in QO and do AP courses even if they are interested in STEM because it will not be worth it to go to a poorly performing school with a brand new magnet program.

QO is closest to Poolesville and we lose access to it while Damascus gets in. See how they keep all the "right" demographics together? QO would have been like that if they had not bussed the FARMS kids to the ES serving it.

Humanities and Arts in QO and STEM in Gaithersburg. SMH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has turned into a total circus with these regions.

Arts magnets? Seriously? Do they not understand the modern economy


https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

I think an arts program is fine, if done well. But my takeaway from today’s presentation is how many programs/ideas the district is proposing, and I struggle to understand how so many things can be done well. Meanwhile, are the basics done well? I’m fairly new to MCPS and my kid is still in elementary but even from that minimal experience, it doesn’t seem that way.

+1 the absolute obsession with the specialty programs on DCUM is really something.

You must be kidding me, right? Nearly everyone on DCUM talking about the specialty programs is against the regional model for various concerns. They are obsessed because they know the proposal has millions of issues in its details so they are trying to help MCPS or themselves improving or avoiding being lured into a horribly hastily put-together BS proposal.

Easy there. The people on DCUM are obsessed with the magnets and the consortia and super niche coursework. They are obsessed with the regions to the extent they want to keep the magnets and consortia the way they are. They don’t talk a lot about general rigor of coursework for the average kid. You don’t see a lot of demand for ending the consortia and the magnets, for example, just people upset about the regions changing the status quo of magnets and consortia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oops.

Feedback form survey

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc1E6bFxQNo8F4_OdQiE3t7kn47l28lG0IxXZtbF7xbFnZF1Q/viewform

New form and still zero space for feedback (unless it's positive feedback, of course.). The 4 questions on the form ask "How do you see this benefiting your child’s experience in MCPS?" And then ask what is clear, what is unclear, and what questions you have.

[Anonymous]

What is clear?
You guys clearly don't want to stop or slow down, and you don't want to listen to community or study team feedbacks.

What is unclear?
What are the potential electives? You cannot just say we'll roll out electives during the first year of implementation, because kids need to make selection before these roll-outs. You are asking kids to gamble their lives.

What questions you have?
How to submit feedbacks and when will you analyze and publish all feedbacks and your answers?

[Anonymous]

So the big news is:

1) They confirmed there will only be transportation from high schools, and you have to get to your local high school yourself
And 2) The criteria-based programs will not pick the top candidates, it'll be a lottery among those meeting the minimum criteria (similar to current CES and MS magnets approach)

Do I have that right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has turned into a total circus with these regions.

Arts magnets? Seriously? Do they not understand the modern economy


https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

I think an arts program is fine, if done well. But my takeaway from today’s presentation is how many programs/ideas the district is proposing, and I struggle to understand how so many things can be done well. Meanwhile, are the basics done well? I’m fairly new to MCPS and my kid is still in elementary but even from that minimal experience, it doesn’t seem that way.

+1 the absolute obsession with the specialty programs on DCUM is really something.

You must be kidding me, right? Nearly everyone on DCUM talking about the specialty programs is against the regional model for various concerns. They are obsessed because they know the proposal has millions of issues in its details so they are trying to help MCPS or themselves improving or avoiding being lured into a horribly hastily put-together BS proposal.

Easy there. The people on DCUM are obsessed with the magnets and the consortia and super niche coursework. They are obsessed with the regions to the extent they want to keep the magnets and consortia the way they are. They don’t talk a lot about general rigor of coursework for the average kid. You don’t see a lot of demand for ending the consortia and the magnets, for example, just people upset about the regions changing the status quo of magnets and consortia.

The programs in the DCC that are at risk from this proposal are not "super niche" - many enroll several hundred students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Criteria programs will have specific metrics and their students who meet them will be placed in a lottery for access".
Admitting that even with many regions and many regional programs they won't have enough seats to meet all the kids who qualify.

Wow, you go MCPS! You have managed to state the obvious truth instead of stating an obvious lie!

Yup. I missed anything about reserved seats for home schools but I'm sure that's part of it too

Oh, I'm not attending but that's one of my biggest bugaboos and I would love if someone asked about the extra seats for the host school.

Also would love if someone asked why the lowest-FARMS school in each of the 6 districts was chosen to host the humanities magnet.

Only wealthy schools deserve in-depth humanities program. Poor schools get CTE. It's the natural order of things. And home school preference will ensure those programs are populated primarily by students who are zoned to the wealthier schools who will also have the resources to take fancy field trips and such. It's preserving inequities.

What about biomedical science program? Is it also located in well-resourced schools? For STEM, I can see logic behind allocating them at HSs with existing resources.

What existing resources? None of the high schools in NEC offers in person MVC and Linear Algebra, and has very limited STEM courses. You must be from W.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Criteria programs will have specific metrics and their students who meet them will be placed in a lottery for access".
Admitting that even with many regions and many regional programs they won't have enough seats to meet all the kids who qualify.

Wow, you go MCPS! You have managed to state the obvious truth instead of stating an obvious lie!

Yup. I missed anything about reserved seats for home schools but I'm sure that's part of it too

Oh, I'm not attending but that's one of my biggest bugaboos and I would love if someone asked about the extra seats for the host school.

Also would love if someone asked why the lowest-FARMS school in each of the 6 districts was chosen to host the humanities magnet.

Only wealthy schools deserve in-depth humanities program. Poor schools get CTE. It's the natural order of things. And home school preference will ensure those programs are populated primarily by students who are zoned to the wealthier schools who will also have the resources to take fancy field trips and such. It's preserving inequities.

What about biomedical science program? Is it also located in well-resourced schools? For STEM, I can see logic behind allocating them at HSs with existing resources.

What existing resources? None of the high schools in NEC offers in person MVC and Linear Algebra, and has very limited STEM courses. You must be from W.

PP here. I agree with you. NEC is so lacking resources and opportunities compared to DCC. Are NEC folks leaning toward the regional model for the hope of bringing some more advanced courses?