New curriculum selection process delayed— new RFP must be issues now

[Anonymous]

Wow think of the dollars wasted because of this. And of course our kids pay the price. Unbelievable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think MCPS's high priced lawyers could give them solutions on how to fix this procurement issue properly. A conflict of interest isn't great, but can be repaired with proper steps, and not affect the substance. But delaying the roll out of a better curriculum on account of a conflict of interest in contracting is HORRIBLE for our kids.

It’s not clear what happened in this case, but it can be hard to fix a tainted procurement process. Maybe they could accelerate a replacement process (shorter turnaround times), but I don’t know whether MCPS bylaws would permi that.

It's also nearly impossible to fix the perception that the process is tainted.
Given there are 4+ pages of comments on this in about 3 hours, clearly there is distrust is already there. No matter what happened or happens DCUM won't be happy.. and there will be a "cloud" over the process.

I hope this process is thought out. With the speed things were moving it seemed likely we'd jump out of the frying pan of 2.0 and into the "fire" of whatever was new. Although we all know change is needed, if the change is implemented too quickly it won't be implemented well... teaching is about more than the curriculum. Training and becoming familiar with materials takes time for teachers and the groups reviewing the materials need time to consider how the materials/curriculum meets the needs of all learners across the spectrum.

[Anonymous]

So now everyone is supposed to just continue with a curriculum known to be crappy? What the fk?!

There’s no way we’re ever going back to MCPS. What a shitstorm. We are starting at a private in the fall and am so happy we bailed from this monstrosity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So now everyone is supposed to just continue with a curriculum known to be crappy? What the fk?!

There’s no way we’re ever going back to MCPS. What a shitstorm. We are starting at a private in the fall and am so happy we bailed from this monstrosity.

Then why are you wasting time on this forum? Go talk about your $40k tuition in the private schools forum.

[Anonymous]

Sorry folks, summer break coming up. We’ll have to try again next Spring.

Meanwhile, please keep paying your property taxes and educating your children with MCPS. You’re in good hands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think MCPS's high priced lawyers could give them solutions on how to fix this procurement issue properly. A conflict of interest isn't great, but can be repaired with proper steps, and not affect the substance. But delaying the roll out of a better curriculum on account of a conflict of interest in contracting is HORRIBLE for our kids.

It’s not clear what happened in this case, but it can be hard to fix a tainted procurement process. Maybe they could accelerate a replacement process (shorter turnaround times), but I don’t know whether MCPS bylaws would permi that.

It's also nearly impossible to fix the perception that the process is tainted.
Given there are 4+ pages of comments on this in about 3 hours, clearly there is distrust is already there. No matter what happened or happens DCUM won't be happy.. and there will be a "cloud" over the process.

I hope this process is thought out. With the speed things were moving it seemed likely we'd jump out of the frying pan of 2.0 and into the "fire" of whatever was new. Although we all know change is needed, if the change is implemented too quickly it won't be implemented well... teaching is about more than the curriculum. Training and becoming familiar with materials takes time for teachers and the groups reviewing the materials need time to consider how the materials/curriculum meets the needs of all learners across the spectrum.

Doesn’t matter when there is this much incompetency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What they’re saying is you’re never seeing this implemented in the coming school year.

Unacceptable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least Erick Lang won’t be the one in charge of choosing the new curriculum anymore. I think that is good news.

He should have his pension taken away for him for corrupting the process.

No shit. Like he didn’t know he was CONFLICTeD while he both INtERVIEWED for months/weeks at external curricula providers and simultaneously led a new curricula purchase at his current gubment job. Lemme guess, had he and his work buddy not been hired they would have never said a word. Creeps.

What a f up MCPS. What’s stopping this from happening and happening and happening. Just look at all the ppl who quit or retired early this year, and maybe next year and next. Will anything get done?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Thanks, OP.

I suppose we need to be thankful for small mercies - that someone actually found out and halted a potentially tainted process. At least that's honest.

Imagine if they had gone ahead with a back-doored, second-rate, curriculum...

Discovery pulled itself out. You think Lang stacked the deck with weak stuff so his buddies at here or there would hire him? That’s the problem with in-house Gov’t workers in curriculum admin possitions whose goal is to double dip retire at full pension and work private sector. They are always conflicted and currying favors for their personal benefits and next jobs. Jokes on the you ES!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So now everyone is supposed to just continue with a curriculum known to be crappy? What the fk?!

There’s no way we’re ever going back to MCPS. What a shitstorm. We are starting at a private in the fall and am so happy we bailed from this monstrosity.

Then why are you wasting time on this forum? Go talk about your $40k tuition in the private schools forum.

I think you’re misplacing your anger. MCPS is the one failing all our kids, not a parent going to private school. Grow up. If MCPS can no longer compete it will absolutely lose families already here and future potential families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How stupid are these people????

Good grief just let JHU select the new curriculum. Choose one of the many options in the public domain that has been through a University level evidence based peer review assessment and that is used by high ranking school systems in other states.

Why on earth is MCPS looking to buy anything from Discovery Education?? Why does everything in MCPDS need to be a corrupt shit show.

Ahh so Hopkins writes an "independent" report then submits a proposal in the RFP that came from that report. How is that not conflict of interest?

Presumably JHU just used the findings of the report to develop technical specifications for the RFP. They’re not going to benefit financially from the Vendor selection.

Look at all of the members of the team JHU assembled to do the audit. There are some who will absolutely benefit, depending on which curriculum is chosen and who is chosen to do the teacher training and subsequent reviews of the implementation.

[Anonymous]

Over and over, teachers warned MCPS not to “rush” the selection and training process. Teachers and parents also alerted MCPS to the problems with 2.0 long before the $400,000+ JHU audit. The classroom teachers overwhelmingly want a new curriculum, but we’d like it done right. Unless some heads roll over this, the “all-knowing” central office folks will continue to ignore the suggestions of teachers and parents alike. Those shown to have a conflict of interest should lose their pensions and other benefits. I hope they’ve already cleared out their offices and been escorted off the property. BTW, Smith should NOT get a pass on this. The buck stops with him. He was absolutely wedded to the schedule for purchase, “training,” and implementation, even though there were so many holes in the process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry folks, summer break coming up. We’ll have to try again next Spring.

Meanwhile, please keep paying your property taxes and educating your children with MCPS. You’re in good hands.

I called it a year go - that MCPS would implode.

too big = too corrupt, as there's no quality control or monitoring

Let the door hit me on my way out. At this point, my a** is so calloused that I won't feel a thing.

[Anonymous]

Discovery must have been downselected so now they have to redo the whole frickin thing. These morons at Central office who accepted positions should seriously face legal consequences for acting extremely unethical. There's got to to be something in the mcps bylaws that prohibits them from doing this. What effing morons. What effing a-holes.

[Anonymous]

Surprising that Discovery would hire two people closely associated with a curriculum that was just condemned.