Educational Inequities in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That article is an assault on logic, facts, and most of all the English language. The Sentinel, and Jeffrey W, desperately need a copy editor.

So accurate and the third point made me LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking outside the box here:

I’m a product of one of the high FARMS schools from the 1980’s during a unique time in MCPS history. I was part of the pilot program for honors and later AP classes. I was in a group of 30 students from 7th-12th grade. Of my cohort from this experiment, many of us were the first generation of our families to go to college. Many of us not only earned Bachelor’s degrees, we also earned Graduate degrees.

Looking back, what were the things that helped:

1) small class sizes - in a small class, everyone was expected to participate and the teacher was available to answer questions and provide feedback

2) encouragement for students to attend office hours and create study groups - I had the same group of students for core subject areas so we really bonded and supported one another as the curriculum got harder

3) free SAT prep by AP English teacher and AP Calculus teacher during lunch - I’m not sure if they gave us the help altruistictically or if they were compensated but after school many of us had jobs or extracurricular activities so lunch sessions were ideal. My parents wouldn’t been able to afford a private SAT class.

4) high expectations to remain in the program - we had to achieve high achievement test scores to be in the program and had to get As and Bs to continue.

5) internal drive - my parents couldn’t help me with most of my homework past 7th grade. I think the biggest factor was my own drive to succeed. I wanted a better life and better job opportunities than my parents. I understood (like my cohorts) that education was the key to a better life.

6) when you have a classroom where students are focused on learning, there are no discipline problems - our classes was a school within a school. For core classes, it was the same 20-25 students. The rest of the school was like general population where chaos ruled. I actually had to drop an elective once because of the teacher screaming and kids misbehaving to the point it was too stressful. It’s hard to learn in chaos.

How did you end up in this pilot program? Was your name randomly selected or were you chosen / referred to the program by a teacher who saw your potential? The problem with alot of your points is that many of those things have and are being tried in certain schools but they're not working. It could be that the program worked well for motivated students but not so well for all students.

When I was in elementary school, all students took the California Achievement Test. Those students who were the top performers per subject area were invited to enroll in classes. My scores (along with most of my cohorts) were high enough to place In honors English, math, science, and social studies.

Currently, any student who wants to take an Honors or AP class in MCPS can - even if they haven’t demonstrated the prerequisite skills for the course. This throw everyone into honors approach has caused many middle and high school classes to have over 30 students per class with a huge divergence in skill levels without a low teacher to student ratio to meet student needs.

It’s awful. My dd has had some low performing kids in her AP class peer review her work and they can’t offer any advice. They don’t contribute to group work and in one instance she was penalized because an assignment was incomplete and refused to do the others’ work.

[Anonymous]

Several years ago MCPS said it was spending thousands of dollars more per student per year in lowers SES schools than in high SES schools. That was on top of federal money. This article is nothing but a lie.

[Anonymous]

When there are problems with the MCPS curriculum including gaps in learning created during online learning, those with financial resources can afford ways to work around MCPS’s shortcomings. Improve the curriculum, lower the class sizes, and separate disruptive students from those who want to learn, students at high FARM schools can achieve equally as W schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Several years ago MCPS said it was spending thousands of dollars more per student per year in lowers SES schools than in high SES schools. That was on top of federal money. This article is nothing but a lie.

It’s how that money is allocated that counts. Smaller class sizes is more impactful than Chromebooks or Promethian Boards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LMAO what moron wrote this:

"In theory, Montgomery County should spend the same amount of around 17 thousand dollars per student. However, in practice, the high-performing expectation of the county leads to funding that sways in the favor of high-performing schools."

Lower performing schools do get more resources, lower student teacher ratios, all of that. If there were numbers showing that wealthy schools get more, it would be plastered everywhere. I hate that people oversimplify this issue with lies.

(I saw this as someone who is fine spending more where needs are greater. But don't misrepresent the actual facts!)

So is this why only the wealthy Potomac schools offer accelerated math in ES?

Tell me more about this- what grade does accelerated math start at these ESs??

It's well established* on DCUM that WPES starts algebra 1 in 5th grade.

That's amazing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Several years ago MCPS said it was spending thousands of dollars more per student per year in lowers SES schools than in high SES schools. That was on top of federal money. This article is nothing but a lie.

It’s how that money is allocated that counts. Smaller class sizes is more impactful than Chromebooks or Promethian Boards.

For sure. But the higher-FARMS schools do have lower student teacher ratios (title 1 schools, MD focus schools, etc.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Several years ago MCPS said it was spending thousands of dollars more per student per year in lowers SES schools than in high SES schools. That was on top of federal money. This article is nothing but a lie.

It’s how that money is allocated that counts. Smaller class sizes is more impactful than Chromebooks or Promethian Boards.

Sure, my point was that lower SES school receive millions of dollars more PER year. This flies directly in the face of the lies the article's author is trying to sell.

[Anonymous]

The only way to fix the problem is to realize schools must provide the structure, discipline, and education their families can’t/won’t.

Google Cristo Rey schools.

Raise the bar, don’t lower it.

Instill dignity, respect, responsibility, and consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only way to fix the problem is to realize schools must provide the structure, discipline, and education their families can’t/won’t.

Google Cristo Rey schools.

Raise the bar, don’t lower it.

Instill dignity, respect, responsibility, and consequences.

+100

People will knock this (Catholic) school approach b/c “of course they succeed when they can kick out disruptive students!!!!” but that refrain does not do justice to what Cristo Rey and some other Catholic schools achieve for the disadvantaged kids they serve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's well established* on DCUM that WPES starts algebra 1 in 5th grade.

Anonymous wrote:That's amazing!

Holy out-of-context quoting, Batman!

"(*by a crank or two) "

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only way to fix the problem is to realize schools must provide the structure, discipline, and education their families can’t/won’t.

Google Cristo Rey schools.

Raise the bar, don’t lower it.

Instill dignity, respect, responsibility, and consequences.

+100

People will knock this (Catholic) school approach b/c “of course they succeed when they can kick out disruptive students!!!!” but that refrain does not do justice to what Cristo Rey and some other Catholic schools achieve for the disadvantaged kids they serve.

where's the lie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only way to fix the problem is to realize schools must provide the structure, discipline, and education their families can’t/won’t.

Google Cristo Rey schools.

Raise the bar, don’t lower it.

Instill dignity, respect, responsibility, and consequences.

+100

People will knock this (Catholic) school approach b/c “of course they succeed when they can kick out disruptive students!!!!” but that refrain does not do justice to what Cristo Rey and some other Catholic schools achieve for the disadvantaged kids they serve.

where's the lie?

Sidwell, St. Albans, and every progressive equity-blah-blah private school that DCUM loves picks and chooses its students (and rejects or counsels out disrupters)… and are they the engines of social mobility that Cristo Rey is?? Nope. So yeah, I’ll give credit where credit is due.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LMAO what moron wrote this:

"In theory, Montgomery County should spend the same amount of around 17 thousand dollars per student. However, in practice, the high-performing expectation of the county leads to funding that sways in the favor of high-performing schools."

Lower performing schools do get more resources, lower student teacher ratios, all of that. If there were numbers showing that wealthy schools get more, it would be plastered everywhere. I hate that people oversimplify this issue with lies.

(I saw this as someone who is fine spending more where needs are greater. But don't misrepresent the actual facts!)

So is this why only the wealthy Potomac schools offer accelerated math in ES?

Yes, exactly! The rich and privileged are often the squeakiest wheel.

The rich and privileged learn basic math at home and are ready to advance to higher math sooner. It's not a conspiracy to withhold math from poor kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LMAO what moron wrote this:

"In theory, Montgomery County should spend the same amount of around 17 thousand dollars per student. However, in practice, the high-performing expectation of the county leads to funding that sways in the favor of high-performing schools."

Lower performing schools do get more resources, lower student teacher ratios, all of that. If there were numbers showing that wealthy schools get more, it would be plastered everywhere. I hate that people oversimplify this issue with lies.

(I saw this as someone who is fine spending more where needs are greater. But don't misrepresent the actual facts!)

So is this why only the wealthy Potomac schools offer accelerated math in ES?

Yes, exactly! The rich and privileged are often the squeakiest wheel.

The rich and privileged learn basic math at home and are ready to advance to higher math sooner. It's not a conspiracy to withhold math from poor kids.

Rich and privileged start before kindergarten. Their children attend well structured preschools so they have foundational skills for kindergarten. Knowing the alphabet, writing their names, matching letters with sounds, behaving appropriately in a group, developing small motor skills through play - wealth brings a good start before public school even begins.