Best high schools for African American students?

[Anonymous]

Rock Creek Forest or Rosemary Hills in the B-CC cluster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how you define well. There are A LOT of safety/security and cultural issues with the high schools in Silver Spring.

If I had to rank best to worst for black students, I'd say in the DCC:
- Blair
- Wheaton
- Einstein
- Northwood
- Kennedy

NEC:
- Blake
- Springbrook
- Paint Branch

Paint Branch is the most majority black high school population in MCPS but the academic outcomes and behavioral issues are OFF THE CHARTS. MCPS has a lot of work to do to improve the learning experience for black students. They've failed black kids pretty significantly.

Dog whistle alert.

No. I'm referring to the school climate/culture, which is the terminology MCPS uses to gauge the health and wellbeing of its schools. Go and look at the latest climate/culture surveys for the schools I listed. There are lots of problems.

OP-School climate surveys
https://sharedaccountability.mcpsmd.org/SurveyResults/content.php

A lot of the indicators are actually pretty positive for Paint Branch, just like the other schools but the safety question for students does not look great. 59% of students said they felt safe while at most other schools it's more in the 80s to over 90%.

Kennedy and Watkins Mill (Gaithersburg area, not where OP is looking) are also low at 62%.

In the staff survey, 38.7 percent gave MCPS a C and 32.1 percent gave MCPS a D and 17.9 percent gave MCPS an F. That means 88.7% of staff at PBHS gave MCPS an C or less.

For the school specifically, 75% of staff gave PBHS specifically a C or less.

On the student side, 58% gave MCPS a C or less. And 70.8% gave PBHS a C or less.

Those grades from staff and students don't indicate that the school or the system are doing very well.

I don't know why you are so set on dissing Paint Branch. Specific indicators about learning are not bad and in line with other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how you define well. There are A LOT of safety/security and cultural issues with the high schools in Silver Spring.

If I had to rank best to worst for black students, I'd say in the DCC:
- Blair
- Wheaton
- Einstein
- Northwood
- Kennedy

NEC:
- Blake
- Springbrook
- Paint Branch

Paint Branch is the most majority black high school population in MCPS but the academic outcomes and behavioral issues are OFF THE CHARTS. MCPS has a lot of work to do to improve the learning experience for black students. They've failed black kids pretty significantly.

Dog whistle alert.

No. I'm referring to the school climate/culture, which is the terminology MCPS uses to gauge the health and wellbeing of its schools. Go and look at the latest climate/culture surveys for the schools I listed. There are lots of problems.

OP-School climate surveys
https://sharedaccountability.mcpsmd.org/SurveyResults/content.php

A lot of the indicators are actually pretty positive for Paint Branch, just like the other schools but the safety question for students does not look great. 59% of students said they felt safe while at most other schools it's more in the 80s to over 90%.

Kennedy and Watkins Mill (Gaithersburg area, not where OP is looking) are also low at 62%.

Just to be clear, the PP said that all Silver Spring schools have bad "cultures" but the numbers for Blair and Einstein along that exact same metric are pretty good 84 percent for Blair and 83 percent for Einstein.

For the question "At my school, students treat people from different races, ethnicities, or cultures fairly" you have 89 percent for Blair and 88 percent for Einstein.

This actually sounds like a pretty good "culture" to me.

I ranked Blair and Einstein as being among the best options in Silver Spring.

When you factor in ALL of the schools in Silver Spring, which include those in the DCC and NEC, pretty much only Blair, Einstein and Wheaton have acceptable climate and culture measures from staff and student.

While I think there's something weird about this person's hatred of Paint Branch I do think there's merit to her rankings. I'd avoid the NEC personally and focus on the three best schools in the DCC - Blair, Wheaton and Einstein but not necessarily in that order. Blair is huge and it's easy to get lost there. Wheaton is only a little smaller and Einstein is not a tiny school either but it's 1/3 smaller than Blair which can make a difference. Blair does have the most African-American students though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how you define well. There are A LOT of safety/security and cultural issues with the high schools in Silver Spring.

If I had to rank best to worst for black students, I'd say in the DCC:
- Blair
- Wheaton
- Einstein
- Northwood
- Kennedy

NEC:
- Blake
- Springbrook
- Paint Branch

Paint Branch is the most majority black high school population in MCPS but the academic outcomes and behavioral issues are OFF THE CHARTS. MCPS has a lot of work to do to improve the learning experience for black students. They've failed black kids pretty significantly.

Dog whistle alert.

No. I'm referring to the school climate/culture, which is the terminology MCPS uses to gauge the health and wellbeing of its schools. Go and look at the latest climate/culture surveys for the schools I listed. There are lots of problems.

OP-School climate surveys
https://sharedaccountability.mcpsmd.org/SurveyResults/content.php

A lot of the indicators are actually pretty positive for Paint Branch, just like the other schools but the safety question for students does not look great. 59% of students said they felt safe while at most other schools it's more in the 80s to over 90%.

Kennedy and Watkins Mill (Gaithersburg area, not where OP is looking) are also low at 62%.

In the staff survey, 38.7 percent gave MCPS a C and 32.1 percent gave MCPS a D and 17.9 percent gave MCPS an F. That means 88.7% of staff at PBHS gave MCPS an C or less.

For the school specifically, 75% of staff gave PBHS specifically a C or less.

On the student side, 58% gave MCPS a C or less. And 70.8% gave PBHS a C or less.

Those grades from staff and students don't indicate that the school or the system are doing very well.

I don't know why you are so set on dissing Paint Branch. Specific indicators about learning are not bad and in line with other schools.

The majority of staff and students are grading the school as a C or worse and you think I’m the one dissing Paint Branch? Are you ok?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just pointing out for those who may not have noticed: OP's child is a rising kindergartener.

While that is true, I want to move to cluster that she can go to from K-12. I want this to be a one time move.

I understand. If you're considering any of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) schools, be advised that there will be a boundary study soon, which may redraw the middle and high school boundaries. Elementary boundaries are not included. The NEC does not have any imminent boundary studies.

Yes, I'd be especially aware of property close to Woodward or any of the adjacent schools like Wheaton, WJ, Einstein and BCC.

How’s Woodward? This is the first time I heard this name.

It’s a double W school. A quadruple-u school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just pointing out for those who may not have noticed: OP's child is a rising kindergartener.

While that is true, I want to move to cluster that she can go to from K-12. I want this to be a one time move.

I understand. If you're considering any of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) schools, be advised that there will be a boundary study soon, which may redraw the middle and high school boundaries. Elementary boundaries are not included. The NEC does not have any imminent boundary studies.

Yes, I'd be especially aware of property close to Woodward or any of the adjacent schools like Wheaton, WJ, Einstein and BCC.

How’s Woodward? This is the first time I heard this name.

It won't be open for a couple of years like 2027. It will draw heavily from WJ and Einstein and likely other adjacent boundaries like BCC and Wheaton. I'm sure it will be a fine like all MCPS schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just pointing out for those who may not have noticed: OP's child is a rising kindergartener.

While that is true, I want to move to cluster that she can go to from K-12. I want this to be a one time move.

I understand. If you're considering any of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) schools, be advised that there will be a boundary study soon, which may redraw the middle and high school boundaries. Elementary boundaries are not included. The NEC does not have any imminent boundary studies.

Yes, I'd be especially aware of property close to Woodward or any of the adjacent schools like Wheaton, WJ, Einstein and BCC.

Sure, but also the lines between Blair and Northwood and Kennedy are likely to change too to help with Blair's overcrowding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just pointing out for those who may not have noticed: OP's child is a rising kindergartener.

While that is true, I want to move to cluster that she can go to from K-12. I want this to be a one time move.

I understand. If you're considering any of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) schools, be advised that there will be a boundary study soon, which may redraw the middle and high school boundaries. Elementary boundaries are not included. The NEC does not have any imminent boundary studies.

Yes, I'd be especially aware of property close to Woodward or any of the adjacent schools like Wheaton, WJ, Einstein and BCC.

Sure, but also the lines between Blair and Northwood and Kennedy are likely to change too to help with Blair's overcrowding.

I would also expect that to the South between BCC and Blair since BCC is so closer to many in the part of Silver Spring just east of the park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just pointing out for those who may not have noticed: OP's child is a rising kindergartener.

While that is true, I want to move to cluster that she can go to from K-12. I want this to be a one time move.

I understand. If you're considering any of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) schools, be advised that there will be a boundary study soon, which may redraw the middle and high school boundaries. Elementary boundaries are not included. The NEC does not have any imminent boundary studies.

Yes, I'd be especially aware of property close to Woodward or any of the adjacent schools like Wheaton, WJ, Einstein and BCC.

Sure, but also the lines between Blair and Northwood and Kennedy are likely to change too to help with Blair's overcrowding.

I would also expect that to the South between BCC and Blair since BCC is so closer to many in the part of Silver Spring just east of the park.

If you mean just east of Rock Creek Park, that part is already zoned to BCC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just pointing out for those who may not have noticed: OP's child is a rising kindergartener.

While that is true, I want to move to cluster that she can go to from K-12. I want this to be a one time move.

I understand. If you're considering any of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) schools, be advised that there will be a boundary study soon, which may redraw the middle and high school boundaries. Elementary boundaries are not included. The NEC does not have any imminent boundary studies.

Yes, I'd be especially aware of property close to Woodward or any of the adjacent schools like Wheaton, WJ, Einstein and BCC.

Sure, but also the lines between Blair and Northwood and Kennedy are likely to change too to help with Blair's overcrowding.

I would also expect that to the South between BCC and Blair since BCC is so closer to many in the part of Silver Spring just east of the park.

If you mean just east of Rock Creek Park, that part is already zoned to BCC.

And the existing boundary line there is between BCC and Einstein, not Blair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just pointing out for those who may not have noticed: OP's child is a rising kindergartener.

While that is true, I want to move to cluster that she can go to from K-12. I want this to be a one time move.

I understand. If you're considering any of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) schools, be advised that there will be a boundary study soon, which may redraw the middle and high school boundaries. Elementary boundaries are not included. The NEC does not have any imminent boundary studies.

Yes, I'd be especially aware of property close to Woodward or any of the adjacent schools like Wheaton, WJ, Einstein and BCC.

How’s Woodward? This is the first time I heard this name.

It won't be open for a couple of years like 2027. It will draw heavily from WJ and Einstein and likely other adjacent boundaries like BCC and Wheaton. I'm sure it will be a fine like all MCPS schools.

Except there are massive differences in how students and teachers rate different high schools and the less wealthy schools get the lowest ratings.
https://sharedaccountability.mcpsmd.org/SurveyResults/content.php
https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just pointing out for those who may not have noticed: OP's child is a rising kindergartener.

While that is true, I want to move to cluster that she can go to from K-12. I want this to be a one time move.

I understand. If you're considering any of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) schools, be advised that there will be a boundary study soon, which may redraw the middle and high school boundaries. Elementary boundaries are not included. The NEC does not have any imminent boundary studies.

Yes, I'd be especially aware of property close to Woodward or any of the adjacent schools like Wheaton, WJ, Einstein and BCC.

Sure, but also the lines between Blair and Northwood and Kennedy are likely to change too to help with Blair's overcrowding.

I would also expect that to the South between BCC and Blair since BCC is so closer to many in the part of Silver Spring just east of the park.

If you mean just east of Rock Creek Park, that part is already zoned to BCC.

Some are some aren't.... There are many in that area assigned to Einstein or Blair but physically closer to BCC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just pointing out for those who may not have noticed: OP's child is a rising kindergartener.

While that is true, I want to move to cluster that she can go to from K-12. I want this to be a one time move.

I understand. If you're considering any of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) schools, be advised that there will be a boundary study soon, which may redraw the middle and high school boundaries. Elementary boundaries are not included. The NEC does not have any imminent boundary studies.

Yes, I'd be especially aware of property close to Woodward or any of the adjacent schools like Wheaton, WJ, Einstein and BCC.

How’s Woodward? This is the first time I heard this name.

It won't be open for a couple of years like 2027. It will draw heavily from WJ and Einstein and likely other adjacent boundaries like BCC and Wheaton. I'm sure it will be a fine like all MCPS schools.

Except there are massive differences in how students and teachers rate different high schools and the less wealthy schools get the lowest ratings.
https://sharedaccountability.mcpsmd.org/SurveyResults/content.php
https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/

That's not all that meaningful. Most schools have a sufficiently large high-performing cohort where the same kid can do just as well as they would someplace else. Even wealthy schools like BCC have problems like gang fights, car jackings and kids passing out drunk in the bathrooms just in this past year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Moving to Montgomery County from Southern Maryland. My daughter is a rising kindergarten and I’m interested in a school cluster that has a significant amount of African American students, but also ones that do extremely well and are well supported. I prefer the Silver Spring area since that’s where my job is, but I’m open to other parts of the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just pointing out for those who may not have noticed: OP's child is a rising kindergartener.

While that is true, I want to move to cluster that she can go to from K-12. I want this to be a one time move.

I understand. If you're considering any of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) schools, be advised that there will be a boundary study soon, which may redraw the middle and high school boundaries. Elementary boundaries are not included. The NEC does not have any imminent boundary studies.

Yes, I'd be especially aware of property close to Woodward or any of the adjacent schools like Wheaton, WJ, Einstein and BCC.

Sure, but also the lines between Blair and Northwood and Kennedy are likely to change too to help with Blair's overcrowding.

I would also expect that to the South between BCC and Blair since BCC is so closer to many in the part of Silver Spring just east of the park.

If you mean just east of Rock Creek Park, that part is already zoned to BCC.

Some are some aren't.... There are many in that area assigned to Einstein or Blair but physically closer to BCC.

Einstein's boundary only goes to the eastern half of the Summit Hills apartment buildings. The western half are assigned to BCC. And no, no one assigned to Blair is physically closer to BCC than Blair.