dislike MoCo and MCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's just not an environment for quality learning for many kids. If people are scared of violence and teachers are scared that admin is pushing them out for not being able to do miracles or frauding the numbers...yeah it's toxic and corrupted.

Are you a teacher or is this your child’s actual experience on a day-to-day basis? I have read (on this site) or occasional articles… but they are rare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s a nice area. I’m from the middle of the country but I think people here are generally nice, are pretty thoughtful, value education (sadly not true everywhere in the country), and are respectful of religious and other differences (also not true everywhere). People have such interesting jobs and backgrounds. People aren’t obsessed with physical looks or fancy clothes lol they are in some areas of the country. I meet people from all over the world who work in non profits or do environmental protection for fed government or work for the fbi in counter terrorism etc etc. I really didn’t get that in my home town.

The public schools have some issues but public education is in an awful state in this country and will only get worse under this administration. There are lots of reasons for that.

If I was looking just for good public schools I might look in Massachusetts wheee it’s all town based. Or maybe certain higher income suburbs stoned the country (Cleveland heights?).

Agree. Or, northern suburbs of Chicago or NYC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, MCPS was always a substandard educational system - even 36 years ago. It was shocking for me to come from India - a 3rd world country- and see how terrible MCPS was and how dumb the teachers were. Then I also checked out the private schools. And their education sucked worse than MCPS.

I had to become very hands-on with my kids education and put in hours daily to give them a well-rounded education (even when my kids were in the magnet pipeline) outside of the school hours.

Do I dislike that MoCo has become a sanctuary county? For sure. Do I dislike the diversity? Not at all. Were Blacks and Hispanics and poor people always doing terribly? Yes. I would say that MCPS has always given poor education to students - but it is also a reflection of how uneducated the parents are. Most cannot help their kids with ES and MS level Math.

It is just that when a lot of "high achieving" (in comparison to the natives) immigrants, whose families prioritized education, started to do way better than the natives in measurable ways, everyone started talking of achievement gap as a racial injustice. The achievement gap always existed because standards of K-12 education in America has sucked balls for past several decades, and people get by only because of their accent or skin color.

I actually like MoCo. MCPS may be better than many school systems. But, if you think that without your intervention your kid can get a world-class education in MCPS? Nope.

Yikes. May your relationship with your children survive!

[Anonymous]

We are very grateful to MCPS for all the free services and accommodations they provided to our child with special needs. It's a great school system, if you know how to work it and are prepared to argue your case with documentation. And it's also a great school system for neurotypical kids.

I am slightly disappointed with the English curriculum and very concerned about gun safety in high school (because of several incidents we've had in my kids' high school). But STEM courses, and all the rest, are really phenomenal for a public school system. MCPS and FCPS have the reputation of being in the top public school systems in the US. I can well believe it.

Now do I like the hot and humid and mosquitoed summers? NO!!!!!!! I can't wait to leave when my youngest graduates, for cooler year-round weather!


- parent of young adult and teen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are very grateful to MCPS for all the free services and accommodations they provided to our child with special needs. It's a great school system, if you know how to work it and are prepared to argue your case with documentation. And it's also a great school system for neurotypical kids.

I am slightly disappointed with the English curriculum and very concerned about gun safety in high school (because of several incidents we've had in my kids' high school). But STEM courses, and all the rest, are really phenomenal for a public school system. MCPS and FCPS have the reputation of being in the top public school systems in the US. I can well believe it.

Now do I like the hot and humid and mosquitoed summers? NO!!!!!!! I can't wait to leave when my youngest graduates, for cooler year-round weather!


- parent of young adult and teen.

You are very lucky as our IEP was a joke as were the services and we pay a fortune privately for therapies and tutors. Its great for some kids at some schools and not for others. We don't have a lot of stem classes. Science were regular, not AP and had zero labs or hands on. No textbooks. We had to buy our own books in english as they were pdf's or audiobooks that they listen to in class, etc.

[Anonymous]

Pp, sorry to hear that you pay out of pocket for therapy special education services for your child. But this thread highlights the fact that MCPS needs more funding or at least a slight tax to be able to cater to students with disabilities and those students who are gifted.

People want all these services and yet are anti-funding for MCPS. You cannot have it both ways.

I'm saddened that MCPS cut funding for magnet programming and such but those things are costly (hiring admin, qualified experienced teachers, purchasing curriculum, testing, bussing, etc.)

Personally, I would be willing to pay a small tax increase if MoCo had a special fund specifically designed to allocate funds ONLY specifically for special needs and those who are gifted & talented.

$250/ single households
$500/families under $200,000
$1,000/ families over $200,000
$500:Small business contributions with under 5 employees
$1,000: small businesses under 10 employees
$1,500: businesses over 10 employees
$2,000: businesses over 20 employees

[Anonymous]

I have lived in over twenty states and people just don't seem to know how bad it is elsewhere. (Arkansas, Louisiana, and a few other places come to mind.) Hell, certain parts of NY / Long Island can be pretty dicey, education-wise. MCPS offers a lot more than most school systems even if it does a face-plant every once in a while.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are very grateful to MCPS for all the free services and accommodations they provided to our child with special needs. It's a great school system, if you know how to work it and are prepared to argue your case with documentation. And it's also a great school system for neurotypical kids.

I am slightly disappointed with the English curriculum and very concerned about gun safety in high school (because of several incidents we've had in my kids' high school). But STEM courses, and all the rest, are really phenomenal for a public school system. MCPS and FCPS have the reputation of being in the top public school systems in the US. I can well believe it.

Now do I like the hot and humid and mosquitoed summers? NO!!!!!!! I can't wait to leave when my youngest graduates, for cooler year-round weather!


- parent of young adult and teen.

You are very lucky as our IEP was a joke as were the services and we pay a fortune privately for therapies and tutors. Its great for some kids at some schools and not for others. We don't have a lot of stem classes. Science were regular, not AP and had zero labs or hands on. No textbooks. We had to buy our own books in english as they were pdf's or audiobooks that they listen to in class, etc.

At least the special needs kids have good test scores way to help the ole property prices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in over twenty states and people just don't seem to know how bad it is elsewhere. (Arkansas, Louisiana, and a few other places come to mind.) Hell, certain parts of NY / Long Island can be pretty dicey, education-wise. MCPS offers a lot more than most school systems even if it does a face-plant every once in a while.

+1
Talk to your relatives and friends with kids in public schools elsewhere. MCPS is pretty amazing in comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in over twenty states and people just don't seem to know how bad it is elsewhere. (Arkansas, Louisiana, and a few other places come to mind.) Hell, certain parts of NY / Long Island can be pretty dicey, education-wise. MCPS offers a lot more than most school systems even if it does a face-plant every once in a while.

Long Island's school districts are purposefully segregated https://www.nyed.uscourts.gov/pub/docs/cv/324457/1.11.cv.5632.6825583.2.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pp, sorry to hear that you pay out of pocket for therapy special education services for your child. But this thread highlights the fact that MCPS needs more funding or at least a slight tax to be able to cater to students with disabilities and those students who are gifted.

People want all these services and yet are anti-funding for MCPS. You cannot have it both ways.

I'm saddened that MCPS cut funding for magnet programming and such but those things are costly (hiring admin, qualified experienced teachers, purchasing curriculum, testing, bussing, etc.)

Personally, I would be willing to pay a small tax increase if MoCo had a special fund specifically designed to allocate funds ONLY specifically for special needs and those who are gifted & talented.

$250/ single households
$500/families under $200,000
$1,000/ families over $200,000
$500:Small business contributions with under 5 employees
$1,000: small businesses under 10 employees
$1,500: businesses over 10 employees
$2,000: businesses over 20 employees

No more tax increases. We pay federal, state, county, taxes on all the goods, services and food, as well as car, gas, Medicare, etc.

I spend a fortune on my own kids, I don't need to subsidize yours. And, I certainly don't want to for someone living a higher standard than we do. We don't have a nice house, in an area you wouldn't live in, never vacation, etc...so we can pay for those things.

And, these small businesses often cannot afford it either.

Single households shouldn't have to subsitize because you choose to have kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in over twenty states and people just don't seem to know how bad it is elsewhere. (Arkansas, Louisiana, and a few other places come to mind.) Hell, certain parts of NY / Long Island can be pretty dicey, education-wise. MCPS offers a lot more than most school systems even if it does a face-plant every once in a while.

Long Island's school districts are purposefully segregated https://www.nyed.uscourts.gov/pub/docs/cv/324457/1.11.cv.5632.6825583.2.pdf

So, is MCPS's. And lower income areas are treated very differently. This isn't NY so no need to compare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in over twenty states and people just don't seem to know how bad it is elsewhere. (Arkansas, Louisiana, and a few other places come to mind.) Hell, certain parts of NY / Long Island can be pretty dicey, education-wise. MCPS offers a lot more than most school systems even if it does a face-plant every once in a while.

+1
Talk to your relatives and friends with kids in public schools elsewhere. MCPS is pretty amazing in comparison.

Its amazing for you, not for everyone. Let me guess you are in a W school zone and get everything which comes at the sacrifice of our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are very grateful to MCPS for all the free services and accommodations they provided to our child with special needs. It's a great school system, if you know how to work it and are prepared to argue your case with documentation. And it's also a great school system for neurotypical kids.

I am slightly disappointed with the English curriculum and very concerned about gun safety in high school (because of several incidents we've had in my kids' high school). But STEM courses, and all the rest, are really phenomenal for a public school system. MCPS and FCPS have the reputation of being in the top public school systems in the US. I can well believe it.

Now do I like the hot and humid and mosquitoed summers? NO!!!!!!! I can't wait to leave when my youngest graduates, for cooler year-round weather!


- parent of young adult and teen.

You are very lucky as our IEP was a joke as were the services and we pay a fortune privately for therapies and tutors. Its great for some kids at some schools and not for others. We don't have a lot of stem classes. Science were regular, not AP and had zero labs or hands on. No textbooks. We had to buy our own books in english as they were pdf's or audiobooks that they listen to in class, etc.

At least the special needs kids have good test scores way to help the ole property prices.

They do have good scores and grades but that's not because of MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Don’t know OP’s neighborhoods, but the neighborhood of homes directly across the street from Marshall may be rezoned to McLean HS according to the latest maps.

Not sure about grandfathering.