Jeb Bush's org behind the new MSDE MS math minutes increase (which will likely cut MS electives)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If math homework counts as instruction (i.e., if you include instructions with the problem sets), then 15 minutes of math homework a day is doable. My kids are doing at least that amount now (5th and 7th grades). I don't remember when they started having math homework though, maybe 3rd grade? So doing this with the early grades will be the issue, but I think the elementary schedule may allow for more flexibility in adding that time during the day, than sorting out MS periods.

I guess I need to read the actual policy and see how they define math instruction.

Nope, none of these "creative ideas" about counting math homework/IXL or putting math in electives or doing math during advisory periods will count. The language explicitly says that all math courses K-8 need to be scheduled for 300 minutes a week:

"Beginning SY 2027-2028, LEAs shall adhere to a minimum daily requirement of 60 cumulative instructional minutes or the equivalent of 300 weekly minutes for all math courses in kindergarten through grade 8. Exemplar schedule models aligned to MTSS will be provided in
guidance."

I read through the policy. It does not define "instructional minutes." I don't read this to mean that the "math course" must be 60 minutes daily or 300 minutes weekly, but that there is a requirement of "60 cumulative instructional minutes" (or 300 weekly minutes) for all courses. Meaning, your Algebra 1 class could be 45 minutes plus another 15 minutes of "instruction" which might not necessarily mean live instruction from a math teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they would eliminate PE as a requirement I might be more okay with this. 😏

Or gender studies. Totally unnecessary

MCPS middle schools don't have "gender studies" as a core course, but thanks for showing up here and being an idiot. Don't you have some memes to post on Facebook?

Its part of health class. My son had 3 periods on gender identity and such.

So kids learn about gender identity during health class (mine didn't mention this), but that's not a class in "gender studies." If it's part of the human sexuality unit, PP can always have their kid opt out. But this isn't a helpful solution for the math instruction problem, since PE/health is mandatory.

It’s usually not done under human sexuality so it can’t be opted out of. I believe that’s how MoCo handles it.

But regardless, you can't opt out of PE/health so you can't get to 60 minutes of math per day by skipping "gender studies," which was the not-helpful suggestion by the PP. If folks have concerns about the MCPS health curriculum, maybe start a new thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they would eliminate PE as a requirement I might be more okay with this. 😏

Or gender studies. Totally unnecessary

MCPS middle schools don't have "gender studies" as a core course, but thanks for showing up here and being an idiot. Don't you have some memes to post on Facebook?

Its part of health class. My son had 3 periods on gender identity and such.

So kids learn about gender identity during health class (mine didn't mention this), but that's not a class in "gender studies." If it's part of the human sexuality unit, PP can always have their kid opt out. But this isn't a helpful solution for the math instruction problem, since PE/health is mandatory.

It’s usually not done under human sexuality so it can’t be opted out of. I believe that’s how MoCo handles it.

But regardless, you can't opt out of PE/health so you can't get to 60 minutes of math per day by skipping "gender studies," which was the not-helpful suggestion by the PP. If folks have concerns about the MCPS health curriculum, maybe start a new thread.

We are throwing suggestions what can be eliminated for extra math. I totally support more math and less gender identity studies. Absolutely worthless information. If it means no health class/PE im all in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they would eliminate PE as a requirement I might be more okay with this. 😏

Or gender studies. Totally unnecessary

MCPS middle schools don't have "gender studies" as a core course, but thanks for showing up here and being an idiot. Don't you have some memes to post on Facebook?

Its part of health class. My son had 3 periods on gender identity and such.

So kids learn about gender identity during health class (mine didn't mention this), but that's not a class in "gender studies." If it's part of the human sexuality unit, PP can always have their kid opt out. But this isn't a helpful solution for the math instruction problem, since PE/health is mandatory.

It’s usually not done under human sexuality so it can’t be opted out of. I believe that’s how MoCo handles it.

When they had those gender studies they were told to keep quiet and absolutely no talking or laughing or else they will get an F and fail the class. When I went to the open house math class, that was so eye opening. Half the class was talking, the other half was playing on the chromebooks. MCPS priorities.

This is a weird comment and doesn't add anything to the discussion of the new MSDE math policy. Except that I guess your kid was either talking or playing on a chromebook during math class, so I'm not sure how an additional 15 minutes of that per day will help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they would eliminate PE as a requirement I might be more okay with this. 😏

Or gender studies. Totally unnecessary

MCPS middle schools don't have "gender studies" as a core course, but thanks for showing up here and being an idiot. Don't you have some memes to post on Facebook?

Its part of health class. My son had 3 periods on gender identity and such.

So kids learn about gender identity during health class (mine didn't mention this), but that's not a class in "gender studies." If it's part of the human sexuality unit, PP can always have their kid opt out. But this isn't a helpful solution for the math instruction problem, since PE/health is mandatory.

It’s usually not done under human sexuality so it can’t be opted out of. I believe that’s how MoCo handles it.

But regardless, you can't opt out of PE/health so you can't get to 60 minutes of math per day by skipping "gender studies," which was the not-helpful suggestion by the PP. If folks have concerns about the MCPS health curriculum, maybe start a new thread.

We are throwing suggestions what can be eliminated for extra math. I totally support more math and less gender identity studies. Absolutely worthless information. If it means no health class/PE im all in.

Good for you! Health class is only one quarter, and MCPS requires PE and health in MS. So that's about as helpful as saying let's eliminate world history or some other class that is required by MCPS. They are not going to overhaul the entire MS curriculum because a couple of yahoos don't want their kids talking about "gender" for maybe a few days out of the year.

On the other hand, finding the time during advisory could be a realistic solution.

[Anonymous]

I think there should just be lobbying (to who - the state legislature) to change the policy to count homework. Practice is really important in math; 1 hour class per day is not better than 45 min + 15 min out-of-class practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they would eliminate PE as a requirement I might be more okay with this. 😏

Or gender studies. Totally unnecessary

MCPS middle schools don't have "gender studies" as a core course, but thanks for showing up here and being an idiot. Don't you have some memes to post on Facebook?

Its part of health class. My son had 3 periods on gender identity and such.

So kids learn about gender identity during health class (mine didn't mention this), but that's not a class in "gender studies." If it's part of the human sexuality unit, PP can always have their kid opt out. But this isn't a helpful solution for the math instruction problem, since PE/health is mandatory.

It’s usually not done under human sexuality so it can’t be opted out of. I believe that’s how MoCo handles it.

But regardless, you can't opt out of PE/health so you can't get to 60 minutes of math per day by skipping "gender studies," which was the not-helpful suggestion by the PP. If folks have concerns about the MCPS health curriculum, maybe start a new thread.

We are throwing suggestions what can be eliminated for extra math. I totally support more math and less gender identity studies. Absolutely worthless information. If it means no health class/PE im all in.

Good for you! Health class is only one quarter, and MCPS requires PE and health in MS. So that's about as helpful as saying let's eliminate world history or some other class that is required by MCPS. They are not going to overhaul the entire MS curriculum because a couple of yahoos don't want their kids talking about "gender" for maybe a few days out of the year.

On the other hand, finding the time during advisory could be a realistic solution.

We are trying to find extra minutes for math so taking away 3 periods of gender talk is already 132 additional minutes. I fully comprehend that MCPS will not do it because we are all for equity here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there should just be lobbying (to who - the state legislature) to change the policy to count homework. Practice is really important in math; 1 hour class per day is not better than 45 min + 15 min out-of-class practice.

To whom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They don’t need more time, they need a traditional curriculum.

- Textbooks that follow the curriculum
- And a year-round school year with 2 week break after each quarter
- Remedial classes during break for kids who fell behind in that quarter due to whatever reason (including fallng sick)
- Homework based on textbook exercises + other enrichment
- Tests that are marked and come back home for parents to see where their kid is making mistakes
- Annual exam.
- Transperacy in educating

Ha ha! But all of this will not happen so parents need to enrich, teach, accelate at home. Educated immigrant groups do that.

[Anonymous]

AI will take away most jobs so it is important that we build inefficiencies in our education system so that only a few of us can get jobs to run the AI bots.

It is important that we create dumb students who are not competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t need more time, they need a traditional curriculum.

- Textbooks that follow the curriculum
- And a year-round school year with 2 week break after each quarter
- Remedial classes during break for kids who fell behind in that quarter due to whatever reason (including fallng sick)
- Homework based on textbook exercises + other enrichment
- Tests that are marked and come back home for parents to see where their kid is making mistakes
- Annual exam.
- Transperacy in educating

Ha ha! But all of this will not happen so parents need to enrich, teach, accelate at home. Educated immigrant groups do that.

I would add actual textbooks and not the printouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If math homework counts as instruction (i.e., if you include instructions with the problem sets), then 15 minutes of math homework a day is doable. My kids are doing at least that amount now (5th and 7th grades). I don't remember when they started having math homework though, maybe 3rd grade? So doing this with the early grades will be the issue, but I think the elementary schedule may allow for more flexibility in adding that time during the day, than sorting out MS periods.

I guess I need to read the actual policy and see how they define math instruction.

Nope, none of these "creative ideas" about counting math homework/IXL or putting math in electives or doing math during advisory periods will count. The language explicitly says that all math courses K-8 need to be scheduled for 300 minutes a week:

"Beginning SY 2027-2028, LEAs shall adhere to a minimum daily requirement of 60 cumulative instructional minutes or the equivalent of 300 weekly minutes for all math courses in kindergarten through grade 8. Exemplar schedule models aligned to MTSS will be provided in
guidance."

Instructional minutes could be doing IXL with a teacher present. Heck, that alerady happens in actual math class.

This does not mean that a math class has to be 60 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there should just be lobbying (to who - the state legislature) to change the policy to count homework. Practice is really important in math; 1 hour class per day is not better than 45 min + 15 min out-of-class practice.

MSDE and the state Board of Education set this policy and could amend it on their own. Or state legislators could force them to change it. Doesn't hurt to lobby both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t need more time, they need a traditional curriculum.

- Textbooks that follow the curriculum
- And a year-round school year with 2 week break after each quarter
- Remedial classes during break for kids who fell behind in that quarter due to whatever reason (including fallng sick)
- Homework based on textbook exercises + other enrichment
- Tests that are marked and come back home for parents to see where their kid is making mistakes
- Annual exam.
- Transperacy in educating

Ha ha! But all of this will not happen so parents need to enrich, teach, accelate at home. Educated immigrant groups do that.

Year-round school has not produced any gains in math or ELA proficiency at Arcola Elementary, MCPS's only year-round school. So you can stop clinging to that talking point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If math homework counts as instruction (i.e., if you include instructions with the problem sets), then 15 minutes of math homework a day is doable. My kids are doing at least that amount now (5th and 7th grades). I don't remember when they started having math homework though, maybe 3rd grade? So doing this with the early grades will be the issue, but I think the elementary schedule may allow for more flexibility in adding that time during the day, than sorting out MS periods.

I guess I need to read the actual policy and see how they define math instruction.

Nope, none of these "creative ideas" about counting math homework/IXL or putting math in electives or doing math during advisory periods will count. The language explicitly says that all math courses K-8 need to be scheduled for 300 minutes a week:

"Beginning SY 2027-2028, LEAs shall adhere to a minimum daily requirement of 60 cumulative instructional minutes or the equivalent of 300 weekly minutes for all math courses in kindergarten through grade 8. Exemplar schedule models aligned to MTSS will be provided in
guidance."

Instructional minutes could be doing IXL with a teacher present. Heck, that alerady happens in actual math class.

This does not mean that a math class has to be 60 minutes.

Even if that is true, it can't just be at random times like advisory when kids in different math classes are mixed together. The policy says that "all math courses" must have 300 instructional minutes a week. So if a kid is in Algebra 1, there needs to be 300 minutes a week of Algebra 1.