MCPS curriculum RFP-Second Attempt

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:folks folks, we're just getting back from our 10 week summer break. we'll blast out the same RPF as in March in due time. do not worry.

seriously? I thought they were using these months to incorporate feedback from the big expensive parent/community survey they did. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Three more business days left for MCPS to make its committment to reissue the curriculum RFP in August. Will they make it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:folks folks, we're just getting back from our 10 week summer break. we'll blast out the same RPF as in March in due time. do not worry.

seriously? I thought they were using these months to incorporate feedback from the big expensive parent/community survey they did. Sigh.

No, not seriously.

[Anonymous]

Here’s the update:


Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser Date: August 28, 2018

mcps logo
Curriculum Review Update

Dear MCPS Community:

I am writing to provide you with an update on the evaluation and selection of new curricular and instructional materials for K-8 English language arts (ELA) and mathematics, including Algebra 1. As we shared in a June 29, 2018 message, we decided to postpone the effort until the start of the 2018-2019 school year to address unanticipated issues in the selection process.

I am pleased to share that we reissued the Request for Proposal (RFP) on August 20, 2018, and are planning on completing the evaluation and selection of finalists by November 2018 with final Board of Education approval to occur in January 2019.

MCPS is engaging in this process to acquire the most innovative curriculum that will help the district develop instructional strategies that support every learner in every classroom; create high levels of student interaction with rigorous and complex text; and establish deep levels of mathematical understanding aligned to grade-level standards. Additionally, the RFP now includes the following key revisions based on the feedback received from a wide range of stakeholders including parents, community partners, students, teachers, administrators and staff:

Clearer expectations for professional development before, during and after rollout.
More explicit language to address the needs for special populations (advanced learners, students receiving special education services, and English Language Learners).
Inclusion of tools to engage parents in new and innovative ways.
A materials summary that clearly outlines scope and sequence that dives deep into concepts and builds on prior knowledge.
Similar to Curriculum 2.0, the new instructional materials will remain aligned to the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards. The standards will provide the continuity as MCPS moves to new curricular and instructional materials. Therefore, regardless of when a school transitions to the new materials, all MCPS students will receive the same high-quality instruction aligned to the standards. The new materials will have strong advantages in terms of readily available materials for acceleration, students with disabilities and English Language Learners and will offer a balance between paper/pencil, hardbound materials and digital content.

Our goal remains the same—continue to provide high quality and engaging instruction, alongside resources that support and advance opportunities and access to every single student in all schools. As part of this effort and commitment to having all students meet their potential, we are making these enhancements to our curricula and providing additional professional development to encourage innovation and ensure successful instruction across the district.

The changes to the curricula will require a multi-year and multi-pronged effort to ensure a successful transition. In the coming months, we will share a detailed rollout plan which will include a timeline for when schools will begin implementation of the new curriculum.

During the next several months, we will continue to work with staff, members of the community and other stakeholders to gather feedback and further define the curriculum selection process.

The timeline for the work is as follows:

Date

Action

August 2018

Release RFP

October-November 2018

Evaluation and Selection of Finalists

November 2018

Vendor finalist presentation to stakeholder and community groups

December 2018

Finalize recommendations

January 2019

Proposal for adoption by the Board of Education

We value your feedback and support and invite you to provide comments and pose questions about the evaluation and selection of new curricular and instructional materials through this survey.

As we work through the process of selecting the finalists we will provide members of the community with opportunities to learn more about the finalists and their proposed curricular materials for the district. We thank you for your patience and ask you to continue to work with us as we move through the vendor evaluation and selection process in the coming months.

Please visit our website for regular updates on the curriculum selection process.

Thank You.

Best Regards,

Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D.
Chief Academic Officer
Montgomery County Public Schools

[Anonymous]

So basically the new curriculum will be finalized January 2019, that’s not too bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So basically the new curriculum will be finalized January 2019, that’s not too bad.

but only the selection--they were careful not to commit to piloting the curriculum in the 2018-2019 school year, which some people upthread mentioned was a possibility.

[Anonymous]

that's weird she says the RFP was issued on August 20th, I checked the website 3 days ago, and nothing had been updated.

[Anonymous]

Note the survey from the email. It only asks for questions about the process. One question you might suggest is whether Discovery will be allowed to bid.

[Anonymous]

By requiring proposals to indicate how curricular materials are responsible to the applicable MCPS curriculum framework, doesn't that unfairly advantage those vendors with ex-MCPS employees on staff (i.e. Discovery Education?)

Proposals must indicate how the Respondent’s Curricular and Instructional Materials are responsive to the
applicable MCPS curriculum framework described in Section 2.0. In the event the Respondent’s
Curricular and Instructional Materials do not fully align with the respective MCPS curriculum framework,
the Respondent must clearly identify these areas. In the event that selected Curricular and Instructional
Materials require any changes to an MCPS curriculum framework, such changes will require approval by
the Board. Approval of the revised curriculum framework will be required prior to the implementation of
the selected Curricular and Instructional Materials in all schools and the continuation of the contract.

[Anonymous]

Please share this with any good curriculum providers
http://procurement.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/home/Bid_Record/1638

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:that's weird she says the RFP was issued on August 20th, I checked the website 3 days ago, and nothing had been updated.

Why is it weird? They re-issued the RFP on August 20, now they've sent out an e-mail, and presumably at some point they will update the website.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:that's weird she says the RFP was issued on August 20th, I checked the website 3 days ago, and nothing had been updated.

Why is it weird? They re-issued the RFP on August 20, now they've sent out an e-mail, and presumably at some point they will update the website.

The website is updated now, but I had thought they would update it along with issuing the RFP. I guess they issue it elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

As much as people complain and want to scare off people from MoCo schools, I am highly optimistic about the new curriculum. Here’s why: 1) MoCo is the only school district in the area to periodically review its curriculum to see if its working 2) They has Johns Hopkins a well regarded school to give an independent analysis and not just the MoCo Board is Education or its Central Office. 3) When MCPS heard of its former personnel worker being a leak for Discovery, they immediately shut it down and started over for ethics concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As much as people complain and want to scare off people from MoCo schools, I am highly optimistic about the new curriculum. Here’s why: 1) MoCo is the only school district in the area to periodically review its curriculum to see if its working 2) They has Johns Hopkins a well regarded school to give an independent analysis and not just the MoCo Board is Education or its Central Office. 3) When MCPS heard of its former personnel worker being a leak for Discovery, they immediately shut it down and started over for ethics concern.

Is that what happened? MCPS (Ms. Navarro) went out of their way to praise Discovery Education and absolve them of any wrongdoing. And Erick Lang and another colleague now work for Discovery Education, so presumably Discovery doesn't think they did anything wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As much as people complain and want to scare off people from MoCo schools, I am highly optimistic about the new curriculum. Here’s why: 1) MoCo is the only school district in the area to periodically review its curriculum to see if its working 2) They has Johns Hopkins a well regarded school to give an independent analysis and not just the MoCo Board is Education or its Central Office. 3) When MCPS heard of its former personnel worker being a leak for Discovery, they immediately shut it down and started over for ethics concern.

Yup, these are all good points