Tell me about Richard Montgomery IB

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if this was already asked and answered but why is the Richard Montgomery IB program open to everyone in the county but other IB programs are only available to kids zoned for those schools? Seems unfair to kids zoned for RM that they have to compete with others in the county and others don’t. That is my understanding anyway. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

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Kids at RM do not have to compete with the whole county to start IB in 11th grade (when IB actually starts). They do have to compete to enter the 9th and 10th grade magnet which is a pre-IB program but there are also 25-ish 9th grade magnet spots that go the JW kids. They are really not disadvantaged at all.

Yes, kids in the cluster have the same access to the IB diploma programme at their school, as do all other students in the county with an IB program in their school. Remember, the IB diploma programme is only for 11th and 12th grade.

The RM program is open to the county because it was originally conceived as a magnet program for top students who wanted a broad, challenging academic focus for four years. The IB Diploma Programme was chosen because of its broad focus, and supplemental courses were developed for the magnet in 9th and 10th grades. It was the first IB program in the county. Over time, the IB Diploma Programme has grown, expanded to younger grades (MYP/PYP), and shifted priorities somewhat. The county has also shifted by having more students prepared for a broad, enriched program, and by adding more IB programs. The concept of an elite, countywide magnet for the top 100 students doesn't mesh quite as well as it may have originally with the current IB diploma programme.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if this was already asked and answered but why is the Richard Montgomery IB program open to everyone in the county but other IB programs are only available to kids zoned for those schools? Seems unfair to kids zoned for RM that they have to compete with others in the county and others don’t. That is my understanding anyway. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

.

Kids at RM do not have to compete with the whole county to start IB in 11th grade (when IB actually starts). They do have to compete to enter the 9th and 10th grade magnet which is a pre-IB program but there are also 25-ish 9th grade magnet spots that go the JW kids. They are really not disadvantaged at all.

Yes, kids in the cluster have the same access to the IB diploma programme at their school, as do all other students in the county with an IB program in their school. Remember, the IB diploma programme is only for 11th and 12th grade.

The RM program is open to the county because it was originally conceived as a magnet program for top students who wanted a broad, challenging academic focus for four years. The IB Diploma Programme was chosen because of its broad focus, and supplemental courses were developed for the magnet in 9th and 10th grades. It was the first IB program in the county. Over time, the IB Diploma Programme has grown, expanded to younger grades (MYP/PYP), and shifted priorities somewhat. The county has also shifted by having more students prepared for a broad, enriched program, and by adding more IB programs. The concept of an elite, countywide magnet for the top 100 students doesn't mesh quite as well as it may have originally with the current IB diploma programme.

I’m the poster who asked the question (would that be a PWAQ??). Thank you both for the helpful clarifications.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from RM IB more than 10 years ago. It was brutal. Everything in my life has been easy since.