MCPS is no longer a desirable school district

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again it’s a gigantic school district. Quality differs by school and program.

This.

Also, it’s still a solid choice for this region unless you want to move to Howard County.

Same situation as the OP (moved for the schools and now moving out), and I would advise people to choose a home in a cheaper area and go private or at least retain the ability to do so. Don't extend yourself on a mortgage to have them in a particular MCPS school and assume it's a solid choice.

No thanks.

If you buy into a good W school you'll be fine. Kids get a really solid cohort and are very successful in life.

The main arguments I see for private are about what books kids are reading or how easily they can cruise into college. The irony that is missed is that the easier admissions process is a reflection of the peer group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again it’s a gigantic school district. Quality differs by school and program.

This.

Also, it’s still a solid choice for this region unless you want to move to Howard County.

Same situation as the OP (moved for the schools and now moving out), and I would advise people to choose a home in a cheaper area and go private or at least retain the ability to do so. Don't extend yourself on a mortgage to have them in a particular MCPS school and assume it's a solid choice.

No thanks.

If you buy into a good W school you'll be fine. Kids get a really solid cohort and are very successful in life.

The main arguments I see for private are about what books kids are reading or how easily they can cruise into college. The irony that is missed is that the easier admissions process is a reflection of the peer group.

We are in a W school, got a coveted magnet spot and it's not great. Glad it's working out for you, but I will 100% stand behind leaving private school as an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery County because of the schools, and now, we are moving out for the exact same reason. MCPS has been deteriorating on so many levels over the last decade. It feels like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Our kids deserve better.

On so many levels. It’s an absolute disaster. Our school (Travilah elementary) is in an outright crisis of confidence with staff departures over the last few years, abrupt resignations, and more that can be directly tied to the pressures MCPS places on teachers and admins to make testing and ridiculous choices about equity and other intangible uselessness more important than academic excellence and character. I’m so sad to see it. We can’t afford private and have done all we can to support the school but the environment is a nightmare and the news about MCPS worse every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again it’s a gigantic school district. Quality differs by school and program.

Again? Where is the first mention?

Again, girl bye

You must have learned to write in MCPS.

YUP. Your tax dollars at work my friends!! Uncaring, uninvested, glib, cheap and trashy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery County because of the schools, and now, we are moving out for the exact same reason. MCPS has been deteriorating on so many levels over the last decade. It feels like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Our kids deserve better.

On so many levels. It’s an absolute disaster. Our school (Travilah elementary) is in an outright crisis of confidence with staff departures over the last few years, abrupt resignations, and more that can be directly tied to the pressures MCPS places on teachers and admins to make testing and ridiculous choices about equity and other intangible uselessness more important than academic excellence and character. I’m so sad to see it. We can’t afford private and have done all we can to support the school but the environment is a nightmare and the news about MCPS worse every day.

try a different cluster. you might find a gem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bye bye bye

No problem leave sooner rather than later.

Darling nephew acceptances from an MCPS school. He will be following his first cousins, who also graduated from MCPS in recent years and were accepted of by many schools like the ones below.

Stanford, MIT, CMU, Yale, UMD, UVA, UNC,

MCPS rocks.

Please take all the book banners, Mandel & Diaz supporters of Moms4Liberty with you.

And all the nut jobs who sued. the county and lost the OPT Out that was glorious.

Keep the idiots out of our public schools.

NP here.

"Like"? Why not actually say what the schools were?

My guess is that the darling nephew and his cousins were in IB, which I do think is a great. My kid was in the middle. As others have said, the kids in the middle are lost / forgotten / ignored.

Backup guess is that this was satire.

I don't think the teachers are bad. I think Central Office has sucked their souls to the point where they cannot teach effectively.

I'm so happy we're out of MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery County because of the schools, and now, we are moving out for the exact same reason. MCPS has been deteriorating on so many levels over the last decade. It feels like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Our kids deserve better.

On so many levels. It’s an absolute disaster. Our school (Travilah elementary) is in an outright crisis of confidence with staff departures over the last few years, abrupt resignations, and more that can be directly tied to the pressures MCPS places on teachers and admins to make testing and ridiculous choices about equity and other intangible uselessness more important than academic excellence and character. I’m so sad to see it. We can’t afford private and have done all we can to support the school but the environment is a nightmare and the news about MCPS worse every day.

try a different cluster. you might find a gem.

How do you suggest going about that? Just keep moving around until finding one you like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery County because of the schools, and now, we are moving out for the exact same reason. MCPS has been deteriorating on so many levels over the last decade. It feels like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Our kids deserve better.

On so many levels. It’s an absolute disaster. Our school (Travilah elementary) is in an outright crisis of confidence with staff departures over the last few years, abrupt resignations, and more that can be directly tied to the pressures MCPS places on teachers and admins to make testing and ridiculous choices about equity and other intangible uselessness more important than academic excellence and character. I’m so sad to see it. We can’t afford private and have done all we can to support the school but the environment is a nightmare and the news about MCPS worse every day.

try a different cluster. you might find a gem.

How do you suggest going about that? Just keep moving around until finding one you like?

Yeah, that's a useless suggestion. Like many people, I saved for a decade to be able to afford a mortgage on a house in Montgomery County. We are stuck in our current house and current school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery County because of the schools, and now, we are moving out for the exact same reason. MCPS has been deteriorating on so many levels over the last decade. It feels like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Our kids deserve better.

On so many levels. It’s an absolute disaster. Our school (Travilah elementary) is in an outright crisis of confidence with staff departures over the last few years, abrupt resignations, and more that can be directly tied to the pressures MCPS places on teachers and admins to make testing and ridiculous choices about equity and other intangible uselessness more important than academic excellence and character. I’m so sad to see it. We can’t afford private and have done all we can to support the school but the environment is a nightmare and the news about MCPS worse every day.

try a different cluster. you might find a gem.

This is such a silly and pointless answer. We live where we live. We chose it for the schools and the community. Right now the community is propping up the school and MCPS but how much til it breaks??? People like us don’t move, we go private. And then you lose MCPS’ biggest asset- students whose parents are present, who care, who enforce discipline so kids don’t act out, who send them in prepared. It’s just such a shame.

[Anonymous]

My child is doing well in a title 1 ES school. She is learning and has map scores in the 90's. It's not the experience or curriculum I would have picked but I am relatively happy. I see the inequities between title 1 and non title 1 schools and even between title 1 schools and wish MCPS would address this more. I feel that compared to other districts MCPS is not keeping up but it is not the worst of the bunch for such a large district with a wide range of SES. I haven't experienced MS yet so I may be changing my tune soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery County because of the schools, and now, we are moving out for the exact same reason. MCPS has been deteriorating on so many levels over the last decade. It feels like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Our kids deserve better.

On so many levels. It’s an absolute disaster. Our school (Travilah elementary) is in an outright crisis of confidence with staff departures over the last few years, abrupt resignations, and more that can be directly tied to the pressures MCPS places on teachers and admins to make testing and ridiculous choices about equity and other intangible uselessness more important than academic excellence and character. I’m so sad to see it. We can’t afford private and have done all we can to support the school but the environment is a nightmare and the news about MCPS worse every day.

try a different cluster. you might find a gem.

This is such a silly and pointless answer. We live where we live. We chose it for the schools and the community. Right now the community is propping up the school and MCPS but how much til it breaks??? People like us don’t move, we go private. And then you lose MCPS’ biggest asset- students whose parents are present, who care, who enforce discipline so kids don’t act out, who send them in prepared. It’s just such a shame.

Do you really mean "students whose parents are wealthy"? Because many of us would not and could not "go private," but still do all of those things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery County because of the schools, and now, we are moving out for the exact same reason. MCPS has been deteriorating on so many levels over the last decade. It feels like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Our kids deserve better.

On so many levels. It’s an absolute disaster. Our school (Travilah elementary) is in an outright crisis of confidence with staff departures over the last few years, abrupt resignations, and more that can be directly tied to the pressures MCPS places on teachers and admins to make testing and ridiculous choices about equity and other intangible uselessness more important than academic excellence and character. I’m so sad to see it. We can’t afford private and have done all we can to support the school but the environment is a nightmare and the news about MCPS worse every day.

try a different cluster. you might find a gem.

This is such a silly and pointless answer. We live where we live. We chose it for the schools and the community. Right now the community is propping up the school and MCPS but how much til it breaks??? People like us don’t move, we go private. And then you lose MCPS’ biggest asset- students whose parents are present, who care, who enforce discipline so kids don’t act out, who send them in prepared. It’s just such a shame.

Do you really mean "students whose parents are wealthy"? Because many of us would not and could not "go private," but still do all of those things.

Nope. This is a misconception. The privates are full of people who cannot afford it and yet they would rather (in the words of one friend) go on food stamps over subjecting their kids to their local public. Violence, woke ideology, overcrowding, students acting out, vaping, narcan, phones out 24/7, and worse. Public school should be a place where all WANT to go!!!! MCPS is blowing it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery County because of the schools, and now, we are moving out for the exact same reason. MCPS has been deteriorating on so many levels over the last decade. It feels like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Our kids deserve better.

On so many levels. It’s an absolute disaster. Our school (Travilah elementary) is in an outright crisis of confidence with staff departures over the last few years, abrupt resignations, and more that can be directly tied to the pressures MCPS places on teachers and admins to make testing and ridiculous choices about equity and other intangible uselessness more important than academic excellence and character. I’m so sad to see it. We can’t afford private and have done all we can to support the school but the environment is a nightmare and the news about MCPS worse every day.

try a different cluster. you might find a gem.

This is such a silly and pointless answer. We live where we live. We chose it for the schools and the community. Right now the community is propping up the school and MCPS but how much til it breaks??? People like us don’t move, we go private. And then you lose MCPS’ biggest asset- students whose parents are present, who care, who enforce discipline so kids don’t act out, who send them in prepared. It’s just such a shame.

Do you really mean "students whose parents are wealthy"? Because many of us would not and could not "go private," but still do all of those things.

Wait a second – you actually pose an interesting question. What happens to MCPS when all of the wealthy people who can leave do leave? Is that really the type of public school system you all want? A public school system strained by the pressure of free and reduced meals, enhanced need for counselors, security officers, Social service, and more? The truth is it should be a place that all students and families want to attend, whether wealthy or poor, not just those who can’t afford better. This is a flipping travesty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been a big McPS defender and have two in the system with one graduated now. And I’m starting to feel very worried. The curriculum issues for 4-8 have been troubling (shifting math curriculum, basically no MS English curriculum). The teachers are demoralized and while some are still incredibly fabulous, it seems like every year my kids’ favorite teachers retire or quit. A lot of the other teachers are just starting to see burned out and don’t grade things until end of quarter, don’t give any feedback, tell kids to figure it out if they have questions. These are MS and HS teachers — our ES teachers were all basically great. And it’s a minority that are bad but it’s really hard — if you have a math teacher that has given up, it’s hard to miss a full year. Or if you never have a good science teacher through bad luck of the draw, it’s hard to be excited about science.
And I am upset about the bathrooms and things like the broken hvac. To have kids and teachers sweating in 90 degree classroom with no bathrooms available…..just doesn’t seem right. Even my public school in a state people would consider craptastic had bathrooms!

I have siblings in smalll town Massachusetts and their schools seem really great. Same with friends in New Hampshire. The county system here is skmewhat challenging.

I have only had a kid in MCPS for 9 years but I agree with everything written above. ES was great. MS less so. It's everything from teachers who don't teach, abominable or unsafe building conditions, to constantly changing curriculums. And to get your bright child into a magnet program feels like the Hunger Games. There are simply not enough seats for bright kids. I have friends/family with kids at good schools in Westchester, suburban Chicago and in NoVA, and the schools seem pretty great. I get pretty jealous when I hear about it. I

Do you now. Because I have friends in suburban Chicago not happy with their schools. And you need only go over to the Virginia and Fairfax forum here in DCUM to know everyone is not happy in NoVA either(be it Fairfax, Arlington, London).

Folks swear by AA, Howard, Fredrick. Guess what? They too are experiencing their own budget and staffing challenges right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery County because of the schools, and now, we are moving out for the exact same reason. MCPS has been deteriorating on so many levels over the last decade. It feels like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Our kids deserve better.

On so many levels. It’s an absolute disaster. Our school (Travilah elementary) is in an outright crisis of confidence with staff departures over the last few years, abrupt resignations, and more that can be directly tied to the pressures MCPS places on teachers and admins to make testing and ridiculous choices about equity and other intangible uselessness more important than academic excellence and character. I’m so sad to see it. We can’t afford private and have done all we can to support the school but the environment is a nightmare and the news about MCPS worse every day.

We are in a different cluster and it is the same. Two kids, one in MS and one in ES. So disheartening to watch and I feel like the teachers are in such a bad spot. We have some fantastic teachers, but MCPS makes their job miserable.

Can’t really afford private and also save for college. So we’re sticking with MCPS because we have to.

Bringing legitimate disciplinary options back to school admin would go a long way in improving the school environment. And expecting kids to live up to higher academic standards would also help.