What needs to change for MS for gifted/advanced students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:As someone who taught at a non-magnet middle school here in the county I would like to see them create accelerated or challenging classes at all the middle schools. There are plenty of students at are not being challenged or are having their learning disrupted by integrated classes. I understand you can argue that those students should apply to Magnet programs but sometimes those don't work logistically for all families.

At my school there was an accelerated math class but that was pretty much the only option for kids who wanted a challenge. There were no accelerated science, history, or english classes. There was a medical based science elective but more often than not it was used as a dumping ground by counseling to make schedules work.

Was there no HIGH or are you saying you don't consider HIGH challenging?

I have no idea what HIGH stands for but there were no honors or on level differentiation in any classes other than this advanced Math course. Everyone was placed in the same classes together.

HIGH is the accelerated social studies class. In my kid's middle school, there's differentiation only for Math and social studies. Maybe all schools don't have HIGH or PP's kid didn't wasn't selected (not sure what the selection criteria are-my kid was assigned to it).

Historical Inquiry in Global Humanities. Several schools just assign all students to this social studies class in 6th and 7th, even though it was originally intended to be an "enriched" class for students identified by central office as magnet-eligible but who weren't able to get a spot.

As long as this keeps happening, we still need the magnets. If we could have actual advanced classes in every school for kids who want to do the work, I’d be happy to say goodbye to the magnets.

Yeah, I feel like there are two questions here:

1) What's the best thing to push for in theory?
2). What's the best thing to push for given the actual MCPS we have, that is least likely to be executed poorly or taken away?

It's totally possible to have two different answers to this. I think I agree that having strong advanced, cohorted classes in all middle schools is better and more important in theory, if MCPS could be trusted to deliver on and keep them. But if any principal can make those classes honors for all and Central Office can snap their fingers and take them away at any time, maybe it's better to push for a bunch more magnet middle schools which are harder to get rid of once they've been launched?

If anyone would be willing to share their/their kids' race and/or info on the demographics/income levels at their home middle school when weighing in on the questions in this thread, I think that could potentially be helpful. I am curious if opinions differ based on these factors regarding whether better home school classes are more important than more magnets or vice versa.

Also could be helpful to know how gifted or high-scoring your kid is-- I imagine that a parent of a 90th percentile kid versus a 99th percentile kid might have different preferences.

Why would that matter? They lottery the magnet spots now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The accessibility by geographic area needs to change. Right now, just a few clusters grab most of the magnet slots, and it's the ones closest to the host schools.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DJVQ56678E2B/$file/Attachment%20D%20SY2025%20Student%20Enrollment%20Countywide%20Programs%20250724.pdf

You linked to high school magnet data, but the post is about middle school, so I'm not sure what your point is?

Do you have middle school magnet data by geographic cluster? If not, what needs to change is transparency. If it’s anything like the HS data where most of the kids are coming from a few schools that needs to be rethought as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have one kids who did a magnet MS and one who did not. The humanities magnet program curriculum was very rigorous and I’m not sure there are enough students at local MS that are willing to make that kind of jump. I remember the first quarter of sixth grade my kid wrote a 10+ page research paper using original sources from the 1800’s. And the grading was difficult too. It’s hard to imagine parents of kids that are smart but not gifted buying into that because there is no long term payoff (eg it doesn’t lead to advanced HS pathways) and it risks lowered grades for higher effort. That is likely to limit the cohort. HIGH is nice but in no way equivalent to the magnet.

I think MS magnets and acceleration only make sense if they lead to HS acceleration. This feels like in some subjects it doesn’t exist until several years in (English/literature). For other subjects advising and placement is inconsistent. For example, any kid that gets straight As at the humanities magnet or in HIGH so be defaulted to the AP history/gov pathway in freshman year. Instead this is unevenly applied at teacher discretion and only families who are in the know get their kids on the right pathway. The progression from MS to HS, outside of math, is where I sense things really fall apart.

It's nuts that the options are either a super-rigorous magnet or basically no rigor (especially if your kid isn't a math kid.). Why can't there be something in-between? Whether it's at a magnet or the home schools or both I don't care, but kids should have the opportunity to do challenging work without having to write 10-page research papers at age 11 (how can they even do that fresh out of honors-for-all ES?) and have hours of homework every night. You can't just have the far ends of the spectrum (either super-intense or essentially below-grade-level) with nothing in-between.

+1

True advanced/honors classes Ik kiddie school (and high school) would go a long way toward solving this problem, but MCPS instead has moved to expand honors-for-all in recent years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who taught at a non-magnet middle school here in the county I would like to see them create accelerated or challenging classes at all the middle schools. There are plenty of students at are not being challenged or are having their learning disrupted by integrated classes. I understand you can argue that those students should apply to Magnet programs but sometimes those don't work logistically for all families.

At my school there was an accelerated math class but that was pretty much the only option for kids who wanted a challenge. There were no accelerated science, history, or english classes. There was a medical based science elective but more often than not it was used as a dumping ground by counseling to make schedules work.

Was there no HIGH or are you saying you don't consider HIGH challenging?

I have no idea what HIGH stands for but there were no honors or on level differentiation in any classes other than this advanced Math course. Everyone was placed in the same classes together.

HIGH is the accelerated social studies class. In my kid's middle school, there's differentiation only for Math and social studies. Maybe all schools don't have HIGH or PP's kid didn't wasn't selected (not sure what the selection criteria are-my kid was assigned to it).

Historical Inquiry in Global Humanities. Several schools just assign all students to this social studies class in 6th and 7th, even though it was originally intended to be an "enriched" class for students identified by central office as magnet-eligible but who weren't able to get a spot.

As long as this keeps happening, we still need the magnets. If we could have actual advanced classes in every school for kids who want to do the work, I’d be happy to say goodbye to the magnets.

Yeah, I feel like there are two questions here:

1) What's the best thing to push for in theory?
2). What's the best thing to push for given the actual MCPS we have, that is least likely to be executed poorly or taken away?

It's totally possible to have two different answers to this. I think I agree that having strong advanced, cohorted classes in all middle schools is better and more important in theory, if MCPS could be trusted to deliver on and keep them. But if any principal can make those classes honors for all and Central Office can snap their fingers and take them away at any time, maybe it's better to push for a bunch more magnet middle schools which are harder to get rid of once they've been launched?

If anyone would be willing to share their/their kids' race and/or info on the demographics/income levels at their home middle school when weighing in on the questions in this thread, I think that could potentially be helpful. I am curious if opinions differ based on these factors regarding whether better home school classes are more important than more magnets or vice versa.

Also could be helpful to know how gifted or high-scoring your kid is-- I imagine that a parent of a 90th percentile kid versus a 99th percentile kid might have different preferences.

Why would that matter? They lottery the magnet spots now.

You don't think that it's useful to know whether someone's kid is a top 1-2% kid or a top 10-15% kid in interpreting their answer to the question "is it more important to focus on advanced classes in all subjects in all middle schools, or expanding middle school magnets?"

[Anonymous]

My kid totally tuned out the teachers so I had to fill the void with tutoring on AI, 3-D printing, Oculus headset programming - all hidden from MCPS. I'm not talking about just sitting in the class, but hands-on python machine learning and C# before taking MCPS JAVA.

The teachers have no clue at all, and I just say to let the teachers think what they want and you take what you want. One programming teacher gave a C - but got a 5 on the AP, where "A" peers only got a 4 or less. I shook my head when I read one teacher's email about trying harder. That's when I realized just how bad MCPS programs and selection process is.

Create a school to compete with TJ. Make a program in the CENTER of the county to cut down on the bus rides - not at the two extreme edges of it.

For admission, ignore ALL teacher recommendations -or- have an evaluation board of top academic teachers. Base admissions ONLY on the best standardized scores and indicators of excellence and talent.

If someone says "equity", I say "equality". No one helped my grandmother when she was born in a shack without running water or an indoor bathroom. If you want respect, earn it. Make resources available to those who will use it.

If this hurts anyone's feelings, that's fine. I'm sick and tired of MCPS wasting my taxpayer dollars anyway. I want the best academic and support programs for my kids (not the subject of social experiments by a handful of crackpots).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid totally tuned out the teachers so I had to fill the void with tutoring on AI, 3-D printing, Oculus headset programming - all hidden from MCPS. I'm not talking about just sitting in the class, but hands-on python machine learning and C# before taking MCPS JAVA.

The teachers have no clue at all, and I just say to let the teachers think what they want and you take what you want. One programming teacher gave a C - but got a 5 on the AP, where "A" peers only got a 4 or less. I shook my head when I read one teacher's email about trying harder. That's when I realized just how bad MCPS programs and selection process is.

Create a school to compete with TJ. Make a program in the CENTER of the county to cut down on the bus rides - not at the two extreme edges of it.

For admission, ignore ALL teacher recommendations -or- have an evaluation board of top academic teachers. Base admissions ONLY on the best standardized scores and indicators of excellence and talent.

If someone says "equity", I say "equality". No one helped my grandmother when she was born in a shack without running water or an indoor bathroom. If you want respect, earn it. Make resources available to those who will use it.

If this hurts anyone's feelings, that's fine. I'm sick and tired of MCPS wasting my taxpayer dollars anyway. I want the best academic and support programs for my kids (not the subject of social experiments by a handful of crackpots).

Cool story bro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When MCPS moves into the program analysis for middle school, what do folks think is most important to advocate for? Expansion of middle school magnets (with a reformed selection process) or genuinely advanced classes in all subjects at all middle schools? (I think many folks likely believe both are needed, but if you had to prioritize one over the other which would you pick? I think there is a chance that focusing on one would undermine the case for the other in MCPS's eyes, and vice versa.). And/or are there other changes folks would argue for, or nuances/details you would add?

(And yes, I know and share everyone's frustrations with MCPS and that it's not as easy as just advocating for things and getting them-- but I'm still curious what folks think makes most sense to fight for, especially as a parent of ES kids who has only heard about the MS experience secondhand but hopes for a better one by the time my kids get there.)

First you need to recognize that gifted and advanced are not the same. MCPS does a great job providing advanced curriculum, they do a horrible job identifying and teaching gifted students, particularly those that are not excelling in the gen Ed classroom. They need to provide 1:1 gifted assessments for the students that score 120+ on the screener.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When MCPS moves into the program analysis for middle school, what do folks think is most important to advocate for? Expansion of middle school magnets (with a reformed selection process) or genuinely advanced classes in all subjects at all middle schools? (I think many folks likely believe both are needed, but if you had to prioritize one over the other which would you pick? I think there is a chance that focusing on one would undermine the case for the other in MCPS's eyes, and vice versa.). And/or are there other changes folks would argue for, or nuances/details you would add?

(And yes, I know and share everyone's frustrations with MCPS and that it's not as easy as just advocating for things and getting them-- but I'm still curious what folks think makes most sense to fight for, especially as a parent of ES kids who has only heard about the MS experience secondhand but hopes for a better one by the time my kids get there.)

First you need to recognize that gifted and advanced are not the same. MCPS does a great job providing advanced curriculum, they do a horrible job identifying and teaching gifted students, particularly those that are not excelling in the gen Ed classroom. They need to provide 1:1 gifted assessments for the students that score 120+ on the screener.

Not really. In most schools there's no advanced curriculum for English for grades 6-10, and the same is true for science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who taught at a non-magnet middle school here in the county I would like to see them create accelerated or challenging classes at all the middle schools. There are plenty of students at are not being challenged or are having their learning disrupted by integrated classes. I understand you can argue that those students should apply to Magnet programs but sometimes those don't work logistically for all families.

At my school there was an accelerated math class but that was pretty much the only option for kids who wanted a challenge. There were no accelerated science, history, or english classes. There was a medical based science elective but more often than not it was used as a dumping ground by counseling to make schedules work.

Was there no HIGH or are you saying you don't consider HIGH challenging?

I have no idea what HIGH stands for but there were no honors or on level differentiation in any classes other than this advanced Math course. Everyone was placed in the same classes together.

HIGH is the accelerated social studies class. In my kid's middle school, there's differentiation only for Math and social studies. Maybe all schools don't have HIGH or PP's kid didn't wasn't selected (not sure what the selection criteria are-my kid was assigned to it).

Historical Inquiry in Global Humanities. Several schools just assign all students to this social studies class in 6th and 7th, even though it was originally intended to be an "enriched" class for students identified by central office as magnet-eligible but who weren't able to get a spot.

As long as this keeps happening, we still need the magnets. If we could have actual advanced classes in every school for kids who want to do the work, I’d be happy to say goodbye to the magnets.

Yeah, I feel like there are two questions here:

1) What's the best thing to push for in theory?
2). What's the best thing to push for given the actual MCPS we have, that is least likely to be executed poorly or taken away?

It's totally possible to have two different answers to this. I think I agree that having strong advanced, cohorted classes in all middle schools is better and more important in theory, if MCPS could be trusted to deliver on and keep them. But if any principal can make those classes honors for all and Central Office can snap their fingers and take them away at any time, maybe it's better to push for a bunch more magnet middle schools which are harder to get rid of once they've been launched?

If anyone would be willing to share their/their kids' race and/or info on the demographics/income levels at their home middle school when weighing in on the questions in this thread, I think that could potentially be helpful. I am curious if opinions differ based on these factors regarding whether better home school classes are more important than more magnets or vice versa.

Also could be helpful to know how gifted or high-scoring your kid is-- I imagine that a parent of a 90th percentile kid versus a 99th percentile kid might have different preferences.

Why would that matter? They lottery the magnet spots now.

You don't think that it's useful to know whether someone's kid is a top 1-2% kid or a top 10-15% kid in interpreting their answer to the question "is it more important to focus on advanced classes in all subjects in all middle schools, or expanding middle school magnets?"

Why would that matter when both are in the pool for the lottery? What I’m saying is MCPS has erased the distinction you’re talking about. Or is your question based on a hypothetical world where the MCPS magnet lottery doesn’t exist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who taught at a non-magnet middle school here in the county I would like to see them create accelerated or challenging classes at all the middle schools. There are plenty of students at are not being challenged or are having their learning disrupted by integrated classes. I understand you can argue that those students should apply to Magnet programs but sometimes those don't work logistically for all families.

At my school there was an accelerated math class but that was pretty much the only option for kids who wanted a challenge. There were no accelerated science, history, or english classes. There was a medical based science elective but more often than not it was used as a dumping ground by counseling to make schedules work.

Was there no HIGH or are you saying you don't consider HIGH challenging?

I have no idea what HIGH stands for but there were no honors or on level differentiation in any classes other than this advanced Math course. Everyone was placed in the same classes together.

HIGH is the accelerated social studies class. In my kid's middle school, there's differentiation only for Math and social studies. Maybe all schools don't have HIGH or PP's kid didn't wasn't selected (not sure what the selection criteria are-my kid was assigned to it).

Historical Inquiry in Global Humanities. Several schools just assign all students to this social studies class in 6th and 7th, even though it was originally intended to be an "enriched" class for students identified by central office as magnet-eligible but who weren't able to get a spot.

As long as this keeps happening, we still need the magnets. If we could have actual advanced classes in every school for kids who want to do the work, I’d be happy to say goodbye to the magnets.

Yeah, I feel like there are two questions here:

1) What's the best thing to push for in theory?
2). What's the best thing to push for given the actual MCPS we have, that is least likely to be executed poorly or taken away?

It's totally possible to have two different answers to this. I think I agree that having strong advanced, cohorted classes in all middle schools is better and more important in theory, if MCPS could be trusted to deliver on and keep them. But if any principal can make those classes honors for all and Central Office can snap their fingers and take them away at any time, maybe it's better to push for a bunch more magnet middle schools which are harder to get rid of once they've been launched?

If anyone would be willing to share their/their kids' race and/or info on the demographics/income levels at their home middle school when weighing in on the questions in this thread, I think that could potentially be helpful. I am curious if opinions differ based on these factors regarding whether better home school classes are more important than more magnets or vice versa.

Also could be helpful to know how gifted or high-scoring your kid is-- I imagine that a parent of a 90th percentile kid versus a 99th percentile kid might have different preferences.

Why would that matter? They lottery the magnet spots now.

You don't think that it's useful to know whether someone's kid is a top 1-2% kid or a top 10-15% kid in interpreting their answer to the question "is it more important to focus on advanced classes in all subjects in all middle schools, or expanding middle school magnets?"

Why would that matter when both are in the pool for the lottery? What I’m saying is MCPS has erased the distinction you’re talking about. Or is your question based on a hypothetical world where the MCPS magnet lottery doesn’t exist?

Ideally, I'd like to see lottery system eliminated and develop a better way to identify top 1% kids and provide them with education they need. Their needs are not the same as bottom 99%tile kids. It has nothing to do with equity or equality BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid totally tuned out the teachers so I had to fill the void with tutoring on AI, 3-D printing, Oculus headset programming - all hidden from MCPS. I'm not talking about just sitting in the class, but hands-on python machine learning and C# before taking MCPS JAVA.

The teachers have no clue at all, and I just say to let the teachers think what they want and you take what you want. One programming teacher gave a C - but got a 5 on the AP, where "A" peers only got a 4 or less. I shook my head when I read one teacher's email about trying harder. That's when I realized just how bad MCPS programs and selection process is.

Create a school to compete with TJ. Make a program in the CENTER of the county to cut down on the bus rides - not at the two extreme edges of it.

For admission, ignore ALL teacher recommendations -or- have an evaluation board of top academic teachers. Base admissions ONLY on the best standardized scores and indicators of excellence and talent.

If someone says "equity", I say "equality". No one helped my grandmother when she was born in a shack without running water or an indoor bathroom. If you want respect, earn it. Make resources available to those who will use it.

If this hurts anyone's feelings, that's fine. I'm sick and tired of MCPS wasting my taxpayer dollars anyway. I want the best academic and support programs for my kids (not the subject of social experiments by a handful of crackpots).

I'm pretty sure they do know what they are doing. Red flags were "lottery". It's more of a real estate business scheme than a school. Kind of like all of those real estate developers that sit on the boards of all those colleges in California.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who taught at a non-magnet middle school here in the county I would like to see them create accelerated or challenging classes at all the middle schools. There are plenty of students at are not being challenged or are having their learning disrupted by integrated classes. I understand you can argue that those students should apply to Magnet programs but sometimes those don't work logistically for all families.

At my school there was an accelerated math class but that was pretty much the only option for kids who wanted a challenge. There were no accelerated science, history, or english classes. There was a medical based science elective but more often than not it was used as a dumping ground by counseling to make schedules work.

Was there no HIGH or are you saying you don't consider HIGH challenging?

I have no idea what HIGH stands for but there were no honors or on level differentiation in any classes other than this advanced Math course. Everyone was placed in the same classes together.

HIGH is the accelerated social studies class. In my kid's middle school, there's differentiation only for Math and social studies. Maybe all schools don't have HIGH or PP's kid didn't wasn't selected (not sure what the selection criteria are-my kid was assigned to it).

Historical Inquiry in Global Humanities. Several schools just assign all students to this social studies class in 6th and 7th, even though it was originally intended to be an "enriched" class for students identified by central office as magnet-eligible but who weren't able to get a spot.

As long as this keeps happening, we still need the magnets. If we could have actual advanced classes in every school for kids who want to do the work, I’d be happy to say goodbye to the magnets.

Yeah, I feel like there are two questions here:

1) What's the best thing to push for in theory?
2). What's the best thing to push for given the actual MCPS we have, that is least likely to be executed poorly or taken away?

It's totally possible to have two different answers to this. I think I agree that having strong advanced, cohorted classes in all middle schools is better and more important in theory, if MCPS could be trusted to deliver on and keep them. But if any principal can make those classes honors for all and Central Office can snap their fingers and take them away at any time, maybe it's better to push for a bunch more magnet middle schools which are harder to get rid of once they've been launched?

If anyone would be willing to share their/their kids' race and/or info on the demographics/income levels at their home middle school when weighing in on the questions in this thread, I think that could potentially be helpful. I am curious if opinions differ based on these factors regarding whether better home school classes are more important than more magnets or vice versa.

Also could be helpful to know how gifted or high-scoring your kid is-- I imagine that a parent of a 90th percentile kid versus a 99th percentile kid might have different preferences.

Why would that matter? They lottery the magnet spots now.

You don't think that it's useful to know whether someone's kid is a top 1-2% kid or a top 10-15% kid in interpreting their answer to the question "is it more important to focus on advanced classes in all subjects in all middle schools, or expanding middle school magnets?"

Why would that matter when both are in the pool for the lottery? What I’m saying is MCPS has erased the distinction you’re talking about. Or is your question based on a hypothetical world where the MCPS magnet lottery doesn’t exist?

This post is asking parents whether, if they had to pick, they would prioritize trying to get MCPS to offer more advanced classes in all subjects in all middle schools, or trying to get MCPS to launch more middle school magnets (either using current magnet criteria, or advocating to change the criteria.). While there have been a variety of opinions, more people have said "advanced classes" than "more magnets.". I am curious whether parents of top 1-2% kids also tend to prefer advanced classes locally over magnets, or if we mostly have been hearing from parents of mildly or moderately gifted kids (or just high achievers) who prefer advanced classes locally, while parents of highly/profoundly gifted kids tend to prefer magnets. Does that make sense?

Also curious about whether opinions vary based on parents'/kids' race or income, and/or what their home middle school is, while we're at it ..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who taught at a non-magnet middle school here in the county I would like to see them create accelerated or challenging classes at all the middle schools. There are plenty of students at are not being challenged or are having their learning disrupted by integrated classes. I understand you can argue that those students should apply to Magnet programs but sometimes those don't work logistically for all families.

At my school there was an accelerated math class but that was pretty much the only option for kids who wanted a challenge. There were no accelerated science, history, or english classes. There was a medical based science elective but more often than not it was used as a dumping ground by counseling to make schedules work.

Was there no HIGH or are you saying you don't consider HIGH challenging?

I have no idea what HIGH stands for but there were no honors or on level differentiation in any classes other than this advanced Math course. Everyone was placed in the same classes together.

HIGH is the accelerated social studies class. In my kid's middle school, there's differentiation only for Math and social studies. Maybe all schools don't have HIGH or PP's kid didn't wasn't selected (not sure what the selection criteria are-my kid was assigned to it).

Historical Inquiry in Global Humanities. Several schools just assign all students to this social studies class in 6th and 7th, even though it was originally intended to be an "enriched" class for students identified by central office as magnet-eligible but who weren't able to get a spot.

As long as this keeps happening, we still need the magnets. If we could have actual advanced classes in every school for kids who want to do the work, I’d be happy to say goodbye to the magnets.

Yeah, I feel like there are two questions here:

1) What's the best thing to push for in theory?
2). What's the best thing to push for given the actual MCPS we have, that is least likely to be executed poorly or taken away?

It's totally possible to have two different answers to this. I think I agree that having strong advanced, cohorted classes in all middle schools is better and more important in theory, if MCPS could be trusted to deliver on and keep them. But if any principal can make those classes honors for all and Central Office can snap their fingers and take them away at any time, maybe it's better to push for a bunch more magnet middle schools which are harder to get rid of once they've been launched?

If anyone would be willing to share their/their kids' race and/or info on the demographics/income levels at their home middle school when weighing in on the questions in this thread, I think that could potentially be helpful. I am curious if opinions differ based on these factors regarding whether better home school classes are more important than more magnets or vice versa.

Also could be helpful to know how gifted or high-scoring your kid is-- I imagine that a parent of a 90th percentile kid versus a 99th percentile kid might have different preferences.

Why would that matter? They lottery the magnet spots now.

You don't think that it's useful to know whether someone's kid is a top 1-2% kid or a top 10-15% kid in interpreting their answer to the question "is it more important to focus on advanced classes in all subjects in all middle schools, or expanding middle school magnets?"

Why would that matter when both are in the pool for the lottery? What I’m saying is MCPS has erased the distinction you’re talking about. Or is your question based on a hypothetical world where the MCPS magnet lottery doesn’t exist?

This post is asking parents whether, if they had to pick, they would prioritize trying to get MCPS to offer more advanced classes in all subjects in all middle schools, or trying to get MCPS to launch more middle school magnets (either using current magnet criteria, or advocating to change the criteria.). While there have been a variety of opinions, more people have said "advanced classes" than "more magnets.". I am curious whether parents of top 1-2% kids also tend to prefer advanced classes locally over magnets, or if we mostly have been hearing from parents of mildly or moderately gifted kids (or just high achievers) who prefer advanced classes locally, while parents of highly/profoundly gifted kids tend to prefer magnets. Does that make sense?

Also curious about whether opinions vary based on parents'/kids' race or income, and/or what their home middle school is, while we're at it ..

Why do you even ask, such a question? Do you know the lottery is skewed. Do you know there are people that are borderline that are left out, because A it's gosh darn lottery B people aren't categorical in aptitude C the magnet program is hugely inconvenient for those who are in it do to commuting many of which forgo it even after having won the lottery D kids development are not linear. If not, maybe you need to get an assessment, because the special education program is in your future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When MCPS moves into the program analysis for middle school, what do folks think is most important to advocate for? Expansion of middle school magnets (with a reformed selection process) or genuinely advanced classes in all subjects at all middle schools? (I think many folks likely believe both are needed, but if you had to prioritize one over the other which would you pick? I think there is a chance that focusing on one would undermine the case for the other in MCPS's eyes, and vice versa.). And/or are there other changes folks would argue for, or nuances/details you would add?

(And yes, I know and share everyone's frustrations with MCPS and that it's not as easy as just advocating for things and getting them-- but I'm still curious what folks think makes most sense to fight for, especially as a parent of ES kids who has only heard about the MS experience secondhand but hopes for a better one by the time my kids get there.)

First you need to recognize that gifted and advanced are not the same. MCPS does a great job providing advanced curriculum, they do a horrible job identifying and teaching gifted students, particularly those that are not excelling in the gen Ed classroom. They need to provide 1:1 gifted assessments for the students that score 120+ on the screener.

Not really. In most schools there's no advanced curriculum for English for grades 6-10, and the same is true for science.

+1

MCPS provided “honors for all,” which is at best on grade level

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who taught at a non-magnet middle school here in the county I would like to see them create accelerated or challenging classes at all the middle schools. There are plenty of students at are not being challenged or are having their learning disrupted by integrated classes. I understand you can argue that those students should apply to Magnet programs but sometimes those don't work logistically for all families.

At my school there was an accelerated math class but that was pretty much the only option for kids who wanted a challenge. There were no accelerated science, history, or english classes. There was a medical based science elective but more often than not it was used as a dumping ground by counseling to make schedules work.

Was there no HIGH or are you saying you don't consider HIGH challenging?

I have no idea what HIGH stands for but there were no honors or on level differentiation in any classes other than this advanced Math course. Everyone was placed in the same classes together.

HIGH is the accelerated social studies class. In my kid's middle school, there's differentiation only for Math and social studies. Maybe all schools don't have HIGH or PP's kid didn't wasn't selected (not sure what the selection criteria are-my kid was assigned to it).

Historical Inquiry in Global Humanities. Several schools just assign all students to this social studies class in 6th and 7th, even though it was originally intended to be an "enriched" class for students identified by central office as magnet-eligible but who weren't able to get a spot.

As long as this keeps happening, we still need the magnets. If we could have actual advanced classes in every school for kids who want to do the work, I’d be happy to say goodbye to the magnets.

Yeah, I feel like there are two questions here:

1) What's the best thing to push for in theory?
2). What's the best thing to push for given the actual MCPS we have, that is least likely to be executed poorly or taken away?

It's totally possible to have two different answers to this. I think I agree that having strong advanced, cohorted classes in all middle schools is better and more important in theory, if MCPS could be trusted to deliver on and keep them. But if any principal can make those classes honors for all and Central Office can snap their fingers and take them away at any time, maybe it's better to push for a bunch more magnet middle schools which are harder to get rid of once they've been launched?

Funny thing to say in the year that MCPS announced plans to kill both the magnet middle school and magnet high school program.

Where is this announcement?

They are going to regionalize these programs and duplicate them. Nice in theory, but cohorts of highly able students are not lurking in every area of the county. See the July 24 BOE meeting for reference. Or, read the Bethesda Magazine announcement:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/07/25/mcps-end-countywide-program-consortia/

How would you know that?

They can’t know it because it isn’t true.

I teach magnet and there are capable students all over the County.

Thank you magnet teacher. What is the size of the cohort of highly capable students, per your estimation? Are there enough teachers capable of teaching magnet courses all over the county?

I think there are easily three, possibly four times as many highly capable students as we are currently capable of seating. That doesn’t mean all would want a magnet program. Some are put off by the commutes and separation from neighborhood peers. Some have outlets for excellence and competition other than school such as chess, music, robotics, and sports.

We do not have enough teachers who are both qualified and interested. My school struggled to hire teachers for two magnet courses this year.