Terribly disappointed in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:15:45 MCPS sucks at math. This is no secret. They have dumbed down the math curriculum to the degree that it is embarrassing. Yes, this approach is about the achievement gap and trying to artificially show progress. Its shameful.

Do you really want to argue that only have PE once a week and a 30 minute daily recess, which becomes stay in your classroom whenever it is drizzling or even slightly cold is anywhere near the national recommendations that children at 60 minutes of PE and recess IN SCHOOL a day? MCPS is the poster child of poor health practice.

In which large public school systems (let's say, 15,000 or more) in the US do children have 60 minutes of PE and recess in school a day? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:15:45 MCPS sucks at math. This is no secret. They have dumbed down the math curriculum to the degree that it is embarrassing. Yes, this approach is about the achievement gap and trying to artificially show progress. Its shameful.

It's not a secret because it's not true. I've seen plenty of people post that when switching from private school their kids are behind in math. Now maybe you don't like 2.0, but there's way to know that it is having worse outcomes given it's only been around for a year or two. Obviously the transition isn't easy, but that's not a basis to say all math instruction "sucks".

[Anonymous]

Sorry but under the new 2.0 no kid switching to private will be behind in math. In the past, kids who were good at math were allowed to accelerate now they just repeat the same thing. I've volunteered in class and seen this for the past two years. They repeat the same thing over and over again. The kids who got it the first time or the 20th time have to sit through it a 30th time.

We're saving up to switch to private, something we hadn't planned to before 2.0. I will never support any increase in taxes for this system either!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry but under the new 2.0 no kid switching to private will be behind in math. In the past, kids who were good at math were allowed to accelerate now they just repeat the same thing. I've volunteered in class and seen this for the past two years. They repeat the same thing over and over again. The kids who got it the first time or the 20th time have to sit through it a 30th time.

We're saving up to switch to private, something we hadn't planned to before 2.0. I will never support any increase in taxes for this system either!

Your sense of social responsibility is impressive, as is the accuracy of your crystal ball.

[Anonymous]

The recess complaint is valid but I'm sure other public schools have limited recess too - in other words, this isn't solely an MCPS issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone else out there so disappointed with MCPS that you are considering moving? DH and I moved out of DC a few years ago thinking this was a good school system. We have a K and 1st grader. So far its just been incredibly disappointing. The curriculum is not challenging. There is no motivation for the kids to do anything more than the bare minimum. The classes are large. The grading system is ridiculous. I've yet to hear a parent speak positively of MCPS as an organization. Our kids are not in high school yet but clearly math doesn't improve in the upper grades. In K and 1st grade they are doing things they did in preschool.

How did it get this bad in just several years?

It has rapidly decreased in the last 5 years as Obama and O'Malley welcome all the illegals into our county and offer free breakfast, lunch, weekend meals and free language lessons by ESOL teachers. In return we get overcrowded schools, higher ratios, teachers dealing with kids who speak little to no english, funding getting taken away from music/arts teachers for the increasing need for ESOL teachers. Oh and the best is the decreased test scores all around! Awesome, isn't it??

[Anonymous]

^^^Oh and the dumbed down curriculum to appease them due to the No Child Left Behind.

[Anonymous]

PP at 11:32, I wonder if you know that No Child Left Behind became law in 2001.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in the process of moving to MoCo for the schools and to improve our commutes (we are currently in NOVA and it is not working).

If you were moving to MCPS and had it to do again, how would go about selecting your school/neighborhood? More focus on the comments on DCUM? More focus on Greatschools? Visits? (do people do that?)

We have a 4 year old and a baby and I feel enormous pressure to get this decision right. Also, we are pretty limited, financially, for the area.

School visits for sure. Tell them you are thinking of moving to the area, otherwise they won't let you visit. Asl to speak with principal, vice principal or staff development.

I found the county documentation on test scores, farms and diversity enough to make our decision. And we're happy with the outcome. Oh. Also look for projection numbers. Some schools are projected to grow faster than others. Look at if they have their new building, or if they are in portables.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in the process of moving to MoCo for the schools and to improve our commutes (we are currently in NOVA and it is not working).

If you were moving to MCPS and had it to do again, how would go about selecting your school/neighborhood? More focus on the comments on DCUM? More focus on Greatschools? Visits? (do people do that?)

We have a 4 year old and a baby and I feel enormous pressure to get this decision right. Also, we are pretty limited, financially, for the area.

School visits for sure. Tell them you are thinking of moving to the area, otherwise they won't let you visit. Asl to speak with principal, vice principal or staff development.

I found the county documentation on test scores, farms and diversity enough to make our decision. And we're happy with the outcome. Oh. Also look for projection numbers. Some schools are projected to grow faster than others. Look at if they have their new building, or if they are in portables.

We have a relatively new school building (c. 2006) AND portables. Great planning, eh?