Question Re: Local CES Programs (Rachel Carson, Matsunaga, etc.)

[Anonymous]

As a PBES parent. I'm aware of how my DC and several of their friends score on their MAPs and at least in their circle of friends, high 90s is fairly common.

Well unfortunately this confirms the previous posts that Piney Branch is just not as high as other CES schools. High 90s isn't very high. A 98% is at the lower end of the grade in some schools. CES kids should be 99% across the board on MAP and they are at some other schools.

What you need to compare is the scores not the percentile because its normed across the country so even 99% in and of itself is not a high enough indicator. However, if the kids that you know at PBES are just in the high 90s you should know that they would not get into the CES programs in some other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents with kids in the PBES CES program, DC's experience has been fantastic both years.


Parents without kids at PBES, you really do not have a stake in this. So stop conjecturing about what is wrong with PBES and how it should be fixed.

Our oldest was in the regional center a few years back while our youngest is currently in the local center at PBES. In terms of rigor, the programs seem comparable and DC really loves it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

As a PBES parent. I'm aware of how my DC and several of their friends score on their MAPs and at least in their circle of friends, high 90s is fairly common.

Well unfortunately this confirms the previous posts that Piney Branch is just not as high as other CES schools. High 90s isn't very high. A 98% is at the lower end of the grade in some schools. CES kids should be 99% across the board on MAP and they are at some other schools.

What you need to compare is the scores not the percentile because its normed across the country so even 99% in and of itself is not a high enough indicator. However, if the kids that you know at PBES are just in the high 90s you should know that they would not get into the CES programs in some other schools.

I didn't want to be specific, but if you insist on being a jackass, I can spell it out. DC typically scores 10 points over the 99% and they're not even the highest of their friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

As a PBES parent. I'm aware of how my DC and several of their friends score on their MAPs and at least in their circle of friends, high 90s is fairly common.

Well unfortunately this confirms the previous posts that Piney Branch is just not as high as other CES schools. High 90s isn't very high. A 98% is at the lower end of the grade in some schools. CES kids should be 99% across the board on MAP and they are at some other schools.

What you need to compare is the scores not the percentile because its normed across the country so even 99% in and of itself is not a high enough indicator. However, if the kids that you know at PBES are just in the high 90s you should know that they would not get into the CES programs in some other schools.

I believe you, and also believe MCPS is moving away from this model. The PBES model is the future of the CES program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As a PBES parent. I'm aware of how my DC and several of their friends score on their MAPs and at least in their circle of friends, high 90s is fairly common.

Well unfortunately this confirms the previous posts that Piney Branch is just not as high as other CES schools. High 90s isn't very high. A 98% is at the lower end of the grade in some schools. CES kids should be 99% across the board on MAP and they are at some other schools.

What you need to compare is the scores not the percentile because its normed across the country so even 99% in and of itself is not a high enough indicator. However, if the kids that you know at PBES are just in the high 90s you should know that they would not get into the CES programs in some other schools.

I didn't want to be specific, but if you insist on being a jackass, I can spell it out. DC typically scores 10 points over the 99% and they're not even the highest of their friends.

It's not surprising to people who live in Takoma. Half the neighbors are professors with advanced degrees from Harvard or Stanford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The 4th grade CES curriculum is extremely challenging at PBES. The 5th grade teacher this year seems less set on pushing the CES curriculum and appears to pick and choose what he teaches in contrast to last year where the students were challenged to a very high level. Our 5th grader has much less classwork and homework than last year - by leaps and bounds....He's happy, but it is hard to get over the idea that 5th should be more challenging than 4th....

The CES programs really vary across the county. They have the flexibility to teach up to but also below what is in the CES curriculum based on the capabilities of the class. Some CES programs have very high flyers and other CES programs are filled with kids who are smart but would never make the cut in the other programs. The MAP scores at PBES are not very good in comparison to other CES programs so going slower in 5th grade here is good practice.

How can you possibly know this? MAP scores aren't reported.

!!!!!! You can't know this, overzealous parent. Please.

Just another frustrated W parent expressing their TPMS/Blair envy by slamming elementary school kids. So sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
As a PBES parent. I'm aware of how my DC and several of their friends score on their MAPs and at least in their circle of friends, high 90s is fairly common.


Well unfortunately this confirms the previous posts that Piney Branch is just not as high as other CES schools. High 90s isn't very high. A 98% is at the lower end of the grade in some schools. CES kids should be 99% across the board on MAP and they are at some other schools.

What you need to compare is the scores not the percentile because its normed across the country so even 99% in and of itself is not a high enough indicator. However, if the kids that you know at PBES are just in the high 90s you should know that they would not get into the CES programs in some other schools.

I believe you, and also believe MCPS is moving away from this model. The PBES model is the future of the CES program.

So now vanity sizing is en vogue for gifted programs. What is the point of a CES program if it isn't very rigorous and isn't made up of the kids at the very top?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As a PBES parent. I'm aware of how my DC and several of their friends score on their MAPs and at least in their circle of friends, high 90s is fairly common.

Well unfortunately this confirms the previous posts that Piney Branch is just not as high as other CES schools. High 90s isn't very high. A 98% is at the lower end of the grade in some schools. CES kids should be 99% across the board on MAP and they are at some other schools.

What you need to compare is the scores not the percentile because its normed across the country so even 99% in and of itself is not a high enough indicator. However, if the kids that you know at PBES are just in the high 90s you should know that they would not get into the CES programs in some other schools.

I believe you, and also believe MCPS is moving away from this model. The PBES model is the future of the CES program.

Sure, it's likely the top 25% of students at PBES isn't comparable to the top 2%-3% at a regional center, it's more like the top 15% PBES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As a PBES parent. I'm aware of how my DC and several of their friends score on their MAPs and at least in their circle of friends, high 90s is fairly common.


Well unfortunately this confirms the previous posts that Piney Branch is just not as high as other CES schools. High 90s isn't very high. A 98% is at the lower end of the grade in some schools. CES kids should be 99% across the board on MAP and they are at some other schools.

What you need to compare is the scores not the percentile because its normed across the country so even 99% in and of itself is not a high enough indicator. However, if the kids that you know at PBES are just in the high 90s you should know that they would not get into the CES programs in some other schools.

I believe you, and also believe MCPS is moving away from this model. The PBES model is the future of the CES program.

So now vanity sizing is en vogue for gifted programs. What is the point of a CES program if it isn't very rigorous and isn't made up of the kids at the very top?

It seems like they're moving to something like VA's AAP model since it benefits more children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As a PBES parent. I'm aware of how my DC and several of their friends score on their MAPs and at least in their circle of friends, high 90s is fairly common.

Well unfortunately this confirms the previous posts that Piney Branch is just not as high as other CES schools. High 90s isn't very high. A 98% is at the lower end of the grade in some schools. CES kids should be 99% across the board on MAP and they are at some other schools.

What you need to compare is the scores not the percentile because its normed across the country so even 99% in and of itself is not a high enough indicator. However, if the kids that you know at PBES are just in the high 90s you should know that they would not get into the CES programs in some other schools.

I believe you, and also believe MCPS is moving away from this model. The PBES model is the future of the CES program.

Sure, it's likely the top 25% of students at PBES isn't comparable to the top 2%-3% at a regional center, it's more like the top 15% PBES.

PP here and that's what I meant. MCPS is moving away from a "top" 2-3% model and toward a "top" 10-15% model, which probably translates to kids from about 95th percentile upward on the MAP and CoGAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
As a PBES parent. I'm aware of how my DC and several of their friends score on their MAPs and at least in their circle of friends, high 90s is fairly common.

Well unfortunately this confirms the previous posts that Piney Branch is just not as high as other CES schools. High 90s isn't very high. A 98% is at the lower end of the grade in some schools. CES kids should be 99% across the board on MAP and they are at some other schools.

What you need to compare is the scores not the percentile because its normed across the country so even 99% in and of itself is not a high enough indicator. However, if the kids that you know at PBES are just in the high 90s you should know that they would not get into the CES programs in some other schools.

I believe you, and also believe MCPS is moving away from this model. The PBES model is the future of the CES program.

Sure, it's likely the top 25% of students at PBES isn't comparable to the top 2%-3% at a regional center, it's more like the top 15% PBES.

PP here and that's what I meant. MCPS is moving away from a "top" 2-3% model and toward a "top" 10-15% model, which probably translates to kids from about 95th percentile upward on the MAP and CoGAT.

I prefer this model and think its good that that CES teachers can raise or lower the level of difficulty based on the kids in the class. If the top 10% in one regional cluster correlates primarily with the top 1%-3% in the county then let the teacher make it more challenging. If the top 10% in another regional or local center is more in the high 90s then let that teacher go a little slower so those kids can be successful. I think the key is more kids getting the benefit of a more challenging curriculum without it being over their heads or too hard for their age group.

[Anonymous]

It seems like a more inclusive approach that benefits more children. We're also talking about 4th graders. Not like there's serious rigor at any CES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems like a more inclusive approach that benefits more children. We're also talking about 4th graders. Not like there's serious rigor at any CES.

There was in the old HGC system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like a more inclusive approach that benefits more children. We're also talking about 4th graders. Not like there's serious rigor at any CES.

There was in the old HGC system.

And it only benefitted the top 2%, unlike VA's AAP system that includes 15%-20%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like a more inclusive approach that benefits more children. We're also talking about 4th graders. Not like there's serious rigor at any CES.

There was in the old HGC system.

And it only benefitted the top 2%, unlike VA's AAP system that includes 15%-20%.

And seriously 4th-grade rigor? You've got to be kidding...