RFP for county-wide boundary analysis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone provide links/evidence that a boundary analysis equals busing? Did I miss something? MCPS can barely afford the current busing levels.

You didn't miss anything. When the BOE discussed and approved the boundary analysis, they repeatedly made note that this was not about busing. You can watch the recorded meetings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone provide links/evidence that a boundary analysis equals busing? Did I miss something? MCPS can barely afford the current busing levels.

You didn't miss anything. When the BOE discussed and approved the boundary analysis, they repeatedly made note that this was not about busing. You can watch the recorded meetings.

However, they voted last year to prioritize diversity above all other criteria when making boundaries going forward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone provide links/evidence that a boundary analysis equals busing? Did I miss something? MCPS can barely afford the current busing levels.

You didn't miss anything. When the BOE discussed and approved the boundary analysis, they repeatedly made note that this was not about busing. You can watch the recorded meetings.

However, they voted last year to prioritize diversity above all other criteria when making boundaries going forward.

Sigh. No, that is not what they voted on. They voted to reword the demographic characteristics factor, adding that options should especially strive for a diverse student body.

[Anonymous]

I love how everyone is whining about what they think will happen from a study that a) hasn't yet been awarded, or even started and b) no one has suggested ANY actual changes. Just hypotheticals of what they either want, or don't want, to happen, which sends everyone into a tizzy. So typical....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone provide links/evidence that a boundary analysis equals busing? Did I miss something? MCPS can barely afford the current busing levels.

You didn't miss anything. When the BOE discussed and approved the boundary analysis, they repeatedly made note that this was not about busing. You can watch the recorded meetings.

However, they voted last year to prioritize diversity above all other criteria when making boundaries going forward.

Sigh. No, that is not what they voted on. They voted to reword the demographic characteristics factor, adding that options should especially strive for a diverse student body.

So, prioritizing diversity in other words?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone provide links/evidence that a boundary analysis equals busing? Did I miss something? MCPS can barely afford the current busing levels.

You didn't miss anything. When the BOE discussed and approved the boundary analysis, they repeatedly made note that this was not about busing. You can watch the recorded meetings.

However, they voted last year to prioritize diversity above all other criteria when making boundaries going forward.

Sigh. No, that is not what they voted on. They voted to reword the demographic characteristics factor, adding that options should especially strive for a diverse student body.

So, prioritizing diversity in other words?

Prioritizing diversity within that one factor, which is one of four factors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MoCo is so screwed. This will be a big win for HoCo and NoVa.

We'd be so much better off if all the whiners moved. Imagine positive change without annoying opposition.

This has occurred to me, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone provide links/evidence that a boundary analysis equals busing? Did I miss something? MCPS can barely afford the current busing levels.

You didn't miss anything. When the BOE discussed and approved the boundary analysis, they repeatedly made note that this was not about busing. You can watch the recorded meetings.

However, they voted last year to prioritize diversity above all other criteria when making boundaries going forward.

Sigh. No, that is not what they voted on. They voted to reword the demographic characteristics factor, adding that options should especially strive for a diverse student body.

So, prioritizing diversity in other words?

Prioritizing diversity within that one factor, which is one of four factors.

Right. The other equal factors being geography, facility utilization, and stability of assignment over time. And the factors are used to develop several *options*. Options are presented to the public, commented on, revised sometimes, then presented to the superintendent, with notes on the degree to which each factor is affected by each option. The superintendent makes a recommendation to the BOE, and the BOE votes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone provide links/evidence that a boundary analysis equals busing? Did I miss something? MCPS can barely afford the current busing levels.

You didn't miss anything. When the BOE discussed and approved the boundary analysis, they repeatedly made note that this was not about busing. You can watch the recorded meetings.

However, they voted last year to prioritize diversity above all other criteria when making boundaries going forward.

Sigh. No, that is not what they voted on. They voted to reword the demographic characteristics factor, adding that options should especially strive for a diverse student body.

So, prioritizing diversity in other words?

That still doesn't equal busing. Please provide evidence that equates the two things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone provide links/evidence that a boundary analysis equals busing? Did I miss something? MCPS can barely afford the current busing levels.

It doesn't that's just nonsense. They're mostly talking about adjusting the edges to improve efficiency and diversity when possible.

Can't they do that on their own? This is what other counties do. Isn't that what WE pay THEM to do? Moving a few neighborhoods to even out the schools are easy. Maybe just open up COSA's and allow families in over-filled schools to go to under-enrolled schools. That isn't hard.

This 3-5 year process is not just about moving around some edges. If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell ya.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone provide links/evidence that a boundary analysis equals busing? Did I miss something? MCPS can barely afford the current busing levels.

It doesn't that's just nonsense. They're mostly talking about adjusting the edges to improve efficiency and diversity when possible.

Can't they do that on their own? This is what other counties do. Isn't that what WE pay THEM to do? Moving a few neighborhoods to even out the schools are easy. Maybe just open up COSA's and allow families in over-filled schools to go to under-enrolled schools. That isn't hard.

This 3-5 year process is not just about moving around some edges. If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell ya.

What 3-5 year process are you talking about? The boundary analysis will be finished by next summer. Did you read the RFP?

Also, if you think that moving a few neighborhoods to even out the schools is easy, then you haven't been paying attention to the boundary studies.

[Anonymous]

For those of you screaming "busing," have you read the RFP? MCPS is looking for an analysis on the following:

-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries facilitate or impede equitable use of facilities across the system;
-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries facilitate or impede facility utilization in terms of program capacity and enrollment in schools;
-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries facilitate or impede striving to create a diverse student body population in each school; and
-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries otherwise advance or inhibit the four factors in Policy FAA for consideration in boundaries: student demographics, geography, stability of assignments over time, and facility utilization.

Diversity, student demographics is just 1 area they are looking to see where it can be improved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone provide links/evidence that a boundary analysis equals busing? Did I miss something? MCPS can barely afford the current busing levels.

It doesn't that's just nonsense. They're mostly talking about adjusting the edges to improve efficiency and diversity when possible.

Can't they do that on their own? This is what other counties do. Isn't that what WE pay THEM to do? Moving a few neighborhoods to even out the schools are easy. Maybe just open up COSA's and allow families in over-filled schools to go to under-enrolled schools. That isn't hard.

This 3-5 year process is not just about moving around some edges. If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell ya.

I think if a small district like HCPS has reasons to hire a consultant to review boundaries, then certainly MCPS has even more reason to hire one since MCPS is much larger and has more diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you screaming "busing," have you read the RFP? MCPS is looking for an analysis on the following:

-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries facilitate or impede equitable use of facilities across the system;
-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries facilitate or impede facility utilization in terms of program capacity and enrollment in schools;
-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries facilitate or impede striving to create a diverse student body population in each school; and
-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries otherwise advance or inhibit the four factors in Policy FAA for consideration in boundaries: student demographics, geography, stability of assignments over time, and facility utilization.

Diversity, student demographics is just 1 area they are looking to see where it can be improved.

The NEC and DCC were created to balance out demographics. Now that the three schools are majority minority, the goal has been met. There is no need for choice in this case.

So . . . do we assume that the NEC and DCC schools (and other clusters that are majority minority) are now OK?

What about the schools in Bethesda and Potomac, which are majority white and Asian? Do they remain the same, or do we now focus on FARMs distribution through another choice process - but one that affects the entire county?

Embedded in this this goal " . . . to create a diverse student body population in each school" is SES. So do you keep poor kids together, or do you make it a goal to "disperse them" throughout the system into "better" schools?

I wish MCPS would define better . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you screaming "busing," have you read the RFP? MCPS is looking for an analysis on the following:

-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries facilitate or impede equitable use of facilities across the system;
-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries facilitate or impede facility utilization in terms of program capacity and enrollment in schools;
-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries facilitate or impede striving to create a diverse student body population in each school; and
-an assessment of the degree to which the current boundaries otherwise advance or inhibit the four factors in Policy FAA for consideration in boundaries: student demographics, geography, stability of assignments over time, and facility utilization.

Diversity, student demographics is just 1 area they are looking to see where it can be improved.

The NEC and DCC were created to balance out demographics. Now that the three schools are majority minority, the goal has been met. There is no need for choice in this case.

So . . . do we assume that the NEC and DCC schools (and other clusters that are majority minority) are now OK?

What about the schools in Bethesda and Potomac, which are majority white and Asian? Do they remain the same, or do we now focus on FARMs distribution through another choice process - but one that affects the entire county?

Embedded in this this goal " . . . to create a diverse student body population in each school" is SES. So do you keep poor kids together, or do you make it a goal to "disperse them" throughout the system into "better" schools?

I wish MCPS would define better . . .

these schools, I meant, as the schools in the NEC and DCC are majority minority