Why are some schools putting EVERYONE into AIM and HIGH?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone explain why schools are doing this?
This defeats the whole purpose of the local enrichment MCPS is purportedly offering, undermines the basis of the "peer group" criteria being used for magnet admissions, and bolsters the complaints that have been filed.

[Anonymous]

Because all children are special, and the system abhors tracking.

[Anonymous]

i want to know where i can file the complaints to

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i want to know where i can file the complaints to

The principal of your child's school.

[Anonymous]

Are AIM and HIGH the only available 6th grade courses in those subjects?

If so, you have a case.

But I know they're not, so you don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Are AIM and HIGH the only available 6th grade courses in those subjects?

If so, you have a case.

But I know they're not, so you don't.

At our local MS yes HIGH Is the only 6th grade humanities course.
AIM is the only offering after Math 6 (no IM.) Students can also take Math 6.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i want to know where i can file the complaints to

Principal
MCPS AEI Telephone: [phone]
Department of Ed Office of Civil Rights
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/us-officials-probe-alleged-discrimination-against-asian-american-students-in-md/2019/04/21/67ecc77a-46a6-11e9-8aab-95b8d80a1e4f_story.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Are AIM and HIGH the only available 6th grade courses in those subjects?

If so, you have a case.

But I know they're not, so you don't.

At our local MS yes HIGH Is the only 6th grade humanities course.
AIM is the only offering after Math 6 (no IM.) Students can also take Math 6.

Which school?

[Anonymous]

I hear Pyle is all HIGH.

[Anonymous]

I don't think I mind that they are putting everyone in those classes. They are just upgrading the curriculum for everyone.

The thing that's going to make parents with 99th percentile kids who were rejected from the magnets irate is that this means that there will no longer be ability grouping. So their 99th percentile kid who was told they would still get a stimulating environment at their local school because they would be grouped with the 20 or more other rejected kids will no longer get this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hear Pyle is all HIGH.

You heard right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think I mind that they are putting everyone in those classes. They are just upgrading the curriculum for everyone.

The thing that's going to make parents with 99th percentile kids who were rejected from the magnets irate is that this means that there will no longer be ability grouping. So their 99th percentile kid who was told they would still get a stimulating environment at their local school because they would be grouped with the 20 or more other rejected kids will no longer get this.

which does indeed defeat the purpose of putting the so-called "magnet" classes in these schools. When this happened, I kept saying that this was a joke, that those classes might be a bit different to the regular classes but it will be no-where near the same level as the true magnet classes.

[Anonymous]

We have kids in AIM who were not in Compacted Math. It’s actually quite a struggle for them. Why do this? I know one of the parents and she absolutely did NOT push for this - the school just placed her kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think I mind that they are putting everyone in those classes. They are just upgrading the curriculum for everyone.

The thing that's going to make parents with 99th percentile kids who were rejected from the magnets irate is that this means that there will no longer be ability grouping. So their 99th percentile kid who was told they would still get a stimulating environment at their local school because they would be grouped with the 20 or more other rejected kids will no longer get this.

which does indeed defeat the purpose of putting the so-called "magnet" classes in these schools. When this happened, I kept saying that this was a joke, that those classes might be a bit different to the regular classes but it will be no-where near the same level as the true magnet classes.

I heard good reviews from parents/kids who were in the first cohort of those enriched classes when they were kept smaller. They liked the peer group and said the classes moved faster and as a result they had time for projects in both AIM and HIGH. They recognized the classes weren't as great as in the magnet programs but it was something. Last year our school put everyone in AIM and I'm not hearing good things. The projects they did the first year are basically scrapped. Some teachers are trying to fit them in but instead of being a highlight of the quarter, with careful planning and in-depth discussion, they just cram it in like another worksheet. The top students aren't satisfied and the students who were already struggling in 5/6 math are continuing to struggle. I don't understand how this helps anyone.

I'm not one of those bitter parents about the magnets. DD got into the magnet of her area of strength, but is not going.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think I mind that they are putting everyone in those classes. They are just upgrading the curriculum for everyone.

The thing that's going to make parents with 99th percentile kids who were rejected from the magnets irate is that this means that there will no longer be ability grouping. So their 99th percentile kid who was told they would still get a stimulating environment at their local school because they would be grouped with the 20 or more other rejected kids will no longer get this.

which does indeed defeat the purpose of putting the so-called "magnet" classes in these schools. When this happened, I kept saying that this was a joke, that those classes might be a bit different to the regular classes but it will be no-where near the same level as the true magnet classes.

Let me throw out 2 possibilities for discussion:
(1) funding/student allocations - 2 AIM classes with equal number of students (say 30) Or 1 AIM class with 40 students and 1 IM class with 20 students?
(2) Equity - If that 1 AIM class has mostly non-FARM students, it may not look good from the principal point of view. Central Office wants to claim that "number of FARM students in the advanced math class increased from 20% to 90%"