MCPS New Math Pathway, No AIM6 in MS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought all of this tied into the magnets. So if a school has a large cohort of GT kids at the home school, the school has to offer the advanced classes. If the school doesn’t have the cohort, the student has a better shot of getting into the magnets.

That’s an interesting take on it. The most obvious flaw (if that was indeed the plan) is that MS magnet admission for the incoming 6th graders does not use the peer cohort criterion. The second issue is that admitted kids don’t necessarily attend a magnet for a variety of reasons, but they still deserve an appropriate education.

Practically, it is not feasible to run a class for one or two kids, but even if a school doesn’t officially offer IM for 6th graders, as long as they teach IM in the building, it should be possible for a 6th grader to take it. The problem is then punted to 8th grade, when they need to take math at the HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought all of this tied into the magnets. So if a school has a large cohort of GT kids at the home school, the school has to offer the advanced classes. If the school doesn’t have the cohort, the student has a better shot of getting into the magnets.

That’s an interesting take on it. The most obvious flaw (if that was indeed the plan) is that MS magnet admission for the incoming 6th graders does not use the peer cohort criterion. The second issue is that admitted kids don’t necessarily attend a magnet for a variety of reasons, but they still deserve an appropriate education.

Practically, it is not feasible to run a class for one or two kids, but even if a school doesn’t officially offer IM for 6th graders, as long as they teach IM in the building, it should be possible for a 6th grader to take it. The problem is then punted to 8th grade, when they need to take math at the HS.

Right, but MCPS has been doing that for years. Until very recently, only extreme outliers took Algebra in 6th and MCPS helped those kids with buses once they hit 8th. Now they are expanding the cohort getting Algebra in 6th in wealthy schools, but taking away even the option of AIM in poorer schools.

[Anonymous]

If MCPS is indeed taking away the option for IM at some schools I think that's a travesty. My guess is that they will allow some kids who are strong in math and motivated to take IM with the 7th graders at those schools and if they did that I think it's okay. It's more of an indication that there isn't a full class of kids ready to take IM.

But in order for this to work they need to active having teachers and parents to identify these kids. Otherwise we risk having great math kids who are underprivileged feel like they are bad in math and kids just don't get over that and it will impact their interest in going into science or math fields.

Do you hear this MCPS? It's about equity!! Please do something at these schools to make sure the outliers at these schools can go ahead to IM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought all of this tied into the magnets. So if a school has a large cohort of GT kids at the home school, the school has to offer the advanced classes. If the school doesn’t have the cohort, the student has a better shot of getting into the magnets.

That’s an interesting take on it. The most obvious flaw (if that was indeed the plan) is that MS magnet admission for the incoming 6th graders does not use the peer cohort criterion. The second issue is that admitted kids don’t necessarily attend a magnet for a variety of reasons, but they still deserve an appropriate education.

Practically, it is not feasible to run a class for one or two kids, but even if a school doesn’t officially offer IM for 6th graders, as long as they teach IM in the building, it should be possible for a 6th grader to take it. The problem is then punted to 8th grade, when they need to take math at the HS.

Right, but MCPS has been doing that for years. Until very recently, only extreme outliers took Algebra in 6th and MCPS helped those kids with buses once they hit 8th. Now they are expanding the cohort getting Algebra in 6th in wealthy schools, but taking away even the option of AIM in poorer schools.

They don't have Algebra for 6th at any of the Bethesda MSes I know about. Each year there may be 1 or 2 kids bu that's it. I think last year there were zero and the year before there was one at DC's elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought all of this tied into the magnets. So if a school has a large cohort of GT kids at the home school, the school has to offer the advanced classes. If the school doesn’t have the cohort, the student has a better shot of getting into the magnets.

That’s an interesting take on it. The most obvious flaw (if that was indeed the plan) is that MS magnet admission for the incoming 6th graders does not use the peer cohort criterion. The second issue is that admitted kids don’t necessarily attend a magnet for a variety of reasons, but they still deserve an appropriate education.

Practically, it is not feasible to run a class for one or two kids, but even if a school doesn’t officially offer IM for 6th graders, as long as they teach IM in the building, it should be possible for a 6th grader to take it. The problem is then punted to 8th grade, when they need to take math at the HS.

Right, but MCPS has been doing that for years. Until very recently, only extreme outliers took Algebra in 6th and MCPS helped those kids with buses once they hit 8th. Now they are expanding the cohort getting Algebra in 6th in wealthy schools, but taking away even the option of AIM in poorer schools.

They don't have Algebra for 6th at any of the Bethesda MSes I know about. Each year there may be 1 or 2 kids bu that's it. I think last year there were zero and the year before there was one at DC's elementary.

Our MS has about a dozen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought all of this tied into the magnets. So if a school has a large cohort of GT kids at the home school, the school has to offer the advanced classes. If the school doesn’t have the cohort, the student has a better shot of getting into the magnets.

That’s an interesting take on it. The most obvious flaw (if that was indeed the plan) is that MS magnet admission for the incoming 6th graders does not use the peer cohort criterion. The second issue is that admitted kids don’t necessarily attend a magnet for a variety of reasons, but they still deserve an appropriate education.

Practically, it is not feasible to run a class for one or two kids, but even if a school doesn’t officially offer IM for 6th graders, as long as they teach IM in the building, it should be possible for a 6th grader to take it. The problem is then punted to 8th grade, when they need to take math at the HS.

Right, but MCPS has been doing that for years. Until very recently, only extreme outliers took Algebra in 6th and MCPS helped those kids with buses once they hit 8th. Now they are expanding the cohort getting Algebra in 6th in wealthy schools, but taking away even the option of AIM in poorer schools.

This is not accurate. We are at a high farms middle school. It’s not only the wealthy schools. They are not taking away aim. They are changing to fit the new curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If MCPS is indeed taking away the option for IM at some schools I think that's a travesty. My guess is that they will allow some kids who are strong in math and motivated to take IM with the 7th graders at those schools and if they did that I think it's okay. It's more of an indication that there isn't a full class of kids ready to take IM.

But in order for this to work they need to active having teachers and parents to identify these kids. Otherwise we risk having great math kids who are underprivileged feel like they are bad in math and kids just don't get over that and it will impact their interest in going into science or math fields.

Do you hear this MCPS? It's about equity!! Please do something at these schools to make sure the outliers at these schools can go ahead to IM.

Aim is the old curriculum. They are changing to a new curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought all of this tied into the magnets. So if a school has a large cohort of GT kids at the home school, the school has to offer the advanced classes. If the school doesn’t have the cohort, the student has a better shot of getting into the magnets.

Now I think they should offer the advanced classes at every school - even if it means only two students are in the class - but that’s just me.

DS was in accelerated math beginning in first grade in MCPS and now is straight A engineering student in college. He did Algebra in 7th only because we thought 6th was too young. So yes, acceleration and excellent teaching matters. His math skills are crazy and we have MCPS to thank for that. Why they want to roll back accelerated math, I do not know.

The issue comes in 8th with algebra2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If MCPS is indeed taking away the option for IM at some schools I think that's a travesty. My guess is that they will allow some kids who are strong in math and motivated to take IM with the 7th graders at those schools and if they did that I think it's okay. It's more of an indication that there isn't a full class of kids ready to take IM.

But in order for this to work they need to active having teachers and parents to identify these kids. Otherwise we risk having great math kids who are underprivileged feel like they are bad in math and kids just don't get over that and it will impact their interest in going into science or math fields.

Do you hear this MCPS? It's about equity!! Please do something at these schools to make sure the outliers at these schools can go ahead to IM.

Aim is the old curriculum. They are changing to a new curriculum.

You say this, but we have at least one parent on the thread claiming their MS is not offering a path to Algebra in 7th, for any incoming 6th grader. Math 6+ gets you to Algebra in 8th, which is fine, but there's no equity if some kids have a path to acceleration and others don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought all of this tied into the magnets. So if a school has a large cohort of GT kids at the home school, the school has to offer the advanced classes. If the school doesn’t have the cohort, the student has a better shot of getting into the magnets.

Now I think they should offer the advanced classes at every school - even if it means only two students are in the class - but that’s just me.

DS was in accelerated math beginning in first grade in MCPS and now is straight A engineering student in college. He did Algebra in 7th only because we thought 6th was too young. So yes, acceleration and excellent teaching matters. His math skills are crazy and we have MCPS to thank for that. Why they want to roll back accelerated math, I do not know.

The issue comes in 8th with algebra2.

Yes Algebra 2 is where it becomes obvious if a student didn’t learn/absorb the concepts because they were too young. Personally, I think 6th is too young for Algebra 1.

[Anonymous]

STEM students will need to do Algebra by 8th, preferably by 7th, so they can get AP Calc in during HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought all of this tied into the magnets. So if a school has a large cohort of GT kids at the home school, the school has to offer the advanced classes. If the school doesn’t have the cohort, the student has a better shot of getting into the magnets.

That’s an interesting take on it. The most obvious flaw (if that was indeed the plan) is that MS magnet admission for the incoming 6th graders does not use the peer cohort criterion. The second issue is that admitted kids don’t necessarily attend a magnet for a variety of reasons, but they still deserve an appropriate education.

Practically, it is not feasible to run a class for one or two kids, but even if a school doesn’t officially offer IM for 6th graders, as long as they teach IM in the building, it should be possible for a 6th grader to take it. The problem is then punted to 8th grade, when they need to take math at the HS.

Right, but MCPS has been doing that for years. Until very recently, only extreme outliers took Algebra in 6th and MCPS helped those kids with buses once they hit 8th. Now they are expanding the cohort getting Algebra in 6th in wealthy schools, but taking away even the option of AIM in poorer schools.

They don't have Algebra for 6th at any of the Bethesda MSes I know about. Each year there may be 1 or 2 kids bu that's it. I think last year there were zero and the year before there was one at DC's elementary.

Our MS has about a dozen.

There's one school either Cabin John, Hoover or one of those that has this many. There are also some higher poverty schools that do it. I don't think you can make generalizations.

[Anonymous]

Have there been any updates from schools about what the pathway will be for students placed in the magnet pool but not selected for the math/science magnet? I'm particularly interested in the schools that had previously announced there would be no acceleration next year (i.e. no AIM but instead math 6+ only with a path to algebra in 8th).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought all of this tied into the magnets. So if a school has a large cohort of GT kids at the home school, the school has to offer the advanced classes. If the school doesn’t have the cohort, the student has a better shot of getting into the magnets.

That’s an interesting take on it. The most obvious flaw (if that was indeed the plan) is that MS magnet admission for the incoming 6th graders does not use the peer cohort criterion. The second issue is that admitted kids don’t necessarily attend a magnet for a variety of reasons, but they still deserve an appropriate education.

Practically, it is not feasible to run a class for one or two kids, but even if a school doesn’t officially offer IM for 6th graders, as long as they teach IM in the building, it should be possible for a 6th grader to take it. The problem is then punted to 8th grade, when they need to take math at the HS.

Right, but MCPS has been doing that for years. Until very recently, only extreme outliers took Algebra in 6th and MCPS helped those kids with buses once they hit 8th. Now they are expanding the cohort getting Algebra in 6th in wealthy schools, but taking away even the option of AIM in poorer schools.

They don't have Algebra for 6th at any of the Bethesda MSes I know about. Each year there may be 1 or 2 kids bu that's it. I think last year there were zero and the year before there was one at DC's elementary.

Our non Bethesda school has it.

[Anonymous]

AIM was previously not listed as an option at our home MS, but I see that it’s offered in the course request now. So I think I may have posted earlier in this thread that it wasn’t offered but it appears that it is in fact offered. Fair enough as DC did not get selected for any magnet program.