MCPS to end areawide Blair Magnet and countywide Richard Montgomery's IB program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I might have the wrong type or unpopular type of view of these things.

But our kids didn't get into the GT or magnet programs. There were a couple of years where they made it to the lottery but didn't get selected. The same with some of their classmates and our neighbors.

Personally for our family we were okay with it.

The GT, IB and magnet programs are supposed to be for the academically elite, where only the top get in. We were perfectly fine with our kids not making it and going to our local school and is one of the reasons why we chose to live where we do.

As others are trying to say, if you increase the number and seats of the programs, it dilutes the programs and isn't as rigorous or advanced like how the programs are now. Which people are saying they are okay with because it suits the needs of the many instead of the very few.

But another way of looking at it, is that maybe MCPS should be focusing on improving the instruction and quality at their individual schools. So those students who don't get in to the county wide programs (either by not quite qualifying or just not get selected by the lottery) will still get the class selection and level that that they need. Instead of having some mediocre programs that might not be better than some of the local schools around here. And the issue with the offering of the potentially mediocre is that it sounds like they're going to change the current countywide program which is considered top tier.

I had to stop myself from posting in this thread:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1287572.page

Because know that people will attack me as entitled. But I think there's something very wrong if a school doesn't have a track for students to take Algebra I by seventh grade and they have to look to going to a different school just to get on that track. But that just goes to show how there are different standards at different schools within the county and this is starting at elementary school. By the time students get to high school and eligible for these magnet/regional programs, students from different schools won't be on the same level based on the math tracks offered by their elementary schools.

Well noted.

Are you willing to fund other schools differentially enough for them to provide that level of education to their population in need of greater rigor, given that that might require smaller classes than in your area? Are you willing to fund much better ability identification, so that the needs of kids with potential are addressed via public mechanisms where family-based prep currently dominates?

This likely would mean higher taxes or less funding for your area, presuming the area you chose is as you describe because of the relatively high wealth/academic support available from families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have the wrong type or unpopular type of view of these things.

But our kids didn't get into the GT or magnet programs. There were a couple of years where they made it to the lottery but didn't get selected. The same with some of their classmates and our neighbors.

Personally for our family we were okay with it.

The GT, IB and magnet programs are supposed to be for the academically elite, where only the top get in. We were perfectly fine with our kids not making it and going to our local school and is one of the reasons why we chose to live where we do.

As others are trying to say, if you increase the number and seats of the programs, it dilutes the programs and isn't as rigorous or advanced like how the programs are now. Which people are saying they are okay with because it suits the needs of the many instead of the very few.

But another way of looking at it, is that maybe MCPS should be focusing on improving the instruction and quality at their individual schools. So those students who don't get in to the county wide programs (either by not quite qualifying or just not get selected by the lottery) will still get the class selection and level that that they need. Instead of having some mediocre programs that might not be better than some of the local schools around here. And the issue with the offering of the potentially mediocre is that it sounds like they're going to change the current countywide program which is considered top tier.

I had to stop myself from posting in this thread:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1287572.page

Because know that people will attack me as entitled. But I think there's something very wrong if a school doesn't have a track for students to take Algebra I by seventh grade and they have to look to going to a different school just to get on that track. But that just goes to show how there are different standards at different schools within the county and this is starting at elementary school. By the time students get to high school and eligible for these magnet/regional programs, students from different schools won't be on the same level based on the math tracks offered by their elementary schools.

Well noted.

Are you willing to fund other schools differentially enough for them to provide that level of education to their population in need of greater rigor, given that that might require smaller classes than in your area? Are you willing to fund much better ability identification, so that the needs of kids with potential are addressed via public mechanisms where family-based prep currently dominates?

This likely would mean higher taxes or less funding for your area, presuming the area you chose is as you describe because of the relatively high wealth/academic support available from families.

I'm all for provide resources and funding to help raise up disadvantaged and at risk student groups and they absolutely should.

BUT I am not willing to pay higher taxes if I do not see that I'm getting the value from it or even worse less than before. ie how MCPS appears to be lowering the standards for everyone and trying to take away advanced tracks.

Part of the issue with what MCPS is doing, as others have been posting, is that MCPS is lowering the bar rather than trying to bring the groups up to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did not find the parents arguments for keeping the system as is in the Bethesda magazine article convincing at all. One parent mentioned how her kid got to take quantum mechanics at Blair. No one needs to take quantum mechanics in HS and if that is indeed your jam, you can take a college class for it.
Also, parents of a 4th grader expressing concern that their kid is on track to take multivariable calculus in 9th grade and what will the kid do then. Almost no students are ready to take multivariable calculus in 9th grade. And if they are, then take the next class at MC or UMD or virtual. Public school systems are not designed to serve the tiniest of tiny percentage of outliers. There is a case for regional magnets

Public schools can differentiate to meet the needs of a variety of student cohorts. If magnet schooling isn't something you see happening for your student, MCPS has plenty of other choices. The school district doesn't need to stop the current magnets to provide additional programming. Why is this an either/or situation?

As with most things, it’s fundamentally a fairness issue. If most highly performing kids are shut out for one reason or another, and the only people who want to keep the program as-is are those who are currently in it or have been in it, or are in the tiniest of tiny outliers, then you have a fairness issue.

So your solution is to just ignore them?

Well no one is asking me, but my solution isn’t to ignore them (if “them” is the young Sheldons). Public school should provide equal programming across high schools so that top performers can access the same classes wherever they are in the county. There’s no need to ration it if you have enough kids who can handle the classes. You can accommodate the young Sheldons within that, or they can take classes at MCC or wherever, but you shouldn’t shut kids out to cater to people who want things to stay exactly the same because they think the program won’t be as good if more (equally eligible) people can take the classes.

DP. Not saying there shouldn't be equivalent programming across schools, but do you realize that you are saying in the same breath thst there should be programming coincident with need available to top performers, but not to tippy-top performers?

I agree that there likely are more students who would benefit from the programming of current top magnets. It does not seem that MCPS is willing to keep the "top-ness" of those magnets as they expand.

Let us know when they have indicated that depth and breadth comparable to that currently available at Blair SMCS will be available at the other STEM regionals (and that there won't be several years where that won't be the case). For that matter, let us know when they have indicated that Blair SMCS will keep programming comparable to that which it has today.

No, my point was that public schools should not exclude top performers to cater to the very small minority of tippy-top performers when both can be served in a “top performer” category, and the tippy-top performers can have their needs met at school, MCC, or elsewhere. It’s a Venn diagram. I’m tired of the exclusionary mentality people have. Like letting in more people who meet the criteria somehow waters down a program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have the wrong type or unpopular type of view of these things.

But our kids didn't get into the GT or magnet programs. There were a couple of years where they made it to the lottery but didn't get selected. The same with some of their classmates and our neighbors.

Personally for our family we were okay with it.

The GT, IB and magnet programs are supposed to be for the academically elite, where only the top get in. We were perfectly fine with our kids not making it and going to our local school and is one of the reasons why we chose to live where we do.

As others are trying to say, if you increase the number and seats of the programs, it dilutes the programs and isn't as rigorous or advanced like how the programs are now. Which people are saying they are okay with because it suits the needs of the many instead of the very few.

But another way of looking at it, is that maybe MCPS should be focusing on improving the instruction and quality at their individual schools. So those students who don't get in to the county wide programs (either by not quite qualifying or just not get selected by the lottery) will still get the class selection and level that that they need. Instead of having some mediocre programs that might not be better than some of the local schools around here. And the issue with the offering of the potentially mediocre is that it sounds like they're going to change the current countywide program which is considered top tier.

I had to stop myself from posting in this thread:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1287572.page

Because know that people will attack me as entitled. But I think there's something very wrong if a school doesn't have a track for students to take Algebra I by seventh grade and they have to look to going to a different school just to get on that track. But that just goes to show how there are different standards at different schools within the county and this is starting at elementary school. By the time students get to high school and eligible for these magnet/regional programs, students from different schools won't be on the same level based on the math tracks offered by their elementary schools.

Well noted.

Are you willing to fund other schools differentially enough for them to provide that level of education to their population in need of greater rigor, given that that might require smaller classes than in your area? Are you willing to fund much better ability identification, so that the needs of kids with potential are addressed via public mechanisms where family-based prep currently dominates?

This likely would mean higher taxes or less funding for your area, presuming the area you chose is as you describe because of the relatively high wealth/academic support available from families.

I'm all for provide resources and funding to help raise up disadvantaged and at risk student groups and they absolutely should.

BUT I am not willing to pay higher taxes if I do not see that I'm getting the value from it or even worse less than before. ie how MCPS appears to be lowering the standards for everyone and trying to take away advanced tracks.

Part of the issue with what MCPS is doing, as others have been posting, is that MCPS is lowering the bar rather than trying to bring the groups up to it.

Also that is basically what Title I and Focus school funds are for. And I'm all for it and expanding something like that to help the at risk populations. Even if it comes directly from the MCPS budget.

And I may be taking it a step too far now but if they do that, they should also let communities donate to their school. Where in the past the BOE had denied some donations because they declared that it wasn't equitable. For example in another school system, a school's booster club raised money to renovate the school weightroom but BOE denied it saying it wouldn't be equitable. I know it gets tricky because than people will say that communities are treating their schools as if it were private schools. But if MCPS isn't allocating funds equally among schools, then communities should be allowed to make up for it.(not in terms of funding for staff and teachers of course)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pushback on the viability of recreating magnet programs on regional basis:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/13/mcps-program-changes-concerns/

Good, and we need a lot more of this. It was strategic that they introduced this proposal during the summer, when fewer parents and teachers are paying attention. They sought no input, and they thought they could build momentum for it before there the pushback.

The best comment is the final line: “Because we can have all these wonderful regions … but if we still have a disparity in the outcomes, are we really putting the equity lens on that?” This is what I keep coming back to regarding the proposal: what does it actually fix? What's the point of destroying these great programs? There's no logic or rationale to it.

They are not destroying the programs. They are expanding access to the programs for the great many who are able to handle the rigor but did not have application luck.

They ARE dismantling the magnet programs. There are insufficient teachers who can teach advanced programs. From the article: Taylor said the district’s recommendation includes areas of certification the district offers, but he doesn’t know if there’s interest from faculty to “dive in and hyper-specialize.”

He doesn't know. That means he is making decisions with insufficient information. You can't expand programs without trained, hyper-specialized teachers for those programs.

The actual number of highly able students are insufficient to form regional magnets. We aren't provided information on these numbers because it likely would show that the number of highly able students cab't support rigorous magnets in all regions.

+1 The regional IB programs IBDP pass rate is much lower than RMIB's. That tells you that even the 4 regional programs they created a few years ago aren't as successful. Those programs don't offer some of the HL classes that RMIB does. Why? Because there is not enough interest and probably the teachers don't want to teach it/aren't certified to teach it.

And now MCPS wants to expand it to 6 regionals? Makes zero sense to do that.

Why would Taylor want to break something that is highly successful? I listen to staff, and it seems like they have already made up their minds, but don't really have the data to back up their actions. getting rid of the magnet programming will have negative consequences for the school district.

Who says it's highly successful? A few parents who don't want to change? I don't see it--there's just a few school clusters benefitting from the most selective programs (which points to the issue that the programs are too far away or too inaccessible for some parts of the county).

Any programs that produces more NMSF winners than all other county high schools COMBINED, I would consider them highly successful.

Unfortunately, no program in the county does that.

Shows how little you know about magnets

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pushback on the viability of recreating magnet programs on regional basis:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/13/mcps-program-changes-concerns/

Good, and we need a lot more of this. It was strategic that they introduced this proposal during the summer, when fewer parents and teachers are paying attention. They sought no input, and they thought they could build momentum for it before there the pushback.

The best comment is the final line: “Because we can have all these wonderful regions … but if we still have a disparity in the outcomes, are we really putting the equity lens on that?” This is what I keep coming back to regarding the proposal: what does it actually fix? What's the point of destroying these great programs? There's no logic or rationale to it.

They are not destroying the programs. They are expanding access to the programs for the great many who are able to handle the rigor but did not have application luck.

They ARE dismantling the magnet programs. There are insufficient teachers who can teach advanced programs. From the article: Taylor said the district’s recommendation includes areas of certification the district offers, but he doesn’t know if there’s interest from faculty to “dive in and hyper-specialize.”

He doesn't know. That means he is making decisions with insufficient information. You can't expand programs without trained, hyper-specialized teachers for those programs.

The actual number of highly able students are insufficient to form regional magnets. We aren't provided information on these numbers because it likely would show that the number of highly able students cab't support rigorous magnets in all regions.

+1 The regional IB programs IBDP pass rate is much lower than RMIB's. That tells you that even the 4 regional programs they created a few years ago aren't as successful. Those programs don't offer some of the HL classes that RMIB does. Why? Because there is not enough interest and probably the teachers don't want to teach it/aren't certified to teach it.

And now MCPS wants to expand it to 6 regionals? Makes zero sense to do that.

Why would Taylor want to break something that is highly successful? I listen to staff, and it seems like they have already made up their minds, but don't really have the data to back up their actions. getting rid of the magnet programming will have negative consequences for the school district.

Who says it's highly successful? A few parents who don't want to change? I don't see it--there's just a few school clusters benefitting from the most selective programs (which points to the issue that the programs are too far away or too inaccessible for some parts of the county).

Any programs that produces more NMSF winners than all other county high schools COMBINED, I would consider them highly successful.

Unfortunately, no program in the county does that.

Shows how little you know about magnets

Actually, it shows that I know more about the magnets than you do.
No program in the county produces more NMSFS than all the other county schools combined. None

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pushback on the viability of recreating magnet programs on regional basis:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/13/mcps-program-changes-concerns/

Good, and we need a lot more of this. It was strategic that they introduced this proposal during the summer, when fewer parents and teachers are paying attention. They sought no input, and they thought they could build momentum for it before there the pushback.

The best comment is the final line: “Because we can have all these wonderful regions … but if we still have a disparity in the outcomes, are we really putting the equity lens on that?” This is what I keep coming back to regarding the proposal: what does it actually fix? What's the point of destroying these great programs? There's no logic or rationale to it.

They are not destroying the programs. They are expanding access to the programs for the great many who are able to handle the rigor but did not have application luck.

They ARE dismantling the magnet programs. There are insufficient teachers who can teach advanced programs. From the article: Taylor said the district’s recommendation includes areas of certification the district offers, but he doesn’t know if there’s interest from faculty to “dive in and hyper-specialize.”

He doesn't know. That means he is making decisions with insufficient information. You can't expand programs without trained, hyper-specialized teachers for those programs.

The actual number of highly able students are insufficient to form regional magnets. We aren't provided information on these numbers because it likely would show that the number of highly able students cab't support rigorous magnets in all regions.

+1 The regional IB programs IBDP pass rate is much lower than RMIB's. That tells you that even the 4 regional programs they created a few years ago aren't as successful. Those programs don't offer some of the HL classes that RMIB does. Why? Because there is not enough interest and probably the teachers don't want to teach it/aren't certified to teach it.

And now MCPS wants to expand it to 6 regionals? Makes zero sense to do that.

Why would Taylor want to break something that is highly successful? I listen to staff, and it seems like they have already made up their minds, but don't really have the data to back up their actions. getting rid of the magnet programming will have negative consequences for the school district.

Who says it's highly successful? A few parents who don't want to change? I don't see it--there's just a few school clusters benefitting from the most selective programs (which points to the issue that the programs are too far away or too inaccessible for some parts of the county).

Any programs that produces more NMSF winners than all other county high schools COMBINED, I would consider them highly successful.

Unfortunately, no program in the county does that.

Shows how little you know about magnets

Actually, it shows that I know more about the magnets than you do.
No program in the county produces more NMSFS than all the other county schools combined. None

appears magnet programs collectively produced 87 (blair, RM, and PHS) out of 140 total for mcps. that's pretty special if you ask me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pushback on the viability of recreating magnet programs on regional basis:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/13/mcps-program-changes-concerns/

Good, and we need a lot more of this. It was strategic that they introduced this proposal during the summer, when fewer parents and teachers are paying attention. They sought no input, and they thought they could build momentum for it before there the pushback.

The best comment is the final line: “Because we can have all these wonderful regions … but if we still have a disparity in the outcomes, are we really putting the equity lens on that?” This is what I keep coming back to regarding the proposal: what does it actually fix? What's the point of destroying these great programs? There's no logic or rationale to it.

They are not destroying the programs. They are expanding access to the programs for the great many who are able to handle the rigor but did not have application luck.

They ARE dismantling the magnet programs. There are insufficient teachers who can teach advanced programs. From the article: Taylor said the district’s recommendation includes areas of certification the district offers, but he doesn’t know if there’s interest from faculty to “dive in and hyper-specialize.”

He doesn't know. That means he is making decisions with insufficient information. You can't expand programs without trained, hyper-specialized teachers for those programs.

The actual number of highly able students are insufficient to form regional magnets. We aren't provided information on these numbers because it likely would show that the number of highly able students cab't support rigorous magnets in all regions.

+1 The regional IB programs IBDP pass rate is much lower than RMIB's. That tells you that even the 4 regional programs they created a few years ago aren't as successful. Those programs don't offer some of the HL classes that RMIB does. Why? Because there is not enough interest and probably the teachers don't want to teach it/aren't certified to teach it.

And now MCPS wants to expand it to 6 regionals? Makes zero sense to do that.

Why would Taylor want to break something that is highly successful? I listen to staff, and it seems like they have already made up their minds, but don't really have the data to back up their actions. getting rid of the magnet programming will have negative consequences for the school district.

Who says it's highly successful? A few parents who don't want to change? I don't see it--there's just a few school clusters benefitting from the most selective programs (which points to the issue that the programs are too far away or too inaccessible for some parts of the county).

Any programs that produces more NMSF winners than all other county high schools COMBINED, I would consider them highly successful.

Unfortunately, no program in the county does that.

Shows how little you know about magnets

Actually, it shows that I know more about the magnets than you do.
No program in the county produces more NMSFS than all the other county schools combined. None

appears magnet programs collectively produced 87 (blair, RM, and PHS) out of 140 total for mcps. that's pretty special if you ask me

You will not see those numbers once regional approach is implemented.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have the wrong type or unpopular type of view of these things.

But our kids didn't get into the GT or magnet programs. There were a couple of years where they made it to the lottery but didn't get selected. The same with some of their classmates and our neighbors.

Personally for our family we were okay with it.

The GT, IB and magnet programs are supposed to be for the academically elite, where only the top get in. We were perfectly fine with our kids not making it and going to our local school and is one of the reasons why we chose to live where we do.

As others are trying to say, if you increase the number and seats of the programs, it dilutes the programs and isn't as rigorous or advanced like how the programs are now. Which people are saying they are okay with because it suits the needs of the many instead of the very few.

But another way of looking at it, is that maybe MCPS should be focusing on improving the instruction and quality at their individual schools. So those students who don't get in to the county wide programs (either by not quite qualifying or just not get selected by the lottery) will still get the class selection and level that that they need. Instead of having some mediocre programs that might not be better than some of the local schools around here. And the issue with the offering of the potentially mediocre is that it sounds like they're going to change the current countywide program which is considered top tier.

I had to stop myself from posting in this thread:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1287572.page

Because know that people will attack me as entitled. But I think there's something very wrong if a school doesn't have a track for students to take Algebra I by seventh grade and they have to look to going to a different school just to get on that track. But that just goes to show how there are different standards at different schools within the county and this is starting at elementary school. By the time students get to high school and eligible for these magnet/regional programs, students from different schools won't be on the same level based on the math tracks offered by their elementary schools.

Well noted.

Are you willing to fund other schools differentially enough for them to provide that level of education to their population in need of greater rigor, given that that might require smaller classes than in your area? Are you willing to fund much better ability identification, so that the needs of kids with potential are addressed via public mechanisms where family-based prep currently dominates?

This likely would mean higher taxes or less funding for your area, presuming the area you chose is as you describe because of the relatively high wealth/academic support available from families.

I'm all for provide resources and funding to help raise up disadvantaged and at risk student groups and they absolutely should.

BUT I am not willing to pay higher taxes if I do not see that I'm getting the value from it or even worse less than before. ie how MCPS appears to be lowering the standards for everyone and trying to take away advanced tracks.

Part of the issue with what MCPS is doing, as others have been posting, is that MCPS is lowering the bar rather than trying to bring the groups up to it.

It should not cost extra money to bring higher level classes to all schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have the wrong type or unpopular type of view of these things.

But our kids didn't get into the GT or magnet programs. There were a couple of years where they made it to the lottery but didn't get selected. The same with some of their classmates and our neighbors.

Personally for our family we were okay with it.

The GT, IB and magnet programs are supposed to be for the academically elite, where only the top get in. We were perfectly fine with our kids not making it and going to our local school and is one of the reasons why we chose to live where we do.

As others are trying to say, if you increase the number and seats of the programs, it dilutes the programs and isn't as rigorous or advanced like how the programs are now. Which people are saying they are okay with because it suits the needs of the many instead of the very few.

But another way of looking at it, is that maybe MCPS should be focusing on improving the instruction and quality at their individual schools. So those students who don't get in to the county wide programs (either by not quite qualifying or just not get selected by the lottery) will still get the class selection and level that that they need. Instead of having some mediocre programs that might not be better than some of the local schools around here. And the issue with the offering of the potentially mediocre is that it sounds like they're going to change the current countywide program which is considered top tier.

I had to stop myself from posting in this thread:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1287572.page

Because know that people will attack me as entitled. But I think there's something very wrong if a school doesn't have a track for students to take Algebra I by seventh grade and they have to look to going to a different school just to get on that track. But that just goes to show how there are different standards at different schools within the county and this is starting at elementary school. By the time students get to high school and eligible for these magnet/regional programs, students from different schools won't be on the same level based on the math tracks offered by their elementary schools.

Well noted.

Are you willing to fund other schools differentially enough for them to provide that level of education to their population in need of greater rigor, given that that might require smaller classes than in your area? Are you willing to fund much better ability identification, so that the needs of kids with potential are addressed via public mechanisms where family-based prep currently dominates?

This likely would mean higher taxes or less funding for your area, presuming the area you chose is as you describe because of the relatively high wealth/academic support available from families.

I'm all for provide resources and funding to help raise up disadvantaged and at risk student groups and they absolutely should.

BUT I am not willing to pay higher taxes if I do not see that I'm getting the value from it or even worse less than before. ie how MCPS appears to be lowering the standards for everyone and trying to take away advanced tracks.

Part of the issue with what MCPS is doing, as others have been posting, is that MCPS is lowering the bar rather than trying to bring the groups up to it.

Also that is basically what Title I and Focus school funds are for. And I'm all for it and expanding something like that to help the at risk populations. Even if it comes directly from the MCPS budget.

And I may be taking it a step too far now but if they do that, they should also let communities donate to their school. Where in the past the BOE had denied some donations because they declared that it wasn't equitable. For example in another school system, a school's booster club raised money to renovate the school weightroom but BOE denied it saying it wouldn't be equitable. I know it gets tricky because than people will say that communities are treating their schools as if it were private schools. But if MCPS isn't allocating funds equally among schools, then communities should be allowed to make up for it.(not in terms of funding for staff and teachers of course)

The w schools aready have so much more. Additional funding should go to the other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have the wrong type or unpopular type of view of these things.

But our kids didn't get into the GT or magnet programs. There were a couple of years where they made it to the lottery but didn't get selected. The same with some of their classmates and our neighbors.

Personally for our family we were okay with it.

The GT, IB and magnet programs are supposed to be for the academically elite, where only the top get in. We were perfectly fine with our kids not making it and going to our local school and is one of the reasons why we chose to live where we do.

As others are trying to say, if you increase the number and seats of the programs, it dilutes the programs and isn't as rigorous or advanced like how the programs are now. Which people are saying they are okay with because it suits the needs of the many instead of the very few.

But another way of looking at it, is that maybe MCPS should be focusing on improving the instruction and quality at their individual schools. So those students who don't get in to the county wide programs (either by not quite qualifying or just not get selected by the lottery) will still get the class selection and level that that they need. Instead of having some mediocre programs that might not be better than some of the local schools around here. And the issue with the offering of the potentially mediocre is that it sounds like they're going to change the current countywide program which is considered top tier.

I had to stop myself from posting in this thread:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1287572.page

Because know that people will attack me as entitled. But I think there's something very wrong if a school doesn't have a track for students to take Algebra I by seventh grade and they have to look to going to a different school just to get on that track. But that just goes to show how there are different standards at different schools within the county and this is starting at elementary school. By the time students get to high school and eligible for these magnet/regional programs, students from different schools won't be on the same level based on the math tracks offered by their elementary schools.

Well noted.

Are you willing to fund other schools differentially enough for them to provide that level of education to their population in need of greater rigor, given that that might require smaller classes than in your area? Are you willing to fund much better ability identification, so that the needs of kids with potential are addressed via public mechanisms where family-based prep currently dominates?

This likely would mean higher taxes or less funding for your area, presuming the area you chose is as you describe because of the relatively high wealth/academic support available from families.

I'm all for provide resources and funding to help raise up disadvantaged and at risk student groups and they absolutely should.

BUT I am not willing to pay higher taxes if I do not see that I'm getting the value from it or even worse less than before. ie how MCPS appears to be lowering the standards for everyone and trying to take away advanced tracks.

Part of the issue with what MCPS is doing, as others have been posting, is that MCPS is lowering the bar rather than trying to bring the groups up to it.

Also that is basically what Title I and Focus school funds are for. And I'm all for it and expanding something like that to help the at risk populations. Even if it comes directly from the MCPS budget.

And I may be taking it a step too far now but if they do that, they should also let communities donate to their school. Where in the past the BOE had denied some donations because they declared that it wasn't equitable. For example in another school system, a school's booster club raised money to renovate the school weightroom but BOE denied it saying it wouldn't be equitable. I know it gets tricky because than people will say that communities are treating their schools as if it were private schools. But if MCPS isn't allocating funds equally among schools, then communities should be allowed to make up for it.(not in terms of funding for staff and teachers of course)

The w schools aready have so much more. Additional funding should go to the other schools.

So much more? Care to explain?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pushback on the viability of recreating magnet programs on regional basis:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/13/mcps-program-changes-concerns/

Good, and we need a lot more of this. It was strategic that they introduced this proposal during the summer, when fewer parents and teachers are paying attention. They sought no input, and they thought they could build momentum for it before there the pushback.

The best comment is the final line: “Because we can have all these wonderful regions … but if we still have a disparity in the outcomes, are we really putting the equity lens on that?” This is what I keep coming back to regarding the proposal: what does it actually fix? What's the point of destroying these great programs? There's no logic or rationale to it.

They are not destroying the programs. They are expanding access to the programs for the great many who are able to handle the rigor but did not have application luck.

They ARE dismantling the magnet programs. There are insufficient teachers who can teach advanced programs. From the article: Taylor said the district’s recommendation includes areas of certification the district offers, but he doesn’t know if there’s interest from faculty to “dive in and hyper-specialize.”

He doesn't know. That means he is making decisions with insufficient information. You can't expand programs without trained, hyper-specialized teachers for those programs.

The actual number of highly able students are insufficient to form regional magnets. We aren't provided information on these numbers because it likely would show that the number of highly able students cab't support rigorous magnets in all regions.

+1 The regional IB programs IBDP pass rate is much lower than RMIB's. That tells you that even the 4 regional programs they created a few years ago aren't as successful. Those programs don't offer some of the HL classes that RMIB does. Why? Because there is not enough interest and probably the teachers don't want to teach it/aren't certified to teach it.

And now MCPS wants to expand it to 6 regionals? Makes zero sense to do that.

Why would Taylor want to break something that is highly successful? I listen to staff, and it seems like they have already made up their minds, but don't really have the data to back up their actions. getting rid of the magnet programming will have negative consequences for the school district.

Who says it's highly successful? A few parents who don't want to change? I don't see it--there's just a few school clusters benefitting from the most selective programs (which points to the issue that the programs are too far away or too inaccessible for some parts of the county).

Any programs that produces more NMSF winners than all other county high schools COMBINED, I would consider them highly successful.

Unfortunately, no program in the county does that.

Shows how little you know about magnets

Actually, it shows that I know more about the magnets than you do.
No program in the county produces more NMSFS than all the other county schools combined. None

appears magnet programs collectively produced 87 (blair, RM, and PHS) out of 140 total for mcps. that's pretty special if you ask me

That's collectively, not single program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pushback on the viability of recreating magnet programs on regional basis:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/13/mcps-program-changes-concerns/

Good, and we need a lot more of this. It was strategic that they introduced this proposal during the summer, when fewer parents and teachers are paying attention. They sought no input, and they thought they could build momentum for it before there the pushback.

The best comment is the final line: “Because we can have all these wonderful regions … but if we still have a disparity in the outcomes, are we really putting the equity lens on that?” This is what I keep coming back to regarding the proposal: what does it actually fix? What's the point of destroying these great programs? There's no logic or rationale to it.

They are not destroying the programs. They are expanding access to the programs for the great many who are able to handle the rigor but did not have application luck.

They ARE dismantling the magnet programs. There are insufficient teachers who can teach advanced programs. From the article: Taylor said the district’s recommendation includes areas of certification the district offers, but he doesn’t know if there’s interest from faculty to “dive in and hyper-specialize.”

He doesn't know. That means he is making decisions with insufficient information. You can't expand programs without trained, hyper-specialized teachers for those programs.

The actual number of highly able students are insufficient to form regional magnets. We aren't provided information on these numbers because it likely would show that the number of highly able students cab't support rigorous magnets in all regions.

+1 The regional IB programs IBDP pass rate is much lower than RMIB's. That tells you that even the 4 regional programs they created a few years ago aren't as successful. Those programs don't offer some of the HL classes that RMIB does. Why? Because there is not enough interest and probably the teachers don't want to teach it/aren't certified to teach it.

And now MCPS wants to expand it to 6 regionals? Makes zero sense to do that.

Why would Taylor want to break something that is highly successful? I listen to staff, and it seems like they have already made up their minds, but don't really have the data to back up their actions. getting rid of the magnet programming will have negative consequences for the school district.

Who says it's highly successful? A few parents who don't want to change? I don't see it--there's just a few school clusters benefitting from the most selective programs (which points to the issue that the programs are too far away or too inaccessible for some parts of the county).

Any programs that produces more NMSF winners than all other county high schools COMBINED, I would consider them highly successful.

Unfortunately, no program in the county does that.

Shows how little you know about magnets

Actually, it shows that I know more about the magnets than you do.
No program in the county produces more NMSFS than all the other county schools combined. None

appears magnet programs collectively produced 87 (blair, RM, and PHS) out of 140 total for mcps. that's pretty special if you ask me

That's collectively, not single program.

Genius.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pushback on the viability of recreating magnet programs on regional basis:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/13/mcps-program-changes-concerns/

Good, and we need a lot more of this. It was strategic that they introduced this proposal during the summer, when fewer parents and teachers are paying attention. They sought no input, and they thought they could build momentum for it before there the pushback.

The best comment is the final line: “Because we can have all these wonderful regions … but if we still have a disparity in the outcomes, are we really putting the equity lens on that?” This is what I keep coming back to regarding the proposal: what does it actually fix? What's the point of destroying these great programs? There's no logic or rationale to it.

They are not destroying the programs. They are expanding access to the programs for the great many who are able to handle the rigor but did not have application luck.

They ARE dismantling the magnet programs. There are insufficient teachers who can teach advanced programs. From the article: Taylor said the district’s recommendation includes areas of certification the district offers, but he doesn’t know if there’s interest from faculty to “dive in and hyper-specialize.”

He doesn't know. That means he is making decisions with insufficient information. You can't expand programs without trained, hyper-specialized teachers for those programs.

The actual number of highly able students are insufficient to form regional magnets. We aren't provided information on these numbers because it likely would show that the number of highly able students cab't support rigorous magnets in all regions.

+1 The regional IB programs IBDP pass rate is much lower than RMIB's. That tells you that even the 4 regional programs they created a few years ago aren't as successful. Those programs don't offer some of the HL classes that RMIB does. Why? Because there is not enough interest and probably the teachers don't want to teach it/aren't certified to teach it.

And now MCPS wants to expand it to 6 regionals? Makes zero sense to do that.

Why would Taylor want to break something that is highly successful? I listen to staff, and it seems like they have already made up their minds, but don't really have the data to back up their actions. getting rid of the magnet programming will have negative consequences for the school district.

Who says it's highly successful? A few parents who don't want to change? I don't see it--there's just a few school clusters benefitting from the most selective programs (which points to the issue that the programs are too far away or too inaccessible for some parts of the county).

Any programs that produces more NMSF winners than all other county high schools COMBINED, I would consider them highly successful.

Unfortunately, no program in the county does that.

Shows how little you know about magnets

Actually, it shows that I know more about the magnets than you do.
No program in the county produces more NMSFS than all the other county schools combined. None

appears magnet programs collectively produced 87 (blair, RM, and PHS) out of 140 total for mcps. that's pretty special if you ask me

That's collectively, not single program.

Genius.

That was the claim, idiot

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pushback on the viability of recreating magnet programs on regional basis:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/13/mcps-program-changes-concerns/

Good, and we need a lot more of this. It was strategic that they introduced this proposal during the summer, when fewer parents and teachers are paying attention. They sought no input, and they thought they could build momentum for it before there the pushback.

The best comment is the final line: “Because we can have all these wonderful regions … but if we still have a disparity in the outcomes, are we really putting the equity lens on that?” This is what I keep coming back to regarding the proposal: what does it actually fix? What's the point of destroying these great programs? There's no logic or rationale to it.

They are not destroying the programs. They are expanding access to the programs for the great many who are able to handle the rigor but did not have application luck.

They ARE dismantling the magnet programs. There are insufficient teachers who can teach advanced programs. From the article: Taylor said the district’s recommendation includes areas of certification the district offers, but he doesn’t know if there’s interest from faculty to “dive in and hyper-specialize.”

He doesn't know. That means he is making decisions with insufficient information. You can't expand programs without trained, hyper-specialized teachers for those programs.

The actual number of highly able students are insufficient to form regional magnets. We aren't provided information on these numbers because it likely would show that the number of highly able students cab't support rigorous magnets in all regions.

+1 The regional IB programs IBDP pass rate is much lower than RMIB's. That tells you that even the 4 regional programs they created a few years ago aren't as successful. Those programs don't offer some of the HL classes that RMIB does. Why? Because there is not enough interest and probably the teachers don't want to teach it/aren't certified to teach it.

And now MCPS wants to expand it to 6 regionals? Makes zero sense to do that.

Why would Taylor want to break something that is highly successful? I listen to staff, and it seems like they have already made up their minds, but don't really have the data to back up their actions. getting rid of the magnet programming will have negative consequences for the school district.

Who says it's highly successful? A few parents who don't want to change? I don't see it--there's just a few school clusters benefitting from the most selective programs (which points to the issue that the programs are too far away or too inaccessible for some parts of the county).

Any programs that produces more NMSF winners than all other county high schools COMBINED, I would consider them highly successful.

Unfortunately, no program in the county does that.

Shows how little you know about magnets

Actually, it shows that I know more about the magnets than you do.
No program in the county produces more NMSFS than all the other county schools combined. None

appears magnet programs collectively produced 87 (blair, RM, and PHS) out of 140 total for mcps. that's pretty special if you ask me

That's collectively, not single program.

Genius.

That was the claim, idiot

Oh nice. The magnet program does produce more NMSF than all other high schools combined. It’s a factually correct statement. Use your common sense. Dimwit.