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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]A lot more kids could benefit from the criteria-based programs (Centers/Middle Math & Humanities Magnets/HS Application Programs)  than they have seats.  Maybe not everyone at the 85th percentile+, and maybe not all flying through, but easily 2-3 times the number of spaces.

The tragedy is the lack of uniformly great local school enrichments.  What they had pursued before for CES, with large high-ability local cohorts staying put ([b]only moving outliers with no manageable peer group to the Centers[/b]), could have worked if they really put muscle into it to make sure the local programs were implemented equitably, with all identified students having roughly equivalent enrichment experiences.  They hadn't gotten there yet due to relatively high local school autonomy in curricular matters (principals are too powerful) and the undercutting of the power of the central AEI office (no senior executive), despite that office being the one responsible for ensuring the state mandate to address GT need.

If MCPS isn't going to provide this, a more stringent state requirement, like an IEP, is needed.  It would be much more burdensome to implement individually, so MCPS would, by economics, be likely to address it more holistically, expanding magnet programming and/or ensuring good local implementation.[/quote]

This does not appear to be the case. We are aware of kids that are articulating from CES program into one of the lowest rated MS in the county with no cohort possible. MCPS seems to be gamifying the GT programs in the county by creating a large pool with no objective criteria. Everyone is confused and seeking alternatives instead.[/quote]

The only moving outliers bit was about elementary Centers for Enriched Studies.  They didn't have nearly the middle school slots at the magnets to do this there in the same way, and it wasn't a complete solution at that point anyway. They just haven't made GT programming enough of a priority to have anywhere close to enough for all the kids that would benefit.

As far as the criteria go, they are pretty objective, just unclear in the exact weighting of ESOL/IEP/504/FARMS elements to be in the pool, terribly incomplete (no real measurement of underlying ability), and probably too loose as a result (trying to catch anyone who *might* have that natural ability but not the supports -- teaching exposure due to cohort availability or family ability to supplement, etc.).  While this can help capture those kids, the likely larger proportion of kids with such ability-related need at the highest end of the range are not afforded a proportionately high likelihood of being selected due to the unweighted nature of the lottery selection, itself. [/quote]

What a sloppy job. They lowered the criteria and who knows how they conduct lottery. This is the craziest thing if 99th percentile did not get placed but 88the percentile is in the regional program[/quote]

It’s not “if” 99th percentile did not get placed but a 88th percentile did get placed, no if about it. It’s a fact. My DD has a 99 percentile in map m and map r and didn’t get placed, her friend with 85 percentile did get placed. This is MCPS plan all along. Give minority a greater chance and to effectively kick out Asians. But what this does is dilute the enrichment of the magnet pgm until its eventually is replaced with no pgm at all! It’s also not fair that a highly gifted student can’t get into the magnet![/quote]

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