Reply to Jackson Reed - why do their public presentations not talk about APs?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have visited DCPS and MCPS schools, and the difference in the public discussion of academics in open houses is striking. MCPS principals will up-front address acceleration. I even heard one say “It is our obligation to give students the challenge they need.” Long discussions of math tracking and selection of classes.

In DCPS, academics seem to be practically a dirty word at open houses. Parents who ask about it get stared at questioningly, as if they just ripped a big fart. [/quote]

I was just chatting with a friend in Moco schools and was blown away at the support for academic rigor, there are multiple magnet middle schools, her kid is in 5th grade and they tested kids to determine if any were eligible, he was automatically offered a seat at a STEM middle magnet (but they are turning it down), lots of accelerated classes in his elem school to for math and reading.  
Why is DC so afraid of this?  Perfomative equity.  meaning all kids get a mediocre education and honors/AP "for all"[/quote]

Ha. You are not automatically offered a spot in a STEM middle school if you qualify in MCPS.

We moved from DCPS to MCPS in ES for access to accelerated programming and have been disappointed outside of math. Our kids qualified for the GT magnet programs for both elementary and middle schools. What that means is that you are thrown into a lottery, and it's all luck of the draw. The vast majority of kids who are qualified do not get in. There is nothing automatic about it.

However, there is acceleration in math available to all kids who qualify. All ES offer "compacted" math to kids who qualify, allowing them to compact 3 years of Math (math 4, math 5, and math 6) into two years. There is further compaction in middle school available for those who do well with the compaction in ES, so a fair number of students end up taking Algebra 1 in 7th grade. Some can take it in 6th, but that is rare (and requires students to accelerate outside of MCPS).

MCPS has largely gone the "honors for all" model outside of math. At B-CC, all students take honors English 9 and 10, which is really just on-level. They do offer honors science classes, but the honors and on-level science students are mixed together in the same class -- the honors just means taking a harder test. The only really accelearation avialable outside of math is through AP/IB courses.

The grass is not always greener. We have found MCPS to be fine, but I suspect it's similar to the experience at WOTP DCPS. [/quote]

I think you may not know how bad DCPS is. I went to MCPS and DCPS open houses and the differences are stark. Did your kid barely read any books or have any writing assignments all through MS? [b]The fact that MCPS has compacted math and a clear pathway for kids who want to accelerate is huge. In DCPS you may be able to do that, but there will NEVER be an articulated, clearly discussed and supported way to do that.[/b] Because we are not supposed to publicy discuss or support advanced kids. It may be that some MCPS and DCPS kids end up in the same place but a lot of DCPS kids are left behind. [/quote]

I had two kids go through Deal in the last five years, and the accelerated math pathway was extremely clearly articulated for both. At 6th grade orientation for both kids, Ms. Neal carefully walked through the different paths. Is that no longer happening?[/quote]

It’s clear to my current 7th grader. Who has also finished all the books they’ve read this year. DCUM goes off the rails sometimes, and it seems like this is one of those threads. [/quote]

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