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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Wow, STEM magnet with a 60th percentile score. I can see giving some boost for higher FARM rates, but this seems excessive.  60th national percentile might actually be below average in MCPS.[/quote]

I'm going to ask a dumb question.  If a child is in 60th percentile and another child is in the 92% percentile, aren't' the 2 children at different levels?  How does attending the magnet program help either student?   [/quote]

They are, but the theory MCPS is working with here is that the MS magnets aren't just for kids who are already high achievers, but also for those who have the potential to excel and would not have a peer group at their home MS. The eight elementary schools with that low threshold are also *incredibly* high needs. Unlike some of the moderate FARMS schools, there really are very few MS kids in those eight schools. They exist, but these are schools with 90+ percent of kids receiving FARMS. So, there's a good chance that any random kid you pull out of that pool is experiencing real poverty, may be an English Language Learner, and has parents who may not speak English and may not have the resources to push in extensive prep.

So, the MCPS theory is that a kid hitting 60% with those disadvantages might have the same potential as a kid hitting 95% with every advantage in the world.

Of course, it's not a perfect system because it's based on averages. Not every single kid at Arcola is poor, and not every single kid at Bethesda is getting test prep on the weekends, but MCPS is looking at averages. [/quote]
What I am curious about are three things. First, whether MCPS has any data on the educational impact of FARMS students moving from high FARMS to low FARMS schools? Second, I would like to understand how they consider this scenario: a non-FARMS student in a high FARMs school receiving advantage in selection than a FARMS student in a low FARMS school. Perhaps that is the goal? Third, what is the appropriate level of education to meet the needs of the high performing kids that are not selected?[/quote]

I think right now they're just letting in more mediocre non-farm students from high farm schools into the programs. It's a penalty for farm students living in non-farm school neighborhood. It would be interesting to see current 6th and 7th grade magnet program MAP profile side by side comparison with all other individual MS MAP profile. I suspect some schools in low farm area may even outperform magnet programs. MCPS need to address the needs for high performing students that are not selected through lottery. [/quote]

DP but no, they really don’t.  High-performing students, especially those from wealthier areas, do not need another leg up.  They do not need extra public resources when SO many kids are behind and do need that help.  I’m happy for my tax dollars to go towards boosting up the kids who live in poverty - not so much for them to go towards giving already advantaged kids still more advantage.

MCPS’s system is imperfect, but I appreciate what they’re trying to do.  I have little sympathy for parents who deliberately sequester themselves in wealthy areas and then whine that their kids aren’t receiving still more enrichment from the *public* school system.[/quote]

We can agree to disagree. I think the public school system is designed to provide a free and appropriate public education to all students. I don’t think it needs to be an either/or, that if they need to give extra resources to needier students that they cannot also meet the needs of gifted learners. It actually isn’t very expensive in terms of dollars to offer accelerated/enriched courses. The 6th graders still need to take English no matter their level. I don’t think it would cost more to have them study books at the appropriate depth rather than re-read at grade level books they read in 4th grade. [/quote]

Are you mcps?   You are right in ms it would not cost more but in ms my kids have read two books a year.  Not a quality education.  [/quote]

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