Reply to Thursday Nov 20 BOE Discussion on Boundaries and Regional Program Model

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Btw an equity mindset would mean[b] placing programs in schools that have gaps.[/b] Like if there are zero advanced science classes at a school, put a science program there.

They are doing the opposite. They are putting programs at schools that already have the classes. Then they proposing having certain kids from other schools get driven by their parents to their home school to take a bus to this school that already has these classes to take them. [/quote]

[b]Highlighted sentence is exactly the reason why SMCS was originally established at Blair.[/b] Wootton and Churchill kids sacrifice long bus ride for an excellent education, and kids living in DCC area also benefits from (Blair kids can freely take any magnet class as long as prerequisite is met and counselor approves). CO can move this program to Kennedy or Gaithersburg. It’ll still be excellent and filled with majority of W kids. They can add one more closer to Ws so to allow more access. Dismantling it completely and make 6…… that’s as crazy as it sounds like.[/quote]
No.
Keep repeating that same lie, doesn't make it true. 
The magnet was placed there to stem white flight. [/quote]

DP I don't personally know the history of Blair's SMCS. That being said, if what you are saying is true, [b]isn't putting criteria based academic programs at Whitman and BCC[/b] that are only reasonably accessible to families with their own transportation a way to promote White flight?[/quote]
Whitman and BCC are not the only places that will have criteria based academic programs. STEM won't be at either places, for example. [/quote]

On Thursday they proposed an interest based engineering program at BCC. It will not attract kids struggling in math. 75% of Black students and 86% of Latino students in MCPS are not proficient in high school math.[/quote]

Central office is pulling programs out of the air; doesn't seem there is much rhyme or reason to many of them. [/quote]

BCC already has an engineering program. They will attract students from other schools with it which will increase the staff allocation for BCC. Can't say the same for the Einstein biomedical program that doesn't exist and won't get any resources.[/quote]

Both Whitman and BCC have engineering. That means Whitman students continue to have the same access they always had.

Northwood, Einstein, and Blair do not have engineering programs. DCC students who want engineering go to Wheaton, which is closer than BCC will be. Moreover, the DCC model allowed a few hundred non-Wheaton students per year to access the engineering program.

The new model will accept maybe 30 non-BCC students in the first few years. It seems like there won’t be limits on BCC students who want to sign up for engineering classes.

So basically, BCC and Whitman students will have unrestricted access to engineering, while 30 students from Blair, Einstein and Northwood will get into the program.

There’s no equity in this proposal and MCPS should stop pretending otherwise. [/quote]

I take your points although we are DTSS and closer to BCC than Wheaton.  I like the zoning of Region 1, except Whitman.

I think the local set asides are an issue.[/quote]

The issue of local access isn’t one-size fits all. For example, the music magnets are criteria based, but the criteria may just be “participated in middle school band or chorus.” And since music ensembles need a large number of kids, there’s not reason to restrict access for local students. Give magnets kids first priority for specialized classes like music theory, but band and chorus should be broadly accessible.

For the programs like SMCS, home school students shouldn’t have a better chance of admission than their regional peers. Give each cluster in the region the same number of seats.

Of course, that will make people mad because if there are middle school disparities, it will mean different levels of preparation for the rigor of the magnet, and the magnet itself might have to adjust to meet the needs of all enrolled students.

But that would means MCPS has strengthen middle and elementary schools to better prepare students. It’s easier to just let magnets become enclaves for students in the richest clusters. [/quote]

If schools are not given more music teachers and funding, and remember funding for music was cut, they aren’t going to be magnets as they cannot add more classes for the advanced students.  Anyone interested in the arts and wants to progress is doing it outside.  [/quote]

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