Reply to What is the real reason MCPS uses Lottery for Middle School Magnet Program

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Ask what percentage of the magnet seats were gained by students that were enrolled in test prep schools. That is the more meaningful number. I don't believe the seats are parsed out by demographics.  Many people do believe they were. Hence the lawsuits. But, again, without numbers on the pipeline between test prep classes and the magnet seats this investigative discussion is missing important details. Those along with how the process seems to have changed several times these past few years.

This debate is pointless without both tranches of data. [/quote]

Test prep is a red herring. MCPS switched to universal testing to increase participation of black and Hispanic students. Full stop. Then they switched to a “lottery” because COGAT could not be administered and they were in the midst of a discrimination lawsuit based of their use of local norming and cohorts. I (and other parents on this thread) would like some transparency around “the lottery”. How much is FARMS weighted in this lottery? Is gender being used to balance classes. How are students being pulled out of the “waitpool” to build classes.[/quote]
Have they even said FARMS is a consideration? If they haven't said it is a factor, then why even ask that? Also gender balancing has always gone on with these programs. Don't need them to tell me how that's done either. It's obvious. In fact, the term lottery makes it all clear. [/quote]

It is not clear at all. Lottery is just the final step. We need to know what criteria they use to put the kids in the lottery pool. Do they even consider academic performance? What is the cutoff percentile? or Are they just look at the race of the students? Are there any quotas being set for specific race to be included in the lottery pool? There are so many questions that we do not know answers to.  It also appears that you are very clear on the process. Can you enlighten us parents with your wisdom?
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I agree with you that the process is not transparent enough, but I will note that MCPS can not take race into account for programs (that was an older lawsuit!). MCPS can use gender, income, and other things like having an IEP, receiving ESOL services, etc. MCPS uses FARMS as a proxy for race.[/quote]

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