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[quote=Anonymous]I'm a long-time complainer about MCPS, but I am not a determined complainer.  Here's what I want:

1.  A strong curriculum.  I am hopeful that with MCPS finally agreeing to purchase one, we may finally get one, or at least one that's better than what the MCPS curriculum department produced.

2.  Ability grouping:

On the middle school level I would suggest something similar to the High school model where kids select the level they want.  I don't think there should be gatekeeping.  I don't think courses should be watered down.

On the elementary school level I favor a model of flexible ability grouping where kids are separated according to ability, but with the intention of helping children reach higher ability groups.  Here's an article about one school that seems to have done this effectively:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/03/AR2007110301167.html?sid=ST2007110301386&noredirect=on

3.  A grading system that is more transparent and meaningful.  Over the years I have seen changes which seem designed to obfuscate a student's academic weaknesses which also obscured the weaknesses of the school system. I would suggest the following changes, but think a larger discussion would be helpful:

* Every assignment would be graded for correctness and not just checked for completion.

* There would be no minimum grades.

* There would not be automatic retesting, but students could be given the opportunity to do extra credit work at their teachers' discretion.

* Classes at the middle school and high school levels would have cumulative finals.

I do commend MCPS for dropping the P/I/ES/N elementary grading system on report cards.  It was not clearly defined and was inconsistently applied.  [/quote]

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