Reply to Starr on Kojo's Show on Math Acceleration

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Reply to "Starr on Kojo's Show on Math Acceleration"

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[quote=Anonymous]In this age of technology and America's potential diminshing global power and relevance I wonder why any public school system would not have a transparent and efficient standard procedure and process for allowing able students to advance -- particularly in math and science.

The lack of a clear plan is comical in a $2 billion/year enterprise (MCPS).

If the grade placement regulations of the public school system permit students to have a spread of 2 years (in any given grade) why doesn't the system anticipate there will be a range in physical and academic performance at each grade level?

Is the goal here a fixed and hard ceiling of delivered education at each grade level -- despite a 2 year difference in the ages of boys and girls at each level and accompanying considerable variation in input, output and performance?

Is this a sustainable strategy in the 21st century -- particularly for subjects like math and science?

Is this sustainable in Montgomery County and the area -- home to National Science Foundation, NIST, NIH and a large biotechnology corridor (to name a few enterpises besides law firms, K street, think tanks and non profit foundations)?

Will this geographical area start to lose jobs to other regions and shores because of opaque public school policies, motivations and agendae in the early education pipeline making it onerous (and near impossible) for able and willing capable students in math and science to advance?  By the time many kids hit middle school or high school the phobias about math and science become entrenched and begin to limit academic and career options and choices.  No one is advocating math and science as the holy grail but I have seen far too many kids over the years who regret, as they grow and mature in school, not pursuing academic interests in these and related areas because of a fear of inadequacy in math and having to work too hard in over drive for lack (real or perceived) inadequate preparation.

Getting this right starts now in elementary school with curriculum 2.0.  Starr, the Board of Education and MCPS take heed.  Beware of suffocating children more than ready to move on to the next level.[/quote]

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