Reply to Gifted & talented programs and magnet school opportunities in the public schools?

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Reply to "Gifted & talented programs and magnet school opportunities in the public schools?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]As predicted, OP's question has become yet another debate on expanding the magnets, so I may as well weigh in.

I think expanding access to the HS magnets is a good thing, EVEN IF it means some incremental drop in "rigor" in the formerly county-wide magnets.

Right now, MCPS has an approach that seeks to max out the potential of a handful of kids while leaving the rest with almost no access to differentiated or enriched instruction until 11th grade.

This is the wrong approach for a public school system, particularly one with as many high achievers as MCPS has.

There's no denying that expanding access from the "top" 1% to the "top" 5% will make some sort of a difference, but not a meaningful one and certainly not one that should stop MCPS from expanding the programs. [/quote]

I agree more access is needed. But why can’t MCPS preserve a well established program and allow top 1% continue to access it while having other top 5% programs. It’s a mistake to kill these nationally recognized successful programs just for equity. Many people chose to live in Montgomery county due to these programs. 
[/quote]

We don't know that any programs will be "killed."[/quote]

Limiting access to only a few schools is essentially killing the program. In a few years, they won’t be able to compete at the state or national level, the very competitions that built their reputation.  With the top 1% of students spread across six regions, it’s possible that none of the MCPS magnet programs will be able to compete with FCPS, or even HCPS in the future. [/quote]

Did it kill the program when Blair stopped being countywide when Poolesville's program opened? No.[/quote]

But Nicky Hazel said (see a previous thread) that they will make Blair, Poolesville and RMIB opening to its own regional HSs once the regional model is passed. This basically means the end of these prestigious programs.  [/quote]

PP's point (which I agree with) was that Blair used to be whole-of-county, and then they reduced the attendance zone by opening Poolesville.

Did that kill the program? [/quote]

It did make this program less stronger but not kill it. 16 HSs including all "W"s and BCC partially contributing to keep it strong. A lot of higher-level classes do not appear on the menu for Poolsville SMACs because of lack of qualified teachers and enough students that can be challenged to that level. [/quote]

So now the Blair program is less strong.  Pick a lane.[/quote]

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