Reply to [Live stream] County Council Education Working Session

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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]It is not realistic to implement so many big changes (6 regions, each with 6 core programs; 2 new high schools are up and running; running the grandfathered programs concurrently with the regional programs) in such a short time frame (they want to start signing students up NEXT FALL), given MCPS is still collecting data, does not have a staff or cost analysis, stakeholders have not been adequately engaged, and given the fiscal picture (the economy is shaky and our county is dependent on federal workers who are facing job loss). It is improbable that a fully fleshed out plan will be ready in December for BOE approval.

This enormous change is going to cost a lot of $$$$$$$ that the county does not have, if equity is the priority. Field trips need to be equitably executed. Admissions to the programs needs to be transparent. Specialty teaching positions are already difficult to staff as it is, not to mention multiplying this by six new regions, and the devil is in the details--planning and logistics. It is not probable that all programs in all six regions will be fully staffed and ready to go in 2027 in an equitable manner.

Cluster assignments should have a robust amount of community engagement. The region assignments seem very random and unfair. MCPS only held focus groups for students from Damascus, Gaithersburg, Watkins Mill, Blake, Kennedy, Springbrook, and Richard Montgomery, which explains a lot. What about opinions from students from the 18 other high schools? And how were these students selected?

Moreover, the regional model is unlikely to improve the schools, [b]such as Kennedy HS, which is 60% under capacity[/b], that need the most help.

Jawando confirmed that all of the variables listed above need BOE approval.[/quote]

I don't know where that figure came from. Kennedy is currently 14% under capacity according to the latest CIP. 1880 students, 2173 capacity, which puts it at 86% full, right inside the desired window.

[url]https://gis.mcpsmd.org/cipmasterpdfs/MP26_Chapter4DCC.pdf[/url][/quote]

It came from councilmember Fani-Gonzales, who lives nearby. Watch the video.[/quote]

Council member was talking non-sense. It not 60% under capacity.[/quote]
Her point remains, that it’s under capacity. The solution needs to address the schools most in need.[/quote]

I don't get what point she was trying to make to be honest by 60% under capacity. It;s not 60% to begin with.

Do you think that 85% occupied school is an issue? Filling it more will make it a non-issue? if yes, then that's happening with boudary changes  and families, including council member, should be happy.

Since you understood it, can you please elaborate?

[/quote]

The IB program at Kennedy is running at 50-60% of capacity. [/quote]

It essentially accepts 100% of applicants. [/quote]

But in the regional model, WJ, Woodward, and Wheaton students would no longer have RMIB as an option, so the (untested) theory is they would apply to Kennedy IB instead.[/quote]

This is what concerns us… we’re dual citizens and really wanted IB which would make it easier for our kids to attend college abroad. We’re in the WJ walk zone but had our eye on RMIB (11-12 minute drive from our house). Now, the only IB option available to us will be Kennedy, which is a 45 minute drive from our house with morning traffic. Not a viable option. Unfortunately not having an IB diploma means that our kids will need additional pre-rec coursework, but there is no way we are having them commute to Kennedy when they can walk to WJ. Reputation of the schools aside, I highly doubt any WJ families who want IB will send their kids to Kennedy given the distance factor alone.  [/quote]
Where is it a 45 minute drive from? I don't think that is accurate. Though I will give you that it might take your DC an hour or more to get there with the transportation model they are proposing.

FYI note that in October 2024, a grand total of 42 students from WJ attended RMIB - or 1.4% of the WJ students. With the current system getting into RMIB is a shot in the dark.[/quote]

We are on the western-most edge of the WJ boundary, west of the 270 but technically in the walk-zone for WJ. The 45-minute estimate to Kennedy accounts for traffic on Randolph Road. Without traffic we could possibly get there in 30 minutes.

I didn’t realize there were so few WJ-zoned families who send their kids to RMIB. Several neighbors we know opted for RMIB over WJ, but we live in an area with a lot of embassy/diplomat families who want IB for the same reasons as us so maybe my perception was skewed. In any case we will likely need to stick with WJ 
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