In 2016 the Metis report published sending data for HS magnet programs. This data is almost 10 years old now. It would be interesting to see more recent data. Especially post-covid. Anybody have recent data? This is the table from the appendix of the metis report.

Exhibit B4: Number of Students who Opted to Enroll in a Magnet or Application Program (2013–14), by
Home High School
School†† Number of students
Northwest HS 59
Thomas S. Wootton HS 44
Clarksburg HS 33
Quince Orchard HS 32
Winston Churchill HS 23
Col. Zadok Magruder HS 17
Walter Johnson HS 17
Damascus HS 15
Northwood HS 14
Gaithersburg HS 13
Watkins Mill HS 12
Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS 11
Albert Einstein HS * 9
Seneca Valley HS 9
Walt Whitman HS 9
James Hubert Blake HS 9
Sherwood HS 9
Springbrook HS 9
John F. Kennedy HS 8
Richard Montgomery HS * 8
Rockville HS 8
Montgomery Blair HS * 6
* Includes magnet application programs only; does not include other application programs that are part of the DCC.
*Does not include students who attended the magnet and were zoned for the school.
†† Data are not presented when N<5

Agree, not many top students apply from those high schools and if they do, many bow out due to lousy logistics. So those top students make the most of their homeschool opportunities.

Anonymous wrote:Correct as there is an upcountry magnet program for those schools. Blair is part of the DCC. You can always move to the less privileged area.

Yes you can always move an hour away and parents can have an 1-2 hour commute to 80% of the business office districts each way. Awesome sauce.

So now OP knows the gimmick.

And if moving is in the table, move to Boston.

Anonymous wrote:I have heard from other parents that kids that come from Whitman/Churchill/ BCC/Wooten are less likely to get into the magnet program than kids from less privileged areas. I’m not sure if this is just rumor or an actual policy meant to help diversity. Just wondering if there had been any public discussions if this by MoCo school administrators. Thanks.

The discussion is the following:
* the gifted community is underserved in the MCPS public school system, it has never grown even with the student population explosion.
* they out the small scale programs in places like Wheaton and silver spring and way up 270, and never in Bethesda- which has several huge high schools and spans 8+ zip codes and high density
* the grades 4-8 gifted options are even less and more egregious commutes, times and locations. Plus only accept you if no one else is smart in your school and grade (“no cohort”). If you do have a cohort you will not be accepted to the gifted or excellence program. Your peers can teach you or something.
* since it’s a barbell sanctuary city and county gifted programs have been deemed racist and inequitable. And all except the small Hs magnets hav even eliminated.
* there may finally be tracking brought back at home schools for grades 6-8. Seems like lots of homework and projects, of high quality

Correct as there is an upcountry magnet program for those schools. Blair is part of the DCC. You can always move to the less privileged area.

Admissions rates? Basically the west side of the 500 sq mile county doesn’t apply because the car pool or bus commute majorly sux. 1 hr in the AM and 1-2 hours in rush hour in the afternoon.
Not worth it and you’d have to quite your after school ECs.

There’s a reason the small handful of mcos magnet programs are in some of the more poorly performing giant high schools in far off locations…. better avg test scores and they have the seats!

I have heard from other parents that kids that come from Whitman/Churchill/ BCC/Wooten are less likely to get into the magnet program than kids from less privileged areas. I’m not sure if this is just rumor or an actual policy meant to help diversity. Just wondering if there had been any public discussions if this by MoCo school administrators. Thanks.