Anonymous
03/07/2026 15:19
Subject: Re:Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
MCPS shared a huge document in November that showed all the proposed course progressions for the regional programs. They’re very different from existing program course progressions, even when MCPS is slapping the same name on programs. And now the application process is going to be different too.
MCPS should be honest and admit that every program they currently have will end and be replaced by the new model. Some of the new programs have the same names but they won’t have the same staff, students, or classes. Kids in 7th grade and younger shouldn’t expect programs to look the same at the do now.
MCPS should be honest and admit that every program they currently have will end and be replaced by the new model. Some of the new programs have the same names but they won’t have the same staff, students, or classes. Kids in 7th grade and younger shouldn’t expect programs to look the same at the do now.
Anonymous
03/07/2026 15:11
Subject: Re:Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
Anonymous wrote:Interest based = all students get their name drawn out of a hat
Criteria based = students are "vetted" to see if they meet minimum criteria (like have they taken Alg 1 in 8th grade, do they have 1 yr foreign language). If yes, their name gets thrown in the hat.
Both are lottery processes. This was said in one of the obscure info zoom sessions earlier this spring, but never written in print.
Sad to see the stellar magnet programs become a shell of what they have been.
Allegedly, this will even be true for visual arts. Portfolios will be graded and all applicants getting a certain grade or higher will be thrown in the hat.
Anonymous
03/07/2026 14:19
Subject: Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS has been lying since October.
The Program Deign Team (who MCPS "deigns" to share their designs to) was notified that the criteria programs will be lottery based.
The non-lottery version, announced after parent resistance in October, was a lie to get parents off MCPS's back
Equity and Opportunity in MCPS are cancelled.
Ironically, MCPS middle scholers are studying Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" this week.
I am on the design team. We were told that a lottery for criteria-based magnets was something they were considering, but had not decided yet
(If so, it would not be pure lottery--it would be a "once you meet the criteria for entrance, you get selected by lottery rather than all the candidates being ranked and picking the top ones" type lottery. Somewhat like CES or MS except I think the idea is that the bar would be higher and there would be enough spots for most kids who meet the criteria with only a small number left out, which is very much not the case in ES/MS.)
Peter Ostrander seems very involved in the work on this at this point, so if anyone knows how he feels about lottery versus ranked selection, that might give some hints how this is going to go (although I'm sure he's not the only one involved in making the decision.)
Is Mr O explicit about what the criteria would be like for the new criteria-based programs? Right now the bar is incredibly low, for W schools, at least 80% of the student body meets the bars. So lottery would be a joke and the program as it’s not targeted to the supposed student body.
No, that hasn't been discussed yet. I think it is supposed to be on the agenda for one of our meetings in a few weeks.
But if you're talking about the ES and MS criteria, isn't it by definition only roughly the top 15% of the school? Which I think is still too low but is far from 80%.
Anonymous
03/07/2026 14:11
Subject: Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS has been lying since October.
The Program Deign Team (who MCPS "deigns" to share their designs to) was notified that the criteria programs will be lottery based.
The non-lottery version, announced after parent resistance in October, was a lie to get parents off MCPS's back
Equity and Opportunity in MCPS are cancelled.
Ironically, MCPS middle scholers are studying Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" this week.
I am on the design team. We were told that a lottery for criteria-based magnets was something they were considering, but had not decided yet
(If so, it would not be pure lottery--it would be a "once you meet the criteria for entrance, you get selected by lottery rather than all the candidates being ranked and picking the top ones" type lottery. Somewhat like CES or MS except I think the idea is that the bar would be higher and there would be enough spots for most kids who meet the criteria with only a small number left out, which is very much not the case in ES/MS.)
Peter Ostrander seems very involved in the work on this at this point, so if anyone knows how he feels about lottery versus ranked selection, that might give some hints how this is going to go (although I'm sure he's not the only one involved in making the decision.)
Is Mr O explicit about what the criteria would be like for the new criteria-based programs? Right now the bar is incredibly low, for W schools, at least 80% of the student body meets the bars. So lottery would be a joke and the program as it’s not targeted to the supposed student body.
What are you referring to with "right now"?
Or the strict minimum criteria for even applying to SMCS and RMIB?
You can check the current criteria. I remember for SMCS, it’s finishing Algebra 1 by 8th grade, GPA 3.0 or something like this. No bar for map-m. For RMIB, the require finishing at least 1-year foreign language. That’s it.
Anonymous
03/07/2026 14:08
Subject: Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
So the plan is to run nearly empty buses between schools between they are artificially limiting participation on the programs? This is a good use of budget?
Anonymous
03/07/2026 14:04
Subject: Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS has been lying since October.
The Program Deign Team (who MCPS "deigns" to share their designs to) was notified that the criteria programs will be lottery based.
The non-lottery version, announced after parent resistance in October, was a lie to get parents off MCPS's back
Equity and Opportunity in MCPS are cancelled.
Ironically, MCPS middle scholers are studying Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" this week.
I am on the design team. We were told that a lottery for criteria-based magnets was something they were considering, but had not decided yet
(If so, it would not be pure lottery--it would be a "once you meet the criteria for entrance, you get selected by lottery rather than all the candidates being ranked and picking the top ones" type lottery. Somewhat like CES or MS except I think the idea is that the bar would be higher and there would be enough spots for most kids who meet the criteria with only a small number left out, which is very much not the case in ES/MS.)
Peter Ostrander seems very involved in the work on this at this point, so if anyone knows how he feels about lottery versus ranked selection, that might give some hints how this is going to go (although I'm sure he's not the only one involved in making the decision.)
Is Mr O explicit about what the criteria would be like for the new criteria-based programs? Right now the bar is incredibly low, for W schools, at least 80% of the student body meets the bars. So lottery would be a joke and the program as it’s not targeted to the supposed student body.
What are you referring to with "right now"?
Or the strict minimum criteria for even applying to SMCS and RMIB?
Anonymous
03/07/2026 13:56
Subject: Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS has been lying since October.
The Program Deign Team (who MCPS "deigns" to share their designs to) was notified that the criteria programs will be lottery based.
The non-lottery version, announced after parent resistance in October, was a lie to get parents off MCPS's back
Equity and Opportunity in MCPS are cancelled.
Ironically, MCPS middle scholers are studying Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" this week.
I am on the design team. We were told that a lottery for criteria-based magnets was something they were considering, but had not decided yet
(If so, it would not be pure lottery--it would be a "once you meet the criteria for entrance, you get selected by lottery rather than all the candidates being ranked and picking the top ones" type lottery. Somewhat like CES or MS except I think the idea is that the bar would be higher and there would be enough spots for most kids who meet the criteria with only a small number left out, which is very much not the case in ES/MS.)
Peter Ostrander seems very involved in the work on this at this point, so if anyone knows how he feels about lottery versus ranked selection, that might give some hints how this is going to go (although I'm sure he's not the only one involved in making the decision.)
Is Mr O explicit about what the criteria would be like for the new criteria-based programs? Right now the bar is incredibly low, for W schools, at least 80% of the student body meets the bars. So lottery would be a joke and the program as it’s not targeted to the supposed student body.
Anonymous
03/07/2026 13:51
Subject: Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
Anonymous wrote:MCPS has been lying since October.
The Program Deign Team (who MCPS "deigns" to share their designs to) was notified that the criteria programs will be lottery based.
The non-lottery version, announced after parent resistance in October, was a lie to get parents off MCPS's back
Equity and Opportunity in MCPS are cancelled.
Ironically, MCPS middle scholers are studying Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" this week.
I am on the design team. We were told that a lottery for criteria-based magnets was something they were considering, but had not decided yet
(If so, it would not be pure lottery--it would be a "once you meet the criteria for entrance, you get selected by lottery rather than all the candidates being ranked and picking the top ones" type lottery. Somewhat like CES or MS except I think the idea is that the bar would be higher and there would be enough spots for most kids who meet the criteria with only a small number left out, which is very much not the case in ES/MS.)
Peter Ostrander seems very involved in the work on this at this point, so if anyone knows how he feels about lottery versus ranked selection, that might give some hints how this is going to go (although I'm sure he's not the only one involved in making the decision.)
Anonymous
03/07/2026 13:47
Subject: Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
Anonymous wrote:This isn’t surprising- that’s how the DCC worked.
And aren’t those some of the lower performing schools in the county?
Anonymous
03/07/2026 13:42
Subject: Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
This isn’t surprising- that’s how the DCC worked.
Anonymous
03/07/2026 13:34
Subject: Re:Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
Anonymous wrote:Interest based = all students get their name drawn out of a hat
Criteria based = students are "vetted" to see if they meet minimum criteria (like have they taken Alg 1 in 8th grade, do they have 1 yr foreign language). If yes, their name gets thrown in the hat.
Both are lottery processes. This was said in one of the obscure info zoom sessions earlier this spring, but never written in print.
Sad to see the stellar magnet programs become a shell of what they have been.
correction: not earlier this spring, but earlier this school year
Anonymous
03/07/2026 13:00
Subject: Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
So no criteria-based high school magnets in Montgomery County anymore?
Good bye.
Good bye.
Anonymous
03/07/2026 12:59
Subject: Re:Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
Interest based = all students get their name drawn out of a hat
Criteria based = students are "vetted" to see if they meet minimum criteria (like have they taken Alg 1 in 8th grade, do they have 1 yr foreign language). If yes, their name gets thrown in the hat.
Both are lottery processes. This was said in one of the obscure info zoom sessions earlier this spring, but never written in print.
Sad to see the stellar magnet programs become a shell of what they have been.
Criteria based = students are "vetted" to see if they meet minimum criteria (like have they taken Alg 1 in 8th grade, do they have 1 yr foreign language). If yes, their name gets thrown in the hat.
Both are lottery processes. This was said in one of the obscure info zoom sessions earlier this spring, but never written in print.
Sad to see the stellar magnet programs become a shell of what they have been.
Anonymous
03/07/2026 12:50
Subject: Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
This plus the awful bus plan means the magnets won't attract talent, so the courses will be worthless, so people won't apply, so the busses can be canceled, and MCPS saves money and everyone gets nothing
Anonymous
03/07/2026 12:47
Subject: Blind item: Regional criteria "magnets" will be lottery
MCPS has been lying since October.
The Program Deign Team (who MCPS "deigns" to share their designs to) was notified that the criteria programs will be lottery based.
The non-lottery version, announced after parent resistance in October, was a lie to get parents off MCPS's back
Equity and Opportunity in MCPS are cancelled.
Ironically, MCPS middle scholers are studying Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" this week.
The Program Deign Team (who MCPS "deigns" to share their designs to) was notified that the criteria programs will be lottery based.
The non-lottery version, announced after parent resistance in October, was a lie to get parents off MCPS's back
Equity and Opportunity in MCPS are cancelled.
Ironically, MCPS middle scholers are studying Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" this week.