Thank you MCPS. Push everyone to the middle and then say you have closed the achievement gap. Nice.

I heard that at first too, but apparently the county has pushed back on schools that want to do that for those few students. Even schools that have said they need options for small groups of kids who truly need more enrichment/acceleration have been rebuffed by the county. I guess we'll wait and see, but you may be too optimistic. MCPS and it's principals are pretty good at telling you what you want to hear and then going ahead and doing what they want to do.

Anonymous wrote:This past year my 2nd grader took 3rd (and some 4th) grade math. His report cards consistently showed him in AP math. So even though there is supposedly no accelleration in the new curriculum, it looks like maybe there are exceptions to that general rule. I don't know what they will do for him in 3rd grade though. I've received mixed messages.

Our school implemented 2.0 for Grade 2 this past year and still continued with acceleration for a handful of second graders. I have been told that going forward there won't be nearly as much grade-level advancement, and it won't be granted until after in-class enrichment and acceleration efforts have been exhausted, but that it has not been taken off the table for those few kids who really need it. This also seems consistent with the Curriculum 2.0 implementation plans and recommendations I've seen for mathematics, but this, like so much in the county, will likely fall to each school's administration to decipher and implement. Sounds like it's changing from being encouraged to being discouraged, but still allowed sparingly, at the discretion of each school.

Anonymous wrote:This past year my 2nd grader took 3rd (and some 4th) grade math. His report cards consistently showed him in AP math. So even though there is supposedly no accelleration in the new curriculum, it looks like maybe there are exceptions to that general rule. I don't know what they will do for him in 3rd grade though. I've received mixed messages.

Some schools didn't implement 2.0 for math this year (which is why your child was able to take 3rd grade math with some 4th grade as well). Next year, because 2.0 is mandatory, your child will have to spend the year re-doing 3rd grade math (with no 4th grade work included)!

There is a reason you have received mixed messages, the schools know parents won't be happy to hear this, so they garble the message. Once our school came clean about this (after, apparently trying to fight it), parents were outraged. Life under 2.0. Many are looking into other schooling options.

This past year my 2nd grader took 3rd (and some 4th) grade math. His report cards consistently showed him in AP math. So even though there is supposedly no accelleration in the new curriculum, it looks like maybe there are exceptions to that general rule. I don't know what they will do for him in 3rd grade though. I've received mixed messages.

My rising third grader received a report that said on grade level for math (there was no way he would have gotten anything more under any system) but "above level instructional reading group" and it listed several additional programs including William and Mary lessons and Great Books lessons... not entirely sure what all this means, but maybe that's the same for all kids as well??

They all get enrichment, so there's nothing significant about that designation. Just means your kid's doing fine, OP. She's right where she's supposed to do.

DD end of first grade comments said there is no above grade level designation under 2.0, but that she is working at the Advanced level, showing complete mastery of all content. whatever that means.

Under 2.0 there is no more above grade in math. Everything is "on grade" with a mix of all ability students in each classroom. From what I've heard, the enrichment is minimal and amounts to higher level worksheets covering the same topics as the class (so faster-moving students are kept busy while the teacher gets the slower moving students up to speed). Welcome to 2.0.

In my child's end of year packet, for math recommendation for next year the letter recommends, "On grade level with enrichment." We just finished second grade. Is this the highest recommendation with Curriculum 2.0, or do they still recommend above grade for math?