Anonymous
Post 08/24/2013 21:05     Subject: Re:Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
If you want smaller class sizes, you will have to move into a less affluent neighborhood. Our K class size at Forest Knolls in Silver Spring is 16. The school gets Maryland focus funds. If you want to stay in Bethesda or Potomac, you get bigger classroom sizes.

Montgomery County (and Federal Title I) focus the funds on schools which pull from a more diverse population where everyone doesn't have the advantage of an English speaking family making $200K a year.
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2013 06:05     Subject: Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
You need a 504 plan not an I.E.P
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2013 20:41     Subject: Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
Look for a title one school ( likely in the eastern part of Rockville). They will have smaller classes/
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2013 15:50     Subject: Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
Actually, labeling a child with a disorder can really influence how teachers and other students perceive the child which can of course influence how the teacher (or other students) treat the child. There are benefits to labeling if the child does require extra services, but labeling should be avoided if possible
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2013 10:18     Subject: Re:Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:No IEP - the feeling is he would be okay in a smaller setting without this. I'm apprehensive to start down this road - I know he can get tested through Child Find and then placed through PEP, but I don't want him going in with any labels (since it doesn't appear to be "necessary"). Additionally, it does not seem as if Child Find assesses emotional/sensory related issues - only more of the behavioral stuff and these are not the issues he is faced with. I would be curious to learn more about IEP's though and how these work, what services they provide in the traditional classroom setting, etc. I've been told by a professional that the services provided through Child Find/PEP wouldn't necessarily be of much help to my son and that if anything, he could be mislabeled as a child with behavioral issues, when the issues are actually related to emotional disregulation. Anone out there have experience with an IEP for a child with sensory/emotional disregulation issues?


The labels thing is ridiculous. It sounds like your child has some special needs and YOU don't want to label him as such. An IEP would get him free services and you don't want to go down this road? You should be posting on the SN board. PEP is free preschool. Why wouldn't you want it?


I agree. Also, it's January. Your son is starting kindergarten in the fall. The PEP ship has sailed. Either your son has developmental delays and needs PEP/IEP/Child Find or he does not. You can't freak out about labels and start whining about "those kids with behavioral problems (oh the horrors!) and then whine about how you need to handpick your precious darling's school because of his problems which can't be labeled as behavioral, except that he can't be around too many children -- or what, he freaks out? You are a ridiculous moron.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2013 21:33     Subject: Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
There are 16 kids in DD's 1st grade class at Flora Singer in Silver Spring and they have kids who get pulled out for 1-on-1 individual therapy/teaching. She had 19 in her K class at Oakland Terrace. And everyone pays so much to buy houses in "up county" ... aren't class sizes way bigger in the Whitman/WJ/Churchill clusters?
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2013 20:44     Subject: Re:Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
Anonymous wrote:No IEP - the feeling is he would be okay in a smaller setting without this. I'm apprehensive to start down this road - I know he can get tested through Child Find and then placed through PEP, but I don't want him going in with any labels (since it doesn't appear to be "necessary"). Additionally, it does not seem as if Child Find assesses emotional/sensory related issues - only more of the behavioral stuff and these are not the issues he is faced with. I would be curious to learn more about IEP's though and how these work, what services they provide in the traditional classroom setting, etc. I've been told by a professional that the services provided through Child Find/PEP wouldn't necessarily be of much help to my son and that if anything, he could be mislabeled as a child with behavioral issues, when the issues are actually related to emotional disregulation. Anone out there have experience with an IEP for a child with sensory/emotional disregulation issues?


The labels thing is ridiculous. It sounds like your child has some special needs and YOU don't want to label him as such. An IEP would get him free services and you don't want to go down this road? You should be posting on the SN board. PEP is free preschool. Why wouldn't you want it?
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2013 08:12     Subject: Re:Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
I'm the pp who asked about an IEP. Definitely easier to get one before K. Look at the Special Needs forum and you'll read about a wide range of experiences. Also look at Wrights Law website. What is your home school?
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2013 07:24     Subject: Re:Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
No IEP - the feeling is he would be okay in a smaller setting without this. I'm apprehensive to start down this road - I know he can get tested through Child Find and then placed through PEP, but I don't want him going in with any labels (since it doesn't appear to be "necessary"). Additionally, it does not seem as if Child Find assesses emotional/sensory related issues - only more of the behavioral stuff and these are not the issues he is faced with. I would be curious to learn more about IEP's though and how these work, what services they provide in the traditional classroom setting, etc. I've been told by a professional that the services provided through Child Find/PEP wouldn't necessarily be of much help to my son and that if anything, he could be mislabeled as a child with behavioral issues, when the issues are actually related to emotional disregulation. Anone out there have experience with an IEP for a child with sensory/emotional disregulation issues?
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2013 21:54     Subject: Re:Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
Does your child have an IEP? If so, appropriate placement Will be discussed at the meeting (although it will likely be your home school). It's really tough bc the class sizes are relatively large in all of the areas you mentioned.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2013 21:29     Subject: Re:Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
I found this link in another post -- it povides useful facts/figures on all MCPS schools:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2013 21:08     Subject: Re:Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
I know several people who have applied for waivers (Change of School Assignment) based on varying needs - i.e. smaller class size for child with learning disabilities, need for after care, etc. I'm not sure what our final decision will be as we are considering a move as well. Just wondering which elementary school , if any, within the area traditionally has smaller class sizes.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2013 21:01     Subject: Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
Well, OP could handpick if she's planning to move into the boundaries of whichever school.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2013 20:46     Subject: Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
You cannot "handpick" an elementary school in MoCo. If you have a childcare hardship and can only find childcare in an attendance area that is not where your child would go, then you can apply for that waiver. You have to show that the childcare provider is located in that school's attendance area.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2013 20:42     Subject: Montgomery County Elementary Schools -- Student/Teacher Ratio & Smaller Classes
Did anyone out there "handpick" their childs elementary school? My son, who will start Kindergarten this coming Fall, struggles with mild developmental delays and a larger class size may be overstimulating from a sensory standpoint. A smaller class size would be best, and I'm trying to identify schools in Montgomery County (ideally Rockville, Potomac, Bethesda, N. Potomac) that typically have a smaller student-to-teacher ratio and smaller class size. Does anyone have any experience placing their child in a school outside of their assigned district? Any advice on how best to research this, or any advice on schools that are known for their smaller class sizes (I know this depends on enrollment year to year) would be greatly appreciated.