Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see Ashburton Elementary's GreatSchools rating is down to a 6. Any idea what has caused the decrease in ranking?

I would also be interested in any current parents' experience with Kindergarten / 1st grade at Ashburton. My kids would start Kindergarten in Fall 2022 and we are already starting to think about whether we will send them there or to a private school in the area.

It’s the new GS equity ratings driving down the score, punishing schools with more diverse (income, English language fluency), hence the sharp drop
over 1-2 years. A few other schools with more diverse swings in income in their student populations have dropped as well (Bradley Hills went down to a 7 for example, Garrett Park is down to a 6). Other nearby schools (with higher GS scores) that they’re being measured against have near totally homogeneous student populations when it comes to family background and income. So they’re essentially rewarded (in scoring) for their lack of income diversity in their student body.

Cry me a river. I can name several very diverse schools in Howard and Anne Arundel Counties that have much much higher equity ratings than Ashburton. Maybe compared to the richer schools nearby (which would probably also have the same ratings if the demographics were flipped) you’re being “punished,” but not compared to Maryland state averages for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, which is who those kids are being measured against in that section. Ashburton got a low equity score because it doesn’t serve its students from disadvantaged backgrounds well compared to the MARYLAND state average, not compared to just the other schools in rich W clusters.

Everyone is always so quick to discredit rating websites that rate schools in W clusters low, but when it’s a school in a non-W cluster, everyone assumes it’s cause those kids are lazy.

I don’t know much about Howard or Anne Arundel County schools since I don’t live anywhere near there, but I’m sure others who follow those forums do. However, since we’re on the MCPS forum: can PP name several very diverse MCPS schools with similar SES demographics to Ashburton (and Bradley Hills and Garrett Park) that currently enjoy sky-high equity ratings on GS?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see Ashburton Elementary's GreatSchools rating is down to a 6. Any idea what has caused the decrease in ranking?

I would also be interested in any current parents' experience with Kindergarten / 1st grade at Ashburton. My kids would start Kindergarten in Fall 2022 and we are already starting to think about whether we will send them there or to a private school in the area.

It’s the new GS equity ratings driving down the score, punishing schools with more diverse (income, English language fluency), hence the sharp drop
over 1-2 years. A few other schools with more diverse swings in income in their student populations have dropped as well (Bradley Hills went down to a 7 for example, Garrett Park is down to a 6). Other nearby schools (with higher GS scores) that they’re being measured against have near totally homogeneous student populations when it comes to family background and income. So they’re essentially rewarded (in scoring) for their lack of income diversity in their student body.

Cry me a river. I can name several very diverse schools in Howard and Anne Arundel Counties that have much much higher equity ratings than Ashburton. Maybe compared to the richer schools nearby (which would probably also have the same ratings if the demographics were flipped) you’re being “punished,” but not compared to Maryland state averages for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, which is who those kids are being measured against in that section. Ashburton got a low equity score because it doesn’t serve its students from disadvantaged backgrounds well compared to the MARYLAND state average, not compared to just the other schools in rich W clusters.

Everyone is always so quick to discredit rating websites that rate schools in W clusters low, but when it’s a school in a non-W cluster, everyone assumes it’s cause those kids are lazy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see Ashburton Elementary's GreatSchools rating is down to a 6. Any idea what has caused the decrease in ranking?

I would also be interested in any current parents' experience with Kindergarten / 1st grade at Ashburton. My kids would start Kindergarten in Fall 2022 and we are already starting to think about whether we will send them there or to a private school in the area.

It’s the new GS equity ratings driving down the score, punishing schools with more diverse (income, English language fluency), hence the sharp drop
over 1-2 years. A few other schools with more diverse swings in income in their student populations have dropped as well (Bradley Hills went down to a 7 for example, Garrett Park is down to a 6). Other nearby schools (with higher GS scores) that they’re being measured against have near totally homogeneous student populations when it comes to family background and income. So they’re essentially rewarded (in scoring) for their lack of income diversity in their student body.

Cry me a river. I can name several very diverse schools in Howard and Anne Arundel Counties that have much much higher equity ratings than Ashburton. Maybe compared to the richer schools nearby (which would probably also have the same ratings if the demographics were flipped) you’re being “punished,” but not compared to Maryland state averages for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, which is who those kids are being measured against in that section. Ashburton got a low equity score because it doesn’t serve its students from disadvantaged backgrounds well compared to the MARYLAND state average, not compared to just the other schools in rich W clusters.

Everyone is always so quick to discredit rating websites that rate schools in W clusters low, but when it’s a school in a non-W cluster, everyone assumes it’s cause those kids are lazy.

I don’t know much about Howard or Anne Arundel County schools since I don’t live anywhere near there, but I’m sure others who follow those forums do. However, since we’re on the MCPS forum: can PP name several very diverse MCPS schools with similar SES demographics to Ashburton (and Bradley Hills and Garrett Park) that currently enjoy sky-high equity ratings on GS?

Anonymous wrote:For thr record, my kids had amazing experiences and teachers in K and 1st. They are in private now and were much ahead academically than the remaining class.

Not sure how things are with covid, that should be your biggest question now. All of the schools will be in similar positions for a couple years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see Ashburton Elementary's GreatSchools rating is down to a 6. Any idea what has caused the decrease in ranking?

I would also be interested in any current parents' experience with Kindergarten / 1st grade at Ashburton. My kids would start Kindergarten in Fall 2022 and we are already starting to think about whether we will send them there or to a private school in the area.

It’s the new GS equity ratings driving down the score, punishing schools with more diverse (income, English language fluency), hence the sharp drop
over 1-2 years. A few other schools with more diverse swings in income in their student populations have dropped as well (Bradley Hills went down to a 7 for example, Garrett Park is down to a 6). Other nearby schools (with higher GS scores) that they’re being measured against have near totally homogeneous student populations when it comes to family background and income. So they’re essentially rewarded (in scoring) for their lack of income diversity in their student body.

Anonymous wrote:I see Ashburton Elementary's GreatSchools rating is down to a 6. Any idea what has caused the decrease in ranking?

I would also be interested in any current parents' experience with Kindergarten / 1st grade at Ashburton. My kids would start Kindergarten in Fall 2022 and we are already starting to think about whether we will send them there or to a private school in the area.

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain the issue with the video?

Anonymous wrote:What/who is behind the great schools data? THAT is what you want to know. It's unreliable. Talk to neighbors, friends but not on some random data that no one knows how it's calculated.

That said, we're an Ashburton family and really like the school. My kid has had amazing teachers. Don't love the principal. School is overcrowded and that has been something to get used to, for us and for my kid. But a very engaged community, wonderful parents and fun annual activities.

Anonymous wrote: Parent here. One of the previous posters mentioned the great Community and that is 100% correct. The current principal got rid of a longtime beloved principal, and many long-term beloved of teachers. Some of us who have been around for a while are not fans of his.