Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 12:35     Subject: mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Anonymous wrote:I’m the mother of a current TPMS student. We didn’t prep our child to get in. My child is thriving in Math. I consider myself “bright” but not gifted. I was sitting though the back-to-school-night math presentation and there is no way I could have survived that math class at that age with just above average math abilities—even if my parents had hired tutors.

I don’t know what that would have done to my confidence as a young student if I was placed in a math class above my abilty level. It would likely have the opposite effect and I would be dissuaded from following math and science or I would be barely able to finish the material as it wasn’t at the right pace for me.






True, but don’t assume that the sixth graders who came from outside the old pool must have only “above average” skills.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 12:28     Subject: mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
I’m the mother of a current TPMS student. We didn’t prep our child to get in. My child is thriving in Math. I consider myself “bright” but not gifted. I was sitting though the back-to-school-night math presentation and there is no way I could have survived that math class at that age with just above average math abilities—even if my parents had hired tutors.

I don’t know what that would have done to my confidence as a young student if I was placed in a math class above my abilty level. It would likely have the opposite effect and I would be dissuaded from following math and science or I would be barely able to finish the material as it wasn’t at the right pace for me.




Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 11:49     Subject: mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Such sour grapes!


lol I don't even have kids. Overall quality and rigor has gone down


I teach in a MCPS MS Magnet and disagree. Give me specific examples from the Magnet classes you are teaching this year to support your argument.


It's great to hear from a magnet teacher. I suspect that there aren't enough magnet seats in MCPS and there are probably many students who could be magnet students without lowering the overall quality and rigor? What do you think?

Also, do you have any opinion on the programs being installed in local middle schools so that those with a gifted local peer group don't need the magnet?

Thanks for the great work you do. Both my kids went through a magnet middle school (don't know if it's yours) and had a fantastic experience. It challenged them and gave them an excellent foundation. I'm often a critic of MCPS, but the magnet program was great.


I’m uncertain about adding another 20-25 students to my current load. Whether that would be a fifth class or simply four larger classes, I’m sure it would change some instruction and assessment options currently very doable. I would be happy to see at least two more Magnet programs open. This would allow many more seats (200) and ease the burden of the long bus ride for some families. However, to recruit the Magnet teachers needed, MCPS needs to do a better job in how it treats its professional staff, especially new hires.

I attended the summer training for the enriched course in my subject area and continue to follow developing lessons. I think that if executed faithfully by the selected teachers, it will be both fun and rigorous for students in schools with a large gifted cohort. I question a school deciding to offer it to the entire sixth grade. That seems a parent-pleasing move rather than having carefully assessed student needs. I will definitely touch base with relevant people next week to see if this is truly what is happening. I suspect the poster may have confused the Advanced course with the enriched one.

Thank you. I’m glad it was a worthwhile experience for your children. The past two weeks, I’ve carefully watched the students that some posters here don’t think deserve to be in my classroom. These kids are not just holding their own, they are excited and already greatly contributing to our learning community. They are as curious, hard-working, delightfully smart, and quirky as the present-seventh graders who were admitted under the old system. The only sixth grade student I have concerns about handling the rigor is one who would have come from the traditional pool.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 11:27     Subject: mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Such sour grapes!


lol I don't even have kids. Overall quality and rigor has gone down


I teach in a MCPS MS Magnet and disagree. Give me specific examples from the Magnet classes you are teaching this year to support your argument.


It's great to hear from a magnet teacher. I suspect that there aren't enough magnet seats in MCPS and there are probably many students who could be magnet students without lowering the overall quality and rigor? What do you think?

Also, do you have any opinion on the programs being installed in local middle schools so that those with a gifted local peer group don't need the magnet?

Thanks for the great work you do. Both my kids went through a magnet middle school (don't know if it's yours) and had a fantastic experience. It challenged them and gave them an excellent foundation. I'm often a critic of MCPS, but the magnet program was great.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 11:16     Subject: mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Smart kid in the magnet programs still need to work hard and still need family support. If a smart kid can’t reach on grade level in a regular classroom, the chance that the kid will suddenly become exceptional is not as high as someone would wish. Good for them to be placed in a better environment. MCPS is doing the right thing as a public school system.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 10:53     Subject: Re:mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I remember seeing this in a previous thread and found it both funny and probably closer to the truth than people want to believe....

Administrator #1: "Wow, look at those SAT scores over there at Blair. It's really amazing isn't it? We need to send out a press release!"
Administrator #2: "Definitely! Hold on a second, all these names of Intel Scholars sound Asian. Let me see the full list of Magnet students. All these names sound Asian and White."
Administrator #1: "Yea, they've been gaming the system for years. Sending their kids to tutors, supplementing education, and actually filling out the application"
Administrator #2: "Oh no, we can't have that! That isn't fair"
Administrator #1: "I know. We send parents information and leave phone mail message constantly in both English and Spanish but Hispanics and African Americans don't apply"
Administrator #2: "It sounds like we need try and make the application easier."
Administrator #1: "I've got a better idea! Lets get rid of the application all together. Test everyone."
Administrator #2: "Brilliant! But what about the fact that Black and Hispanics test lower across the board on all standardized tests, how do we overcome that?"
Administrator #1: "We should just set up quotas by race."
Administrator #2: "I wish. They passed a stupid law against quotas."
Administrator #1: "Let's think, how can we get around the law. Most Whites and Asians like to live in the same snobby rich areas, right?"
Administrator #2: "Right... God I hate those Whites and Asians!"
Administrator #1: "Then lets say that if you live in an area where your home school has other really smart kids then you get penalized in the admissions process."
Administrator #2: "Great Idea! That way, we can say that we aren't giving preference to race, we can disguise it as preference by opportunity."
Administrator #1: "Wait, but won't that make the SAT scores at Blair go down? Won't that make us look bad?"
Administrator #2: "Of course it will but we are doing it for the greater good. Plus, we work for the Government. What are they going to do fire us?
Administrator #1: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
Administrator #2: "Ha ha ha ha he he ha ha!"


OMG.

That is spot on! I could definitely see that happening.




This is so obnoxious. There is no evidence provided that the kids accepted this year through the universal screening process are somehow inferior to prior cohorts. The quality should go up since McPS is screening a much larger pool rather than just kids nominated by their parents/teachers.


We live in a high performing area. There are a higher percentage of above average kids here who prep way more than those random smart kids in this now larger pool. I mean the competition was already fierce at our elementary school. It’s not enough to be rich and bright. You have to prep prep prep. I just don’t think a random smart Hispanic kid is going to score higher than our kids who have been competing with each other for years. That’s how I know the larger pool did not actually yield kids smarter than my kid (who worked her ass off.)


Jesus Christ. Some “random smart Hispanic kid” couldn’t possibly score higher than “our kids” in a “high-performing area”? MCPS created a larger pool this year precisely because of people like you, who are under the impression that only certain races of (“our”!) children in certain neighborhoods are worthy of gifted education when they’re *nine years old.*


+1

My kids got into the HGCs before the changes without doing prep of any sort. In my younger son’s HGC class, the smartest kids was the child of African immigrants.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 10:49     Subject: mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Such sour grapes!


lol I don't even have kids. Overall quality and rigor has gone down


I teach in a MCPS MS Magnet and disagree. Give me specific examples from the Magnet classes you are teaching this year to support your argument.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 10:46     Subject: Re:mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I remember seeing this in a previous thread and found it both funny and probably closer to the truth than people want to believe....

Administrator #1: "Wow, look at those SAT scores over there at Blair. It's really amazing isn't it? We need to send out a press release!"
Administrator #2: "Definitely! Hold on a second, all these names of Intel Scholars sound Asian. Let me see the full list of Magnet students. All these names sound Asian and White."
Administrator #1: "Yea, they've been gaming the system for years. Sending their kids to tutors, supplementing education, and actually filling out the application"
Administrator #2: "Oh no, we can't have that! That isn't fair"
Administrator #1: "I know. We send parents information and leave phone mail message constantly in both English and Spanish but Hispanics and African Americans don't apply"
Administrator #2: "It sounds like we need try and make the application easier."
Administrator #1: "I've got a better idea! Lets get rid of the application all together. Test everyone."
Administrator #2: "Brilliant! But what about the fact that Black and Hispanics test lower across the board on all standardized tests, how do we overcome that?"
Administrator #1: "We should just set up quotas by race."
Administrator #2: "I wish. They passed a stupid law against quotas."
Administrator #1: "Let's think, how can we get around the law. Most Whites and Asians like to live in the same snobby rich areas, right?"
Administrator #2: "Right... God I hate those Whites and Asians!"
Administrator #1: "Then lets say that if you live in an area where your home school has other really smart kids then you get penalized in the admissions process."
Administrator #2: "Great Idea! That way, we can say that we aren't giving preference to race, we can disguise it as preference by opportunity."
Administrator #1: "Wait, but won't that make the SAT scores at Blair go down? Won't that make us look bad?"
Administrator #2: "Of course it will but we are doing it for the greater good. Plus, we work for the Government. What are they going to do fire us?
Administrator #1: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
Administrator #2: "Ha ha ha ha he he ha ha!"


OMG.

That is spot on! I could definitely see that happening.




This is so obnoxious. There is no evidence provided that the kids accepted this year through the universal screening process are somehow inferior to prior cohorts. The quality should go up since McPS is screening a much larger pool rather than just kids nominated by their parents/teachers.


We live in a high performing area. There are a higher percentage of above average kids here who prep way more than those random smart kids in this now larger pool. I mean the competition was already fierce at our elementary school. It’s not enough to be rich and bright. You have to prep prep prep. I just don’t think a random smart Hispanic kid is going to score higher than our kids who have been competing with each other for years. That’s how I know the larger pool did not actually yield kids smarter than my kid (who worked her ass off.)


Jesus Christ. Some “random smart Hispanic kid” couldn’t possibly score higher than “our kids” in a “high-performing area”? MCPS created a larger pool this year precisely because of people like you, who are under the impression that only certain races of (“our”!) children in certain neighborhoods are worthy of gifted education when they’re *nine years old.*
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 09:43     Subject: mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Surprised to see the article said that outside testing was used to qualify. I did not think this was true.


It was just one of the many ways wealthier parents could game the system in past years.


the prior system sounds ridiculous. parent recommendations and teacher recommendations needed to qualify instead of universal screening.


There was also a test.


They changed the test last year. Messed up some of the prep program success rates.


You have no idea what you are talking about. They didn't change' the test, they shortened it! Instead of a full-battery CogAt, they only administered a screener. Same text, only 1/3 in length. Didn't mess up any of the prep programs, kids who attended those had all the advantages.

DP... ? that is changing the "test" IMO. Imagine if the SATs were shortened to 30 min. You would think, "oh, they changed it".
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 09:30     Subject: mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Each of MS in Downcounty catchment has at least one of the so called enrichment classes, which means at least 30 students are mangnet-equivelently gifted. If Pyle MS has all of 6th grade students labeled as GT, that’s abother 300+ students. Overall, at least 1,000+ 6th graders are highly gifted in MCPS. According to MCPS, all the identified gifgted students are hand-picked by a committee in central office, no one from local school is involved. We have to trust them on selecting the gifted students.
MCPS has 151 NMSF for class2019; schools with magnet programs contribute90/151, 60% of the NMSF. Hopefully, when current 6th graders become seniors, there will be at least 300 NMSF in MCPS.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 08:47     Subject: mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Anonymous wrote:Such sour grapes!


lol I don't even have kids. Overall quality and rigor has gone down
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 08:44     Subject: mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Such sour grapes!
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 08:29     Subject: Re:mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I remember seeing this in a previous thread and found it both funny and probably closer to the truth than people want to believe....

Administrator #1: "Wow, look at those SAT scores over there at Blair. It's really amazing isn't it? We need to send out a press release!"
Administrator #2: "Definitely! Hold on a second, all these names of Intel Scholars sound Asian. Let me see the full list of Magnet students. All these names sound Asian and White."
Administrator #1: "Yea, they've been gaming the system for years. Sending their kids to tutors, supplementing education, and actually filling out the application"
Administrator #2: "Oh no, we can't have that! That isn't fair"
Administrator #1: "I know. We send parents information and leave phone mail message constantly in both English and Spanish but Hispanics and African Americans don't apply"
Administrator #2: "It sounds like we need try and make the application easier."
Administrator #1: "I've got a better idea! Lets get rid of the application all together. Test everyone."
Administrator #2: "Brilliant! But what about the fact that Black and Hispanics test lower across the board on all standardized tests, how do we overcome that?"
Administrator #1: "We should just set up quotas by race."
Administrator #2: "I wish. They passed a stupid law against quotas."
Administrator #1: "Let's think, how can we get around the law. Most Whites and Asians like to live in the same snobby rich areas, right?"
Administrator #2: "Right... God I hate those Whites and Asians!"
Administrator #1: "Then lets say that if you live in an area where your home school has other really smart kids then you get penalized in the admissions process."
Administrator #2: "Great Idea! That way, we can say that we aren't giving preference to race, we can disguise it as preference by opportunity."
Administrator #1: "Wait, but won't that make the SAT scores at Blair go down? Won't that make us look bad?"
Administrator #2: "Of course it will but we are doing it for the greater good. Plus, we work for the Government. What are they going to do fire us?
Administrator #1: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
Administrator #2: "Ha ha ha ha he he ha ha!"


OMG.

That is spot on! I could definitely see that happening.




This is so obnoxious. There is no evidence provided that the kids accepted this year through the universal screening process are somehow inferior to prior cohorts. The quality should go up since McPS is screening a much larger pool rather than just kids nominated by their parents/teachers.


We live in a high performing area. There are a higher percentage of above average kids here who prep way more than those random smart kids in this now larger pool. I mean the competition was already fierce at our elementary school. It’s not enough to be rich and bright. You have to prep prep prep. I just don’t think a random smart Hispanic kid is going to score higher than our kids who have been competing with each other for years. That’s how I know the larger pool did not actually yield kids smarter than my kid (who worked her ass off.)


That’s what you think happened because that’s your own biases coming into play. But you have no evidence to support your view.


Um this is all related to High SES. When you have kids at High SES areas staying at their base school vs going to the magnet program of course the overall quality is going to go down. Are you that obtuse.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 08:20     Subject: Re:mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I remember seeing this in a previous thread and found it both funny and probably closer to the truth than people want to believe....

Administrator #1: "Wow, look at those SAT scores over there at Blair. It's really amazing isn't it? We need to send out a press release!"
Administrator #2: "Definitely! Hold on a second, all these names of Intel Scholars sound Asian. Let me see the full list of Magnet students. All these names sound Asian and White."
Administrator #1: "Yea, they've been gaming the system for years. Sending their kids to tutors, supplementing education, and actually filling out the application"
Administrator #2: "Oh no, we can't have that! That isn't fair"
Administrator #1: "I know. We send parents information and leave phone mail message constantly in both English and Spanish but Hispanics and African Americans don't apply"
Administrator #2: "It sounds like we need try and make the application easier."
Administrator #1: "I've got a better idea! Lets get rid of the application all together. Test everyone."
Administrator #2: "Brilliant! But what about the fact that Black and Hispanics test lower across the board on all standardized tests, how do we overcome that?"
Administrator #1: "We should just set up quotas by race."
Administrator #2: "I wish. They passed a stupid law against quotas."
Administrator #1: "Let's think, how can we get around the law. Most Whites and Asians like to live in the same snobby rich areas, right?"
Administrator #2: "Right... God I hate those Whites and Asians!"
Administrator #1: "Then lets say that if you live in an area where your home school has other really smart kids then you get penalized in the admissions process."
Administrator #2: "Great Idea! That way, we can say that we aren't giving preference to race, we can disguise it as preference by opportunity."
Administrator #1: "Wait, but won't that make the SAT scores at Blair go down? Won't that make us look bad?"
Administrator #2: "Of course it will but we are doing it for the greater good. Plus, we work for the Government. What are they going to do fire us?
Administrator #1: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
Administrator #2: "Ha ha ha ha he he ha ha!"


OMG.

That is spot on! I could definitely see that happening.




This is so obnoxious. There is no evidence provided that the kids accepted this year through the universal screening process are somehow inferior to prior cohorts. The quality should go up since McPS is screening a much larger pool rather than just kids nominated by their parents/teachers.


We live in a high performing area. There are a higher percentage of above average kids here who prep way more than those random smart kids in this now larger pool. I mean the competition was already fierce at our elementary school. It’s not enough to be rich and bright. You have to prep prep prep. I just don’t think a random smart Hispanic kid is going to score higher than our kids who have been competing with each other for years. That’s how I know the larger pool did not actually yield kids smarter than my kid (who worked her ass off.)


That’s what you think happened because that’s your own biases coming into play. But you have no evidence to support your view.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2018 08:18     Subject: Re:mcps. sounds about right. (GT admissions changes)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I remember seeing this in a previous thread and found it both funny and probably closer to the truth than people want to believe....

Administrator #1: "Wow, look at those SAT scores over there at Blair. It's really amazing isn't it? We need to send out a press release!"
Administrator #2: "Definitely! Hold on a second, all these names of Intel Scholars sound Asian. Let me see the full list of Magnet students. All these names sound Asian and White."
Administrator #1: "Yea, they've been gaming the system for years. Sending their kids to tutors, supplementing education, and actually filling out the application"
Administrator #2: "Oh no, we can't have that! That isn't fair"
Administrator #1: "I know. We send parents information and leave phone mail message constantly in both English and Spanish but Hispanics and African Americans don't apply"
Administrator #2: "It sounds like we need try and make the application easier."
Administrator #1: "I've got a better idea! Lets get rid of the application all together. Test everyone."
Administrator #2: "Brilliant! But what about the fact that Black and Hispanics test lower across the board on all standardized tests, how do we overcome that?"
Administrator #1: "We should just set up quotas by race."
Administrator #2: "I wish. They passed a stupid law against quotas."
Administrator #1: "Let's think, how can we get around the law. Most Whites and Asians like to live in the same snobby rich areas, right?"
Administrator #2: "Right... God I hate those Whites and Asians!"
Administrator #1: "Then lets say that if you live in an area where your home school has other really smart kids then you get penalized in the admissions process."
Administrator #2: "Great Idea! That way, we can say that we aren't giving preference to race, we can disguise it as preference by opportunity."
Administrator #1: "Wait, but won't that make the SAT scores at Blair go down? Won't that make us look bad?"
Administrator #2: "Of course it will but we are doing it for the greater good. Plus, we work for the Government. What are they going to do fire us?
Administrator #1: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
Administrator #2: "Ha ha ha ha he he ha ha!"


OMG.

That is spot on! I could definitely see that happening.




This is so obnoxious. There is no evidence provided that the kids accepted this year through the universal screening process are somehow inferior to prior cohorts. The quality should go up since McPS is screening a much larger pool rather than just kids nominated by their parents/teachers.


We live in a high performing area. There are a higher percentage of above average kids here who prep way more than those random smart kids in this now larger pool. I mean the competition was already fierce at our elementary school. It’s not enough to be rich and bright. You have to prep prep prep. I just don’t think a random smart Hispanic kid is going to score higher than our kids who have been competing with each other for years. That’s how I know the larger pool did not actually yield kids smarter than my kid (who worked her ass off.)