Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While MAP tests for breadth, we have a test in depth coming in Nov. AMC 8 results are public if the kids are on the honor roll. It will be interesting to see how TP performs there.

Wouldn't those results only apply to 8th graders who were admitted prior to the change to admission?

As long as the kid is younger or equal to 8th grade, she can compete. We also know how TP did in previous years. Facts are facts. I am glad that MCPS cannot hide this data.

Np. I don’t believe AMC is what you’re purporting it to be. It’s a math competition designed to get young students excited about math. It is not a tool to prove a child’s worthiness of a magnet program.

The students who do the best on AMC questions are those who are quick and have learned the tricks needed to solve each type of question. I would imagine those who go to the AoPS Academy in Gaithersburg would do well. The more exposure to the type of problems the higher the score.

Yes. This. It's like Mathcounts. Kids learn the tricks & skills in AoPS and A++. Not a comprehensive math eval.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on the very limited data given, we do know that 75% of the Magnet MS slots went to non-CES kids. 75%, really? That means the bulk of new MS magnet students did not take the advanced CES curriculum. Just ONE Cold Spring CES child (the highest testing CES in the county) was admitted to TPMS. None were admitted on appeal, despite a number scoring straight 99s on COGAT and in the 270s and 280s on MAP-M, well above OP's child's scores. Standards necessarily were, and will be, lowered. It is social engineering, pure and simple.

The CES curriculum is humanities based, nothing to do with STEM/ TPMS program. Plenty of non-CES kids are in the same compacted math as CES kids.

OP here, my W school DC had fifth gradeMAP M scores also in 270s and also scored all 99s in the Cogat, the raw sores were all on the higher end, and being from W school, just to let you know 4 kids got selected in the TPMS magnet from this ES. A couple decided to stay with home school. Do not compare M scores of sixth grade with fifth grade. FYI, talking to w home middle school friends, the M score of those who could not make to TPMS magnet is also in 250s.thise kids are no less smart than the ones in the TPMS.

I agree that county selected less numbers from the CES and probably somewhere applies the outlier rule also, my whole point of this post, and I say again, that in my belief, based on my attending the school one day, hearing about M scores for lots of new magnet sixth graders, the students selected are no dumbos, or seem to be any less intelligent ( e.g. a kid from DCC ES with high FARM and now in TPMS scored in 250s in MAP M- same as many others from W ES School with less or no FARM). There was less gaming of the system this year by certain class of parents, and I am happy about it as those kids who were taking summer classes to get in to the magnet program, yes, were extreme end on AMC and math count but were they also as good overall, there are three non magnet subjects too. They were mostly the students who had tears on getting a Grade C on certain assignments perhaps because the parents can not tolerate to see lower grades on their magnet kids report card. I feel this is better selection criteria and hopefully there will be overall good performance across different subjects rather than AMC and math count only. Yes my DC was lucky, and may not be lucky for HS testing, but it would not mean that HS students who will get selected from non magnet schools will be any less than mine.
I totally agree that a few more such programs in the county is the need of the hour.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While MAP tests for breadth, we have a test in depth coming in Nov. AMC 8 results are public if the kids are on the honor roll. It will be interesting to see how TP performs there.

Wouldn't those results only apply to 8th graders who were admitted prior to the change to admission?

As long as the kid is younger or equal to 8th grade, she can compete. We also know how TP did in previous years. Facts are facts. I am glad that MCPS cannot hide this data.

Np. I don’t believe AMC is what you’re purporting it to be. It’s a math competition designed to get young students excited about math. It is not a tool to prove a child’s worthiness of a magnet program.

The students who do the best on AMC questions are those who are quick and have learned the tricks needed to solve each type of question. I would imagine those who go to the AoPS Academy in Gaithersburg would do well. The more exposure to the type of problems the higher the score.

You can always argue it is not the perfect measurement. Can you propose any better measurement? When one measurement is not good enough, we can evaluate multiple measurements.

Like the multifaceted criteria used by the county to gauge a student's mettle as it pertains to magnet admissions AKA the gold standard...

Well, people have already argued the limitation of CogAt, MAP, PARCC and suggested these criteria not good enough to identify or justify the top talent selection.

Anonymous wrote:6th graders can take the test. Traditionally some 6th graders have done well on the test and it is on the internet. So you can compare how this year's 6th graders at Takoma perform compared to previous years.

You can only compare if the entire cohort takes the exam, but if it's something kids choose to do or pay to participate in you may have a smaller percentage of the class taking the exam.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on the very limited data given, we do know that 75% of the Magnet MS slots went to non-CES kids. 75%, really? That means the bulk of new MS magnet students did not take the advanced CES curriculum. Just ONE Cold Spring CES child (the highest testing CES in the county) was admitted to TPMS. None were admitted on appeal, despite a number scoring straight 99s on COGAT and in the 270s and 280s on MAP-M, well above OP's child's scores. Standards necessarily were, and will be, lowered. It is social engineering, pure and simple.

One of the teachers at our CES said there has been a stark difference over the past several years.

Two years ago, 30 kids from our CES were accepted to a MS Magnet. Last year, only 8 kids were accepted, from that same CES. Even the teachers found it perplexing. However, it was clear at this year's Magnet meeting, that MCPS has been direct and straighforward in stating the purpose for the TPMS/Eastern Magnet programs. They are to get 'outliers' who don't have an adequate peer group at their home MS. They are not for the high scoring kids from 'good' MSs.

This. MCPS is crystal clear about this. So, yes, there are numerous top scoring kids who were not admitted. For better or worse, MCPS has decided they will be fine with their peer cohort at their 'good' MS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While MAP tests for breadth, we have a test in depth coming in Nov. AMC 8 results are public if the kids are on the honor roll. It will be interesting to see how TP performs there.

Wouldn't those results only apply to 8th graders who were admitted prior to the change to admission?

As long as the kid is younger or equal to 8th grade, she can compete. We also know how TP did in previous years. Facts are facts. I am glad that MCPS cannot hide this data.

Np. I don’t believe AMC is what you’re purporting it to be. It’s a math competition designed to get young students excited about math. It is not a tool to prove a child’s worthiness of a magnet program.

The students who do the best on AMC questions are those who are quick and have learned the tricks needed to solve each type of question. I would imagine those who go to the AoPS Academy in Gaithersburg would do well. The more exposure to the type of problems the higher the score.

You can always argue it is not the perfect measurement. Can you propose any better measurement? When one measurement is not good enough, we can evaluate multiple measurements.

Like the multifaceted criteria used by the county to gauge a student's mettle as it pertains to magnet admissions AKA the gold standard...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While MAP tests for breadth, we have a test in depth coming in Nov. AMC 8 results are public if the kids are on the honor roll. It will be interesting to see how TP performs there.

Wouldn't those results only apply to 8th graders who were admitted prior to the change to admission?

As long as the kid is younger or equal to 8th grade, she can compete. We also know how TP did in previous years. Facts are facts. I am glad that MCPS cannot hide this data.

Np. I don’t believe AMC is what you’re purporting it to be. It’s a math competition designed to get young students excited about math. It is not a tool to prove a child’s worthiness of a magnet program.

The students who do the best on AMC questions are those who are quick and have learned the tricks needed to solve each type of question. I would imagine those who go to the AoPS Academy in Gaithersburg would do well. The more exposure to the type of problems the higher the score.

You can always argue it is not the perfect measurement. Can you propose any better measurement? When one measurement is not good enough, we can evaluate multiple measurements.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While MAP tests for breadth, we have a test in depth coming in Nov. AMC 8 results are public if the kids are on the honor roll. It will be interesting to see how TP performs there.

Wouldn't those results only apply to 8th graders who were admitted prior to the change to admission?

As long as the kid is younger or equal to 8th grade, she can compete. We also know how TP did in previous years. Facts are facts. I am glad that MCPS cannot hide this data.

Np. I don’t believe AMC is what you’re purporting it to be. It’s a math competition designed to get young students excited about math. It is not a tool to prove a child’s worthiness of a magnet program.

The students who do the best on AMC questions are those who are quick and have learned the tricks needed to solve each type of question. I would imagine those who go to the AoPS Academy in Gaithersburg would do well. The more exposure to the type of problems the higher the score.

6th graders can take the test. Traditionally some 6th graders have done well on the test and it is on the internet. So you can compare how this year's 6th graders at Takoma perform compared to previous years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While MAP tests for breadth, we have a test in depth coming in Nov. AMC 8 results are public if the kids are on the honor roll. It will be interesting to see how TP performs there.

Wouldn't those results only apply to 8th graders who were admitted prior to the change to admission?

As long as the kid is younger or equal to 8th grade, she can compete. We also know how TP did in previous years. Facts are facts. I am glad that MCPS cannot hide this data.

The point is that the data applies to 8th graders who were admitted prior to the changes like universal screening. If the screening process had an impact, it wouldn't take effect for a test given to 8th graders until the 6th graders of 2018 take this test in 8th.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While MAP tests for breadth, we have a test in depth coming in Nov. AMC 8 results are public if the kids are on the honor roll. It will be interesting to see how TP performs there.

Wouldn't those results only apply to 8th graders who were admitted prior to the change to admission?

As long as the kid is younger or equal to 8th grade, she can compete. We also know how TP did in previous years. Facts are facts. I am glad that MCPS cannot hide this data.

Anonymous wrote:Could be an aberration we'll see for that class and the current 5th graders. Remember the 4th graders this year are the first full class to go through universal screening.

It could be the "right" or top candidates weren't being identified for the CESes in the past.

More likely, there just aren't enough spots in the CES or in the MS Magnet to accept all the kids. The Wait List for our CES was something like 80 kids? Probably all of those kids should have been offered an accelerated curriculum, but they were not. Such a ridiculous system where we ignore the needs of SO MANY high performing, motivated students for 2 years in ES.

Anonymous wrote:Based on the very limited data given, we do know that 75% of the Magnet MS slots went to non-CES kids. 75%, really? That means the bulk of new MS magnet students did not take the advanced CES curriculum. Just ONE Cold Spring CES child (the highest testing CES in the county) was admitted to TPMS. None were admitted on appeal, despite a number scoring straight 99s on COGAT and in the 270s and 280s on MAP-M, well above OP's child's scores. Standards necessarily were, and will be, lowered. It is social engineering, pure and simple.

One of the teachers at our CES said there has been a stark difference over the past several years.

Two years ago, 30 kids from our CES were accepted to a MS Magnet. Last year, only 8 kids were accepted, from that same CES. Even the teachers found it perplexing. However, it was clear at this year's Magnet meeting, that MCPS has been direct and straighforward in stating the purpose for the TPMS/Eastern Magnet programs. They are to get 'outliers' who don't have an adequate peer group at their home MS. They are not for the high scoring kids from 'good' MSs.

Anonymous wrote:Based on the very limited data given, we do know that 75% of the Magnet MS slots went to non-CES kids. 75%, really? That means the bulk of new MS magnet students did not take the advanced CES curriculum. Just ONE Cold Spring CES child (the highest testing CES in the county) was admitted to TPMS. None were admitted on appeal, despite a number scoring straight 99s on COGAT and in the 270s and 280s on MAP-M, well above OP's child's scores. Standards necessarily were, and will be, lowered. It is social engineering, pure and simple.

The CES curriculum is humanities based, nothing to do with STEM/ TPMS program. Plenty of non-CES kids are in the same compacted math as CES kids.

Could be an aberration we'll see for that class and the current 5th graders. Remember the 4th graders this year are the first full class to go through universal screening.

It could be the "right" or top candidates weren't being identified for the CESes in the past.