Anonymous wrote:3rd grader CKLA ongoing parent here. I've experienced curriculum 2.0, Benchmark, ELC and CKLA for literacy for my kids, and I have to say both ELC and CKLA are good in different ways. CKLA covers broader spectrum of reading and writing (history, science, social science) while ELC slightly focuses more on fictions and structured writing. For elementary student, I think they need to read both non-fiction and fiction, and I guess the majority of kids would prefer the latter, so no harm to force them read a bit more non-fiction at school.

No matter ELC or CKLA, the real abysmal period is middle school. Given limited resources, my opinion is we really should advocate to change MS literacy curriculum which is a total crap.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CKLA is a very good choice for most students. It will take 2-4 years for this to be obvious in test results - as with any new curriculum.

ELC students might well need more.

2-4 years?? Central office buying themselves more time to justify poor results.

Anonymous wrote:CKLA is a very good choice for most students. It will take 2-4 years for this to be obvious in test results - as with any new curriculum.

ELC students might well need more.

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Anonymous wrote:Is this also honors for all?

Actually CKLA is teaching all kids to read. With Benchmark they weren't teaching anybody to read except those in ELC.

Some kids figured it out on their own, many families supplemented/hired tutors. Many did not learn to read. Disgraceful.

Okay this is an exaggeration. ELC doesn’t start until 4th grade and Benchmark only was introduced during the pandemic and RGR was added for the last 2-3 years. Obviously many kids were being taught to read, some knew beforehand, some families hired tutors, and some struggled.

Personally if they aren’t going to adopt Core Knowledge overall, I hope they omit the Science and Social Studies CKLA units and instead give that time back to the actual Science and SS curricula. Curricula which should still include vocabulary and thinking questions.

Benchmark did not provide explicit reading instruction. So during the time and in the classrooms they used Benchmark they were not teaching kids to read.

However there was a supplemental phonics curriculum for the last two years. (Really Great Reading)

Anonymous wrote:Is there any advocacy happening to keep a separate ELC in place? If so, how do I get involved?

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Anonymous wrote:Good luck, folks. I have no dog in this fight because my kids are in middle school. But from personal experience, anytime MCPS has said there are “built in” extensions in the regular curriculum that can be offered to students to provide enrichment, they do not generally get offered. Or, in the rare instance they do, the teacher will say, “If you’re finished early you can do this extra work on your own, or you may read to yourself or play XYZ game on the Chromebook.” The ELC is a good curriculum that advocates fought hard to bring to all schools. I have no intel about the actual plan, but it would be really unfortunate to remove it if the alternative won’t provide equivalent enrichment with fidelity.

+100. People worked hard to be sure that all schools could offer ELC. Before letting them get rid of it, I would suggest current ES parents be REALLY SURE that “Extras” from CKLA will match the same level as ELC contentAND have a clear understanding how the model will be to deliver extras. ELC was/is not something extra it’s an actual class and that makes a big difference.

Example questions :
1) Do all grade 4&5 teachers have access to the extras?
2) How have teachers been using the extra this year?
3)What model will be used for kids who should be in ELC?
4) Will the students who should be getting ELC be doing the supplemental questions/work initially or will they be having to do it as extra work?
5) If it’s not a separate class how will school ensure ELC level students are getting time for book discussion, review, and supplemental work feedback?

It's not extras from CKLA. CKLA is CKLA. It's extras from MCPS that are I believe based off of ELC. So kids would do their normal 90 minute CKLA block and then have a separate 30 min WIN time where those who need enrichment would get it based on ELC.

You believe meaning you aren’t sure. Which is exactly my point, that folks should be sure what exactly the extra is or isn’t. Further, WIN time is not the same as having the entire ELA block be at a better level/appropriate level.

What if what the child needs during WIN time is work on math?

It doesn’t really matter what complaining parents do. MCPS is going to do what it wants to do anyway. It is the MCPS way. At least now there is a decent base curriculum. Benchmark was awful.

And this attitude is why public education is the way it is. You can either choose to be engaged or choose to be disengaged.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good luck, folks. I have no dog in this fight because my kids are in middle school. But from personal experience, anytime MCPS has said there are “built in” extensions in the regular curriculum that can be offered to students to provide enrichment, they do not generally get offered. Or, in the rare instance they do, the teacher will say, “If you’re finished early you can do this extra work on your own, or you may read to yourself or play XYZ game on the Chromebook.” The ELC is a good curriculum that advocates fought hard to bring to all schools. I have no intel about the actual plan, but it would be really unfortunate to remove it if the alternative won’t provide equivalent enrichment with fidelity.

+100. People worked hard to be sure that all schools could offer ELC. Before letting them get rid of it, I would suggest current ES parents be REALLY SURE that “Extras” from CKLA will match the same level as ELC contentAND have a clear understanding how the model will be to deliver extras. ELC was/is not something extra it’s an actual class and that makes a big difference.

Example questions :
1) Do all grade 4&5 teachers have access to the extras?
2) How have teachers been using the extra this year?
3)What model will be used for kids who should be in ELC?
4) Will the students who should be getting ELC be doing the supplemental questions/work initially or will they be having to do it as extra work?
5) If it’s not a separate class how will school ensure ELC level students are getting time for book discussion, review, and supplemental work feedback?

It's not extras from CKLA. CKLA is CKLA. It's extras from MCPS that are I believe based off of ELC. So kids would do their normal 90 minute CKLA block and then have a separate 30 min WIN time where those who need enrichment would get it based on ELC.

You believe meaning you aren’t sure. Which is exactly my point, that folks should be sure what exactly the extra is or isn’t. Further, WIN time is not the same as having the entire ELA block be at a better level/appropriate level.

What if what the child needs during WIN time is work on math?

It doesn’t really matter what complaining parents do. MCPS is going to do what it wants to do anyway. It is the MCPS way. At least now there is a decent base curriculum. Benchmark was awful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good luck, folks. I have no dog in this fight because my kids are in middle school. But from personal experience, anytime MCPS has said there are “built in” extensions in the regular curriculum that can be offered to students to provide enrichment, they do not generally get offered. Or, in the rare instance they do, the teacher will say, “If you’re finished early you can do this extra work on your own, or you may read to yourself or play XYZ game on the Chromebook.” The ELC is a good curriculum that advocates fought hard to bring to all schools. I have no intel about the actual plan, but it would be really unfortunate to remove it if the alternative won’t provide equivalent enrichment with fidelity.

+100. People worked hard to be sure that all schools could offer ELC. Before letting them get rid of it, I would suggest current ES parents be REALLY SURE that “Extras” from CKLA will match the same level as ELC contentAND have a clear understanding how the model will be to deliver extras. ELC was/is not something extra it’s an actual class and that makes a big difference.

Example questions :
1) Do all grade 4&5 teachers have access to the extras?
2) How have teachers been using the extra this year?
3)What model will be used for kids who should be in ELC?
4) Will the students who should be getting ELC be doing the supplemental questions/work initially or will they be having to do it as extra work?
5) If it’s not a separate class how will school ensure ELC level students are getting time for book discussion, review, and supplemental work feedback?

It's not extras from CKLA. CKLA is CKLA. It's extras from MCPS that are I believe based off of ELC. So kids would do their normal 90 minute CKLA block and then have a separate 30 min WIN time where those who need enrichment would get it based on ELC.

You believe meaning you aren’t sure. Which is exactly my point, that folks should be sure what exactly the extra is or isn’t. Further, WIN time is not the same as having the entire ELA block be at a better level/appropriate level.

What if what the child needs during WIN time is work on math?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good luck, folks. I have no dog in this fight because my kids are in middle school. But from personal experience, anytime MCPS has said there are “built in” extensions in the regular curriculum that can be offered to students to provide enrichment, they do not generally get offered. Or, in the rare instance they do, the teacher will say, “If you’re finished early you can do this extra work on your own, or you may read to yourself or play XYZ game on the Chromebook.” The ELC is a good curriculum that advocates fought hard to bring to all schools. I have no intel about the actual plan, but it would be really unfortunate to remove it if the alternative won’t provide equivalent enrichment with fidelity.

+100. People worked hard to be sure that all schools could offer ELC. Before letting them get rid of it, I would suggest current ES parents be REALLY SURE that “Extras” from CKLA will match the same level as ELC contentAND have a clear understanding how the model will be to deliver extras. ELC was/is not something extra it’s an actual class and that makes a big difference.

Example questions :
1) Do all grade 4&5 teachers have access to the extras?
2) How have teachers been using the extra this year?
3)What model will be used for kids who should be in ELC?
4) Will the students who should be getting ELC be doing the supplemental questions/work initially or will they be having to do it as extra work?
5) If it’s not a separate class how will school ensure ELC level students are getting time for book discussion, review, and supplemental work feedback?

It's not extras from CKLA. CKLA is CKLA. It's extras from MCPS that are I believe based off of ELC. So kids would do their normal 90 minute CKLA block and then have a separate 30 min WIN time where those who need enrichment would get it based on ELC.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good luck, folks. I have no dog in this fight because my kids are in middle school. But from personal experience, anytime MCPS has said there are “built in” extensions in the regular curriculum that can be offered to students to provide enrichment, they do not generally get offered. Or, in the rare instance they do, the teacher will say, “If you’re finished early you can do this extra work on your own, or you may read to yourself or play XYZ game on the Chromebook.” The ELC is a good curriculum that advocates fought hard to bring to all schools. I have no intel about the actual plan, but it would be really unfortunate to remove it if the alternative won’t provide equivalent enrichment with fidelity.

+100. People worked hard to be sure that all schools could offer ELC. Before letting them get rid of it, I would suggest current ES parents be REALLY SURE that “Extras” from CKLA will match the same level as ELC contentAND have a clear understanding how the model will be to deliver extras. ELC was/is not something extra it’s an actual class and that makes a big difference.

Example questions :
1) Do all grade 4&5 teachers have access to the extras?
2) How have teachers been using the extra this year?
3)What model will be used for kids who should be in ELC?
4) Will the students who should be getting ELC be doing the supplemental questions/work initially or will they be having to do it as extra work?
5) If it’s not a separate class how will school ensure ELC level students are getting time for book discussion, review, and supplemental work feedback?