I have heard great things about Parkland.

Since there is not an artificial divide in the school like the other magnet center programs, I think the administration is more committed towards the program than in the magnet center schools.

It really depends on your child's level of interest and commitment. We are lucky enough that we have several kids in our neighborhood that go to the same magnet (Loiederman) and we carpool, so the commute is not as bad. DD loves that she gets to do dance, drama, and chorus as regular classes instead of as after school activities. There are also two plays a year, dance company, and a capella groups, as well as orchestra. There are no other middle schools I know of that offer this many opportunities for the arts. So for us, yes, it's completely worth it.

Anonymous wrote:They are 50-60% FARMS with the out of boundary kids included, and the program's purpose was to increase the Ses diversity of the schools. Check the stats of the feeder elementaries compared to the middle schools if you want the most accurate picture of what the magnets impact is on see diversity.

There isn't much difference between the FARMS rate at my kid's school and the MSMC school near us. If the goal was to reduce the FARMS rate, well...um...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This says socioeconomic status and FARMS are considered. It doesn't say that students from wealthy schools are favored. How do you know it's not the other way around?

FARMs are number one.

The other PP is fooling herself.

The MCPS official at the presentation said kids assigned to higher ses middle schools are favored because they are trying to achieve a better ses balance at the consortium middle schools. This doesn't mean that kids assigned to lower ses middle schools have no chance of being chosen in the lottery process, but they do have less of a chance than kids applying from a wealthier cluster.

It is possible that kids from the wealthier middle schools don't end up accepting spots at the same rate as kids from less wealth middle schools, and that is why you erroneously believe that kids assigned to lower income schools are favored in the lottery process. I live in the DCC (all low income middle schools), most kids I know applied for the consortium programs in 5th grade and very few got in.

This. I'm the poster who would consider the performing arts program but it is just too far. Geography plays a big role here. Even if we got a spot, I'd have to seriously consider whether we would take it, but might do the lottery just to have the option.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This says socioeconomic status and FARMS are considered. It doesn't say that students from wealthy schools are favored. How do you know it's not the other way around?

FARMs are number one.

The other PP is fooling herself.

The MCPS official at the presentation said kids assigned to higher ses middle schools are favored because they are trying to achieve a better ses balance at the consortium middle schools. This doesn't mean that kids assigned to lower ses middle schools have no chance of being chosen in the lottery process, but they do have less of a chance than kids applying from a wealthier cluster.

It is possible that kids from the wealthier middle schools don't end up accepting spots at the same rate as kids from less wealth middle schools, and that is why you erroneously believe that kids assigned to lower income schools are favored in the lottery process. I live in the DCC (all low income middle schools), most kids I know applied for the consortium programs in 5th grade and very few got in.