Anonymous
11/29/2025 02:43
Subject: Do these docs show any changes in #s or courses for existing prograns?
Anonymous wrote:1000
If the STEM magnet is in a rich school, it's a brain drain from poor schools. If it's placed in the poorest school in that region, the rich kids will stay home and the magnet is going to be a failure - think Watkins Mill IB program.
Expanding should happen in small limited schools if Blair and Poolesville cannot meet the needs, not in 6 schools for each type - STEM, Humanities, Biotech and so on.
If these people had any sense they will expand this in 2 or 3 schools and go from there.
You realize they are doing this because its all for show and the schools they are putting the magnets at have those classes so there is no true change to any of the schools except bussing in a few dozen students from other schools and calling it equity. All schools should have stem, humanities and the arts.
Anonymous
11/29/2025 02:42
Subject: Do these docs show any changes in #s or courses for existing prograns?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Curious from folks who are familiar with the existing programs. MCPS has released lists of courses/etc as well as enrollment numbers proposed as these programs shift to regional. Do they look like they will be staying about the same, or are there any notable changes?
Description of classes for each program: https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DNLRYN704ACA/$file/WORKING%20DRAFT%20Sample%20Regional%20Programs%20Pathways%20251120.pdf
Projected enrollment numbers/spaces per school each year (pages 5-13) https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DNLJXC4F4A19/$file/Regional%20Program%20Model%20FY2027-2031%20Budget%20251120.pdf
There are currently 350 IB seats per year. The new model will increase that to 510 seat per year. Over 2000 students per year apply to IB magnets.
There are currently 160 SMCS seats per year. The new model will increase that 510 seat per year. Over 1500 students per year apply to SMCS magnets.
So, more seats, but there will still be waitlists.
Are all 1500 of those kids capable of handling the advanced curriculum? Just because people apply doesn't mean it would be a good fit. I have one kid in a competitive program, and another kid who is applying to it this year but has no business being in it. They only applied because the common app makes it so easy. If the idea is to take care of everyone on the waitlist, then that is an interest-based program not a criteria-based program.
No idea. MCPS only shares limited information and they use numbers to advance their own agenda. But if even half of the students in the applicant pools are qualified, MCPS will still be falling short of meeting demand.
The issue with magnet programs having a spot for every student who has the interest and the ability for the curriculum is that you've then drained home schools of all of the academically strong kids. What if you don't want to do a STEM magnet because your primary interest is music or English or history, but you just want to be able to take a good Calc class? If all of your classmates who are good at math left for the STEM magnet, you won't have that. I think it's ok for these programs to be selective and choose the most qualified students, not all qualified students.
Then you’ll be in class with the other kids who like English, Art, history and who are also capable of doing Calculus. Or are you expecting the kid you mentioned in this scenario to be some rarity. News flash, they aren’t.
There are already 11 MCPS high schools with 30 or less kids a year taking the AP Calc BC exam.(page 20): https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/reports/2025/240206_2024_APIB_Exam%20Enroll%20Part%20and%20Perf.pdf If even a dozen of those kids leave for magnets (and it may well be several dozen), that has a major impact on what classes are offered and what the class experience is.
At our school, students are discouraged from taking it. All HS should have BC. Many don't bother to take the exam and some schools have regular caculus and others don't.
Anonymous
11/28/2025 22:21
Subject: Do these docs show any changes in #s or courses for existing prograns?
1000
If the STEM magnet is in a rich school, it's a brain drain from poor schools. If it's placed in the poorest school in that region, the rich kids will stay home and the magnet is going to be a failure - think Watkins Mill IB program.
Expanding should happen in small limited schools if Blair and Poolesville cannot meet the needs, not in 6 schools for each type - STEM, Humanities, Biotech and so on.
If these people had any sense they will expand this in 2 or 3 schools and go from there.
If the STEM magnet is in a rich school, it's a brain drain from poor schools. If it's placed in the poorest school in that region, the rich kids will stay home and the magnet is going to be a failure - think Watkins Mill IB program.
Expanding should happen in small limited schools if Blair and Poolesville cannot meet the needs, not in 6 schools for each type - STEM, Humanities, Biotech and so on.
If these people had any sense they will expand this in 2 or 3 schools and go from there.
Anonymous
11/28/2025 22:20
Subject: Do these docs show any changes in #s or courses for existing prograns?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The issue with magnet programs having a spot for every student who has the interest and the ability for the curriculum is that you've then drained home schools of all of the academically strong kids. What if you don't want to do a STEM magnet because your primary interest is music or English or history, but you just want to be able to take a good Calc class? If all of your classmates who are good at math left for the STEM magnet, you won't have that. I think it's ok for these programs to be selective and choose the most qualified students, not all qualified students.
Then you’ll be in class with the other kids who like English, Art, history and who are also capable of doing Calculus. Or are you expecting the kid you mentioned in this scenario to be some rarity. News flash, they aren’t.
I don't think you quite understood where pp is coming from. Instead of sending news flashes maybe you should try harder at reading.
The concern is quite justified. With so many magnets there two possible outcomes. Let's use STEM as an example. If the magnet is placed at school with good reputation, most qualified students will rush to it thus draining other schools in the region of academically strong kids. If the magnet is placed at school with poor reputation, very few will move thus making the magnet obsolete. Neither outcome is good. I am not saying that 100 slots that we currently have is optimal, but this idea to improve accessibility by letting every interested kid in the magnet is misguided.
Having more magnets is good, but the transportation and structure, if you are also an arts or other interest student, is a huge issue. Plus, with the longer day, it impacts extracurricular activities, especially those outside school.
Ideally all schools would have advanced classes so the smarter students will stay, but they don't and MCPS isn't caring about those schools. Only specific schools are getting the extra classes and remodeling and the rest just have to continue to deal with what they have and its up to the parents to figure it out.
+1000
If the STEM magnet is in a rich school, it's a brain drain from poor schools. If it's placed in the poorest school in that region, the rich kids will stay home and the magnet is going to be a failure - think Watkins Mill IB program.
Expanding should happen in small limited schools if Blair and Poolesville cannot meet the needs, not in 6 schools for each type - STEM, Humanities, Biotech and so on.
If these people had any sense they will expand this in 2 or 3 schools and go from there.
Anonymous
11/28/2025 21:58
Subject: Do these docs show any changes in #s or courses for existing prograns?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The issue with magnet programs having a spot for every student who has the interest and the ability for the curriculum is that you've then drained home schools of all of the academically strong kids. What if you don't want to do a STEM magnet because your primary interest is music or English or history, but you just want to be able to take a good Calc class? If all of your classmates who are good at math left for the STEM magnet, you won't have that. I think it's ok for these programs to be selective and choose the most qualified students, not all qualified students.
Then you’ll be in class with the other kids who like English, Art, history and who are also capable of doing Calculus. Or are you expecting the kid you mentioned in this scenario to be some rarity. News flash, they aren’t.
I don't think you quite understood where pp is coming from. Instead of sending news flashes maybe you should try harder at reading.
The concern is quite justified. With so many magnets there two possible outcomes. Let's use STEM as an example. If the magnet is placed at school with good reputation, most qualified students will rush to it thus draining other schools in the region of academically strong kids. If the magnet is placed at school with poor reputation, very few will move thus making the magnet obsolete. Neither outcome is good. I am not saying that 100 slots that we currently have is optimal, but this idea to improve accessibility by letting every interested kid in the magnet is misguided.
I’m that PP - thank you for explaining that well. In Region 1, I’m concerned about Northwood and Einstein losing so many academically strong students to the other 3 schools that there isn’t a large enough cohort for those who can’t or don’t want to transfer schools.
I don't think you understand. There are not enough spots in other schools for Northwood and Einstein, so expanding it, and having it limited to specific schools will give Northwood and Einstein kids more access, BUT, you are assuming that all the smart STEM kids want that and they don't. It doesn't allow for a lot of arts or other classes, the commute is an issue for some and it's a more general STEM, and some kids want more specific computer science or engineering or other sciences. Kids leave because there are not enough offerings at Einstein and Northwood. With the DCC, you can transfer more easily between schools that are closer or go to MC (which is a transportation issue as well as a timing issue, as many of the classes would conflict with a normal school schedule and if kids do after-school sports or work, it's impossible to take evening classes).
Yes, many of our kids are left behind and have to choose from very basic classes, and it's not great. Ultimately, it goes to the principal and their values and the current principal and AP's don't value AP and higher level classes. I just hope they will allow COSAs to schools not in your region.
Why do you care when it doesn't impact your kids? Or, you want to be elitist and keep the classes/programs for your kids only.