MCPS recently amended the field test selection process for Eastern and Takoma Park magnet middle schools so that a more holistic assessment will be employed, more students will be considered, the diversity of MCPS will be better represented. This new effort to make accelerated instruction more easily accessible to all students has left many parents across the county brimming with questions.
The new field test now includes a review of students’ academic records and the processing of an external assessment and percentile rankings on state administered exams. Over four thousand fifth grade students were accepted into the magnet pool for the 2018-2019 school year, while an average of only seven to eight hundred students were accepted last school year. The number of students eventually accepted into the magnet programs isn’t changed as a result of this; rather MCPS is demonstrating a commitment to filling the highly competitive seats with a diverse group of students who are uniquely gifted for each program.
High achieving students who ranked upwards of the 90th percentile on formal assessments were not accepted into the magnet programs of Eastern or Takoma Park because of the importance placed on instructional need during this year’s selection process. As of now, MCPS is no longer seeking to accept high scoring students who already have similarly achieving students at their home school; application reviewers are now looking for the outliers.
Through their efforts this year, MCPS is looking to gain better understanding of the instructional needs of students. With the data acquired through the universal screening process, MCPS will pilot courses designed to meet the needs of highly able students in select middle schools. These schools are selected based on the significance of high achieving cohorts, or peer groups, within their student bodies.
At this time, the school board has no plans for expanding the magnet programs to other schools. The Division of Accelerated and Enriched Instruction (AEI), however, is working with the Secondary Curriculum Office to look at accelerated humanities and STEM magnets programs at local schools. Through these efforts, the school board is looking to improve magnet programs in a way that meets the academic needs of all students in Montgomery County.
Article by Moco Student staff writer Sreelekha Chillanki of Richard Montgomery High School