Several years ago, Montgomery County Public Schools established the Seven Keys to College Readiness.
The keys are not a program per se, but rather a series of benchmarks that if obtained by students ensure college readiness.To date, MCPS researchers have produced a few reports showing positive links between the benchmarks and college outcomes. This report, for example, shows a link between SAT and ACT performance (Key 7) and college success. MCPS graduates with higher scores have better college outcomes.
Click here to read the full report.
Here is what MCPS specifically says about Key 7:
“Scoring at least 1650 on the SAT (maximum score 2400) or 24 on the ACT (maximum score 36) college entrance exams helps students gain acceptance to the colleges of their choice. It minimizes the chance that students will have to take remedial courses in college and it also increases their chances of earning a college degree.”
And so when MCPS releases its annual SAT report, it includes in the report how high schools and student subgroups performed on Key 7.
Click here and go to page A-21 to view attainment of Key 7 for the last three MCPS graduating senior classes (classes of 2010-2012).
For the class of 2012, 53 percent attained Key 7. Other notable Key 7 attainment facts include the following:
- The high school with the highest percentage of seniors obtaining Key 7 is Walt Whitman High School—84 percent of their seniors attained Key 7. The high school with the lowest percentage of seniors obtaining Key 7 is Wheaton High School—a mere 13 percent of their seniors attained Key 7. Kennedy (18 percent) and Watkins Mill (19 percent) high schools are not that far out in front of Wheaton.
- When it comes to student subgroups, white seniors lead the way—71 percent of the white seniors attained Key 7. In contrast, a mere 19 percent of the black seniors attained Key 7. As a subgroup, black seniors attainment of Key 7 is only 4 percentage points higher than all FARMS (Free and Reduced-price Meals System) seniors—14 percent of the FARMS seniors attained Key 7. For MCPS, FARMS is used as a measure to denote low-income status.
I don’t want to be insensitive here, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the vast majority of MCPS black seniors and seniors in high schools like Wheaton, Kennedy, and Watkins Mill are graduating not ready for college.
And yet sadly, no one seems upset.
We—our school district, our Board of Education, and other elected officials—seem stuck in that twilight zone world where people “mouth” the proper words about achievement gaps and the need to eliminate them. And most talking seem genuine. (Although they do call to mind that James Brown song, “ … talking loud and saying nothing.”) And yet at the end of the day, nothing bad ever happens to the adults who fail our black and poor students.
Do we ever fire people anymore? And is anyone else sick and tired of nothing?
MCPS will never release any data related to FARMS status because, and I quote Larry Bowers MCPS COO, we don't verify financial information. Anyone can fill out a FARMS application - anyone - and MCPS will then code that student FARMS.
"And yet at the end of the day, nothing bad ever happens to the adults who fail our black and poor students." "Do we ever fire people anymore? And is anyone else sick and tired of nothing?" Mr. Hawkins; Perhaps it is the Black and poor students who are failing the adults and the school system as opposed to the adults failing to meet the educational needs of the students with whom you are concerned.
Where is the happy press release from the public relations department about how only the rich kids can take these classes and the FARMS kids are out of luck? The Maryland Constitution guarantees ALL students a free public education. Denying students their right is a violation of the Constitution and DISCRIMINATION.
That's the law. The law isn't something you can make up because you are an anonymous poster. The law is in print and confirmed by the Maryland Attorney General's office. This fee is ILLEGAL and families that pay the fee are experiencing EXTORTION.
What do you want the students to do when they are being charged to attend public school classes and they don't have the illegal fees? What illegal action would you like the students to take in response? These are children and they are being scammed by adults.
None. MCPS charged students to attend public school for over a decade. They even had a policy that said says they are charging students. The policy is STILL on the books! What do you expect the results to be when an entire generation of public school students are denied their right to a free public education? Do you expect the students to excel or drop out?
Using a line from Biil, you are a complete idiot. MCPS supplies the FARMS application (for free by the way) for families to apply for the program run by the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. MCPS is only informed, for the purposes of providing the meals and other FREE or REDUCED costs for other services to those identified, by the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT as qualifying for those services. Seriously Janis, you need help. There is no conspiracy, but there is the bloat and confusion of a large system.
Thank you for the link to the article by Ms. Schwartz. While I have not read the entire article, the point she makes about using FARMS as the sole metric for measuring poverty being insufficient because of the differences in estimates to it efficacy when compared to poverty measured by qualifications for public housing is noted. For 2012-13, to qualify for FARMS, gross annual income for a family of 4 cannot exceed $42,643 (reduced meals) or $29,965 (free). (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-03-23/pdf/2012-7036.pdf). To qualify for public housing, a family of 4 cannot exceed a gross income of $53,750. (http://www.hocmc.org/Public-Housing-Residents/Public-Housing-Income.aspx). The U.S Government determines these thresholds (USDA and HUD respectively). Given this information, MCPS is identifying fewer students as low income, as the threshold for FARMS qualifications is lower than that of public housing. This basically means that the rate of poverty in many schools will be much higher. (continued)
My first question then is can MCPS ask families to provide data about whether or not they are in the public housing program in Montgomery County? Should MCPS ask? Should the threshold for qualifying for public housing be used, regardless of whether or not a family has applied for it? The Feds define poverty for a family of 4 at $23,050 (http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/12fedreg.shtml). Both of the metrics used for FARMS and public housing are well above that. I guess we have to determine at what point is a family truly considered “living in poverty?”
Just because a form is given out for free means nothing. Just because it is a federal form, means nothing. MCPS doesn't verify any of the information in the form. Anyone can fill it out with any information they like because MCPS never checks the information.
The point of education is that people learn the law, not just make it up to suit their personal feelings. The Maryland Constitution guarantees ALL children a FREE public education.
http://parentscoalitionmc.com/Guide_to_Fees.html
Here's the list of this years illegal fees. And, oh look, Foundations of Technology is on the list. http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2012/08/did-you-think-that-our-new.html And, if they take the class online, they pay $620. When adults work this hard to deny children a free public education it's no wonder there is an achievement gap.
http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2012/08/did-you-think-that-our-new.html
http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2011/08/parents-coalition-annual-school-fees.html
http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2011/09/illegal-demand-letters-persist-in-mcps.html
http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2010/08/third-annual-parents-coalition-survey_19.html