MCEF

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MCEF

• Montgomery County Education Forum
• http//www.mcef.org
• Sponsoring group for the Equity in Education
  Coalition (EEC)

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Why does MCPS label our kids?
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At the end of 2nd grade MCPS will evaluate your
child and decide whether to identify him or her
as gifted and talented.
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The Equity in Education Coalition wantsNo
Labels, No Limits!

• Let us tell you what happens and why we think
  its wrong.

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As seven or eight year olds

• Each child is tested
• Each child is recommended or not by her or his
  teacher.
• Each child may be nominated by her or his
  parent or guardian.
• Parents may have their children evaluated by
  experts.

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Parents receive a letter in June that designates
their child as gifted and talented or, in
effect, NOT gifted and talented.
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This marks the beginning of separate tracks
special education and on grade level versus
honors, AP, IB that further segregate our
children by middle and high school and deny our
children the education they need.
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At the end of 2nd grade, MCPS labels about 60 of
white and Asian children as gifted and
talented.
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This means that, in effect, MCPS labels about 40
of white and Asian students NOT gifted and
talented.
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At the end of 2nd grade, MCPS labels about 20 of
African American and Latino children gifted and
talented.
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This means that, in effect, MCPS labels 80 of
African American and Latino students NOT gifted
and talented.
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• Do we really think that 80 of African American
  and Latino children are without gifts or talents?

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The worst instructional effects of this practice
include

• Remedial versus enriched instruction
• Worksheets versus hands-on labs
• Rote memorization versus inquiry-based learning
• However, MCPS, and its principals and teachers
  have worked hard over the years to reduce these
  effects

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And yet, many effects from the separate tracks
remain and extend into middle and high school.
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Some of the effects of labeling benefit some
children, while harming others. Heres how
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Many teachers have high expectations for children
identified as gifted and talented.

• So do their parents.
• As do the children, themselves.

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These children see themselves with a bright
future.

• They go to magnet programs and take AP and IB
  classes.
• They get high SAT scores.
• They prepare to go to college.

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Children MCPS identifies, in effect, as not
gifted and talented get the message that school
is not a place where they can shine
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they are more likely to

• Become disengaged
• Act out in class
• Lose academic eligibility to participate in
  sports
• Drop out
• Join gangs.

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Malcolm Gladwell in his recent book Outliers
refers to sociologist Robert Mertons description
of this kind of result as the Matthew Effect

• For unto every one that hath shall be given, and
  he shall have in abundance. But from him that
  hath not shall be taken away even that which he
  hath.

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Gladwell explains the Matthew Effect - It is
those who are successful, in other words, who are
most likely to be given the kinds of special
opportunities that lead to further success.
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So the achievement gap may increase because of
MCPS policies.
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Some of the effects of labeling harm all
children. Heres how
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Tracking (or rigid grouping) segregates
children, even those who live in diverse
neighborhoods.

• Even in schools which are very diverse,
  classrooms are majority white and Asian OR
  African American and Latino.
• You can notice this as you walk through most
  schools.

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Tracking reinforces racial and economic
segregation.

• Children learn to study and work only with
  children who look like them.
• Children receive the incorrect message that their
  racial or economic group is smarter or dumber
  than other groups.
• Children on both ends of tracking suffer as a
  result.

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Segregation does not prepare our children for the
world and the workplaces they will live and work
in as adults.
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Whats more, tracking denies benefits to the
children labeled NOT gifted and
talented.This has been studied nationally and
locally.
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Tracking Video
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Some examples

• Vickie Adamson, a Blair High School teacher,
  teaches an intentionally detracked honors
  American Studies English class with students who
  have been in gifted, honors and magnet classes
  and those who have been tracked out of those
  classes.

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• Many students discover that they CAN do
  challenging work if given the chance.
• Some students discover that because of years of
  low expectations and less challenging work, they
  lack confidence and skills.

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Another example

• Georgian Forest and Burning Tree Elementary
  Schools are no labels pilot schools.
• They do not identify students as gifted and
  talented or not gifted and talented.
• Parents and children at the school are pleased
  with this innovation and content that children
  are getting their need met.

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For example

• In Rockville Center, Long Island, a whole school
  system has detracked and it has found that all
  students achievement has risen because to teach
  ALL children well means high expectations and
  better teaching for everyone.

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For example

• Carol Ann Tomlinson, at University of Virginia,
  tells the story of the detracking of two
  schools, in her book The Differentiated School.
• Both schools an elementary school and a high
  school had sweeping, positive results for
  staff and students.

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For example

• Joseph Renzulli at the NEAG Center for Gifted
  Education at the University of Connecticut
  advocates using strategies designed for gifted
  students for all students.

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MCPS labels our kids - but it shouldnt!!
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Let MCPS and the BOE know that we want No
Labels, No Limits! for our children.Lets work
to change MCPS policy, to make our schools work
for all of our children.
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Where do we go from here?

• What can you do?

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• Send postcards.
• Make phone calls.
• Attend Board of Education meetings.

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Ask your organization to endorse the No Labels,
No Limits! campaign.
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Volunteer to help with this campaign.We need
your help!
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THANK YOU!