Should I home school my kids for the remainder of the school year and send them to school next year, or send them now? (Arnold: middle schools)

[TheCaliforniaMarylandPers]

I will be moving to Maryland at the end of next week from CA to Arnold. I was thinking it would be good to send my kids to the schools for the remainder of this school year so that they can meet friends. I thought this is especially important for my daughter who will be starting 9th grade at Broadneck High next year. It would be good for her to make some friends at Magothy River Middle so that she will feel comfortable at her new high school next year. I have heard from a friend in Maryland that since standardized testing has already happened in the middle schools (MSA), it could screw up her schedule for high school and said that I should just home school my kids until the beginning of next school year instead. Is that true? the standardized tests in Cali have already happened for middle schoolers too

[North Beach Person]

The MSA testing in middle school shouldn't have any impact on her in high school. They are only used to rate the middle and elementary schools in the aggregate and don't impede an individual student. In fact, when they were first implemented, the individual student scores weren't even available to the parents.

When she goes to high school she will have to take and pass the High School Assessments (although those are being phased out to be replaced by "new and improved" ones based on Common Core-excuse me, The Maryland Curriculum of Core College and Career Learnings. The new name to get rid of the Common Core label hasn't been 100% decided, they're trying out various ones to see which is most confusing to the average person.). There are 4 HSAs: Algebra/Data Analysis, English 10, Biology and Government.

[TheCaliforniaMarylandPers]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

The MSA testing in middle school shouldn't have any impact on her in high school. They are only used to rate the middle and elementary schools in the aggregate and don't impede an individual student. In fact, when they were first implemented, the individual student scores weren't even available to the parents.

When she goes to high school she will have to take and pass the High School Assessments (although those are being phased out to be replaced by "new and improved" ones based on Common Core-excuse me, The Maryland Curriculum of Core College and Career Learnings. The new name to get rid of the Common Core label hasn't been 100% decided, they're trying out various ones to see which is most confusing to the average person.). There are 4 HSAs: Algebra/Data Analysis, English 10, Biology and Government.

Thank you. I'll send them to the schools for the remainder of the year. She takes Algebra I this year, so I'm assuming she's going to take the HSA for that this year.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by TheCaliforniaMarylandPers

Thank you. I'll send them to the schools for the remainder of the year. She takes Algebra I this year, so I'm assuming she's going to take the HSA for that this year.

Maybe, they may not let her take the test this year. She's missed 3/4 (tests are 3rd week of May) of the very special MD Algebra curriculum this year.

[cjmeck]

Call the school and ask to speak with the guidance counselor. Unless you are specifically wanting to home school and have experience in that area and have researched it; she would likely be best served by enrolling in school right away. If for nothing more than social development which is huge for that age group. The test testing has no bearing on school placement for high school for incoming students. I would still call the school and ask to meet with someone to personally address your concerns.

[TheCaliforniaMarylandPers]

Originally Posted by cjmeck

Call the school and ask to speak with the guidance counselor. Unless you are specifically wanting to home school and have experience in that area and have researched it; she would likely be best served by enrolling in school right away. If for nothing more than social development which is huge for that age group. The test testing has no bearing on school placement for high school for incoming students. I would still call the school and ask to meet with someone to personally address your concerns.

Thanks everyone! We moved to Maryland this past Sunday and we enrolled my daughter at Magothy River MS and my younger kids at Broadneck ES today. My daughter will be starting at Magothy on Thursday. Her new guidance counselor said not to worry and that she is all set for high school next year. Thanks again everyone!