Fairfax County Begins to Dumb Down Gifted (GT) Program to Support Diversity

[Anonymous]

I have been a supporter of the public schools and have had a recent debate with my wife between public and private. But after reading this new initiative I am starting to lean more towards private schools. My arguement was that if our kid is truely gifted he could be removed from lower performing students and into the GT program. It seems though polictically correct trumps logic in the public school system. I guess with the increase of minorities and decrease of whites in the area there is a demand to make the GT program's racial percentages equal to the county numbers regardless of achievement. UGHHH.

Among local school systems, Prince William County’s has taken perhaps the most aggressive policy on diversity in gifted classes. It mandates that the demographic composition of the gifted program reflect the overall racial and ethnic makeup of the school system. To do that, Prince William has amended its identification process to ensure that it finds gifted students from a variety of backgrounds.

The Fairfax County system and others in Northern Virginia have started an enrichment program that targets high-achieving minority students.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education...AeYImtM_story_1.html

[Anonymous]

"Students living in poverty, particularly those whose parents are uneducated or speak English as a second language, are less likely to develop verbal skills measured by traditional intelligence tests. But that doesn’t mean they’re not gifted. Assessments that measure spatial and mathematical intelligence as well as curiosity and leadership abilities are more likely to identify a diverse crop of gifted students, experts say."

Who made this determination? Major slant in the article.

[Anonymous]

Diversity or otherwise, it seems to me that 10 years ago when my older kids were going through FCPS, only a handful of kids went off to the GT program. Now, I hear our base school has 2 full classrooms (40% of the grade) in AAP. It doesn't seem possible that kids are that much smarter these days. But there is no way to make that 40% more diverse, because there's next to zero diversity among all the students (well, since Asian is no longer considered a minority race because they make up a majority of the TJ enrollment).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Diversity or otherwise, it seems to me that 10 years ago when my older kids were going through FCPS, only a handful of kids went off to the GT program. Now, I hear our base school has 2 full classrooms (40% of the grade) in AAP. It doesn't seem possible that kids are that much smarter these days. But there is no way to make that 40% more diverse, because there's next to zero diversity among all the students (well, since Asian is no longer considered a minority race because they make up a majority of the TJ enrollment).

If it was so easy to get in to the program if the non diverse student's parents cared enough they could get them in. Part of the GT isn't how white or asian are you. The test has NOTHING to do with race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Diversity or otherwise, it seems to me that 10 years ago when my older kids were going through FCPS, only a handful of kids went off to the GT program. Now, I hear our base school has 2 full classrooms (40% of the grade) in AAP. It doesn't seem possible that kids are that much smarter these days. But there is no way to make that 40% more diverse, because there's next to zero diversity among all the students (well, since Asian is no longer considered a minority race because they make up a majority of the TJ enrollment).

If it was so easy to get in to the program if the non diverse student's parents cared enough they could get them in. Part of the GT isn't how white or asian are you. The test has NOTHING to do with race.

I didn't intend for my post as anti-Asian. My point was that 10 years ago a few kids were GT, now 40% are in AAP. I noted, inartfully, that Asian kids are the majority at TJ and thus making the assumption that supporting diversity must not include increasing the Asian AAP %.

[Anonymous]

The expansion of the GT/AAP began with the class of 2011 and FCPS re-tested 3rd graders for GT/AAP using naglieri for the first time. The result was bunches of all races going to centers for 4rth grade. That overcrowded schools with centers.

Prior to naglieri GT admissions had already been expanded from the original IQ cut-off of 140.

Note base schools rarely had any regrouping for reading or math and sparse science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been a supporter of the public schools and have had a recent debate with my wife between public and private. But after reading this new initiative I am starting to lean more towards private schools.

Anonymous wrote:
The Fairfax County system and others in Northern Virginia have started an enrichment program that targets high-achieving minority students.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education...AeYImtM_story_1.html

If you are referring to Young Scholars, it is not a "new initiative." Also, note that "gifted and talented" FCPS students include those that are eligible for full-time Level 4 Center placement AND those students eligible for pull-out services (Level 2 and Level 3).

40% of students are NOT in Level 4 (full-time center) services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been a supporter of the public schools and have had a recent debate with my wife between public and private. But after reading this new initiative I am starting to lean more towards private schools. My arguement was that if our kid is truely gifted he could be removed from lower performing students and into the GT program. It seems though polictically correct trumps logic in the public school system. I guess with the increase of minorities and decrease of whites in the area there is a demand to make the GT program's racial percentages equal to the county numbers regardless of achievement. UGHHH.

Among local school systems, Prince William County’s has taken perhaps the most aggressive policy on diversity in gifted classes. It mandates that the demographic composition of the gifted program reflect the overall racial and ethnic makeup of the school system. To do that, Prince William has amended its identification process to ensure that it finds gifted students from a variety of backgrounds.

The Fairfax County system and others in Northern Virginia have started an enrichment program that targets high-achieving minority students.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education...AeYImtM_story_1.html

Let's hope your gifted snowflake spells better than you do.

[Anonymous]

I don't view the GT program anymore as something for "gifted" students but something more for the slightly above average learner and above. It just allows the teacher to focus on the lowest performing students to get their test scores up and not even to the average mark but just enough to show progress.

[Anonymous]

"Students living in poverty, particularly those whose parents are uneducated or speak English as a second language, are less likely to develop verbal skills measured by traditional intelligence tests. But that doesn’t mean they’re not gifted. Assessments that measure spatial and mathematical intelligence as well as curiosity and leadership abilities are more likely to identify a diverse crop of gifted students, experts say."

This was the part of the discussion that made me choke on my bagel.

It is my opinion, evidently not shared by some experts, that you need to be gifted in the matter at hand. In school, that means generally reading, writing, 'rithmatic Maybe sometimes the arts, if the program is one like Julliard and not TJ.

So because the matter at hand in a public school is reading/math, then the kids should be gifted in those areas.

I happen to be exceptionally gifted at baking pies, sewing costumes and gardening. Really, I am, I have an innate gift. But I'd never make it into TJ right now because I would flub the entrance exam -- and that's OK. There's a better fit for my "gifts" out there (the Culinary Institute? a landscape design firm?)

The public school gifted program doesn't have to be all things to all people, nor should it. It's OK to stick to the original and long-running mission of public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been a supporter of the public schools and have had a recent debate with my wife between public and private. But after reading this new initiative I am starting to lean more towards private schools. My arguement was that if our kid is truely gifted he could be removed from lower performing students and into the GT program. It seems though polictically correct trumps logic in the public school system. I guess with the increase of minorities and decrease of whites in the area there is a demand to make the GT program's racial percentages equal to the county numbers regardless of achievement. UGHHH.

Among local school systems, Prince William County’s has taken perhaps the most aggressive policy on diversity in gifted classes. It mandates that the demographic composition of the gifted program reflect the overall racial and ethnic makeup of the school system. To do that, Prince William has amended its identification process to ensure that it finds gifted students from a variety of backgrounds.

The Fairfax County system and others in Northern Virginia have started an enrichment program that targets high-achieving minority students.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education...AeYImtM_story_1.html

Let's hope your gifted snowflake spells better than you do.

FUCK U, spell that one.

Seems your grammar is lacking as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess with the increase of minorities and decrease of whites in the area there is a demand to make the GT program's racial percentages equal to the county numbers regardless of achievement. UGHHH.

Can you make your disdain for non-whites a little clearer. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been a supporter of the public schools and have had a recent debate with my wife between public and private. But after reading this new initiative I am starting to lean more towards private schools. My arguement was that if our kid is truely gifted he could be removed from lower performing students and into the GT program. It seems though polictically correct trumps logic in the public school system. I guess with the increase of minorities and decrease of whites in the area there is a demand to make the GT program's racial percentages equal to the county numbers regardless of achievement. UGHHH.

Among local school systems, Prince William County’s has taken perhaps the most aggressive policy on diversity in gifted classes. It mandates that the demographic composition of the gifted program reflect the overall racial and ethnic makeup of the school system. To do that, Prince William has amended its identification process to ensure that it finds gifted students from a variety of backgrounds.

The Fairfax County system and others in Northern Virginia have started an enrichment program that targets high-achieving minority students.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education...AeYImtM_story_1.html

Let's hope your gifted snowflake spells better than you do.

FUCK U, spell that one.

Seems your grammar is lacking as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been a supporter of the public schools and have had a recent debate with my wife between public and private. But after reading this new initiative I am starting to lean more towards private schools. My arguement was that if our kid is truely gifted he could be removed from lower performing students and into the GT program. It seems though polictically correct trumps logic in the public school system. I guess with the increase of minorities and decrease of whites in the area there is a demand to make the GT program's racial percentages equal to the county numbers regardless of achievement. UGHHH.

Among local school systems, Prince William County’s has taken perhaps the most aggressive policy on diversity in gifted classes. It mandates that the demographic composition of the gifted program reflect the overall racial and ethnic makeup of the school system. To do that, Prince William has amended its identification process to ensure that it finds gifted students from a variety of backgrounds.

The Fairfax County system and others in Northern Virginia have started an enrichment program that targets high-achieving minority students.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education...AeYImtM_story_1.html

Let's hope your gifted snowflake spells better than you do.

I'm confused. Are you using your STEM degree as an excuse for poor English?

FUCK U, spell that one.

Seems your grammar is lacking as well.

[Anonymous]

Who's the clown?