tell me about your experience with regular ed in FCPS

[Anonymous]

It seems like DCUM parents really push for AAP for their kids. I have a second grader who will likely end up in regular ed. I think I am ok with that but reading through DCUM, it's hard not to have some doubts. Any parents of kids who have done regular ed in elementary and middle schools and ended up doing well in high school and college? I was an average student in elementary and did very well later on, but maybe things have gotten more competitive? Am I missing something? I'm not originally from the US. I want my kids to excel, but I don't identify with the obsession to push kids into AAP.

[Anonymous]

It really depends on which ES your child attends. There are so many variations among and within the hundreds of ES in FCPS.

[Anonymous]

General ed in elementary school is fine. It just looks like there are many people in AAP because there is an AAP forum here. I had one go through aap and one who didn't, and they are both doing well.

[Anonymous]

I do not find general ed to be fine or FCPS fine in any way. I am at one of the supposed best elementary schools. The quality of the educational is very disappointing. A lot of time moving room to room, very large classes, lots of time giving iready or DRA testing and during that time the single teacher is out of the room. No snap words, no spelling correction at the young age or basic spelling later. AAP available is known to be better because at least those teachers find it unacceptable that 4th and 5th graders who have been deemed advanced cannot spell or do basic math quickly. It makes me super angry and sad because we bought here for the school and are now applying to private school. Most of the teachers are less than 28. Way too young without a balance of older more seasoned teachers. As I tour the privates, I recall all the negativity public school advocates say about private school teachers and qualifications and what I see are mature and career teachers who hold masters or phds In their fields. I see private schools require spelling and handwriting in addition to all of the other subjects. They don’t use the gimmicks of iPads to show that they are using tech. They don’t move the kids room to room in endless stations so that no single teacher actually has an idea what the kids are capable of. Neither of my kids abiltiities or weaknesses are known to their teachers because they are taught by assistance so or by each other or by iPad. It is so incredibly disappointing. Public school has a bigger mission than private but at my school, the FARMs and esol are less than 2%. The administration is not loaded down with other challenges. It just thinks this is ok. There is a feeling that if the kids can pass the state standards, that is enough. If you take the time to review the state standards for each grade and subject, you will agree that it is definitely essential to learn the items listed but you will also probably find that you actually expect much much more and they just don’t do it.

[Anonymous]

Wow.

[Anonymous]

Prepare to supplement by tutoring - outside or DIY.

The regular ed students are easily lost in the shuffle, with attention, resources, programs, specialized staff for the students who struggle with English, have an IEP, get FARMS, need speech therapy.

The only constant is inconsistency. Maybe your first grader will learn handwriting, maybe not. Perhaps your third grader will have a teacher who routinely corrects grammar and usage, but likely not. Your sixth grader may be prepared for middle school math if you take some initiative.

Hate to say it,it reg ed in FCPS is very dumbed down. Education for the masses, the lowest common denominator.

Oh, and wait until your child gets prepped for the almighty SOLS. You'll be asked to send your student in for extra tutoring for the test. If a student fails an SOL, there'll be a flurry of emails from the AP, urging your student to please enroll in a fast track re-take prep class before or after school.

And, all go ahead and say it, but there's very little actual learning happening. Once SOLs are over, learning ceases.

FCPS parent of 5, since 2005 - current.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not find general ed to be fine or FCPS fine in any way. I am at one of the supposed best elementary schools. The quality of the educational is very disappointing. A lot of time moving room to room, very large classes, lots of time giving iready or DRA testing and during that time the single teacher is out of the room. No snap words, no spelling correction at the young age or basic spelling later. AAP available is known to be better because at least those teachers find it unacceptable that 4th and 5th graders who have been deemed advanced cannot spell or do basic math quickly. It makes me super angry and sad because we bought here for the school and are now applying to private school. Most of the teachers are less than 28. Way too young without a balance of older more seasoned teachers. As I tour the privates, I recall all the negativity public school advocates say about private school teachers and qualifications and what I see are mature and career teachers who hold masters or phds In their fields. I see private schools require spelling and handwriting in addition to all of the other subjects. They don’t use the gimmicks of iPads to show that they are using tech. They don’t move the kids room to room in endless stations so that no single teacher actually has an idea what the kids are capable of. Neither of my kids abiltiities or weaknesses are known to their teachers because they are taught by assistance so or by each other or by iPad. It is so incredibly disappointing. Public school has a bigger mission than private but at my school, the FARMs and esol are less than 2%. The administration is not loaded down with other challenges. It just thinks this is ok. There is a feeling that if the kids can pass the state standards, that is enough. If you take the time to review the state standards for each grade and subject, you will agree that it is definitely essential to learn the items listed but you will also probably find that you actually expect much much more and they just don’t do it.

Agree mostly although at our school they don't even teach all of the state standards. They do give interesting assignments, but there is no follow up after the assignment is given and they are often not graded. In general ed or AAP. I don't mind the tech much, but just find the curriculum very lacking in FCPS. Probably trying to do too many things and not focusing on doing several of them well.

[Anonymous]

10:03 and wanted to add that FCPS in general has gotten away from the basics, the fundamentals. No spelling, no handwriting, no math facts. No, that's too old-fashioned and doesn't align with "progress."

My kindergartener in 2005 spent hours seated at a desk and using a computer program that was geared for "emerging readers." She'd come home with these flimsy books that she was to attempt to read. No one-on-one attention, very little instruction from the teacher. I taught my child to read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10:03 and wanted to add that FCPS in general has gotten away from the basics, the fundamentals. No spelling, no handwriting, no math facts. No, that's too old-fashioned and doesn't align with "progress."

My kindergartener in 2005 spent hours seated at a desk and using a computer program that was geared for "emerging readers." She'd come home with these flimsy books that she was to attempt to read. No one-on-one attention, very little instruction from the teacher. I taught my child to read.

Most people teach their kids to read prior to kindergarten

[Anonymous]

My oldest is in 2nd grade in FCPS. Definitely not getting into AAP though he is a bright kid, especially with math and science. Generally I love his school - it's a supportive environment, great principal, great teachers, nice parents, etc. I do agree though that this year in particular I've been a little disappointed with the curriculum. Especially spelling! They aren't doing any spelling lists, tests, memorization at all. I've actually started printing out weekly spelling lists at home and I've never been the sort of parent to do that sort of thing.

I'm also a little concerned about down the road once the AAP students leave (3rd grade and beyond). I'm afraid that taking out all of those higher achieving students is going to slow down progress - no one to challenge the kids in the middle. They take SO MANY kids into AAP who aren't really "gifted" by traditional standards that I think they are really doing a disservice to everyone. It seems like the kids who used to just be the top group in reading/math/etc are not in the regular classrooms at all. That has to dumb things down in the regular classrooms. I'm sure AAP parents will disagree, but I've heard this from teachers of the later grades and from some of my "mom friends" who sub in elementary schools.

I still think the schools are good overall and I particularly think their "specials" are excellent quality, but I'm a little disappointed so far in the classroom teaching.

[Anonymous]

We are in the West Springfield Burke area.

We have one kids who went to our (then) amazing local center.

We had one kid qualify a few years later and decided to keep at our amazing base school.

We currently have that advanced kid plus one kid who is bright but has struggles (reading and speech).

We have had kids in all grades (K through 6th) at the base school.

The administration is exceptional. They are warm, welcoming to parents, involved with the kids, engaged, and have their priorities in order (trying to balance testing with learning, reasonable discipline, open to finding good fits for kids who struggle).

The teachers have ranged from very good to exceptional. We have had one meh teacher and one bad teacher, both teachers who were older and more experienced. One of our very best teachers was one just out of college. She was amazing.

My AAP level IV kid has gotten a lot of personal attention, a weekly level 3 class, and advanced math.

My bright kid who struggles has received lots of individual attention from speech therapy, pullout with the reading specialist, accommodations/adjustments for classroom things to make learning more productive, even for things he does not have a 504 or IEP for, and the opportunity to do advanced math. Because the school is smaller than the big center they were able to see beyond his deficits to notice his strengths, Yay!

OP do not use the dcum AAP forum to make your decision of whether your base school is horrible or not.

Look around your school, principal and teachers. Look at the projects posted on the walls. Look at the PTA, how it runs and what it does. Look at the scores in middle and high school. If all the base elementaries were failing the non AAP kids then the middle and high school scores would be a mess. If those are strong then someone is preparing those kids well in elementary. Talk to people with older kids in the school. Not the one person still bitter that their kid is not AAP, but everyone else.

That will tell you how well your base school is doing.

Not the tiget moms of dcum's AAP forum.

[Anonymous]

How do you feel about the "regular ed" that your child is already receiving? If your child needs more of a challenge in certain areas, I believe most schools are pretty good at placing kids in an AAP classroom for reading or math,
as needed (assuming there is a center or local Level IV at the school). The testing in 2nd grade also identifies kids who will get Level 3 services.

My kids were in a local level IV in elementary (the one in their school was under-enrolled and they were placed in the class - they tested at level 3). They took honors classes n MS and a mix of honors and APs in high school with a few regular classes in their weaker areas. My son benefited from the advanced math, and I think the school assigned the best teachers to those classrooms. However, I don't think it was really that different from the regular ES classes.

Something like 2/3 of the kids in their middle/high school are labeled as gifted, which seems nuts. However, by the time they reach high school, it really, truly does not matter. 97% of the kids go to college, even the "regular" children. Don't worry about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:10:03 and wanted to add that FCPS in general has gotten away from the basics, the fundamentals. No spelling, no handwriting, no math facts. No, that's too old-fashioned and doesn't align with "progress."

My kindergartener in 2005 spent hours seated at a desk and using a computer program that was geared for "emerging readers." She'd come home with these flimsy books that she was to attempt to read. No one-on-one attention, very little instruction from the teacher. I taught my child to read.

Most people teach their kids to read prior to kindergarten

NP. Maybe, but it should be ok if you don't. The schools should be equipped to teach reading. I taught my kids to read before K, but that's no excuse for incompetence in our schools. I also taught my oldest algebra, do that excuse incompetent math teachers.

[Anonymous]

My children were/are in general ed.

I don't buy into the academic arms race at such a young age. I'm Finnish and follow the Finnish educational model. My kids did fine in FCPS grade school -- good, not stellar -- but I didn't push them beyond what was reasonable for their ages. So, opposite of "tiger mom." They are children, they need to play and be creative. They need to learn how to be good people. Learning should not be so stressful at a young age.

My children are now ramping up each year in secondary. Straight As, all honors, awards, all of those types of things. That's nice.

Relax, and let them be children. Set them on a good trajectory in grade school, and help them find their motivation. The success will come.

[Anonymous]

Good parenting (I like the post above can overcome the evils of FCPS ... because I think labeling kids in 2nd grade is evil.