Concentrations of AAP Students at Selected Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that the center schools will have a higher percentage because the kids come from several schools. That's the nature of a center. I'm not sure how the neighborhood parents can complain about that since they bought in boundary for a center. That's what a center is. I guess they probably thought their kids would qualify now they are upset that they don't.

Do you really think people know the ratio of AAP to GE kids in a school before they even go there? This whole are is transient. My family moved here from overseas. We bought a house we could afford in what we thought was a good school. I never imagined I would need to drill down to the individual class ratios to determine if my kid would be an academic minority. Yes, we are very annoyed the center is now taking over the school and would love more Local Level IV programs.

You can easily find out the ratio by looking on the school profile on the FCPS website. It's actually not that hard. The problem is that certain schools have boosters in sites like this who talk about how great the school is and everyone blindly follows their advice without thinking critically about it.

Doesn't the website state the total percentage AAP? You'd have to extrapolate the 3-6 grades. I don't even know that now! I only know for my kid's grade. I guess if one knew to look. Pick a school for your kid shouldn't necessitate that. The real problem is creating center schools that overwhelm the GE population.

So perhaps the answer is a center only school or two, akin to the GT magnets in MoCo, but the school board is very opposed to that.

Or to create enough centers that the percentage in AAP in each grade generally would not exceed 50%. This would be for each grade 3rd through 6th, not school wide. The schools where AAP enrollment is nearly half the school overall must have significantly more AAP classes than gen ed classes in 3rd through 6th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain why both Shrevewood and Lemon Road have 3rd grade classes in the teens for the AAP classes when other cluster 2 schools have classes in the 30's? Seems entirely unfair. Does the needs based staffing ratio count some AAP kids as more than one kid too or something?

This is the first year for Lemon Road to be an AAP Center School. It takes some time for the numbers to grow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still too many AAP kids in relation to the Gen Ed population.

That doesn't even make sense. Surely you don't think there's some optimal ratio? Presumably if the kids are smart enough to handle it, it could be 100%. Or does that not make the program elite enough for you?

Yes, it makes sense. The optimal ratio would be equal or lower numbers of AAP to GE. It's not about the program being elite enough, it is about balance in the school. The GE kids are made to feel like they are weird and dumb since so many of the students in their school are AAP.

Exactly. AAP numbers are so excessively high in this area, it's completely ridiculous. Even at a center, AAP kids should not be outnumbering the Gen Ed kids. And to the poster who suggested we shouldn't have bought a house in a center school district, our school was built after we bought our home. We were hoping for just a nice, community school without all the AAP nonsense, but what we got was a center. Remember, a center is also a neighborhood school for many families. The whole off-kilter dynamic (4 AAP classes/2 GE) changes that. If there need to be centers, make them AAP-only so that the Gen Ed kids can shine in their own neighborhood school.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that the center schools will have a higher percentage because the kids come from several schools. That's the nature of a center. I'm not sure how the neighborhood parents can complain about that since they bought in boundary for a center. That's what a center is. I guess they probably thought their kids would qualify now they are upset that they don't.

Do you really think people know the ratio of AAP to GE kids in a school before they even go there? This whole are is transient. My family moved here from overseas. We bought a house we could afford in what we thought was a good school. I never imagined I would need to drill down to the individual class ratios to determine if my kid would be an academic minority. Yes, we are very annoyed the center is now taking over the school and would love more Local Level IV programs.

You can easily find out the ratio by looking on the school profile on the FCPS website. It's actually not that hard. The problem is that certain schools have boosters in sites like this who talk about how great the school is and everyone blindly follows their advice without thinking critically about it.

Doesn't the website state the total percentage AAP? You'd have to extrapolate the 3-6 grades. I don't even know that now! I only know for my kid's grade. I guess if one knew to look. Pick a school for your kid shouldn't necessitate that. The real problem is creating center schools that overwhelm the GE population.

So perhaps the answer is a center only school or two, akin to the GT magnets in MoCo, but the school board is very opposed to that.

Or to create enough centers that the percentage in AAP in each grade generally would not exceed 50%. This would be for each grade 3rd through 6th, not school wide. The schools where AAP enrollment is nearly half the school overall must have significantly more AAP classes than gen ed classes in 3rd through 6th.

The problem is that at some schools, that would actually end up being just a LLIV center. For example, last year at Haycock (before Cluster 2 left), 40% of the center was children from the base school. It must be even higher this year now that there are only a few feeder schools. So if you cut the center in half (which is what it would take to even out the population), there is essentially room for no one else other than Haycock students (and maybe a small feeder like Timberlane). Maybe that's ok, but it's not a center model. It's essentially a LLIV model. Also, the argument is that with a large center, you can have a very advanced math class. With a smaller center, there aren't enough super advanced kids to do that. (My child is not in the super advanced class, so before you attack, that's not my argument. I'm just relaying it.) I don't have a strong opinion on the best way to do it, but I suspect you'd get a lot of resistance to a bunch of tiny centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that the center schools will have a higher percentage because the kids come from several schools. That's the nature of a center. I'm not sure how the neighborhood parents can complain about that since they bought in boundary for a center. That's what a center is. I guess they probably thought their kids would qualify now they are upset that they don't.

Do you really think people know the ratio of AAP to GE kids in a school before they even go there? This whole are is transient. My family moved here from overseas. We bought a house we could afford in what we thought was a good school. I never imagined I would need to drill down to the individual class ratios to determine if my kid would be an academic minority. Yes, we are very annoyed the center is now taking over the school and would love more Local Level IV programs.

You can easily find out the ratio by looking on the school profile on the FCPS website. It's actually not that hard. The problem is that certain schools have boosters in sites like this who talk about how great the school is and everyone blindly follows their advice without thinking critically about it.

Doesn't the website state the total percentage AAP? You'd have to extrapolate the 3-6 grades. I don't even know that now! I only know for my kid's grade. I guess if one knew to look. Pick a school for your kid shouldn't necessitate that. The real problem is creating center schools that overwhelm the GE population.

So perhaps the answer is a center only school or two, akin to the GT magnets in MoCo, but the school board is very opposed to that.

Or to create enough centers that the percentage in AAP in each grade generally would not exceed 50%. This would be for each grade 3rd through 6th, not school wide. The schools where AAP enrollment is nearly half the school overall must have significantly more AAP classes than gen ed classes in 3rd through 6th.

The problem is that at some schools, that would actually end up being just a LLIV center. For example, last year at Haycock (before Cluster 2 left), 40% of the center was children from the base school. It must be even higher this year now that there are only a few feeder schools. So if you cut the center in half (which is what it would take to even out the population), there is essentially room for no one else other than Haycock students (and maybe a small feeder like Timberlane). Maybe that's ok, but it's not a center model. It's essentially a LLIV model. Also, the argument is that with a large center, you can have a very advanced math class. With a smaller center, there aren't enough super advanced kids to do that. (My child is not in the super advanced class, so before you attack, that's not my argument. I'm just relaying it.) I don't have a strong opinion on the best way to do it, but I suspect you'd get a lot of resistance to a bunch of tiny centers.

A bunch of tiny centers is exactly what they've done in the Oakton Pyramid. I think that is the direction they are headed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that the center schools will have a higher percentage because the kids come from several schools. That's the nature of a center. I'm not sure how the neighborhood parents can complain about that since they bought in boundary for a center. That's what a center is. I guess they probably thought their kids would qualify now they are upset that they don't.

Do you really think people know the ratio of AAP to GE kids in a school before they even go there? This whole are is transient. My family moved here from overseas. We bought a house we could afford in what we thought was a good school. I never imagined I would need to drill down to the individual class ratios to determine if my kid would be an academic minority. Yes, we are very annoyed the center is now taking over the school and would love more Local Level IV programs.

You can easily find out the ratio by looking on the school profile on the FCPS website. It's actually not that hard. The problem is that certain schools have boosters in sites like this who talk about how great the school is and everyone blindly follows their advice without thinking critically about it.

Doesn't the website state the total percentage AAP? You'd have to extrapolate the 3-6 grades. I don't even know that now! I only know for my kid's grade. I guess if one knew to look. Pick a school for your kid shouldn't necessitate that. The real problem is creating center schools that overwhelm the GE population.

So perhaps the answer is a center only school or two, akin to the GT magnets in MoCo, but the school board is very opposed to that.

Or to create enough centers that the percentage in AAP in each grade generally would not exceed 50%. This would be for each grade 3rd through 6th, not school wide. The schools where AAP enrollment is nearly half the school overall must have significantly more AAP classes than gen ed classes in 3rd through 6th.

The problem is that at some schools, that would actually end up being just a LLIV center. For example, last year at Haycock (before Cluster 2 left), 40% of the center was children from the base school. It must be even higher this year now that there are only a few feeder schools. So if you cut the center in half (which is what it would take to even out the population), there is essentially room for no one else other than Haycock students (and maybe a small feeder like Timberlane). Maybe that's ok, but it's not a center model. It's essentially a LLIV model. Also, the argument is that with a large center, you can have a very advanced math class. With a smaller center, there aren't enough super advanced kids to do that. (My child is not in the super advanced class, so before you attack, that's not my argument. I'm just relaying it.) I don't have a strong opinion on the best way to do it, but I suspect you'd get a lot of resistance to a bunch of tiny centers.

A bunch of tiny centers is exactly what they've done in the Oakton Pyramid. I think that is the direction they are headed.

I have heard this before, but only on DCUM. I think the bunch of tiny centers is a good thing. I'm not sure why the school board is opposed to the idea of center-only schools (does anyone know?), but I do like having a mix at our center school. I think DC (who is in AAP) gets a lot out of maintaining friendships with non-AAP neighborhood kids and having classes like music with them. I understand what PP is saying about needing a certain number of kids in the center in order to have an advanced math class. The needs of those so far advanced in math may need to be weighed against the needs of gen ed kids whose families don't want them to be a small minority in their school/grade. Is there no way other than a separate advanced math class to provide the math enrichment needed? Can a math specialist not work with a small group? Is it only math where there is an issue, or can kids very advanced in reading and writing need special enrichment beyond AAP too?

[Anonymous]

This is a bit of an aside but another side effect of having a larger AAP population than Gen Ed is it is harder for Gen Ed kids to get elected to student council. The AAP kids all know each other better and tend to vote for each other. I see it at DC'S center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a bit of an aside but another side effect of having a larger AAP population than Gen Ed is it is harder for Gen Ed kids to get elected to student council. The AAP kids all know each other better and tend to vote for each other. I see it at DC'S center.

Good point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a bit of an aside but another side effect of having a larger AAP population than Gen Ed is it is harder for Gen Ed kids to get elected to student council. The AAP kids all know each other better and tend to vote for each other. I see it at DC'S center.

Why would they know each other better, when they come from different base schools, unless they have better social and organizational skills, in which case it's no surprise they'd get elected to student counsel? This seems like grasping at straws.

[Anonymous]

6:10. I realize that they are new programs, however they should not get more teachers than other schools. Lemon Road probably should have only had 1 classroom of 30 and Shrevewood should not be allowed to have a separate AAP class if all the other LLIV schools have to have classrooms up to 30 students. There are schools in the same pyramid with over 30 students to a classroom and no one seems to blink an eye from the administration. So why should either of these schools been given more teachers?

[Anonymous]

Can you post the link for the stats? My kids' center isn't on your list and I'm curious to see how it compares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:6:10. I realize that they are new programs, however they should not get more teachers than other schools. Lemon Road probably should have only had 1 classroom of 30 and Shrevewood should not be allowed to have a separate AAP class if all the other LLIV schools have to have classrooms up to 30 students. There are schools in the same pyramid with over 30 students to a classroom and no one seems to blink an eye from the administration. So why should either of these schools been given more teachers?

I agree. What does this say to the Gen Ed families at those schools? Your kid does not hit a benchmark on a test, therefore we're giving up on him, while we put all of the resources toward the special snowflakes whose parents prepped them. This only perpetuates the myth that AAP gets more resources -- although I guess it's not a myth at Shrevewood and Lemon Road, but the truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:6:10. I realize that they are new programs, however they should not get more teachers than other schools. Lemon Road probably should have only had 1 classroom of 30 and Shrevewood should not be allowed to have a separate AAP class if all the other LLIV schools have to have classrooms up to 30 students. There are schools in the same pyramid with over 30 students to a classroom and no one seems to blink an eye from the administration. So why should either of these schools been given more teachers?

AAP/Local Level IV parents in the Marshall pyramid put up a huge fuss when their kids were moved out of Haycock and Louise Archer. FCPS was tired of hearing them complain, so they'll get special treatment for a year or two, and then things will probably even out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you post the link for the stats? My kids' center isn't on your list and I'm curious to see how it compares.

Look at the latest "monthly membership report" on this link (there are drop-down boxes to pull up the information for a specific school): http://www.fcps.edu/it/studentreporting/index.shtml

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bit of an aside but another side effect of having a larger AAP population than Gen Ed is it is harder for Gen Ed kids to get elected to student council. The AAP kids all know each other better and tend to vote for each other. I see it at DC'S center.

Good point.

You should suggest that they do it differently. At our Center, two students (one rep plus one alternate) are elected from each classroom.