Anyone else educated by FCPS and sees the decline?

[Anonymous]

I would love to know the graduation rates in fcps per high school over the last 30 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know the graduation rates in fcps per high school over the last 30 years.

Why? They’ve made it easier to graduate in recent years while reducing what’s needed to graduate.

[Anonymous]

An excerpt in the NYT today from a Democrat unhappy with the current condition of San Francisco:

"Then there is the matter of San Francisco being a one-party town. The nominating committee of San Francisco’s Democratic County Central Committee has an impressive record in backing candidates seeking their first electoral victory as members of local transportation and educational boards. These slots put candidates on the conveyor belt to higher office. Inbreeding is not healthy — particularly for politicians."

Sounds a lot like Fairfax County now, so given SF's current, lamentable condition it might be a good idea to pause while we still have a chance and stop enshrining one-party rule on the School Board and Board of Supervisors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Public schools can only provide a very basic level of education. Don’t expect more and than you won’t be disappointed.

I totally disagree - what a narrow-minded focus.

Many other public school districts outside of FCPS can and are providing a consistent, excellent level of education for their populations. If they weren't, there wouldn't be the land rush on all the Ivies, "Elite" schools etc. etc. Look at application and acceptance stats from any state, nearly every (public and private) university/college. No way the only kids getting into those schools are privately educated.

Most of their parents get tutors and other outside enrichment. What the schools provide is pretty basic.

Nah, we’ve lived elsewhere and it is better. The kids are never in school here - too many holidays and days off.

"Never in school"? WTF are you talking about? 180 day calendar is 180 day calendar, whether its 5 days vs. 4 days a week. Are you suggesting it isn't?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know the graduation rates in fcps per high school over the last 30 years.

Why? They’ve made it easier to graduate in recent years while reducing what’s needed to graduate.

False.

FCPS follows state of VA graduation requirements.

In 1983: students were required to complete 18 "Carnegie credits",

In 1990 they were required to complete 21 Carnegie credits including core requirements of 4 English, 3 Social Studies, 2 Math, 2 Science,

In 2023, they are required to complete 22 Carnegie credits, including core requirements of 4 English, 3 Social Sciences, 3 Math, 3 Lab Science,

So there has been an increased requirement of an additional math course and an additional lab science course to get a HS diploma.

[Anonymous]

The forum complains and complains. Many, many parts of education are better now than in the 80s-90s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The forum complains and complains. Many, many parts of education are better now than in the 80s-90s.

incorrect, FCPS peaked in the 2000s and its been down hill since

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The forum complains and complains. Many, many parts of education are better now than in the 80s-90s.

incorrect, FCPS peaked in the 2000s and its been down hill since

Agreed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Public schools can only provide a very basic level of education. Don’t expect more and than you won’t be disappointed.

I totally disagree - what a narrow-minded focus.

Many other public school districts outside of FCPS can and are providing a consistent, excellent level of education for their populations. If they weren't, there wouldn't be the land rush on all the Ivies, "Elite" schools etc. etc. Look at application and acceptance stats from any state, nearly every (public and private) university/college. No way the only kids getting into those schools are privately educated.

Most of their parents get tutors and other outside enrichment. What the schools provide is pretty basic.

Nah, we’ve lived elsewhere and it is better. The kids are never in school here - too many holidays and days off.

"Never in school"? WTF are you talking about? 180 day calendar is 180 day calendar, whether its 5 days vs. 4 days a week. Are you suggesting it isn't?

Full weeks do matter. Kids need to be in classrooms consistently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The forum complains and complains. Many, many parts of education are better now than in the 80s-90s.

incorrect, FCPS peaked in the 2000s and its been down hill since

Agreed

+1

Remember when we had to have a literacy passport to move on to 7th grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The forum complains and complains. Many, many parts of education are better now than in the 80s-90s.

incorrect, FCPS peaked in the 2000s and its been down hill since

Agreed

Evidence?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One data point:

My child in Honors 9th grade English at Langley is reading an abridged version of the Odyssey. It’s about 1/3 the length of the original book and the language is simplified.

I read the full book when I was in 9th grade in FCPS and her older cousin also read the full book about 10 years ago in another FCPS high school.

THis is more due to the fact that the new standards include far more non-fiction readings from all the disciplines whereas English classes used to be primarily literature classes.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from FCPS when you only had six classes and no block schedule. Did they lengthen the day for the 7th class? If not, have we not reduced the amount of time spent on core subjects like math and English?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from FCPS when you only had six classes and no block schedule. Did they lengthen the day for the 7th class? If not, have we not reduced the amount of time spent on core subjects like math and English?

Depending on when you graduated, in HS the number of math and science requirements have gone up (English remained the same). All classes have to meet the units of time required for a Carnegie unit, but they can arrange them differently. I graduated in the early 1990s and it was still unusual then to complete calculus in high school--and many college prep students who were more of a humanities bent only took 2-3 years of math in HS. That would be so rare now! My friend got into a T20 school and only took up to geometry. The requirements really were quite less then. I think the greater emphasis on math/science has led to a lesser emphasis on English/Literature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know the graduation rates in fcps per high school over the last 30 years.

Why? They’ve made it easier to graduate in recent years while reducing what’s needed to graduate.

False.

FCPS follows state of VA graduation requirements.

In 1983: students were required to complete 18 "Carnegie credits",

In 1990 they were required to complete 21 Carnegie credits including core requirements of 4 English, 3 Social Studies, 2 Math, 2 Science,

In 2023, they are required to complete 22 Carnegie credits, including core requirements of 4 English, 3 Social Sciences, 3 Math, 3 Lab Science,

So there has been an increased requirement of an additional math course and an additional lab science course to get a HS diploma.

The state can increase the number of required credits and the local school systems can still reduce the rigor of the courses or the requirements to get a passing grade.