reading instruction in ACPS

[Anonymous]

Thinking to buy a house in Alexandria city. A lot of folks opt for private school, but it's not in our budget. But I've been listening to sold a story and wondering what their reading curriculum is? Is it the Lucy Calkins stuff? And how much are kids using ipads at school? These are things our pre-school director thought we should ask about.

[Anonymous]

ACPS, last year, finally adopted a new reading curriculum- Really Great Reading - which includes a phonics focus. I am not sure how much the Lucy Culkins approach taints the instruction by individual staff.

[Anonymous]

They are on a full science of Reading kick - so that should make you happy.

[Anonymous]

If you don't have the option of private or homeschooling, don't buy in Alexandria. It's a bad school system and it's not going to get any better. Many parents at the "good" elementary schools quietly hire tutors because the schools are failing everyone. It regularly fails students of color and economically disadvantaged kids (the true measure of how a school is doing educating kids) and there is no plan to correct that or the clearly systemically racist system.

Take George Mason for example - the current reading rate for economically disadvantaged students is 30% and in math 21%. Those numbers were around that pre-pandemic as well.

The one elementary that isn't a complete failure academically is Lyles Crouch.

Even post pandemic people are still fleeing the elementary schools.

[Anonymous]

I'm an ACPS parent of two elementary students. They teach evidenced based reading programs that are rooted in phonics now. My older son was in K in the pandemic and his reading was terrible until this year and we did get a tutor. My younger son is in K and already can read and spell on a basic level. A lot of people bash ACPS but it's not the schools that are the problem. It is the central office and then a lot of really racist and classist people that don't realize that kids with a lot of social problems outside school are not going to perform well. My oldest son scored in the 99% in math and 86% in reading this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an ACPS parent of two elementary students. They teach evidenced based reading programs that are rooted in phonics now. My older son was in K in the pandemic and his reading was terrible until this year and we did get a tutor. My younger son is in K and already can read and spell on a basic level. A lot of people bash ACPS but it's not the schools that are the problem. It is the central office and then a lot of really racist and classist people that don't realize that kids with a lot of social problems outside school are not going to perform well. My oldest son scored in the 99% in math and 86% in reading this year.

I am happy to hear that the evidence based phonics approach is actually being used in ACPS. It is a great development if it is instituted with fidelity.

Part of what I could not stand about Hutchings was he did not promote this change which could actually help with equity rather than bashing parents, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an ACPS parent of two elementary students. They teach evidenced based reading programs that are rooted in phonics now. My older son was in K in the pandemic and his reading was terrible until this year and we did get a tutor. My younger son is in K and already can read and spell on a basic level. A lot of people bash ACPS but it's not the schools that are the problem. It is the central office and then a lot of really racist and classist people that don't realize that kids with a lot of social problems outside school are not going to perform well. My oldest son scored in the 99% in math and 86% in reading this year.

Thank you for proving the PP's point about ACPS and ACPS parents perfectly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an ACPS parent of two elementary students. They teach evidenced based reading programs that are rooted in phonics now. My older son was in K in the pandemic and his reading was terrible until this year and we did get a tutor. My younger son is in K and already can read and spell on a basic level. A lot of people bash ACPS but it's not the schools that are the problem. It is the central office and then a lot of really racist and classist people that don't realize that kids with a lot of social problems outside school are not going to perform well. My oldest son scored in the 99% in math and 86% in reading this year.

Thank you for proving the PP's point about ACPS and ACPS parents perfectly.

Except the point that the PPs current kindergartener receiving evidence based phonics instruction through ACPS did not need a tutor. I agree with your general point about the vocal supporters of ACPS (they can supplement to avoid the downsides of ACPS) but it is unfair not to recognize the change in literacy instruction to be a positive step for ACPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an ACPS parent of two elementary students. They teach evidenced based reading programs that are rooted in phonics now. My older son was in K in the pandemic and his reading was terrible until this year and we did get a tutor. My younger son is in K and already can read and spell on a basic level. A lot of people bash ACPS but it's not the schools that are the problem. It is the central office and then a lot of really racist and classist people that don't realize that kids with a lot of social problems outside school are not going to perform well. My oldest son scored in the 99% in math and 86% in reading this year.

I am happy to hear that the evidence based phonics approach is actually being used in ACPS. It is a great development if it is instituted with fidelity.

Part of what I could not stand about Hutchings was he did not promote this change which could actually help with equity rather than bashing parents, etc.

Instead of addressing the issue of ACPS complete failure to do it's most basic job, you throw around nasty names (this tactic is old and it's lazy).

Please explain to me how it isn't classist to dismiss concerns for economically disadvantaged kids, asserting that it's impossible for them to be educated and then bragging about getting a tutor for your own child.

[Anonymous]

OP,

My advice would be to buy instead in northern Arlington (i.e., north of Arlington Blvd).

Physical safety is an issue in ACPS but is really not a concern in N Arlington. For example, every year ACPS has a non-zero body count (3 ACPS students killed so far this school year), while there are no similar issues in n Arlington. Commutes are similar to most workplaces.

If I were in Alexandria City my DC would never attend ACPS. By contrast, sending DC to Arlington public schools would be ok (esp if DC got into Arlington Traditional School within APS).

YMMV

[Anonymous]

My kindergartener is learning phonics and progressing as expected with her reading at MVCS.

People love to hate on ACPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kindergartener is learning phonics and progressing as expected with her reading at MVCS.

People love to hate on ACPS.

Congratulations on your child's success and your first five months in ACPS. You have a long way to go in this broken system, don't get overconfident.

I don't "love to hate" on ACPS. Don't demean my lived experience (and that of many others) over many years in this system when you are just a few months in. We had a great experience in kinder too. I wish that carried forward but it didn't. Parents discussing the many and significant shortcomings is not loving to hate ACPS and it's insulting and cruel for you to dismiss us.

At MVCS, only 53% of all students meet the reading standard. For economically disadvantaged students only 25% meet the reading standard. In math, only 46% of students meet the standard and only 20% of economically disadvantaged students meeting the standard. Keep in mind that Virginia has some of the lowest reading and math standards in the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kindergartener is learning phonics and progressing as expected with her reading at MVCS.

People love to hate on ACPS.

Did ACPS ever clean up the massive mold issues at MVCS? The ones that had teachers and students out sick and teachers threatening to quit over it?

[Anonymous]

Do we know if they did the national commended scholar notifications?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kindergartener is learning phonics and progressing as expected with her reading at MVCS.

People love to hate on ACPS.

Congratulations on your child's success and your first five months in ACPS. You have a long way to go in this broken system, don't get overconfident.

I don't "love to hate" on ACPS. Don't demean my lived experience (and that of many others) over many years in this system when you are just a few months in. We had a great experience in kinder too. I wish that carried forward but it didn't. Parents discussing the many and significant shortcomings is not loving to hate ACPS and it's insulting and cruel for you to dismiss us.

At MVCS, only 53% of all students meet the reading standard. For economically disadvantaged students only 25% meet the reading standard. In math, only 46% of students meet the standard and only 20% of economically disadvantaged students meeting the standard. Keep in mind that Virginia has some of the lowest reading and math standards in the country.

Exactly. And, I would add that ACPS does deserve credit on the reading curriculum change. That change does not negate the myriad other problems.