Which APS elementary schools should close?
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Anonymous
Different poster. Take a look at the class size reports. https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2024/06/CSR-Revised-5.7.24.pdf I've known of APS teachers hired in the fall, after neighborhood schools see how many more kids show up than they were planning on (late enrollments), and then have dreamy small classes, like less than 15 kids. |
Anonymous
My experience has been that option schools fill up to the maximum planning factor, so tend to have big classes. Our neighborhood school often has smaller classes because they divide the kids into the correct number of classes to stay under the planning factor and this often results in smaller classes since the number rarely divides perfectly. |
Anonymous
If you look at the stop light charts, its clear than once in a while there is one grade in one school where the planning factor for 4th grade is 24 and they have 105 kids so they made four classes of 26/27 instead of dividing into five classes of 21 -- probably because they didn't have an extra room and didn't have the budget for a teacher and a trailer. That grade was a little bigger than the planning factor for 4th grade, and probably 5th grade as well. You may have felt like your kid was in a big class, but it doesn't mean neighborhood schools are consistently losing out relative to the option schools. |
Anonymous
Mid-year moves could explain some of this, assuming parents remember to update their address with the school. IIRC the boundary change 2 years ago allowed then 4th graders to finish elementary school wherever they were, so they would be 5th graders this year. That would be Cardinal (previously McKinley), Tuckahoe, and Nottingham. Seven kids in the Cardinal zone are at Claremont, so perhaps the boundary change explains some of that number. No Tuckahoe or Notthingham kids are, according to the report. What sticks out to me is the Fleet and Hoffman-Boston numbers. Twelve kids living in the Fleet zone are at Claremont. Eight kids living in the Hoffman-Boston zone are at Key. Neither changed zones in either of the last two boundary changes (2021 and 2022). I guess the good news is it overall it is roughly a wash with 29 kids at Claremont living in the Key zone and 28 kids at Key living in the Claremont zone. Maybe space is an issue? Maybe if you move to another immersion zone you can stay at your original school if the school you move to doesn’t have space? 29 Claremont: Arlington Science Focus (1), Fleet (12), Ashlawn (1), Barrett (3), Cardinal (7), Innovation (3), Long Branch (2) 28 Key: Abingdon (5), Barcroft (2), Carlin Springs (6), Drew (5), Hoffman Boston (8), Oakridge (2) |
Anonymous
I don't know exactly now; but I know in the past there have been "transfers" due to space availability. I'm sure it's more complex than that, however. |
Anonymous
Yes. It was essentially a default neighborhood option school for Glencarlyn who didn't want to send their kids to Carlin Springs. That neighborhood preference is gone from the admissions process; but clearly many continue to exercise the option to escape Carlin Springs. They will say it's because of the experiential learning program and because it's more walkable. |
Anonymous
Explain why Drew has to stay open when it can't fill itself. Other than politics and optics. |
Anonymous
DP. It may not be relevant to the point you want to focus on. But it is certainly relevant to the discussion of what schools/programs should be closed/discontinued. The crowding is in SA, so perhaps eliminating an option program in SA would be a relevant consideration. And weighing the value of a particular option school is relevant. And it is clearly relevant to the questions and comments posed by previous posters whether option schools are mainly an escape valve for south arlington families or catering to wealthier white families. |
Anonymous
you seem lovely. |
Anonymous
This was our experience as well. My kids were at overcrowded neighborhood schools but class sizes were always smaller than the planning factor. In contrast, my friend with kids at ATS always had the max class size allowed. |
Anonymous
Because crowding is in south Arlington, particularly Oakridge/Hoffman Boston/Abingdon. APS "could" re-draw boundaries and send more kids to Drew. That fills Drew more and alleviates crowding in other schools. 3 of our 5 elementary option schools are south of Route 50. Relocating or eliminating one of them would open more seats for crowded south Arlington. Closing Drew only exacerbates the problem. The problem isn't Drew - it's APS' failure to make best use of it. Also, as one previous intelligent poster commented, smaller school sizes for high poverty schools are better for those students. No, I don't have the studies on hand to link or reference; but it's out there. |
Anonymous
IME there is a sizeable group of families at every option school who go to that school because it is closer and convenient, not because of the specific program offered. |
Anonymous
Where would you move these kids? Tell us how many you would put in each of the surrounding schools. I'll wait. |
Anonymous
+1000 Where do you propose current Drew students go to elementary school? Abingdon? Oakridge? |
Anonymous
+1 option schools in south Arlington don’t alleviate overcrowding. It takes up a neighborhood school that could better balance boundaries and demographics. |