APS Advanced Academics Parent Referral

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Opening varsity practices to all ends up lowering the intensity of the endeavor. You get that, right?

You don’t seem to understand how this works. If a non identified kid is excited about and doing well in a fractions unit, it isn’t “lowering the intensity of the endeavor” to allow him to do the extension work that the identified kids are required to do.

The thing is that they're not offering it as a separate extension where kids choose to participate or not. They offer these activities to all students so it needs to be accessible to all students. The activities are being offered as whole class activities and have been made easier so all students can do them successfully.

This is leaving the students who used to get extensions with nothing to do when they finish grade level work.

That’s not universal. Some schools take a subset of kids who are interested in a particular topic and they get an extra project/reading.

Others have an endless supply of extensions, some for depth and some goes beyond current course.

That's not the model being put forward by APS central administration.

They are available to all kids who show interest, not just those tagged as gifted. This is in addition to a healthy supply of extension activities.

When your kids are older you’ll find that there is a lot more differentiation in MS+. ES has never had a ton. Which is fine for most parents in APS. Parents who want that tend to head to FCPS.

I have a kid in middle school. She's taking all the hardest options and her lowest score in any class is a 96% this quarter. She never does homework. I'm not impressed by the differentiation.

She was also getting APS gifted services before COVID and they were much improved over what is offered now. (Still not a lot, but more.). APS has really backed off the individual extension activities in favor of whole class activities. My kids are spending too much time reading silently and not enough time doing school work.

I've explained a few times. Extension activities are being taught to the class at the end of the unit in the new APS AAC model that was rolled out lar year. Kids are not being given individual extension activities, because the AACs have been told to focus on whole class activities that all can do, so kids are being told to read silently or do Lexia or Dreambox after they finish their work. This isn't okay.

Which middle school is using DreamBox for Pre-Algebra?

I have more than one kid. Dreambox is elementary.

It’s IXL in middle school

[Anonymous]

IXL sux

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The system is much better now. Back when it was pullout the GT teachers gatekeeped to keep their caseloads small, and they left out a lot of kids who should have been identified.

My kid was overlooked. When I parent referred, they tested so high even the principal was wondering how they were missed.

It’s not better now, just bad in a different way. The reality is we need 3 options for students especially in middle school and up-remedial, regular, intensified/honors. No one wants their kid in the struggling section so that should be placement based on test scores, work samples and teacher feedback. Honors should be similar.

That is literally what we have now in middle school.

1. Not all subjects have a remedial option
2. Anyone can enroll in intensified, no scores needed

The core subjects have remedial options. Plus there are additional supports built-in to support struggling kids in grade-level classes.

Kids self select into intensified. And the enrollment is fluid - I know kids who have moved up and down during the school year.

How old are your kids? Which school(s)? Seems like you have young kids.

7th grader. I see the (sometimes frustrated)canvas messages his teachers send reminding students about test corrections and turning in assignments. Those kids are slowing things down. The teachers have to re-teach basic concepts in class. The problem is that anyone can sign up for them, even if the don’t have the scores or work ethic to support the placement.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new.

When they added the intensified option it added an extra bucket for the bright, but less motivated kids to fall into. You end up with fewer slackers in intensified Algebra 1/Geometry than before the change.

Ok, but there are still parents inappropriately placing kids and there’s no more pull outs so it’s actually worse than before

There were never pullouts in middle school. That’s just not a thing. It’s gross that you think your kid is so special that you want to block other kids from the same opportunities. Did you know anyone can take AP classes too? You need to adjust your attitude or you have a long road ahead of you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The system is much better now. Back when it was pullout the GT teachers gatekeeped to keep their caseloads small, and they left out a lot of kids who should have been identified.

My kid was overlooked. When I parent referred, they tested so high even the principal was wondering how they were missed.

It’s not better now, just bad in a different way. The reality is we need 3 options for students especially in middle school and up-remedial, regular, intensified/honors. No one wants their kid in the struggling section so that should be placement based on test scores, work samples and teacher feedback. Honors should be similar.

That is literally what we have now in middle school.

1. Not all subjects have a remedial option
2. Anyone can enroll in intensified, no scores needed

The core subjects have remedial options. Plus there are additional supports built-in to support struggling kids in grade-level classes.

Kids self select into intensified. And the enrollment is fluid - I know kids who have moved up and down during the school year.

How old are your kids? Which school(s)? Seems like you have young kids.

7th grader. I see the (sometimes frustrated)canvas messages his teachers send reminding students about test corrections and turning in assignments. Those kids are slowing things down. The teachers have to re-teach basic concepts in class. The problem is that anyone can sign up for them, even if the don’t have the scores or work ethic to support the placement.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new.

When they added the intensified option it added an extra bucket for the bright, but less motivated kids to fall into. You end up with fewer slackers in intensified Algebra 1/Geometry than before the change.

Ok, but there are still parents inappropriately placing kids and there’s no more pull outs so it’s actually worse than before

There were never pullouts in middle school. That’s just not a thing. It’s gross that you think your kid is so special that you want to block other kids from the same opportunities. Did you know anyone can take AP classes too? You need to adjust your attitude or you have a long road ahead of you.

It’s not fair for the teachers, the students who can’t keep up or those who can. It’s a broken system

[Anonymous]

Do you even have a kid in middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The system is much better now. Back when it was pullout the GT teachers gatekeeped to keep their caseloads small, and they left out a lot of kids who should have been identified.

My kid was overlooked. When I parent referred, they tested so high even the principal was wondering how they were missed.

It’s not better now, just bad in a different way. The reality is we need 3 options for students especially in middle school and up-remedial, regular, intensified/honors. No one wants their kid in the struggling section so that should be placement based on test scores, work samples and teacher feedback. Honors should be similar.

That is literally what we have now in middle school.

1. Not all subjects have a remedial option
2. Anyone can enroll in intensified, no scores needed

The core subjects have remedial options. Plus there are additional supports built-in to support struggling kids in grade-level classes.

Kids self select into intensified. And the enrollment is fluid - I know kids who have moved up and down during the school year.

How old are your kids? Which school(s)? Seems like you have young kids.

7th grader. I see the (sometimes frustrated)canvas messages his teachers send reminding students about test corrections and turning in assignments. Those kids are slowing things down. The teachers have to re-teach basic concepts in class. The problem is that anyone can sign up for them, even if the don’t have the scores or work ethic to support the placement.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new.

When they added the intensified option it added an extra bucket for the bright, but less motivated kids to fall into. You end up with fewer slackers in intensified Algebra 1/Geometry than before the change.

Ok, but there are still parents inappropriately placing kids and there’s no more pull outs so it’s actually worse than before

There were never pullouts in middle school. That’s just not a thing. It’s gross that you think your kid is so special that you want to block other kids from the same opportunities. Did you know anyone can take AP classes too? You need to adjust your attitude or you have a long road ahead of you.

It’s not fair for the teachers, the students who can’t keep up or those who can. It’s a broken system

Anyone can take the class, but the rigor shouldn’t change. Let ‘em drown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The system is much better now. Back when it was pullout the GT teachers gatekeeped to keep their caseloads small, and they left out a lot of kids who should have been identified.

My kid was overlooked. When I parent referred, they tested so high even the principal was wondering how they were missed.

It’s not better now, just bad in a different way. The reality is we need 3 options for students especially in middle school and up-remedial, regular, intensified/honors. No one wants their kid in the struggling section so that should be placement based on test scores, work samples and teacher feedback. Honors should be similar.

That is literally what we have now in middle school.

1. Not all subjects have a remedial option
2. Anyone can enroll in intensified, no scores needed

The core subjects have remedial options. Plus there are additional supports built-in to support struggling kids in grade-level classes.

Kids self select into intensified. And the enrollment is fluid - I know kids who have moved up and down during the school year.

How old are your kids? Which school(s)? Seems like you have young kids.

7th grader. I see the (sometimes frustrated)canvas messages his teachers send reminding students about test corrections and turning in assignments. Those kids are slowing things down. The teachers have to re-teach basic concepts in class. The problem is that anyone can sign up for them, even if the don’t have the scores or work ethic to support the placement.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new.

When they added the intensified option it added an extra bucket for the bright, but less motivated kids to fall into. You end up with fewer slackers in intensified Algebra 1/Geometry than before the change.

Ok, but there are still parents inappropriately placing kids and there’s no more pull outs so it’s actually worse than before

There were never pullouts in middle school. That’s just not a thing. It’s gross that you think your kid is so special that you want to block other kids from the same opportunities. Did you know anyone can take AP classes too? You need to adjust your attitude or you have a long road ahead of you.

It’s not fair for the teachers, the students who can’t keep up or those who can. It’s a broken system

It's not particularly clear that, other than the accelerated math track, that intensified MS classes are really that much harder than the standard classes. Obviously no student is taking both, but my middle school student hasn't found them to be hard. She doesn't need to study and hasn't had more than a tiny amount of homework. I'm sure these class vary from teacher to teacher and school to school, but meh? I'm not sure why they'd need gatekeeping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The system is much better now. Back when it was pullout the GT teachers gatekeeped to keep their caseloads small, and they left out a lot of kids who should have been identified.

My kid was overlooked. When I parent referred, they tested so high even the principal was wondering how they were missed.

It’s not better now, just bad in a different way. The reality is we need 3 options for students especially in middle school and up-remedial, regular, intensified/honors. No one wants their kid in the struggling section so that should be placement based on test scores, work samples and teacher feedback. Honors should be similar.

That is literally what we have now in middle school.

1. Not all subjects have a remedial option
2. Anyone can enroll in intensified, no scores needed

The core subjects have remedial options. Plus there are additional supports built-in to support struggling kids in grade-level classes.

Kids self select into intensified. And the enrollment is fluid - I know kids who have moved up and down during the school year.

How old are your kids? Which school(s)? Seems like you have young kids.

7th grader. I see the (sometimes frustrated)canvas messages his teachers send reminding students about test corrections and turning in assignments. Those kids are slowing things down. The teachers have to re-teach basic concepts in class. The problem is that anyone can sign up for them, even if the don’t have the scores or work ethic to support the placement.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new.

When they added the intensified option it added an extra bucket for the bright, but less motivated kids to fall into. You end up with fewer slackers in intensified Algebra 1/Geometry than before the change.

Ok, but there are still parents inappropriately placing kids and there’s no more pull outs so it’s actually worse than before

There were never pullouts in middle school. That’s just not a thing. It’s gross that you think your kid is so special that you want to block other kids from the same opportunities. Did you know anyone can take AP classes too? You need to adjust your attitude or you have a long road ahead of you.

It’s not fair for the teachers, the students who can’t keep up or those who can. It’s a broken system

Anyone can take the class, but the rigor shouldn’t change. Let ‘em drown.

That's where I'm at as well. I don't think APS would let it happen though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The system is much better now. Back when it was pullout the GT teachers gatekeeped to keep their caseloads small, and they left out a lot of kids who should have been identified.

My kid was overlooked. When I parent referred, they tested so high even the principal was wondering how they were missed.

It’s not better now, just bad in a different way. The reality is we need 3 options for students especially in middle school and up-remedial, regular, intensified/honors. No one wants their kid in the struggling section so that should be placement based on test scores, work samples and teacher feedback. Honors should be similar.

That is literally what we have now in middle school.

1. Not all subjects have a remedial option
2. Anyone can enroll in intensified, no scores needed

The core subjects have remedial options. Plus there are additional supports built-in to support struggling kids in grade-level classes.

Kids self select into intensified. And the enrollment is fluid - I know kids who have moved up and down during the school year.

How old are your kids? Which school(s)? Seems like you have young kids.

7th grader. I see the (sometimes frustrated)canvas messages his teachers send reminding students about test corrections and turning in assignments. Those kids are slowing things down. The teachers have to re-teach basic concepts in class. The problem is that anyone can sign up for them, even if the don’t have the scores or work ethic to support the placement.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new.

When they added the intensified option it added an extra bucket for the bright, but less motivated kids to fall into. You end up with fewer slackers in intensified Algebra 1/Geometry than before the change.

Ok, but there are still parents inappropriately placing kids and there’s no more pull outs so it’s actually worse than before

There were never pullouts in middle school. That’s just not a thing. It’s gross that you think your kid is so special that you want to block other kids from the same opportunities. Did you know anyone can take AP classes too? You need to adjust your attitude or you have a long road ahead of you.

It’s not fair for the teachers, the students who can’t keep up or those who can. It’s a broken system

Anyone can take the class, but the rigor shouldn’t change. Let ‘em drown.

That's where I'm at as well. I don't think APS would let it happen though.

A kid who is drowning is probably struggling with MS generally. The intensified classes just aren't that much harder. If you do the work, you'll be fine. Maybe not an A, but not drowning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The system is much better now. Back when it was pullout the GT teachers gatekeeped to keep their caseloads small, and they left out a lot of kids who should have been identified.

My kid was overlooked. When I parent referred, they tested so high even the principal was wondering how they were missed.

It’s not better now, just bad in a different way. The reality is we need 3 options for students especially in middle school and up-remedial, regular, intensified/honors. No one wants their kid in the struggling section so that should be placement based on test scores, work samples and teacher feedback. Honors should be similar.

That is literally what we have now in middle school.

1. Not all subjects have a remedial option
2. Anyone can enroll in intensified, no scores needed

The core subjects have remedial options. Plus there are additional supports built-in to support struggling kids in grade-level classes.

Kids self select into intensified. And the enrollment is fluid - I know kids who have moved up and down during the school year.

How old are your kids? Which school(s)? Seems like you have young kids.

7th grader. I see the (sometimes frustrated)canvas messages his teachers send reminding students about test corrections and turning in assignments. Those kids are slowing things down. The teachers have to re-teach basic concepts in class. The problem is that anyone can sign up for them, even if the don’t have the scores or work ethic to support the placement.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new.

When they added the intensified option it added an extra bucket for the bright, but less motivated kids to fall into. You end up with fewer slackers in intensified Algebra 1/Geometry than before the change.

Ok, but there are still parents inappropriately placing kids and there’s no more pull outs so it’s actually worse than before

There were never pullouts in middle school. That’s just not a thing. It’s gross that you think your kid is so special that you want to block other kids from the same opportunities. Did you know anyone can take AP classes too? You need to adjust your attitude or you have a long road ahead of you.

It’s not fair for the teachers, the students who can’t keep up or those who can. It’s a broken system

Anyone can take the class, but the rigor shouldn’t change. Let ‘em drown.

That's where I'm at as well. I don't think APS would let it happen though.

A kid who is drowning is probably struggling with MS generally. The intensified classes just aren't that much harder. If you do the work, you'll be fine. Maybe not an A, but not drowning.

I am thinking more of math placements myself. I think math placement should be determined by the office of academics, but so many parents want to say that their kid is in algebra when they’re in seventh grade or whatever… And that has been a disaster. I feel so sorry for those kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IXL sux

Get off your iPad, kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The system is much better now. Back when it was pullout the GT teachers gatekeeped to keep their caseloads small, and they left out a lot of kids who should have been identified.

My kid was overlooked. When I parent referred, they tested so high even the principal was wondering how they were missed.

It’s not better now, just bad in a different way. The reality is we need 3 options for students especially in middle school and up-remedial, regular, intensified/honors. No one wants their kid in the struggling section so that should be placement based on test scores, work samples and teacher feedback. Honors should be similar.

That is literally what we have now in middle school.

1. Not all subjects have a remedial option
2. Anyone can enroll in intensified, no scores needed

The core subjects have remedial options. Plus there are additional supports built-in to support struggling kids in grade-level classes.

Kids self select into intensified. And the enrollment is fluid - I know kids who have moved up and down during the school year.

How old are your kids? Which school(s)? Seems like you have young kids.

7th grader. I see the (sometimes frustrated)canvas messages his teachers send reminding students about test corrections and turning in assignments. Those kids are slowing things down. The teachers have to re-teach basic concepts in class. The problem is that anyone can sign up for them, even if the don’t have the scores or work ethic to support the placement.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new.

When they added the intensified option it added an extra bucket for the bright, but less motivated kids to fall into. You end up with fewer slackers in intensified Algebra 1/Geometry than before the change.

Ok, but there are still parents inappropriately placing kids and there’s no more pull outs so it’s actually worse than before

There were never pullouts in middle school. That’s just not a thing. It’s gross that you think your kid is so special that you want to block other kids from the same opportunities. Did you know anyone can take AP classes too? You need to adjust your attitude or you have a long road ahead of you.

It’s not fair for the teachers, the students who can’t keep up or those who can. It’s a broken system

Anyone can take the class, but the rigor shouldn’t change. Let ‘em drown.

That's where I'm at as well. I don't think APS would let it happen though.

No one cares what random, uninformed whiners think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The system is much better now. Back when it was pullout the GT teachers gatekeeped to keep their caseloads small, and they left out a lot of kids who should have been identified.

My kid was overlooked. When I parent referred, they tested so high even the principal was wondering how they were missed.

It’s not better now, just bad in a different way. The reality is we need 3 options for students especially in middle school and up-remedial, regular, intensified/honors. No one wants their kid in the struggling section so that should be placement based on test scores, work samples and teacher feedback. Honors should be similar.

That is literally what we have now in middle school.

1. Not all subjects have a remedial option
2. Anyone can enroll in intensified, no scores needed

The core subjects have remedial options. Plus there are additional supports built-in to support struggling kids in grade-level classes.

Kids self select into intensified. And the enrollment is fluid - I know kids who have moved up and down during the school year.

How old are your kids? Which school(s)? Seems like you have young kids.

7th grader. I see the (sometimes frustrated)canvas messages his teachers send reminding students about test corrections and turning in assignments. Those kids are slowing things down. The teachers have to re-teach basic concepts in class. The problem is that anyone can sign up for them, even if the don’t have the scores or work ethic to support the placement.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new.

When they added the intensified option it added an extra bucket for the bright, but less motivated kids to fall into. You end up with fewer slackers in intensified Algebra 1/Geometry than before the change.

Ok, but there are still parents inappropriately placing kids and there’s no more pull outs so it’s actually worse than before

There were never pullouts in middle school. That’s just not a thing. It’s gross that you think your kid is so special that you want to block other kids from the same opportunities. Did you know anyone can take AP classes too? You need to adjust your attitude or you have a long road ahead of you.

It’s not fair for the teachers, the students who can’t keep up or those who can. It’s a broken system

Anyone can take the class, but the rigor shouldn’t change. Let ‘em drown.

That's where I'm at as well. I don't think APS would let it happen though.

A kid who is drowning is probably struggling with MS generally. The intensified classes just aren't that much harder. If you do the work, you'll be fine. Maybe not an A, but not drowning.

I am thinking more of math placements myself. I think math placement should be determined by the office of academics, but so many parents want to say that their kid is in algebra when they’re in seventh grade or whatever… And that has been a disaster. I feel so sorry for those kids.

...a "disaster"? That doesn't sound hyperbolized at all.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new, which you would know if you had any actual knowledge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The system is much better now. Back when it was pullout the GT teachers gatekeeped to keep their caseloads small, and they left out a lot of kids who should have been identified.

My kid was overlooked. When I parent referred, they tested so high even the principal was wondering how they were missed.

It’s not better now, just bad in a different way. The reality is we need 3 options for students especially in middle school and up-remedial, regular, intensified/honors. No one wants their kid in the struggling section so that should be placement based on test scores, work samples and teacher feedback. Honors should be similar.

That is literally what we have now in middle school.

1. Not all subjects have a remedial option
2. Anyone can enroll in intensified, no scores needed

The core subjects have remedial options. Plus there are additional supports built-in to support struggling kids in grade-level classes.

Kids self select into intensified. And the enrollment is fluid - I know kids who have moved up and down during the school year.

How old are your kids? Which school(s)? Seems like you have young kids.

7th grader. I see the (sometimes frustrated)canvas messages his teachers send reminding students about test corrections and turning in assignments. Those kids are slowing things down. The teachers have to re-teach basic concepts in class. The problem is that anyone can sign up for them, even if the don’t have the scores or work ethic to support the placement.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new.

When they added the intensified option it added an extra bucket for the bright, but less motivated kids to fall into. You end up with fewer slackers in intensified Algebra 1/Geometry than before the change.

Ok, but there are still parents inappropriately placing kids and there’s no more pull outs so it’s actually worse than before

There were never pullouts in middle school. That’s just not a thing. It’s gross that you think your kid is so special that you want to block other kids from the same opportunities. Did you know anyone can take AP classes too? You need to adjust your attitude or you have a long road ahead of you.

It’s not fair for the teachers, the students who can’t keep up or those who can. It’s a broken system

Anyone can take the class, but the rigor shouldn’t change. Let ‘em drown.

That's where I'm at as well. I don't think APS would let it happen though.

A kid who is drowning is probably struggling with MS generally. The intensified classes just aren't that much harder. If you do the work, you'll be fine. Maybe not an A, but not drowning.

I am thinking more of math placements myself. I think math placement should be determined by the office of academics, but so many parents want to say that their kid is in algebra when they’re in seventh grade or whatever… And that has been a disaster. I feel so sorry for those kids.

You must not have a kid in middle school. They use both math SOL scores and MAP scores to recommend MS math placement. There's no reason to have kids take another placement test. Those are the placement tests.

If you want to parent place, you have to speak to someone senior in the APS math department to get their agreement (or then send a letter explicitly going against their recommendation).

You can argue with whether APS is using the right cutoffs or shouldn't allow parent placement, but math is the only subject where placement is not at the kid's discretion. And my 6th grader's pre algebra teacher has said that he'll move kids down if they're not keeping up--it absolutely happens. I'm not sure this is a real issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The system is much better now. Back when it was pullout the GT teachers gatekeeped to keep their caseloads small, and they left out a lot of kids who should have been identified.

My kid was overlooked. When I parent referred, they tested so high even the principal was wondering how they were missed.

It’s not better now, just bad in a different way. The reality is we need 3 options for students especially in middle school and up-remedial, regular, intensified/honors. No one wants their kid in the struggling section so that should be placement based on test scores, work samples and teacher feedback. Honors should be similar.

That is literally what we have now in middle school.

1. Not all subjects have a remedial option
2. Anyone can enroll in intensified, no scores needed

The core subjects have remedial options. Plus there are additional supports built-in to support struggling kids in grade-level classes.

Kids self select into intensified. And the enrollment is fluid - I know kids who have moved up and down during the school year.

How old are your kids? Which school(s)? Seems like you have young kids.

7th grader. I see the (sometimes frustrated)canvas messages his teachers send reminding students about test corrections and turning in assignments. Those kids are slowing things down. The teachers have to re-teach basic concepts in class. The problem is that anyone can sign up for them, even if the don’t have the scores or work ethic to support the placement.

Parents have always been able to parent place. That is nothing new.

When they added the intensified option it added an extra bucket for the bright, but less motivated kids to fall into. You end up with fewer slackers in intensified Algebra 1/Geometry than before the change.

Ok, but there are still parents inappropriately placing kids and there’s no more pull outs so it’s actually worse than before

There were never pullouts in middle school. That’s just not a thing. It’s gross that you think your kid is so special that you want to block other kids from the same opportunities. Did you know anyone can take AP classes too? You need to adjust your attitude or you have a long road ahead of you.

It’s not fair for the teachers, the students who can’t keep up or those who can. It’s a broken system

Anyone can take the class, but the rigor shouldn’t change. Let ‘em drown.

That's where I'm at as well. I don't think APS would let it happen though.

A kid who is drowning is probably struggling with MS generally. The intensified classes just aren't that much harder. If you do the work, you'll be fine. Maybe not an A, but not drowning.

I am thinking more of math placements myself. I think math placement should be determined by the office of academics, but so many parents want to say that their kid is in algebra when they’re in seventh grade or whatever… And that has been a disaster. I feel so sorry for those kids.

You must not have a kid in middle school. They use both math SOL scores and MAP scores to recommend MS math placement. There's no reason to have kids take another placement test. Those are the placement tests.

If you want to parent place, you have to speak to someone senior in the APS math department to get their agreement (or then send a letter explicitly going against their recommendation).

You can argue with whether APS is using the right cutoffs or shouldn't allow parent placement, but math is the only subject where placement is not at the kid's discretion. And my 6th grader's pre algebra teacher has said that he'll move kids down if they're not keeping up--it absolutely happens. I'm not sure this is a real issue.

People like to make up "concerns" to whine about.