Someone please explain to me the difference between tracking and the AAP program/centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly why I want them in AAP - one day I will be gone, and I need to make sure that they get the best while I am still here. It is the least that I can do. I mean, really, it is

And along the way you give them a great lesson in getting what THEY want, no matter how it affects anyone else. Bravo!

Those like you with such a narrow mind are directly to bame for "the monster" created in Fairfax County. Hope your mediocre kids find success in spite of your lack of compassion for equal education for all. FYI, life is full of dissapointments. Are you teaching your kids to deal with those or just allowing them to believe they are the best at everything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly why I want them in AAP - one day I will be gone, and I need to make sure that they get the best while I am still here. It is the least that I can do. I mean, really, it is

And along the way you give them a great lesson in getting what THEY want, no matter how it affects anyone else. Bravo!

well they didn't really care one way or the other. I'm the one who wanted them in. Glad I did

Even worse. Agree with PP. You're pathetic and a BIG part of the problem with AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly why I want them in AAP - one day I will be gone, and I need to make sure that they get the best while I am still here. It is the least that I can do. I mean, really, it is

And along the way you give them a great lesson in getting what THEY want, no matter how it affects anyone else. Bravo!

well they didn't really care one way or the other. I'm the one who wanted them in. Glad I did

Even worse. Agree with PP. You're pathetic and a BIG part of the problem with AAP.

Thank you very much. But DC is getting an excellent educatiion. So there's that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly why I want them in AAP - one day I will be gone, and I need to make sure that they get the best while I am still here. It is the least that I can do. I mean, really, it is

And along the way you give them a great lesson in getting what THEY want, no matter how it affects anyone else. Bravo!

well they didn't really care one way or the other. I'm the one who wanted them in. Glad I did

Even worse. Agree with PP. You're pathetic and a BIG part of the problem with AAP.

Thank you very much. But DC is getting an excellent educatiion. So there's that.

Showing your true colors. How sad for your children to be raised by such a selfish self centered mother.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet another reason the process needs a revamp, requiring much higher cutoff scores and no subjective input from others. You're in or you're not, based on your scores.

Such an approach runs counter to the Commonwealth of Virginia regulations.

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+reg+8VAC20-40-40

3. The identification process used by each school division must ensure that no single criterion is used to determine a student's eligibility. The identification process shall include at least three measures from the following categories:
a. Assessment of appropriate student products, performance, or portfolio;
b. Record of observation of in-classroom behavior;
c. Appropriate rating scales, checklists, or questionnaires;
d. Individual interview;
e. Individually administered or group-administered, nationally norm-referenced aptitude or achievement tests;
f. Record of previous accomplishments (such as awards, honors, grades, etc.); or
g. Additional valid and reliable measures or procedures.

Doesn't make it right and doesn't mean it is working. The program needs serious adjustments and it should start by raising the admission bar. Then they need to figure out what to do with the large contingency of learning disabled children that are being labled twice exceptional then given advanced academics because they can't cut it in a stadard classroom enviornment. OK repeat "the large contingency of learning disabled children being labeled twice exceptional and then given advanced academics because they CAN'T cut it in the standard classroom enviornment" - huh? I think they could create alternative learning classrooms or schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Doesn't make it right and doesn't mean it is working.

One person's opinion. There are others that would agree with you and others that would disagree with you. Research would also overwhelmingly disagree with you.

As for if "it is working" -- it is working in some areas and not working in others. Personally I think it makes sense to try to improve in the areas that need improvement versus throwing everything out.

Start with improving Level II and Level III services and making such service delivery high quality and consistent across all schools in the county. That would benefit many, many students -- and NOT just the students in AAP Level IV (be it Local Level IV or AAP centers). In other words, it would be a big bang for the buck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Doesn't make it right and doesn't mean it is working.

One person's opinion. There are others that would agree with you and others that would disagree with you. Research would also overwhelmingly disagree with you.

As for if "it is working" -- it is working in some areas and not working in others. Personally I think it makes sense to try to improve in the areas that need improvement versus throwing everything out.

Start with improving Level II and Level III services and making such service delivery high quality and consistent across all schools in the county. That would benefit many, many students -- and NOT just the students in AAP Level IV (be it Local Level IV or AAP centers). In other words, it would be a big bang for the buck.

The first thing they need to do is retroactively weed out the current mass of AAP students. Especially with all the overcrowding they are causing. There is just no need for what FCPS has done with this out-of-whack system and they need to clean up their mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Doesn't make it right and doesn't mean it is working.

One person's opinion. There are others that would agree with you and others that would disagree with you. Research would also overwhelmingly disagree with you.

As for if "it is working" -- it is working in some areas and not working in others. Personally I think it makes sense to try to improve in the areas that need improvement versus throwing everything out.

Start with improving Level II and Level III services and making such service delivery high quality and consistent across all schools in the county. That would benefit many, many students -- and NOT just the students in AAP Level IV (be it Local Level IV or AAP centers). In other words, it would be a big bang for the buck.

The first thing they need to do is retroactively weed out the current mass of AAP students. Especially with all the overcrowding they are causing. There is just no need for what FCPS has done with this out-of-whack system and they need to clean up their mess.

That will naturally occur as the students progress through the grades/relocate. The "big bulge" occurred two years ago and numbers have dropped last year and will likely continue to be smaller this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Doesn't make it right and doesn't mean it is working.

One person's opinion. There are others that would agree with you and others that would disagree with you. Research would also overwhelmingly disagree with you.

As for if "it is working" -- it is working in some areas and not working in others. Personally I think it makes sense to try to improve in the areas that need improvement versus throwing everything out.

Start with improving Level II and Level III services and making such service delivery high quality and consistent across all schools in the county. That would benefit many, many students -- and NOT just the students in AAP Level IV (be it Local Level IV or AAP centers). In other words, it would be a big bang for the buck.

The first thing they need to do is retroactively weed out the current mass of AAP students. Especially with all the overcrowding they are causing. There is just no need for what FCPS has done with this out-of-whack system and they need to clean up their mess.

That will naturally occur as the students progress through the grades/relocate. The "big bulge" occurred two years ago and numbers have dropped last year and will likely continue to be smaller this year.

Yes I think there was a drop when they went to the new Fairfax test. No one could cheat (yet) since they didn't know what was on it. Maybe they need to change that test more often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Doesn't make it right and doesn't mean it is working.

One person's opinion. There are others that would agree with you and others that would disagree with you. Research would also overwhelmingly disagree with you.

As for if "it is working" -- it is working in some areas and not working in others. Personally I think it makes sense to try to improve in the areas that need improvement versus throwing everything out.

Start with improving Level II and Level III services and making such service delivery high quality and consistent across all schools in the county. That would benefit many, many students -- and NOT just the students in AAP Level IV (be it Local Level IV or AAP centers). In other words, it would be a big bang for the buck.

OK back to the original reason for this post. The AAP Levels are tracking! Period! FCPS does not do this - right. So why is it happening? Why the need for the labels? Why the need for the special schools? Meet the students in their assigned schools. Have a truly advanced program and sort out the rest in their home schools. It is really that simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No single criteria but 7 of which 3 are being manipulated to benefit a few. Look I get why you all want your cild in AAP I just don't agree with the process to get there. Many children are being left in the middle and the current AAP program is directly to blame. Why the hell do so many of you seem to have no concern about this and only care about what your child gets. If you didn't, you wouldn't argue so adamently to keep the program the way it is today. My guess is the majority of post here are from parents of average children who manipulated the system. I have to believe parents of truly gifted children want the best for ALL children as I know they have their own set of challenges with a "truly gifted" child. There is more to this education thing then your child and this program has issues. Ya know eventually you'll be gone and your child will need to make it on their own.

The current AAP system is not to blame for the Gen Ed program's failure with respect to high achieving kids. It's the opposite way around. So many more parents feel the need to push their kids into AAP, leading to an explosion in APP numbers, because the Gen Ed program isn't doing enough to challenge high achieving kids. A major problem is expecting in-class differentiation by one teacher when there are at least 3 levels of differentiation needed, with often times the lowest group needing a significant amount of help to be brought up to basics. That leaves little time for the high achievers. If across grade grouping by subject/ability was allowed, the high achievers would be served and many parents wouldn't feel like their kids were being neglected. That would erase some of the parents' perception that their child needs to be in AAP because their child would already be appropriately challenged based on his or her strength in each subject. In-class differentiation by one teacher for all levels is the problem, and until that's fixed, the AAP craziness and discontent with gen ed for high achieving kids will continue. The across grade differentiation is a fluid process and its by subject, so I don't think it is "tracking", so I'm not sure why it's not done in more schools.

Any FCPS teacher who think in class differentiation is working?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh my god...that response was so predictable. In therapy for your narcissisum?

What is predictable? Why would I need therapy? FWIW, my brother in-law died young, leaving behind 2 young children, and we are all so thankful that he was always involved, overly-involved, in his daughters' lives. You best believe that I will do everything for my children. Whether that means parent referring and/or appealing. It really in no way affects you or your children - as I am following the set guidelines as put forth by FCPS.

Parent they way you wish, and don't judge others for doing what they feel is right AND what is currently the protocol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh my god...that response was so predictable. In therapy for your narcissisum?

What is predictable? Why would I need therapy? FWIW, my brother in-law died young, leaving behind 2 young children, and we are all so thankful that he was always involved, overly-involved, in his daughters' lives. You best believe that I will do everything for my children. Whether that means parent referring and/or appealing. It really in no way affects you or your children - as I am following the set guidelines as put forth by FCPS.

Parent they way you wish, and don't judge others for doing what they feel is right AND what is currently the protocol.

Yep narcissism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Doesn't make it right and doesn't mean it is working.

One person's opinion. There are others that would agree with you and others that would disagree with you. Research would also overwhelmingly disagree with you.

As for if "it is working" -- it is working in some areas and not working in others. Personally I think it makes sense to try to improve in the areas that need improvement versus throwing everything out.

Start with improving Level II and Level III services and making such service delivery high quality and consistent across all schools in the county. That would benefit many, many students -- and NOT just the students in AAP Level IV (be it Local Level IV or AAP centers). In other words, it would be a big bang for the buck.

OK back to the original reason for this post. The AAP Levels are tracking! Period! FCPS does not do this - right. So why is it happening? Why the need for the labels? Why the need for the special schools? Meet the students in their assigned schools. Have a truly advanced program and sort out the rest in their home schools. It is really that simple.

Do you know what level II and level III services cover? They are done in the base school and often times just entail differentiation within the classroom. Are you suggesting there should be no differentiation in elementary school because any differentiation is tracking? PP was suggesting improving the differentiation services proved at the base schools (ie, level II and level III) so more kids benefit within the base school. I guess you're saying kids who need differentiation shouldn't get it because that would be tracking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Doesn't make it right and doesn't mean it is working.

One person's opinion. There are others that would agree with you and others that would disagree with you. Research would also overwhelmingly disagree with you.

As for if "it is working" -- it is working in some areas and not working in others. Personally I think it makes sense to try to improve in the areas that need improvement versus throwing everything out.

Start with improving Level II and Level III services and making such service delivery high quality and consistent across all schools in the county. That would benefit many, many students -- and NOT just the students in AAP Level IV (be it Local Level IV or AAP centers). In other words, it would be a big bang for the buck.

OK back to the original reason for this post. The AAP Levels are tracking! Period! FCPS does not do this - right. So why is it happening? Why the need for the labels? Why the need for the special schools? Meet the students in their assigned schools. Have a truly advanced program and sort out the rest in their home schools. It is really that simple.

Level II and Level III services are offered in every school. There are no "special schools."

I suggest you read about Level II and Level III services on the FCPS website:

Level II:
http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/level2.shtml

Grades K-8 Differentiated Services

Differentiated Services are offered to students who have specific academic strengths. The Advanced Academic resource teacher collaborates with classroom teachers to support differentiated instruction and to provide additional challenges within the general education program. Middle school students who take one or two Honors classes are receiving Level II services.

Level III:
http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/continuumofservices.shtml

Part-Time Advanced Academic Program, Grades 3-6(Level III)
Students identified by a local school screening committee for advanced academic services (Level III) are challenged through models and strategies designed to extend and enrich the POS in the four core subject areas. Students receive direct instruction from the advanced academic resource teacher in one or more areas of academic strength at their local schools.