Teacher “recommendation”/input necessary for AAP admissions, but not allowed for TJ admissions

[Anonymous]

Why does FCPS put such a high importance in teacher recommendations for AAP acceptance, but when it comes to TJ teacher recommendations are discriminatory?

How does this make sense??

[Anonymous]

You mean the elementary school AAP program? Compared to TJ the high school?

[Anonymous]

TJ is done by a separate admissions board so that biases (local and otherwise) and corruption is minimized.

[Anonymous]

The old process had a teacher rec. I wish they would bring it back. The teacher rec only came into play for students who passed the initial test. When students from the middle school I taught at got into TJ when there were recs, I was rarely surprised. Under the new system, I’m often shocked by who ultimately gets admitted and who is denied.

[Anonymous]

They sort of tossed the baby out with the bath water. This is one piece of the old system I agree needs re-added as they would help ensure the absolute top kids from a given school are the ones selected for that school.

[Anonymous]

Equity advocates tend to dislike teacher recommendations. They believe teacher recommendations are subject to racial bias.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They sort of tossed the baby out with the bath water. This is one piece of the old system I agree needs re-added as they would help ensure the absolute top kids from a given school are the ones selected for that school.

A test could do that better than recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They sort of tossed the baby out with the bath water. This is one piece of the old system I agree needs re-added as they would help ensure the absolute top kids from a given school are the ones selected for that school.

A test could do that better than recommendations.

We’ll agree to disagree. I’d agree if so many families in the area weren’t prepping for the test. But since they do, a teacher who has observed the kids day in day out is my preference Vs a test some prep for and some don’t.

[Anonymous]

A team of teachers, including the AART, and admin filling out a Hope Rating scale for a second grader is NOT the same as a teacher recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Equity advocates tend to dislike teacher recommendations. They believe teacher recommendations are subject to racial bias.

They are *definitely* subject to bias against autistic and ADHD kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They sort of tossed the baby out with the bath water. This is one piece of the old system I agree needs re-added as they would help ensure the absolute top kids from a given school are the ones selected for that school.

A test could do that better than recommendations.

We’ll agree to disagree. I’d agree if so many families in the area weren’t prepping for the test. But since they do, a teacher who has observed the kids day in day out is my preference Vs a test some prep for and some don’t.

People prep for the SAT and peer reviewed studies show that the SAT score is about the best predictor we have of academic performance at the high end of academic achievement.
https://opportunityinsights.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SAT_ACT_on_Grades.pdf

So on the one hand I have peer reviewed research and on the other hand, you've got your gut feelings and preferences (which coincidentally favor white kids).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Equity advocates tend to dislike teacher recommendations. They believe teacher recommendations are subject to racial bias.

They are *definitely* subject to bias against autistic and ADHD kids.

There are objective behavior and performance differences between ADHD/autistic kids and those that are not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Equity advocates tend to dislike teacher recommendations. They believe teacher recommendations are subject to racial bias.

They are *definitely* subject to bias against autistic and ADHD kids.

There are objective behavior and performance differences between ADHD/autistic kids and those that are not.

I need clarification on what you’re saying here, because it sure sounds like you’re saying that the things valued in AAP are inconsistent with the characteristics of 2e children, which kind of proves my point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They sort of tossed the baby out with the bath water. This is one piece of the old system I agree needs re-added as they would help ensure the absolute top kids from a given school are the ones selected for that school.

A test could do that better than recommendations.

We’ll agree to disagree. I’d agree if so many families in the area weren’t prepping for the test. But since they do, a teacher who has observed the kids day in day out is my preference Vs a test some prep for and some don’t.

People prep for the SAT and peer reviewed studies show that the SAT score is about the best predictor we have of academic performance at the high end of academic achievement.
https://opportunityinsights.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SAT_ACT_on_Grades.pdf

So on the one hand I have peer reviewed research and on the other hand, you've got your gut feelings and preferences (which coincidentally favor white kids).

The difference being EVERYONE prepares for the SAT. That is the process. It is far from universal for 7th and 8th grade kids to take weekend or evening prep classes to try to get an edge on a magnet entrance test. Nor should it be.

[Anonymous]

The teacher recs were only for the students who passed the initial TJ test. Teacher recs are used in college admissions- why not use them for TJ? The test was valuable (prepped or not) to show the ability to hack it in TJ math and the recs were valuable in describing work habits and interest in deep thinking.