Any NCLB experts? Particularly Fairfax County?

[Anonymous]

Our relatives own a rental property in a school district that met AYP during the last school year (2009-2010), but failed the year prior. So this school year, students living in
that school district can choose to attend two other (much better, apparently) nearby schools instead. (These are all Fairfax County schools, if it matters).

We have a son who will be starting K next year. If the failing school meets AYP this year, then is it correct that students will not be permitted to transfer the following school year (the year he starts K)? Or, if students are permitted to transfer and we start his K year at one of the alternate schools, can he stay there if the transfers are not permitted the following year? (Historically, the school has failed to meet AYP-I think last year was the first time it actually met the AYP).

Our relatives really want us to move into the property and have offered us a below-market rate, but it is only worth considering if we can be certain our son will be able to attend one of the transfer schools, not the zoned (failing) school. Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

If the school meets AYP two years in a row, it need no longer offer the transfer option. Students that have already transferred to a "receiving school," however, can remain at those schools in subsequent years. You would be responsble for transportation after the sanctions on the Title I school were lifted. In addition, your son would still be assigned to the middle and high school associated with your home address.

[Anonymous]

What's the zoned school?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for replying, 13:23. The zoned school is Dogwood in Reston, and the transfer schools are Crossfield (in Herndon, I think) and Sunrise Valley (in Reston). So it would be best to wait to move until the AYP results for this school year come out (which wouldn't be until next summer, right?). Because if the school didn't meet the AYP progress, we would know for sure that we could choose the transfer schools instead. Am I understanding this correctly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for replying, 13:23. The zoned school is Dogwood in Reston, and the transfer schools are Crossfield (in Herndon, I think) and Sunrise Valley (in Reston). So it would be best to wait to move until the AYP results for this school year come out (which wouldn't be until next summer, right?). Because if the school didn't meet the AYP progress, we would know for sure that we could choose the transfer schools instead. Am I understanding this correctly?

Yes, you are understanding correctly. The results get released in the summer (and Dogwood did not send out the letter formally notifying parents of their transfer options until August).

Of course, I hope you're not going to be hoping a bunch of AA or Hispanic kids at Dogwood do poorly on their SOLs this year, just so transfer options to other schools remain open.

[Anonymous]

I know people who send their children to Dogwood and they are happy with the school. That school has lots of children on free/reduced lunch and I'm guessing that many of them don't have the support structure at home that our children are lucky to have. I think you should give the school a second look and go have a discussion with the principal. You may be pleasantly surprised.

[Anonymous]

Not PP, but I work in ed policy, and whether a school makes AYP or not does not tell the full story of how good a school is. I don't know Dogwood, and it might be horrible, but it might also be a great school for your child, but one that that just has trouble getting their special education students to pass the SOLs.

[Anonymous]

Meaning, in this case, the SPED staff might not be great, but that doesn't mean your child wouldn't get a good education.

[Anonymous]

my child attends a school that did not make AYP. There are a lot of things that feed into rating - although in your situation the school you are referring to has historically been poor performing and has not made AYP.

In our situation, we are 2 highly educated professionals making in excess of $300K. We have selected to send our child to this particular charter school as we believe that it is a fabulous environment that will foster a love of learning in our children. AYP is one of many data points to consider while deciding what school is best for your children and family.

[Anonymous]

We attend a school in VA that did not make AYP and were notified about 2 weeks before school started that we could transfer to a different school if we wished. My understanding is that you have to have not made AYP 2 years in a row for the transfer option to be offered and like a PP said, if you choose to transfer, your child may attend until they finish at that school, although transportation will likely not be provided and they must attend their home-zoned middle and high schools.

In our case, the overall scores were higher for our school, but a couple of subgroups missed by a few points - not significant enough in my book to justify a change.

I just worry that if you're waiting for next year's test scores, you may not find out till very late in the summer...

[Anonymous]

The basic thrust of the NCLB legislation is to try and help the lower-performing students at schools that are mired in poverty. As a result, the school also has to be a Title I elementary school with higher percentages of low-income students for there to be a transfer option. A school in a generally affluent area can fail to make AYP for several years if, for example, its Hispanic students repeatedly perform poorly on the SOLs, even though all the other sub-groups do just fine. In that situation, there won't be a transfer option, and most of the other parents at the school won't necessarily panic. Instead, they'll be more inclined to believe that the school is making good-faith efforts to educate all the students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not PP, but I work in ed policy, and whether a school makes AYP or not does not tell the full story of how good a school is. I don't know Dogwood, and it might be horrible, but it might also be a great school for your child, but one that that just has trouble getting their special education students to pass the SOLs.

I agree. Also, you should be aware that AYP levels are different for each school and that Title 1 schools get additional resources. We're at a Title 1 school that did not make AYP but we we're very happy with the teachers and staff. We enjoy the diverse student body and know that given our socioeconomic and education level, our kids will be well educated no matter what school they go to.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know if you can still transfer out of Jefferson-Houston in the City of Alexandria? What schools would you be able to transfer into?

[Anonymous]

OP here-thanks everyone. Lots of good points made to mull over.