APS Elementary Rankings

[Anonymous]

https://www.niche.com/k12/arlington-traditional-elementary-school-arlington-va/

I know Niche isn’t the end-all, be-all, but what’s the deal with ATS always ranking as the top elementary school in the state? Are their test scores really that much higher? We originally went with Immersion because we thought that was the best path, but ended up transferring to our neighborhood elementary. I still kick myself for not putting our names in for ATS, though at the time I worried it would be too structured for our oldest. Aren’t they a Title I school now too?!

[Anonymous]

From a teacher perspective, at the HS level, you don't see a difference between ATS kids and neighborhood schools for the vast majority of students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.niche.com/k12/arlington-traditional-elementary-school-arlington-va/

I know Niche isn’t the end-all, be-all, but what’s the deal with ATS always ranking as the top elementary school in the state? Are their test scores really that much higher? We originally went with Immersion because we thought that was the best path, but ended up transferring to our neighborhood elementary. I still kick myself for not putting our names in for ATS, though at the time I worried it would be too structured for our oldest. Aren’t they a Title I school now too?!

Title I shouldn't affect the quality of education since all the families that choose ATS are especially supportive of a strong and challenging elementary education. The expectations are high, and the students and parents buy into that.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why this is such a mystery to people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From a teacher perspective, at the HS level, you don't see a difference between ATS kids and neighborhood schools for the vast majority of students.

I’m a public HS teacher in Arlington and I disagree. There’s a big difference between my students when it comes to their education background. If it didn’t you wouldn’t have people paying for private, entering lottery schools, paying for tutoring, ect.

[Anonymous]

Niche also highly ranks Basis. You can find any ranking to support your worldview. I wouldn’t send my kid to either of those schools.

[Anonymous]

It’s the socioeconomic diversity plus decent test scores. The same ranking has Innovation at #3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s the socioeconomic diversity plus decent test scores. The same ranking has Innovation at #3.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a teacher perspective, at the HS level, you don't see a difference between ATS kids and neighborhood schools for the vast majority of students.

I’m a public HS teacher in Arlington and I disagree. There’s a big difference between my students when it comes to their education background. If it didn’t you wouldn’t have people paying for private, entering lottery schools, paying for tutoring, ect.

APS MS math teacher here. My students who attended ATS don’t perform better than the others.

[Anonymous]

These ratings systems got crap when it was all about test scores, which are typically a proxy for income level. Now they factor in diversity. So an all white school with the same test scores won’t rank as high.

ATS is able to produce high scores with diverse students because it’s a self selecting population of students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These ratings systems got crap when it was all about test scores, which are typically a proxy for income level. Now they factor in diversity. So an all white school with the same test scores won’t rank as high.

ATS is able to produce high scores with diverse students because it’s a self selecting population of students.

Here we go again. ATS diversity comes from the VPI program. There are VPI programs in several APS schools and all students get into through a lottery. Yet the ATS VPI students do better than their counterparts in other schools. Also other option schools have a self selecting population but they aren’t doing as well as ATS. ATS is simply a better school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These ratings systems got crap when it was all about test scores, which are typically a proxy for income level. Now they factor in diversity. So an all white school with the same test scores won’t rank as high.

ATS is able to produce high scores with diverse students because it’s a self selecting population of students.

Here we go again. ATS diversity comes from the VPI program. There are VPI programs in several APS schools and all students get into through a lottery. Yet the ATS VPI students do better than their counterparts in other schools. Also other option schools have a self selecting population but they aren’t doing as well as ATS. ATS is simply a better school.

What other schools have self selected student populations on academic rigor ? That’s literally ATS selling point, teaching stuff like it used to be taught.

It’s the combination of VPI and EVERY STUDENT there has engaged parents who want their kid there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These ratings systems got crap when it was all about test scores, which are typically a proxy for income level. Now they factor in diversity. So an all white school with the same test scores won’t rank as high.

ATS is able to produce high scores with diverse students because it’s a self selecting population of students.

Here we go again. ATS diversity comes from the VPI program. There are VPI programs in several APS schools and all students get into through a lottery. Yet the ATS VPI students do better than their counterparts in other schools. Also other option schools have a self selecting population but they aren’t doing as well as ATS. ATS is simply a better school.

What other schools have self selected student populations on academic rigor ? That’s literally ATS selling point, teaching stuff like it used to be taught.

It’s the combination of VPI and EVERY STUDENT there has engaged parents who want their kid there.

People underestimate how bare minimum parental engagement and standards (sign a weekly update, have your kid tuck in their shirt to signal they are ready for school) can make a difference. The average parent does not realize that at many neighborhood schools a chunk of kids lack that level of intentional care and some parents actively undermine learning (show up late, argue with teachers etc)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These ratings systems got crap when it was all about test scores, which are typically a proxy for income level. Now they factor in diversity. So an all white school with the same test scores won’t rank as high.

ATS is able to produce high scores with diverse students because it’s a self selecting population of students.

Here we go again. ATS diversity comes from the VPI program. There are VPI programs in several APS schools and all students get into through a lottery. Yet the ATS VPI students do better than their counterparts in other schools. Also other option schools have a self selecting population but they aren’t doing as well as ATS. ATS is simply a better school.

What other schools have self selected student populations on academic rigor ? That’s literally ATS selling point, teaching stuff like it used to be taught.

It’s the combination of VPI and EVERY STUDENT there has engaged parents who want their kid there.

Yes but you are acting like there is nothing different about the school itself. My daughter’s friend was in Discovery. They moved her to ATS. Her mom told me that ATS is just much more rigorous. That’s the story you hear from parents who come from other neighborhood schools. The curriculum is more rigorous. Now whether this means anything in the long run is something else. Because even if the curriculum is more rigorous in elementary school it may not make a different in the long run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a teacher perspective, at the HS level, you don't see a difference between ATS kids and neighborhood schools for the vast majority of students.

I’m a public HS teacher in Arlington and I disagree. There’s a big difference between my students when it comes to their education background. If it didn’t you wouldn’t have people paying for private, entering lottery schools, paying for tutoring, ect.

In middle, many teachers say they can tell which kids came from ATS. Mine has all As and is getting extra content in some classes like math and science.