APS Elementary Schools variation

[Anonymous]

So we are probably wanna be tiger parents, so let’s get that out of the way.

We have heard some elementary schools assign homework in math and English as early as grade 2? Other schools allow kids to advance beyond grade level in Lexia?

Our 3rd grader in a NA school has never had a drop of homework and has completed to grade level in Lexia, so spends that time drawing in a corner or reading. Maybe not the worst thing, a good book is a great education.

But I am surprised by the variation in academic policies across APS - is it set by the principal?

[Anonymous]

the immersion schools give homework in early grades to have more language practice at home

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the immersion schools give homework in early grades to have more language practice at home

Ours hasn't. Our kid doesn't get homework from her immersion school except to read her library books nightly.

The Lexia thing varies by year even at a single school. The policy changes almost every year. I prefer my kids read anyways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the immersion schools give homework in early grades to have more language practice at home

Ours hasn't. Our kid doesn't get homework from her immersion school except to read her library books nightly.

The Lexia thing varies by year even at a single school. The policy changes almost every year. I prefer my kids read anyways.

I guess but my DS feels self conscious reading while everyone else is on an iPad. Losing iPad time is actually a punishment in his class, so it’s a weird dynamic.

[Anonymous]

No homework at ours, besides reading at night. In 4th now, they have quizzes which my DC does need to study for, so we do that. I wish there was homework from earlier on, just to build some of the habits.

Lexia has varied year over year - whether they were allowed to bring it home, whether they were allowed to go past grade level, etc. They seem to be controlling it more than they did when DC was in younger grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No homework at ours, besides reading at night. In 4th now, they have quizzes which my DC does need to study for, so we do that. I wish there was homework from earlier on, just to build some of the habits.

Lexia has varied year over year - whether they were allowed to bring it home, whether they were allowed to go past grade level, etc. They seem to be controlling it more than they did when DC was in younger grades.

Do any classes offer other activities or maybe group enrichment for students who finish ahead of rest of class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No homework at ours, besides reading at night. In 4th now, they have quizzes which my DC does need to study for, so we do that. I wish there was homework from earlier on, just to build some of the habits.

Lexia has varied year over year - whether they were allowed to bring it home, whether they were allowed to go past grade level, etc. They seem to be controlling it more than they did when DC was in younger grades.

Do any classes offer other activities or maybe group enrichment for students who finish ahead of rest of class?

Lol. No. APS hasn't offered this for years now. All enrichment is supposed to be for the whole class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the immersion schools give homework in early grades to have more language practice at home

Ours hasn't. Our kid doesn't get homework from her immersion school except to read her library books nightly.

The Lexia thing varies by year even at a single school. The policy changes almost every year. I prefer my kids read anyways.

I guess but my DS feels self conscious reading while everyone else is on an iPad. Losing iPad time is actually a punishment in his class, so it’s a weird dynamic.

As far as I can tell, most kids consider it a badge of honor to be one of the first ones done with Lexia.

[Anonymous]

Between multiple kids, our family spent 11 years at the same APS ES. Existence and amount of homework varied from year to year, teacher to teacher. I can honestly say I don’t think it made a difference for my kids one way or the other.

They’re now in MS & HS, taking a bunch of intensified/AP courses. As a parent, if I saw an area of weakness or if the child asked me to work with them on something, I did so. But this was unrelated to homework being assigned, or not. I would not choose a school based on perceived homework policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So we are probably wanna be tiger parents, so let’s get that out of the way.

We have heard some elementary schools assign homework in math and English as early as grade 2? Other schools allow kids to advance beyond grade level in Lexia?

Our 3rd grader in a NA school has never had a drop of homework and has completed to grade level in Lexia, so spends that time drawing in a corner or reading. Maybe not the worst thing, a good book is a great education.

But I am surprised by the variation in academic policies across APS - is it set by the principal?

Yes this is how APS runs things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So we are probably wanna be tiger parents, so let’s get that out of the way.

We have heard some elementary schools assign homework in math and English as early as grade 2? Other schools allow kids to advance beyond grade level in Lexia?

Our 3rd grader in a NA school has never had a drop of homework and has completed to grade level in Lexia, so spends that time drawing in a corner or reading. Maybe not the worst thing, a good book is a great education.

But I am surprised by the variation in academic policies across APS - is it set by the principal?

which school OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So we are probably wanna be tiger parents, so let’s get that out of the way.

We have heard some elementary schools assign homework in math and English as early as grade 2? Other schools allow kids to advance beyond grade level in Lexia?

Our 3rd grader in a NA school has never had a drop of homework and has completed to grade level in Lexia, so spends that time drawing in a corner or reading. Maybe not the worst thing, a good book is a great education.

But I am surprised by the variation in academic policies across APS - is it set by the principal?

Yes this is how APS runs things.

During COVID, each school even set its own COVID safety policies, like any APS principal has a public health background to be capable of determining what was appropriate. But that's how APS does things. Other than mandating Lexia and testing, each school gets to do as it pleases.

[Anonymous]

Schools vary so much. We switched to MPSA and my child is finally being challenged and given work at his level. For example, his teacher just gave him an intro to basic multiplication in first grade because he is advanced in math. My older child was so bored at our neighborhood school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So we are probably wanna be tiger parents, so let’s get that out of the way.

We have heard some elementary schools assign homework in math and English as early as grade 2? Other schools allow kids to advance beyond grade level in Lexia?

Our 3rd grader in a NA school has never had a drop of homework and has completed to grade level in Lexia, so spends that time drawing in a corner or reading. Maybe not the worst thing, a good book is a great education.

But I am surprised by the variation in academic policies across APS - is it set by the principal?

I think it's by school and by teacher. We are in an immersion school and have been given light homework since the spring semester of 1st grade. At the beginning of the 3rd grade, our home classroom teacher surveyed the parents about our opinion on homework (whether to assign homework or not, and how much of it), which makes me think teachers have the discretion.

I grew up in a different culture where homework is the norm, so I really appreciate the homework assigned by our teacher. However, I can totally see some other Arlington parents would complain about it if it's assigned universally.

[Anonymous]

It differs by school and I think it’s principal driven, but the neighborhood schools are very similar. It’s the option schools that do things differently.