An Open Discussion on Split Feeders.

[Anonymous]

Out of curiosity in the midst of these boundary reviews and changes, what would you all do to rectify split feeders here in FCPS.

I saw the idea of an Oakton Middle School but realize that won’t ever work in the grand scheme of anything at all.

There was the idea of closing Hayfield, when I find that reworking Elementary School boundaries in it’s pyramid would work better.

Any other thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Closing Hayfield is one of the dumbest suggestions ever posted to this forum, and that is saying a lot


I think the first step to eliminating split feeders, along with the first step to any high school and middle school rezoning, would be to add AAP to every middle school so that no students are allowed to attend AAP in a different pyramid than they are zoned for. The second step would be to eliminste IB except for one centrally located high school magnet program, and make all the high schools AP plud dual enrollment.

Then, eliminate all elementary school split feeders, and go back to pre 2010 ish (+/-) AAP qualification requirements for Level 4 services, back when elementary AAP programs were averaging 2 classes per grade at the centers, and before fcps lowered the AAP level 4 selection standards, doubling the size of AAP.

Make the level 4 testing cut off much higher, and make all the rest of the bright kids AAP level 3 at the base schools, instead of sending full classes of 3rd graders to the centers.

After these things are done, then eliminate middle school split feeders, starting with the transition from 8th to 9th.

[Anonymous]

I would fix the middle schools in Reston/Oak Hill/Chantilly. There's no reason for Carson, Franklin, Rocky run to be split feeders.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think split dressers are a big deal so I wouldn’t do anything (and, yes, my kids went to two split feeders).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think split dressers are a big deal so I wouldn’t do anything (and, yes, my kids went to two split feeders).

+1. A solution in search of a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would fix the middle schools in Reston/Oak Hill/Chantilly. There's no reason for Carson, Franklin, Rocky run to be split feeders.

Rocky isn't, except for the AAP kids who come in, is it? Or might it be with the new Western High?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think split dressers are a big deal so I wouldn’t do anything (and, yes, my kids went to two split feeders).

+1,000

[Anonymous]

Remove AAP at middle school level (honors is at every school).

All elementary should have AAP.

The problem is certain schools rely on the enrollment of kids from outside their boundaries. But, that could probably fix itself over time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would fix the middle schools in Reston/Oak Hill/Chantilly. There's no reason for Carson, Franklin, Rocky run to be split feeders.

Rocky Run is not a split feeder, but it does have AAP students which feed to other schools like Westfield and Centreville.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think split dressers are a big deal so I wouldn’t do anything (and, yes, my kids went to two split feeders).

What is a split dresser?

[Anonymous]

Where I grew up, we did not have these rigid pyramids. There were minor boundary changes every 2-3 years to balance capacity. I suppose FCPS parents would consider every school a split feeder. It was fine. Students were fine.

I don't understand why it is such a big deal on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Demanding AAP at all middle schools so kids don’t leave to go to centers is such a tiring trope. They aren’t doing this anytime soon folks. And they are still going to have centers in elementary schools too. I don’t know why everyone gets so worked up over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where I grew up, we did not have these rigid pyramids. There were minor boundary changes every 2-3 years to balance capacity. I suppose FCPS parents would consider every school a split feeder. It was fine. Students were fine.

I don't understand why it is such a big deal on DCUM.

Property values.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where I grew up, we did not have these rigid pyramids. There were minor boundary changes every 2-3 years to balance capacity. I suppose FCPS parents would consider every school a split feeder. It was fine. Students were fine.

I don't understand why it is such a big deal on DCUM.

Are you from the West Coast?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would fix the middle schools in Reston/Oak Hill/Chantilly. There's no reason for Carson, Franklin, Rocky run to be split feeders.

Rocky Run is not a split feeder, but it does have AAP students which feed to other schools like Westfield and Centreville.

AAP is over half the school, and around half of AAP comes from other pyramids. So around 25% of the school is transferring from other pyramids. We are in boundary for Rocky. I'm seriously considering having my AAP kid drop to honors in MS if it's not fixed by then because the kids in those classes should all continue to Chantilly, vs only approx half of the AAP cohort.