Youngkin and TJ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Youngkin can yell and scream and shout all he wants, but the reality is the levers of the TJ admissions process are controlled by the FCPS School Board. The opportunity to elect a new School Board will take place in November of 2023, by which point the admissions process - in whatever form it takes - will already be well underway for the TJ Class of 2028 to an extent that making changes (especially if they included a proctored exam) would threaten that class's ability to be seated on time. Recall petitions have failed. This is not Loudoun County, and the reality is that a HUGE portion of the "mama and papa bears" making a stink about TJ come from Loudoun anyway, and are centered in Ashburn, South Riding, and Brambleton.

I think this is correct. It's the number 1 issue for a small minority of voters and a non-issue for the rest.

The very simple key will be for Democrats to rally around some perceived Republican priority - let's go with perhaps book censorship? - and ensure that it motivates enough of their voters to get to the polls in an off year.

The CRT boogeyman is far more worrisome for Democrats than the TJ issue.

For a county election in Fairfax? Even Terry easily carried the county in an election that saw as much Republican turn out as you will ever see in Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Youngkin can yell and scream and shout all he wants, but the reality is the levers of the TJ admissions process are controlled by the FCPS School Board. The opportunity to elect a new School Board will take place in November of 2023, by which point the admissions process - in whatever form it takes - will already be well underway for the TJ Class of 2028 to an extent that making changes (especially if they included a proctored exam) would threaten that class's ability to be seated on time. Recall petitions have failed. This is not Loudoun County, and the reality is that a HUGE portion of the "mama and papa bears" making a stink about TJ come from Loudoun anyway, and are centered in Ashburn, South Riding, and Brambleton.

I think most people understood it will take some time to counter the foolishness of the FCPS School Board. Voting out the current members of the School Board - the folks responsible for failing to ensure FCPS had a sound IT infrastructure, keeping kids out of schools when other districts and private schools were providing in-person education, making unnecessary changes to TJ admissions, indulging the likes of Karl Frisch and Elaine Tholen with their self-serving spending/boundary schemes, and failing to protect the PII of special education students - will be one important step in the right direction.

The "mama and papa bears" are everywhere in NoVa, even in Arlington, which is bluer than Fairfax. We've seen the incompetence and hypocrisy of School Board members up close now for the last two years, and it's eye-opening.

Ignoring for a moment your repeated unsupported talking points...

Of course those parents are everywhere. But the critical mass of them are highly concentrated in small pockets of western Fairfax and even more heavily in the areas of Loudoun that I mentioned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Youngkin can yell and scream and shout all he wants, but the reality is the levers of the TJ admissions process are controlled by the FCPS School Board. The opportunity to elect a new School Board will take place in November of 2023, by which point the admissions process - in whatever form it takes - will already be well underway for the TJ Class of 2028 to an extent that making changes (especially if they included a proctored exam) would threaten that class's ability to be seated on time. Recall petitions have failed. This is not Loudoun County, and the reality is that a HUGE portion of the "mama and papa bears" making a stink about TJ come from Loudoun anyway, and are centered in Ashburn, South Riding, and Brambleton.

I think this is correct. It's the number 1 issue for a small minority of voters and a non-issue for the rest.

The very simple key will be for Democrats to rally around some perceived Republican priority - let's go with perhaps book censorship? - and ensure that it motivates enough of their voters to get to the polls in an off year.

The CRT boogeyman is far more worrisome for Democrats than the TJ issue.

For a county election in Fairfax? Even Terry easily carried the county in an election that saw as much Republican turn out as you will ever see in Virginia.

I mean, I hope you're right, but I could very easily see a complete lack of motivation for Democrats in that cycle.

[Anonymous]

Oh goodie. Another TJ thread where people will make the same comments and end up at the same places as the other 9,000 TJ threads.

Rah

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh goodie. Another TJ thread where people will make the same comments and end up at the same places as the other 9,000 TJ threads.

Rah

If people didn't care about it, the threads wouldn't exist and get traction.

Like it or not, TJ is a major flashpoint for parents in this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Huh.

If this is true, it would be a GREAT way for Youngkin to insert himself into the admissions process. If FCPS is doing a terrible job identifying low income students, than that’s an easy way for the state to step in and take over.

Students who are actually needy should get the low income preference. (Not anyone who checked a box!) Everyone can agree on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Huh.

If this is true, it would be a GREAT way for Youngkin to insert himself into the admissions process. If FCPS is doing a terrible job identifying low income students, than that’s an easy way for the state to step in and take over.

Students who are actually needy should get the low income preference. (Not anyone who checked a box!) Everyone can agree on that.

How would that work legally? What would the legal basis for him taking over be, i.e. what section of Virgina code or regulation would he use?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Huh.

If this is true, it would be a GREAT way for Youngkin to insert himself into the admissions process. If FCPS is doing a terrible job identifying low income students, than that’s an easy way for the state to step in and take over.

Students who are actually needy should get the low income preference. (Not anyone who checked a box!) Everyone can agree on that.

How would that work legally? What would the legal basis for him taking over be, i.e. what section of Virgina code or regulation would he use?

I don’t know the code/law. However, the TJ admissions office is aware of this issue. (I called and asked and confirmed that anyone can say yes based on how the questions are worded.)

They are knowingly being poor stewards over the process for giving “low income” students help and that’s a huge problem. There’s gotta be a way for the State can step in for fraud or gross incompetence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Huh.

If this is true, it would be a GREAT way for Youngkin to insert himself into the admissions process. If FCPS is doing a terrible job identifying low income students, than that’s an easy way for the state to step in and take over.

Students who are actually needy should get the low income preference. (Not anyone who checked a box!) Everyone can agree on that.

How would that work legally? What would the legal basis for him taking over be, i.e. what section of Virgina code or regulation would he use?

I don’t know the code/law. However, the TJ admissions office is aware of this issue. (I called and asked and confirmed that anyone can say yes based on how the questions are worded.)

They are knowingly being poor stewards over the process for giving “low income” students help and that’s a huge problem. There’s gotta be a way for the State can step in for fraud or gross incompetence.

Who did you speak to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Huh.

If this is true, it would be a GREAT way for Youngkin to insert himself into the admissions process. If FCPS is doing a terrible job identifying low income students, than that’s an easy way for the state to step in and take over.

Students who are actually needy should get the low income preference. (Not anyone who checked a box!) Everyone can agree on that.

How would that work legally? What would the legal basis for him taking over be, i.e. what section of Virgina code or regulation would he use?

I don’t know the code/law. However, the TJ admissions office is aware of this issue. (I called and asked and confirmed that anyone can say yes based on how the questions are worded.)

They are knowingly being poor stewards over the process for giving “low income” students help and that’s a huge problem. There’s gotta be a way for the State can step in for fraud or gross incompetence.

In other words, you assert that he can do something without actually knowing whether or not he can do something

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Huh.

If this is true, it would be a GREAT way for Youngkin to insert himself into the admissions process. If FCPS is doing a terrible job identifying low income students, than that’s an easy way for the state to step in and take over.

Students who are actually needy should get the low income preference. (Not anyone who checked a box!) Everyone can agree on that.

How would that work legally? What would the legal basis for him taking over be, i.e. what section of Virgina code or regulation would he use?

TJ is a Governor's School. VDOE already has a good bit of administrative power over it:
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/governors_school_programs/index.shtml

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh goodie. Another TJ thread where people will make the same comments and end up at the same places as the other 9,000 TJ threads.

Rah

If people didn't care about it, the threads wouldn't exist and get traction.

Like it or not, TJ is a major flashpoint for parents in this area.

And every topic says the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Huh.

If this is true, it would be a GREAT way for Youngkin to insert himself into the admissions process. If FCPS is doing a terrible job identifying low income students, than that’s an easy way for the state to step in and take over.

Students who are actually needy should get the low income preference. (Not anyone who checked a box!) Everyone can agree on that.

How would that work legally? What would the legal basis for him taking over be, i.e. what section of Virgina code or regulation would he use?

TJ is a Governor's School. VDOE already has a good bit of administrative power over it:
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/governors_school_programs/index.shtml

From your source:

"The Virginia Department of Education, regional governing boards, local superintendents, site or program directors, school boards, and advisory committees establish policies for the Governor's Schools. These policies are described in an administrative procedures document for each school. All Governor's Schools annually submit a current administrative procedures document to VDOE."

Here's TJ's

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/C8LTLY77EF47/$file/R3355.pdf

What in there supports your assertion that the governor can change policy at TJ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Youngkin can yell and scream and shout all he wants, but the reality is the levers of the TJ admissions process are controlled by the FCPS School Board. The opportunity to elect a new School Board will take place in November of 2023, by which point the admissions process - in whatever form it takes - will already be well underway for the TJ Class of 2028 to an extent that making changes (especially if they included a proctored exam) would threaten that class's ability to be seated on time. Recall petitions have failed. This is not Loudoun County, and the reality is that a HUGE portion of the "mama and papa bears" making a stink about TJ come from Loudoun anyway, and are centered in Ashburn, South Riding, and Brambleton.

I think most people understood it will take some time to counter the foolishness of the FCPS School Board. Voting out the current members of the School Board - the folks responsible for failing to ensure FCPS had a sound IT infrastructure, keeping kids out of schools when other districts and private schools were providing in-person education, making unnecessary changes to TJ admissions, indulging the likes of Karl Frisch and Elaine Tholen with their self-serving spending/boundary schemes, and failing to protect the PII of special education students - will be one important step in the right direction.

The "mama and papa bears" are everywhere in NoVa, even in Arlington, which is bluer than Fairfax. We've seen the incompetence and hypocrisy of School Board members up close now for the last two years, and it's eye-opening.

Ignoring for a moment your repeated unsupported talking points...

Of course those parents are everywhere. But the critical mass of them are highly concentrated in small pockets of western Fairfax and even more heavily in the areas of Loudoun that I mentioned.

As if your post is some peer-reviewed article?

TJAAG types are the biggest jerks on these forums, because all they really care about is ensuring TJ stays cool on their resumes and is something they can still bring up constantly in conversations without any guilt. That is the height of emotionalism, yet they demand exacting proof of everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/youngkin-thomas-jefferson-high-admissions/2021/11/29/168fd9c8-48b3-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html

Interesting article on the levers that Youngkin could (and could not) use to affect admissions to TJ.

One interesting thing in the article: The Washington Post apparently is unaware it is a fairytale that 25% of the class of 2025 is low income. As we all know now, this is based on free and reduced-price meals eligibility - something that is extremely gameable under the current free meals for all polcies. This is a self-reported measure and that every child can claim to be FARMS last year and this year. Prep companies are coaching parents to check yes for both of these boxes and FCPS is looking the other way since it makes them look good to be able to say 25% are FARMS.. A child that checks this box has a 40% chance of admission vs a child that does not check these boxes has a 10% chance.

Gross.

Huh.

If this is true, it would be a GREAT way for Youngkin to insert himself into the admissions process. If FCPS is doing a terrible job identifying low income students, than that’s an easy way for the state to step in and take over.

Students who are actually needy should get the low income preference. (Not anyone who checked a box!) Everyone can agree on that.

How would that work legally? What would the legal basis for him taking over be, i.e. what section of Virgina code or regulation would he use?

I don’t know the code/law. However, the TJ admissions office is aware of this issue. (I called and asked and confirmed that anyone can say yes based on how the questions are worded.)

They are knowingly being poor stewards over the process for giving “low income” students help and that’s a huge problem. There’s gotta be a way for the State can step in for fraud or gross incompetence.

In other words, you assert that he can do something without actually knowing whether or not he can do something

Who cares about FACTS? Some people FEEL like Youngkin can do something. That’s the important thing here. Doesn’t matter if it’s true.