What is the bigger issue for HS: CIP or SBG?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of where you stand on the capital improvement plan or skills-based grading rollout, which is the bigger issue for FCPS?

I personally believe that SBG is a far bigger issue. I am not necessarily an opposed to the concept but I’m not happy at the way it has been implemented at the schools (eg, Madison, …) so far.

The bigger issue for FCPS will always be the CIP because it has much larger financial implications.

Parents and students, on the other hand, may care more about grading policies at their school than where it stands in the renovation queue. Colleges look at grades, not at whether your high school has the nicest auditorium.

OP here, I should clarify that I’m asking from the POV of parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised most parents aren’t speaking out about this OP. Has there been any discussion besides on DCUM?

OP here: FCPS ran a focus group about grading. The facilitators asked about x, y, z about grading in FCPS and most of the parents were like, OK, but that's not how things are implemented at our school. Parents were not pleased.

The old bait and switch play is being used by the administration. They tell parents it is great, wow them with fancy and confusing PowerPoints and then implement SBG in a totally different way than it was designed and described in their presentations to parents. The plan is working great so far and once they have a critical mass of schools using SBG it will be too late for everyone.

In your opinion then, which is the bigger issue parents should focus on? CIP or SBG?

[Anonymous]

Op here — I think SBG has some merits but it is not appropriate to implement it in only a couple schools in the district as it makes student scores look worse. It also does not help that teachers with the same school so not apply it the same way across the school let alone department.

[Anonymous]

CBI

CLT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CBI

CLT

Those are out of scope of the question and should be addressed separately on the merits of implementing them.

DCUMers frequently argue about the capital improvement plan, most heatedly recently about HS expansions, which only distracts from real issues, one of which is FCPS's implementation of standards/skills based grading and the impact it will have on students both academically and emotionally. Another concern is the rollout during mid-HS careers which really trips kids up. IMO rolling it out suddenly as opposed to preparing kids and parents for it from ES on up is a huge mistake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CBI

CLT

Those are out of scope of the question and should be addressed separately on the merits of implementing them.

DCUMers frequently argue about the capital improvement plan, most heatedly recently about HS expansions, which only distracts from real issues, one of which is FCPS's implementation of standards/skills based grading and the impact it will have on students both academically and emotionally. Another concern is the rollout during mid-HS careers which really trips kids up. IMO rolling it out suddenly as opposed to preparing kids and parents for it from ES on up is a huge mistake.

We've had standards based grading in ES for a long time now...?

I mean, I hate it, but I consoled myself up until recently with the fact that it was only for years that didn't actually matter and most ES teachers actually give a ton of 4s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CBI

CLT

Those are out of scope of the question and should be addressed separately on the merits of implementing them.

DCUMers frequently argue about the capital improvement plan, most heatedly recently about HS expansions, which only distracts from real issues, one of which is FCPS's implementation of standards/skills based grading and the impact it will have on students both academically and emotionally. Another concern is the rollout during mid-HS careers which really trips kids up. IMO rolling it out suddenly as opposed to preparing kids and parents for it from ES on up is a huge mistake.

The failure to address the facilities needs at some schools is absolutely a real issue, as are the misguided spending priorities reflected in the latest CIP.

You don't get to define what the only "real issue" is in FCPS simply because you're obsessed over what's happened at Madison.

[Anonymous]

Madison is not the only school with SBG. It is being rolled out across the county, primarily in schools where parents are least likely to challenge its implementation. It will have have a detrimental impact on kids planning to go to college.

But yea, fight over which school needs the most physical plant and cosmetic improvement that is what Gatehouse is counting on.

[Anonymous]

NP. I think the school board heard from parents loud and clear about SBG. I think the new policy of every high school using the 100 point grading scale was supposed to fix this and end SBG but Gatehouse instructed schools to continue using it and continue to roll it out to every school.

If parents continue to complain to the school board, they may stop it and get rid of it entirely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CBI

CLT

Those are out of scope of the question and should be addressed separately on the merits of implementing them.

DCUMers frequently argue about the capital improvement plan, most heatedly recently about HS expansions, which only distracts from real issues, one of which is FCPS's implementation of standards/skills based grading and the impact it will have on students both academically and emotionally. Another concern is the rollout during mid-HS careers which really trips kids up. IMO rolling it out suddenly as opposed to preparing kids and parents for it from ES on up is a huge mistake.

Every year we make up new letters.
First it was CRT
EBI
NOW
CIP
AND SBG
What are next?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Madison is not the only school with SBG. It is being rolled out across the county, primarily in schools where parents are least likely to challenge its implementation. It will have have a detrimental impact on kids planning to go to college.

But yea, fight over which school needs the most physical plant and cosmetic improvement that is what Gatehouse is counting on.

Relatively few high schools in FCPS have a more actively engaged group of parents than Madison.

You are apparently frustrated that, despite months of posting incessantly about SBG on this forum, you haven't found enough fellow parents at Madison to take up your cause. Since then, you've done two things - first, demand that SBG be implemented everywhere (rather than insist on the elimination of SBG, which you obviously think is a bad idea, at Madison); and second, denigrate any issue other than your concern over SBG, such as the facilities-related concerns of people at other schools that, unlike Madison, haven't recently gotten multi-million additions or renovations.

Neither of those strategies will get you the results you're seeking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Madison is not the only school with SBG. It is being rolled out across the county, primarily in schools where parents are least likely to challenge its implementation. It will have have a detrimental impact on kids planning to go to college.

But yea, fight over which school needs the most physical plant and cosmetic improvement that is what Gatehouse is counting on.

Relatively few high schools in FCPS have a more actively engaged group of parents than Madison.

You are apparently frustrated that, despite months of posting incessantly about SBG on this forum, you haven't found enough fellow parents at Madison to take up your cause. Since then, you've done two things - first, demand that SBG be implemented everywhere (rather than insist on the elimination of SBG, which you obviously think is a bad idea, at Madison); and second, denigrate any issue other than your concern over SBG, such as the facilities-related concerns of people at other schools that, unlike Madison, haven't recently gotten multi-million additions or renovations.

Neither of those strategies will get you the results you're seeking.

It was rolled out at Herndon and every teacher is basically defining how to implement SBG. It is a huge issue. And to the PP above ... there is SBG and there is FCPS and the way your school (will) implement it. And if you're a HS parent, you know that there is are disconnects between ES and MS and HS on many things (SBG, whether a student should/not take honors) all within the same pyramid. It is bonkers. The way SBG is rolled out at Herndon and probably Madison makes all the other schools have inflated grades.

If missing one question on a 100 question test drops you to a B at a class at Herndon, but earns you an A at Chantilly, there is a HUGE issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Madison is not the only school with SBG. It is being rolled out across the county, primarily in schools where parents are least likely to challenge its implementation. It will have have a detrimental impact on kids planning to go to college.

But yea, fight over which school needs the most physical plant and cosmetic improvement that is what Gatehouse is counting on.

Relatively few high schools in FCPS have a more actively engaged group of parents than Madison.

You are apparently frustrated that, despite months of posting incessantly about SBG on this forum, you haven't found enough fellow parents at Madison to take up your cause. Since then, you've done two things - first, demand that SBG be implemented everywhere (rather than insist on the elimination of SBG, which you obviously think is a bad idea, at Madison); and second, denigrate any issue other than your concern over SBG, such as the facilities-related concerns of people at other schools that, unlike Madison, haven't recently gotten multi-million additions or renovations.

Neither of those strategies will get you the results you're seeking.

It was rolled out at Herndon and every teacher is basically defining how to implement SBG. It is a huge issue. And to the PP above ... there is SBG and there is FCPS and the way your school (will) implement it. And if you're a HS parent, you know that there is are disconnects between ES and MS and HS on many things (SBG, whether a student should/not take honors) all within the same pyramid. It is bonkers. The way SBG is rolled out at Herndon and probably Madison makes all the other schools have inflated grades.

If missing one question on a 100 question test drops you to a B at a class at Herndon, but earns you an A at Chantilly, there is a HUGE issue.

I should also add that if you are in a Dual Enrollment (DE) class, students are earning a higher grade for the college credit than for their HS credit. This.makes.no.sense. The boundary study gets parents hyped up so the SB can do as they please with educational issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Madison is not the only school with SBG. It is being rolled out across the county, primarily in schools where parents are least likely to challenge its implementation. It will have have a detrimental impact on kids planning to go to college.

But yea, fight over which school needs the most physical plant and cosmetic improvement that is what Gatehouse is counting on.

Relatively few high schools in FCPS have a more actively engaged group of parents than Madison.

You are apparently frustrated that, despite months of posting incessantly about SBG on this forum, you haven't found enough fellow parents at Madison to take up your cause. Since then, you've done two things - first, demand that SBG be implemented everywhere (rather than insist on the elimination of SBG, which you obviously think is a bad idea, at Madison); and second, denigrate any issue other than your concern over SBG, such as the facilities-related concerns of people at other schools that, unlike Madison, haven't recently gotten multi-million additions or renovations.

Neither of those strategies will get you the results you're seeking.

+1...

..... just waiting for the accusation that I must be an administrator ...3...2...1...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Madison is not the only school with SBG. It is being rolled out across the county, primarily in schools where parents are least likely to challenge its implementation. It will have have a detrimental impact on kids planning to go to college.

But yea, fight over which school needs the most physical plant and cosmetic improvement that is what Gatehouse is counting on.

Relatively few high schools in FCPS have a more actively engaged group of parents than Madison.

You are apparently frustrated that, despite months of posting incessantly about SBG on this forum, you haven't found enough fellow parents at Madison to take up your cause. Since then, you've done two things - first, demand that SBG be implemented everywhere (rather than insist on the elimination of SBG, which you obviously think is a bad idea, at Madison); and second, denigrate any issue other than your concern over SBG, such as the facilities-related concerns of people at other schools that, unlike Madison, haven't recently gotten multi-million additions or renovations.

Neither of those strategies will get you the results you're seeking.

Focus all/most of your energy on facilities expansion at your own peril. A pretty new school won't save it. And unlike facilities, SBG will be rolled out soon, maybe while your students are still in HS.