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Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)
AAP even worth the effort???
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Anonymous
| Is Fairfax City a different school system than Fairfax County? Just curious. |
Anonymous
|
No.
Falls Church City is though |
Anonymous
| Ok, thanks. In most of the other states I lived in, each community is it's own school district. Most of them have 1-4 high schools and middle schools, and 3-6 elementary schools, run by one local school board. This giant, county-wide district is a new experience for us. |
Anonymous
| Fairfax city schools are still Fairfax county, but the schools in the city do get extra funding from the city so they have a few extras that the regular county schools don't. Ironically DC transferred out of a city school to go to the AAP center in a county school. We lost foreign language classes and all the after school programs offered by the city. I'm sure we lost other things too, but overall I'ld still recommend the switch for the AAP program. |
Anonymous
Yes, we are from Pennsylvania, and I was so surprised at these huge county-wide systems when we moved here. Where I lived, most school districts consisted of one high school and then the elementary and middle schools that funneled into that hs. I feel that the smaller district can be more responsive to the local community, but can't offer the variety of programs that these huge districts can. |
Anonymous
I know how you feel, being from PA myself. And while the large districts can offer extra programs, many of them will be unavailable to your child, so the benefits aren't that great. For example, they offer language immersion, but it is done by lottery and is only in a handful of schools. Even if you get in, it might be very inconvenient to go. The system may tout that they offer AP and IB, but again, you may have to drive far to get what you want. As a system, they offer great programs, but your access to them are limited. I am not impressed by FCPS so far - the system is entirely too large. |
Anonymous
| OP - why do you think the GMU group testing is a farce? |
Anonymous
| BUMP |
Anonymous
| OP -- sorry, I haven't been on DCUM in a few days. Anyway, I really have no reason to believe that GMU testing is a farce. I read such implications on other threads and was trying to get a gauge if anyone else thought that way. I'm still unsure how this will all go down but we're going to let DC get tested and see what happens. It may turn out to be moot in the end. |
Anonymous
|
My experience was that the process was easy and straightforward.
My child had a good DRA and high IQ (independent testing). We completed the application; she got in. I can't believe it was political because frankly, there is nothing special about us. It was test scores alone that did it. |
Anonymous
| We just finished our first week in AAP. Definitely worth it. DC is challenged but not overwhelmed. The class is made up of hardworking nice kids--no disruptors. |
Anonymous
| I am something of an AAP "insider" and I can assure you that there is nothing "political" about the process. A letter of recommendation from President Obama would not overcome poor test results. It is a numbers game, plain and simple, in this order: Test scores, GBRS, grades. Period. The committee is not swayed by the "fluff" (letters of recommendation, work samples, parent input). So relax. If your kid has got the numbers, you will not have a problem. |
Anonymous
|
What PP said...
14 GBRS & 120 CogAT is in.... 10 GBRS with the same cogAT not in. I think the political aspect is some parents thinking that GBRS are political. |
Anonymous
|
17:37 - YUP.
15:26 - EXACTLY. Much to the dismay of some really large PITA parents that all the teachers hate. |