Fairfax County-unequal opportunity for language learning?

[Anonymous]

I think immersion is a waste of money and stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think immersion is a waste of money and stupid.

And to add, it's just another way for families that cheaped out and bought in bad school districts to slide in to good schools without paying for it. My personal view is that all these programs that allow transfers from other areas (AAP, immersion etc...) need to be restructured to only serve those in that school zone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a lottery system for the language immersion programs, if you get in you provide transportation.

For FLES, I agree with the OP. Some schools have it, some don't. I don't think this wise use of resources. If FCPS provides foreign language classes for some schools at no additional charge, it should provide foreign language classes in all schools.

I think the School Board would like to see that occur as well. But budget/resources have been the limiting factor.

The School Board may not be adding FLES at any news schools next year due to a budget shortfall - http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/fairfax-county-schools-facing-30-million-shortfall-after-tax-decision/2013/05/02/f4477302-b28a-11e2-baf7-5bc2a9dc6f44_story.html

[Anonymous]

Just wait until you get to HS. If a class fills up they do not always add another class- so some students get to take it and some do not. This includes "core" classes that combine English and History together for a Civ class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the original poster:

It's not like they are denying students equal math or reading education. It's a foreign language and I don't think its a requirement for them to teach it to everyone. Something nice to have, but most don't seem to care about it as much as you do.

New poster here. You are wrong (not to mention short-sighted, IMO). A foreign language in elementary should not be seen as "nice" but as "basic". And yeah, most parents I know care as much as OP does, so I wouldn't assume her to be in the minority. We just bought a house in N. Arlington and one of the first things we looked at for the local elementary was its foreign language program.

THIS. For fcps to even for a second think it delivers world class education without such a basic subject as a standard in this ever increasing global society is insane. Even school systems with less funding than ours manage to succeed in this regard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And to add, it's just another way for families that cheaped out and bought in bad school districts to slide in to good schools without paying for it.

Wow. Just wow.

[Anonymous]

THIS. For fcps to even for a second think it delivers world class education without such a basic subject as a standard in this ever increasing global society is insane. Even school systems with less funding than ours manage to succeed in this regard.

If you really think your child is going to learn a language with twenty minutes twice a week--well, I have a bridge to sell you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to add, it's just another way for families that cheaped out and bought in bad school districts to slide in to good schools without paying for it.

Wow. Just wow.

True. So true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to add, it's just another way for families that cheaped out and bought in bad school districts to slide in to good schools without paying for it.

Wow. Just wow.

True. So true.

Absolutely. A great advertisement for Fairfax County. Should be featured on websites everywhere.

[Anonymous]

PP, to be fair, the reason FCPS is good is because parents with high SES actually send their children to FCPS. If we had busing where we mixed them all up, anyone with any amount of money would be paying for private. FCPS funds the title I schools with the money it receives for the total student enrollment. Class sizes are way smaller in the Title I schools, and FCPS puts more money into them. If the dynamics changed where the populations shifts in the school lead to lower test scores, the high SES families would go to private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

THIS. For fcps to even for a second think it delivers world class education without such a basic subject as a standard in this ever increasing global society is insane. Even school systems with less funding than ours manage to succeed in this regard.

If you really think your child is going to learn a language with twenty minutes twice a week--well, I have a bridge to sell you.

Obviously a child would not become fluent in a foreign lang. with 20 min 2x per week (I do think it should be more, but that's a diff. topic). The point of it is foreign language EXPOSURE. It is scientifically documented that learning a foreign language at young ages triggers activity and functioning is different parts of the brain thus forming more "wires".

It also exposes children to the fact that there are different cultures and languages in the world that are just as important as English.

Students in practically every other country in the world all learn more than one language, it is standard even in poor countries. To be so naive as to thinking that foreign languages should just be a special or elective is just justifying the dumbing down of the American education system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Students in practically every other country in the world all learn more than one language, it is standard even in poor countries. To be so naive as to thinking that foreign languages should just be a special or elective is just justifying the dumbing down of the American education system.

Reminds me of a joke I once heard (probably back in the 80s): What do you call someone who knows three languages? Multilingual. What do you call someone who knows two languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who knows one language? American.

[Anonymous]

It also exposes children to the fact that there are different cultures and languages in the world that are just as important as English.

Any child in Fairfax County who is not aware of this would have to be living in a vacuum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It also exposes children to the fact that there are different cultures and languages in the world that are just as important as English.

Any child in Fairfax County who is not aware of this would have to be living in a vacuum.

If you think that because some kids see other kids and adults of different ethnicities equates to the fact that they actually learn positive things about other cultures and languages then you live in a fantasy.

[Anonymous]

There are openings at many immersion schools in the county; you just have to apply. You can also contact the school directly and ask for assistance in applying.

Some immersion schools are looking to boost their populations because of attrition -- since transportation is not provided to immersion schools, oftentimes parents who start in Immersion for 1st grade will transfer their students to an AAP Center in 3rd grade, so the Immersion schools' population goes down.