Sound off if you think AAP is BS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you have 25 - 50% in AAP, the term "gifted" has lost all meaning.

It is not a gifted program. FCPS did away with its gifted program (in early 2000s??). Now it is Advanced Academics. There is a difference - AAP is intended to be more inclusive. It is not intended to be only for the gifted. So gifted still has its meaning - it just doesn't apply to FCPS AAP.

So FCPS has no "gifted" program, then?

[Anonymous]

I will be one of those parents that tutor, push the administration, whatever. My kid needs the best education possible and I'm not convinced he'll get it in his non-aap school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will be one of those parents that tutor, push the administration, whatever. My kid needs the best education possible and I'm not convinced he'll get it in his non-aap school.

There is no guarantee he will get it at an AAP school, either. There can be significant behavior/social issues in many of those classrooms that limit learning, particularly in sensitive children. I believe the AAP system in FCPS is thoroughly broken and only benefits parents who want to say their child is in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will be one of those parents that tutor, push the administration, whatever. My kid needs the best education possible and I'm not convinced he'll get it in his non-aap school.

did you read the earlier post by the teacher who stated that some kids really don't belong there because they struggle and become anxious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will be one of those parents that tutor, push the administration, whatever. My kid needs the best education possible and I'm not convinced he'll get it in his non-aap school.

There is no guarantee he will get it at an AAP school, either. There can be significant behavior/social issues in many of those classrooms that limit learning, particularly in sensitive children. I believe the AAP system in FCPS is thoroughly broken and only benefits parents who want to say their child is in it.

What I find interesting is that FCPS hired a new Superintendent in 2013 and she came in and made a lot of changes - all day kindergarten, later HS start times, major reorganization of the FCPS bureaucracy, etc. One thing she has shown absolutely no interest in is dismantling or fundamentally restructuring AAP. Perhaps her assessment, like that of so many parents, is that the array of academic services in FCPS works well.

If people want a one-size-fits-all curriculum where they will never have to worry about someone else's kid testing into a program that does not admit their child, all they have to do is move to Arlington or Loudoun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will be one of those parents that tutor, push the administration, whatever. My kid needs the best education possible and I'm not convinced he'll get it in his non-aap school.

There is no guarantee he will get it at an AAP school, either. There can be significant behavior/social issues in many of those classrooms that limit learning, particularly in sensitive children. I believe the AAP system in FCPS is thoroughly broken and only benefits parents who want to say their child is in it.

To the extent AAP serves kids, like mine, who are 2e, it does everyone a service. My GT/ADHD kids did have problems in standard classrooms and were a distraction to the other students. We have not had these issues in AAP classrooms. In part because the work is more challenging and boredom plus ADHD is a bad mix, and in part because AAP certified teachers have a better understanding of/ training in 2e issues, and deal much better with 2e kids than GE teachers. Also, AAP Centers have significant experience implementing 2e 504s, and are good at making sure kids have the right interventions. My 2 kids have spent a combined total of 12 years thus far in AAP classrooms, and have done LLIV, Center ES and MS Center ES between them. They have never been in a disruptive class, and I have never heard of AAP parents complaining of disruptive classes. I have heard GE parents complain, especially when emotionally challenged kids are "pushed in" to their child's class, or they have ELL push ins.

Do you have any actually experience with AAP classrooms?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you have 25 - 50% in AAP, the term "gifted" has lost all meaning.

It is not a gifted program. FCPS did away with its gifted program (in early 2000s??). Now it is Advanced Academics. There is a difference - AAP is intended to be more inclusive. It is not intended to be only for the gifted. So gifted still has its meaning - it just doesn't apply to FCPS AAP.

So FCPS has no "gifted" program, then?

AAP is a gifted program. They changed the name and slightly widened the net in the 2000s, but they didn't change the program, it was and still is a gifted program.

And it really doesn't take 25-50% of kids -- our center school draws from the surrounding 6 elementary schools, as does the next center school over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will be one of those parents that tutor, push the administration, whatever. My kid needs the best education possible and I'm not convinced he'll get it in his non-aap school.

There is no guarantee he will get it at an AAP school, either. There can be significant behavior/social issues in many of those classrooms that limit learning, particularly in sensitive children. I believe the AAP system in FCPS is thoroughly broken and only benefits parents who want to say their child is in it.

To the extent AAP serves kids, like mine, who are 2e, it does everyone a service. My GT/ADHD kids did have problems in standard classrooms and were a distraction to the other students. We have not had these issues in AAP classrooms. In part because the work is more challenging and boredom plus ADHD is a bad mix, and in part because AAP certified teachers have a better understanding of/ training in 2e issues, and deal much better with 2e kids than GE teachers. Also, AAP Centers have significant experience implementing 2e 504s, and are good at making sure kids have the right interventions. My 2 kids have spent a combined total of 12 years thus far in AAP classrooms, and have done LLIV, Center ES and MS Center ES between them. They have never been in a disruptive class, and I have never heard of AAP parents complaining of disruptive classes. I have heard GE parents complain, especially when emotionally challenged kids are "pushed in" to their child's class, or they have ELL push ins.

Do you have any actually experience with AAP classrooms?

I wrote the post you are referring to and yes, I have experience in AAP classrooms. I disagree with SO MUCH of your post that I'm not even going to try to convince you otherwise. You won't believe me because it doesn't mesh with your personal experience. If you think your child is getting the best education they can, fantastic, but I want other parents to know that AAP classrooms don't always provide the best education for every child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you have 25 - 50% in AAP, the term "gifted" has lost all meaning.

It is not a gifted program. FCPS did away with its gifted program (in early 2000s??). Now it is Advanced Academics. There is a difference - AAP is intended to be more inclusive. It is not intended to be only for the gifted. So gifted still has its meaning - it just doesn't apply to FCPS AAP.

So FCPS has no "gifted" program, then?

AAP is a gifted program. They changed the name and slightly widened the net in the 2000s, but they didn't change the program, it was and still is a gifted program.

And it really doesn't take 25-50% of kids -- our center school draws from the surrounding 6 elementary schools, as does the next center school over.

AAP takes considerably fewer than 25% of kids (I've seen 12%, 15%, 17%, but it's hard to figure out which numbers count LIII services, LLIV principal placements, all honors in LLIV MSs, etc). Certain schools have more than a quarter of kids qualify. And they are exactly where you would expect-- areas with highly educated and affluent parents. That is not surprising. Other schools have 1-2 kids qualify a year-- or even none. These are also exactly where you would expect-- areas with high ELL/ FARMs rate. Also, not surprising. What is nice to see is that TJ has developed several outreach programs in the last few years to try to encourage qualified AA, Hispanic and FARMS kids to apply. Young scholars is also nice, and it would be great to see it expanded and strengthened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you have 25 - 50% in AAP, the term "gifted" has lost all meaning.

There are NOT 25-50% of fcps kids in AAP centers/level IV.

You need to try to brush up on facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you have 25 - 50% in AAP, the term "gifted" has lost all meaning.

There are NOT 25-50% of fcps kids in AAP centers/level IV.

You need to try to brush up on facts.

Are there actual published stats by FCPS? Seems like people are just speaking from their own personal knowledge rather than what comes out of the central office, if there are any such stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you have 25 - 50% in AAP, the term "gifted" has lost all meaning.

There are NOT 25-50% of fcps kids in AAP centers/level IV.

You need to try to brush up on facts.

No, you need to brush up on your facts. Of the three schools closest to my house: One has 35%, one has 33% and the other has 25%. There are schools with up to 50% kids in AAP. That is a fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will be one of those parents that tutor, push the administration, whatever. My kid needs the best education possible and I'm not convinced he'll get it in his non-aap school.

There is no guarantee he will get it at an AAP school, either. There can be significant behavior/social issues in many of those classrooms that limit learning, particularly in sensitive children. I believe the AAP system in FCPS is thoroughly broken and only benefits parents who want to say their child is in it.

To the extent AAP serves kids, like mine, who are 2e, it does everyone a service. My GT/ADHD kids did have problems in standard classrooms and were a distraction to the other students. We have not had these issues in AAP classrooms. In part because the work is more challenging and boredom plus ADHD is a bad mix, and in part because AAP certified teachers have a better understanding of/ training in 2e issues, and deal much better with 2e kids than GE teachers. Also, AAP Centers have significant experience implementing 2e 504s, and are good at making sure kids have the right interventions. My 2 kids have spent a combined total of 12 years thus far in AAP classrooms, and have done LLIV, Center ES and MS Center ES between them. They have never been in a disruptive class, and I have never heard of AAP parents complaining of disruptive classes. I have heard GE parents complain, especially when emotionally challenged kids are "pushed in" to their child's class, or they have ELL push ins.

Do you have any actually experience with AAP classrooms?

Do you think it's fair for a bright gen ed kid with a Cogat of 127 to be stuck with other kids who are prematurely "pushed" into their classes? Why is THAT fair?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you have 25 - 50% in AAP, the term "gifted" has lost all meaning.

There are NOT 25-50% of fcps kids in AAP centers/level IV.

You need to try to brush up on facts.

Are there actual published stats by FCPS? Seems like people are just speaking from their own personal knowledge rather than what comes out of the central office, if there are any such stats.

Come on over to my town. It is rampant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will report from MoCo, where the gifted program is in fact as small as you suggest (a couple of kids get selected from each elementary tops). Helicoptet parents here also prep their kids way beyond what the schools want them to do. But it is probably a saner system because most everyone who gets left behind in the home school is pretty bright too, and an excellent education isn't reserved only for those called gifted.

I wish fcps would run things the same way as MoCo. This seems way more reasonable and fair.

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