FCPS decline

[Anonymous]

FCPS is too big, too poorly administered, and too focused on equity over achievement to provide a quality education. Things will only get worse with the current School Board and Superintendent. The mismanagement is staggering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids in AAP and a third who is too young but I think will be different by the time she’s old enough.

When I was a kid my G&T was same as level III with a pullout. I really don’t care if AAP continues to exist. Then the one who would go to AAP kids will stay at base together and can do stuff together there. I believe all learning doesn’t have to be adult led.

This article is an oldie but goodie IMO:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/25/does-it-pay-to-obsess-on-where-your-kid-goes-to-college/%3foutputType=amp

I also never wanted my kids to go to TJ. I think our base gives a more well rounded education.

same here. I think these posts are alarmist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids in AAP and a third who is too young but I think will be different by the time she’s old enough.

When I was a kid my G&T was same as level III with a pullout. I really don’t care if AAP continues to exist. Then the one who would go to AAP kids will stay at base together and can do stuff together there. I believe all learning doesn’t have to be adult led.

This article is an oldie but goodie IMO:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/25/does-it-pay-to-obsess-on-where-your-kid-goes-to-college/%3foutputType=amp

I also never wanted my kids to go to TJ. I think our base gives a more well rounded education.

The biggest predictor of a kid's success in school is parents' educational attainment. it's always been the case. Unless your kid is going to a truly bad school-they will be ok. AAP or not-they will be ok. GS rate of 5 or 9-they will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids in AAP and a third who is too young but I think will be different by the time she’s old enough.

When I was a kid my G&T was same as level III with a pullout. I really don’t care if AAP continues to exist. Then the one who would go to AAP kids will stay at base together and can do stuff together there. I believe all learning doesn’t have to be adult led.

This article is an oldie but goodie IMO:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/25/does-it-pay-to-obsess-on-where-your-kid-goes-to-college/%3foutputType=amp

I also never wanted my kids to go to TJ. I think our base gives a more well rounded education.

The biggest predictor of a kid's success in school is parents' educational attainment. it's always been the case. Unless your kid is going to a truly bad school-they will be ok. AAP or not-they will be ok. GS rate of 5 or 9-they will be fine.

This exactly. FCPS has always, including now, done a great job of educating students who have the other supports they need and a stable home life. Those kids go to college or to careers and find that their FCPS education gives them a slight edge of students from almost any other system. Students who are born or move into poverty, or who live in less-stable environments, get opportunity in FCPS that they wouldn't in most other systems. The growing poverty in the area have presented a challenge, which you see the school system trying to address through One Fairfax, the AAP study, and other initiatives.
I have lived here my whole life, went to FCPS schools, worked there, and sent kids there. Believe what you want from the sources here, but the odds are in your child's favor in FCPS. Students are supported and challenged K-12, and in my opinion, the programs, teachers, and opportunities are better now than the have ever been.
This terrible situation with the virus has been tough on every system, student, and parent, and if you spend an hour comparing, you will be hard pressed to find many who have put in a better effort than FCPS. The level of misinformation here and other similar places is astounding, and I have a hunch most of it is from the same sources that want vouchers and the exclusivity of private schools. Many of those same people keep telling us that Trump is a great president and won the election. It just simply isn’t true. The decision to keep buildings closed for now is based on science and data. Many people insisting on opening now will fall silent as soon as the cases impact a beloved teacher or reach back into their homes. Ask anyone who has had the virus. In almost every case, they will tell you that they were doing "everything" right, and then proceed to tell you that they just went out to eat in a restaurant a couple of times, or that they were totally locked down except when their kid came home from college or their brother came to see them last week. FCPS is protecting your families, whether you know it or not. Things will get back to normal soon after we start getting vaccines in arms, and FCPS will be mostly fine again, too.
Anyone else have similar perspective?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I have been teaching for 9 years in FCPS. I agree that there needs to be a better reading/writing program. There also needs to be time in the day to do science and SS. Background knowledge is key. The only way true ability grouping would work is with departmentalizations. You can have a kid who is a high reader but low in math and vice versa. Class sizes would also have to be smaller. Most years I have had 26-31 kids. This year I have 20 and I can give more 1:1 attention. 20 should be the max size.

Wouldn't it be great to add 30 additional minutes to the school day to add in proper time for science and social studies, and to keep all classes around 20 students? Pay the teacher for the time or trade in some work days to make longer days happen. I'm a former teacher I am with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a couple years, this will have been a blip. The same families, students, and teachers will be here. There's plenty of complaining on this board, that's what it's for. But while FCPS is (and has been) a bit soft in the ES area, the MS and HS are very good.

This. A lot of students who needed a lot of hands on support and coaxing to do any work in MS and HS aren’t doing well right now. Most of that is SPED and ESL. That’s unfortunate but predictable. Most people whose kids aren’t in those categories don’t really care because their students can follow along online. It’s starting to shake out at the ES level too. Hopefully they’ll start ability grouping students more at the ES level whenever everyone gets back to normal. The kids who were fine during DL and learned the material shouldn’t have to sit through a year of remediation and the ones who need catching up should get the necessary help.

I think it's funny that people keep referencing catching the kids up next year. That's not how public education works. We just continue to move forward. I'm not saying I agree with it, but it's how it is. If they aren't getting the material this year, they're not going to be getting it next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My hope after this is that we get a more robust private school eco system.

No. Won't happen. Nor do I want it to.

I hope it does too. What I've seen out of this year and the content is just horrendous. We are on the hunt now. I know lots of other families in the same boat. The money is certainly here.

Founding a school now would cost a small fortune- just a campus would be well into the millions. Tuition would have to take that into account plus staffing- no one would want to pay Potomac school or more for a school with zero reputation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a couple years, this will have been a blip. The same families, students, and teachers will be here. There's plenty of complaining on this board, that's what it's for. But while FCPS is (and has been) a bit soft in the ES area, the MS and HS are very good.

This. A lot of students who needed a lot of hands on support and coaxing to do any work in MS and HS aren’t doing well right now. Most of that is SPED and ESL. That’s unfortunate but predictable. Most people whose kids aren’t in those categories don’t really care because their students can follow along online. It’s starting to shake out at the ES level too. Hopefully they’ll start ability grouping students more at the ES level whenever everyone gets back to normal. The kids who were fine during DL and learned the material shouldn’t have to sit through a year of remediation and the ones who need catching up should get the necessary help.

I think it's funny that people keep referencing catching the kids up next year. That's not how public education works. We just continue to move forward. I'm not saying I agree with it, but it's how it is. If they aren't getting the material this year, they're not going to be getting it next year.

Yes, that's how public school works

But this is a pandemic. Remember? Next fall will be in the building, 5 days a week. But it won't be back to normal.

[Anonymous]

If you had ever experienced schools in other states, you would be begging to return to FCPS. Yes, there are problems, especially at the elementary school levels. Class sizes are too big in many schools, but principals could stop hiring instructional coaches and put the money into classroom staff. There is a shortage of special ed teachers, who quit because they are so overworked. There are a lot of students with serious behavior problems who are not moved to appropriate programs. There is a lack of discipline at many schools, because principals don’t want to have to submit discipline data to the district or state, so kids are not managed effectively. And, we need freaking textbooks! Kids need to read for information and have a resource for reviewing their learning or working ahead.

[Anonymous]

Every elementary PTA board should ask their principal to fully explain the staffing and hiring process, and have them justify where the hiring funds are being spent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every elementary PTA board should ask their principal to fully explain the staffing and hiring process, and have them justify where the hiring funds are being spent.

What is it that you're hoping to discover?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is too big, too poorly administered, and too focused on equity over achievement to provide a quality education. Things will only get worse with the current School Board and Superintendent. The mismanagement is staggering.

+1. This about sums it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you had ever experienced schools in other states, you would be begging to return to FCPS. Yes, there are problems, especially at the elementary school levels. Class sizes are too big in many schools, but principals could stop hiring instructional coaches and put the money into classroom staff. There is a shortage of special ed teachers, who quit because they are so overworked. There are a lot of students with serious behavior problems who are not moved to appropriate programs. There is a lack of discipline at many schools, because principals don’t want to have to submit discipline data to the district or state, so kids are not managed effectively. And, we need freaking textbooks! Kids need to read for information and have a resource for reviewing their learning or working ahead.

There would have been a time where I wrote this. But too many of my educated friends have moved out of the area and told me how much better the schools are in other areas. FCPS used to be the best, but times have changed. They have removed whole parts of critical curriculum.

The only reason it is ranked so high is that the parents make up for the lack of decent education with reading/writing tutors, extracurricular math programs, academic camps, extensive test prep, etc.

Everything else you wrote is spot on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is too big, too poorly administered, and too focused on equity over achievement to provide a quality education. Things will only get worse with the current School Board and Superintendent. The mismanagement is staggering.

+1. This about sums it up.

+2 and LCPS is exactly the same. What options do MC parents have? We are not religious and cannot afford $40k+ per kid for secular private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids in AAP and a third who is too young but I think will be different by the time she’s old enough.

When I was a kid my G&T was same as level III with a pullout. I really don’t care if AAP continues to exist. Then the one who would go to AAP kids will stay at base together and can do stuff together there. I believe all learning doesn’t have to be adult led.

This article is an oldie but goodie IMO:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/25/does-it-pay-to-obsess-on-where-your-kid-goes-to-college/%3foutputType=amp

I also never wanted my kids to go to TJ. I think our base gives a more well rounded education.

The biggest predictor of a kid's success in school is parents' educational attainment. it's always been the case. Unless your kid is going to a truly bad school-they will be ok. AAP or not-they will be ok. GS rate of 5 or 9-they will be fine.

This exactly. FCPS has always, including now, done a great job of educating students who have the other supports they need and a stable home life. Those kids go to college or to careers and find that their FCPS education gives them a slight edge of students from almost any other system. Students who are born or move into poverty, or who live in less-stable environments, get opportunity in FCPS that they wouldn't in most other systems. The growing poverty in the area have presented a challenge, which you see the school system trying to address through One Fairfax, the AAP study, and other initiatives.
I have lived here my whole life, went to FCPS schools, worked there, and sent kids there. Believe what you want from the sources here, but the odds are in your child's favor in FCPS. Students are supported and challenged K-12, and in my opinion, the programs, teachers, and opportunities are better now than the have ever been.
This terrible situation with the virus has been tough on every system, student, and parent, and if you spend an hour comparing, you will be hard pressed to find many who have put in a better effort than FCPS. The level of misinformation here and other similar places is astounding, and I have a hunch most of it is from the same sources that want vouchers and the exclusivity of private schools. Many of those same people keep telling us that Trump is a great president and won the election. It just simply isn’t true. The decision to keep buildings closed for now is based on science and data. Many people insisting on opening now will fall silent as soon as the cases impact a beloved teacher or reach back into their homes. Ask anyone who has had the virus. In almost every case, they will tell you that they were doing "everything" right, and then proceed to tell you that they just went out to eat in a restaurant a couple of times, or that they were totally locked down except when their kid came home from college or their brother came to see them last week. FCPS is protecting your families, whether you know it or not. Things will get back to normal soon after we start getting vaccines in arms, and FCPS will be mostly fine again, too.
Anyone else have similar perspective?

I also attended FCPS, and by no means support Trump or DeVos, but the system is in free fall for reasons that go beyond far beyond the response to Covid. FCPS is grossly mismanaged and all the talk about equity and One Fairfax masks the terrible planning and allocation of resources within FCPS. Every failure is attributed to having more ESOL/FARMS kids and no one accepts that they are driving higher income families away through their gross neglect of many schools and the kids who aren’t at either extreme academically.