I think public schools should base junior high/middle school and high school merit programs on a combination of stats and school. Let test schools base admissions on stats, or stats plus reasonably objective holistic standards (essays and recommendations, activities), but require the test school to choose at least half of the class by taking a certain number of top-performing kids from each grade school, junior high or middle school, or school zone. That way, the test school creates space for the kinds of kids who’d be wildly out of place in ordinary schools (maybe it could choose half of the class based solely on stats, if it wants), but great, motivated kids at rotten schools still have a chance to show they’re great, too. Example: My understanding is that, for dumb education politics reasons, high-performing Black kids in low-income grade schools often have access only to “regular track” math classes. White, Asian and high-income Black kids usually have an easy time moving one grade level higher in math. That means great Black students may be one year behind in math when taking test school admission exams, through no fault of their own. Basing test school admissions partly on school helps compensate for those types of opportunity differences. |
That's exactly what they're doing with the new system at TJ. |
It's lame. You end up with half a dozen kids from each "under-represented" middle school at TJ who are far behind their peers, and meanwhile the vast majority of kids at those "ordinary schools" have fewer options. The fact that there is a noisy group of narcissistic TJ alumni (TJ Alumni Action Group) who think they are doing good doesn't change the fact that TJ has become an empty exercise in virtue signaling. It should be shut down ASAP |
Yeah, no. It's doing just fine. |
It's had issues for years, but has been a total dumpster fire ever since the poseurs from the TJAAG showed up. |
TJAAG has had literally zero impact on the school. Seriously, name one area where that group has actually had an impact on any sort of policy whatsoever?
|
I heard they were so much more capable than the 3rd tier preppers that they were able to close the gap in no time. |
This is probably why this practice is considered a best practice by experts in the field of G&T education. |
Crickets |
There is only one reason that the 87th best student at Carson used to have a better chance at TJ than the 2nd best student at, say, Herndon. And it's because the kid at Carson had access to TJ prep opportunities - and a community understanding of the admissions process from an early age - that the kid at Herndon could never have dreamed of. |
I think this is the best summary I've read of the admission changes. |
Plenty of kids at Herndon who prep as well. |
Why, thank you! |
PP is a Trump supporter - lie enough times and people will begin to believe the lies. |
Nonsense reply. Trump supporters line up behind the Coalition because they share the aim of harming Black folks. |