AAP Center Elimination Rumors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

There are very few schools where this is the case.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We left bc the lliv program was less stable - at the orientation, they shared that they were moving toward cluster model, that it would depend on numbers. It felt like it would be same as second-grade classroom.

I agree that it would be nice/cheaper to keep kids local. But then there needs to be some standardization of the local programs.

Agree. Local Level IV are not the same as a center. Each principal runs them however they want and they don’t have to meet FCPS’s center practices.

What does this even mean? Isn't there a set curriculum?

The local level 4 doesn’t have to consist of only Level IV identified kids. The principal can put whomever they want in it. The core classes are not taught to only level IV identified kids. They can be grouped with the whole grade. So yo7 have a very different peer group which leads to a different pace and depth of instruction even with the same curriculum.

I teach at Local Level 4. The kids principal placed are also high achieving students. In fact, some of my Level 3 kids perform higher than some of my Level 4 kids who could have chosen the center. The AAP classes at the center are filled with kids who somehow got in as well. Your argument doesn’t hold regarding LL4 classes that are designated as the Level 4 class with principal placement. Secondly, if you think there are no kids who struggle academically in a center, you are clearly unaware.

This. This is what is so frustrating for the parents of kids who are bright and motivated level 3 kids (likely outperforming many levels 4 kids), but being told they don't need access to the curriculum. Why?
Why does the school hold these kids back?

Yet another reason there needs to be flexible
groupings, as there once was. Kids should be able to access whichever group is appropriate for them per core subject. Each teacher would take one entire group per subject so each class would be on the same level. Of course, this is common sense so there’s no chance they’ll go back to doing it this way.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I'm angry about comparing kids to kids at their own school instead of the entire FCPS population. I literally know a family that picked a house zoned to a Title I school so their child would get into AAP. My child has higher test scores (NNAT, COGAT, iready, SOL, everything) but because we're at a school with lots of highly educated, wealthy families, my kid didn't get in. Why is her child more deserving of a better education than mine just because she goes to school with poor kids?

If your school has a ton of smart kids, your child already has a cohort of smart kids. They don’t need to go to another school to get one.

The curriculum is different. Why should her kid get advanced math but mine doesn't just because all the other kids are smart? That's STUPID.

Advanced Math is offered at every school. Your kid will have a chance to take Advanced Math. Kids in LIV get Advanced Math but plenty of kids not in LIV are placed in Advanced Math.

I'm not sure our center school has advanced math for kids outside of the aap level 4 kids. If it did, my kid should have been in it. He's had teachers say he should be in advanced math, but it's too bad... there's nothing they can do....

Advanced math at our base school doesn't start until 5th grade. At the center they start advancing in 3rd grade. The difference in classwork, homework (non-existent at non-center school), and overall classroom behavior was very stark between my Level 4 kid at the center and my Level 3 advanced math kid at the base school. Before 5th grade advanced math, the Level 3 pull outs were once a week (when Mondays didn't fall on a holiday) and practically useless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard rumors from various sources FCPS may be eliminating AAP centers at the elementary level when they do the re-districting. Does anyone have any reliable info to confirm or deny this claim?

Good. It's beyond past time for centers to be eliminated.

You’re going to be disappointed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I hope so !! (eliminating AAP centers)

Bummer for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

There are very few schools where this is the case.

How do you know? I bet it's more than you think. Our school doesn't have anywhere close to enough kids to make a whole AAP class. We only have a handful of kids that go to the center school every year and I don't think there are more than 2-3 that stay at our school because Local level 4 has only been offered for the past couple years. I have a kid in Level 3 and one of his best friends is Level 4 but stayed at our local school. He just does the level 3 pull outs a couple times a week and advanced math. There isn't any differentiated teaching beyond that for the level 4 kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

There are very few schools where this is the case.

How do you know? I bet it's more than you think. Our school doesn't have anywhere close to enough kids to make a whole AAP class. We only have a handful of kids that go to the center school every year and I don't think there are more than 2-3 that stay at our school because Local level 4 has only been offered for the past couple years. I have a kid in Level 3 and one of his best friends is Level 4 but stayed at our local school. He just does the level 3 pull outs a couple times a week and advanced math. There isn't any differentiated teaching beyond that for the level 4 kid.

Elementary schools in fcps have anywhere between 2 and 10+ classes per grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

There are very few schools where this is the case.

How do you know? I bet it's more than you think. Our school doesn't have anywhere close to enough kids to make a whole AAP class. We only have a handful of kids that go to the center school every year and I don't think there are more than 2-3 that stay at our school because Local level 4 has only been offered for the past couple years. I have a kid in Level 3 and one of his best friends is Level 4 but stayed at our local school. He just does the level 3 pull outs a couple times a week and advanced math. There isn't any differentiated teaching beyond that for the level 4 kid.

Elementary schools in fcps have anywhere between 2 and 10+ classes per grade.

Please name two elementary schools that have 10+ classes per grade.

Your range should be 2 to 6 classes per grade, and even 6 is rare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm angry about comparing kids to kids at their own school instead of the entire FCPS population. I literally know a family that picked a house zoned to a Title I school so their child would get into AAP. My child has higher test scores (NNAT, COGAT, iready, SOL, everything) but because we're at a school with lots of highly educated, wealthy families, my kid didn't get in. Why is her child more deserving of a better education than mine just because she goes to school with poor kids?

If your school has a ton of smart kids, your child already has a cohort of smart kids. They don’t need to go to another school to get one.

The curriculum is different. Why should her kid get advanced math but mine doesn't just because all the other kids are smart? That's STUPID.

Advanced Math is offered at every school. Your kid will have a chance to take Advanced Math. Kids in LIV get Advanced Math but plenty of kids not in LIV are placed in Advanced Math.

I'm not sure our center school has advanced math for kids outside of the aap level 4 kids. If it did, my kid should have been in it. He's had teachers say he should be in advanced math, but it's too bad... there's nothing they can do....

Advanced math at our base school doesn't start until 5th grade. At the center they start advancing in 3rd grade. The difference in classwork, homework (non-existent at non-center school), and overall classroom behavior was very stark between my Level 4 kid at the center and my Level 3 advanced math kid at the base school. Before 5th grade advanced math, the Level 3 pull outs were once a week (when Mondays didn't fall on a holiday) and practically useless.

Did your base school offer local level IV?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

Ok. But there are schools that have a large enough cohort. In my opinion, the centers should only be allowed if the cohort is too small. Why should we bus kids to a center when there is a large enough cohort with a designated class. I know our center pulls from two schools. Both of these schools including my own, has a designated AAP class (not cluster model) and routinely has enough kids (12-17 kids)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

Ok. But there are schools that have a large enough cohort. In my opinion, the centers should only be allowed if the cohort is too small. Why should we bus kids to a center when there is a large enough cohort with a designated class. I know our center pulls from two schools. Both of these schools including my own, has a designated AAP class (not cluster model) and routinely has enough kids (12-17 kids)

It's crazy that you are anti busing AAP kids but are just fine with a 1:12 teacher to student ratio only for AAP. Doubtful that general ed classes have that ratio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

There are very few schools where this is the case.

There are many Title I schools where this is the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm angry about comparing kids to kids at their own school instead of the entire FCPS population. I literally know a family that picked a house zoned to a Title I school so their child would get into AAP. My child has higher test scores (NNAT, COGAT, iready, SOL, everything) but because we're at a school with lots of highly educated, wealthy families, my kid didn't get in. Why is her child more deserving of a better education than mine just because she goes to school with poor kids?

If your school has a ton of smart kids, your child already has a cohort of smart kids. They don’t need to go to another school to get one.

The curriculum is different. Why should her kid get advanced math but mine doesn't just because all the other kids are smart? That's STUPID.

Advanced Math is offered at every school. Your kid will have a chance to take Advanced Math. Kids in LIV get Advanced Math but plenty of kids not in LIV are placed in Advanced Math.

I'm not sure our center school has advanced math for kids outside of the aap level 4 kids. If it did, my kid should have been in it. He's had teachers say he should be in advanced math, but it's too bad... there's nothing they can do....

Advanced math at our base school doesn't start until 5th grade. At the center they start advancing in 3rd grade. The difference in classwork, homework (non-existent at non-center school), and overall classroom behavior was very stark between my Level 4 kid at the center and my Level 3 advanced math kid at the base school. Before 5th grade advanced math, the Level 3 pull outs were once a week (when Mondays didn't fall on a holiday) and practically useless.

DP. Pullouts are completely useless. They just do them so they can pretend they've given those kids the "enrichment" they deserve. The reality is, it's a rushed 30-60 minutes of busywork - once a week - and then they're expected to make up the classwork they missed. Absurd.

Just do away with Level this and Level that and offer flexible groupings, every single day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I hope so !! (eliminating AAP centers)

Bummer for you.

You sound mature. I guess we'll see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

Ok. But there are schools that have a large enough cohort. In my opinion, the centers should only be allowed if the cohort is too small. Why should we bus kids to a center when there is a large enough cohort with a designated class. I know our center pulls from two schools. Both of these schools including my own, has a designated AAP class (not cluster model) and routinely has enough kids (12-17 kids)

It's crazy that you are anti busing AAP kids but are just fine with a 1:12 teacher to student ratio only for AAP. Doubtful that general ed classes have that ratio.

Wow. No, mommy, principals place other smart students into the Level IV class to make sure it is a similar size to the other classrooms. Most of these kids would have gotten into AAP if they were in a Title I or lower SES school anyway, so it works out. Your little baby is not "gifted" as much as you want to think s/he is. Principal placed kids do just as well if not better than the kids who got into AAP because their 2nd grade teacher liked them.