WAPO article about sever FFX school budget cuts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Still think it would be a reduction in bus costs if AAP kids were at base school. My kid could walk to our elementary but had to be bussed to a center. Sorry. I know folks will defend this program till their dying day, but in many areas, these needs could be served more than adequately at their base school if parents weren't so reluctant to let go of the idea that their precious can't be rubbing elbows with all the kids in his/her community (which is kinda how life is when you think of it).

+1000

+1001

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There is $140 million to cut and you guys are talking about mouse turds.

+1000000

In my budget $10million is not considered mouse turds.

FCPS says its deficit is $140 million and you come up with $10 million. You're talkin' mouse turds.

Hello idiot - that is 3 time today at least!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree about FLES cut. Nice to have program. With the budget money like it is, it has to go. Kids do not learn language with a class once or twice a week.

Agreed. And I say this as someone whose kids were born overseas and spent a significant portion of their lives in a non-English-speaking country. I hated when we moved back here and my kids couldn't continue their language in FCPS. But given that they couldn't have taken a language until 8th grade either way, it hasn't made that much of a difference. It would be one thing if foreign language was in all the schools, but again when you're making hard choices that could affect all students getting essential services is it really fair or sensible to have foreign language in some but not all schools?

I agree, and although I know your point was about eliminating FLES, this could also apply to AAP. The vast majority of AAP students don't need the services provided to them and should be returned to the GE classroom.

FCPS need to focus on providing the best education possible to ALL students, and AAP is just a big extra that needs to go. This is public school we're talking about, not private.

[Anonymous]

Does that ESOL cost include the money allocated to these students per the needs based staffing ratio? FCPS is currently counting ESOL students and FARM students as if they were 1.5 or 2 students per each student and then running a staffing calculation based on this increased student population to figure out how many teachers should be at a school. Their calculation is about 26.25 teachers per this increased number of students. Then when they tally the numbers and send their average to the state, their student teacher ratios match up with state requirements since they are just sending an average and the state doesn't care that there's 30 1st graders in some high SES elementary school and 15 1st graders in another because the state average is 24. The ESOL students are getting more classroom teachers because of this staffing ratio but FCPS would have to provide many of these teachers anyway just to meet VA code. Does this $83.9 million include the staffing ratio classroom teachers and ESOL teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


First, start with all the duplicative music programs. There are lots of music programs that run after school and need not get caught up in the school day.

Music is an AAP program for everyone. Proven that it improves performance in Math, Science and Reading. Don't agree cuts are needed here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


First, start with all the duplicative music programs. There are lots of music programs that run after school and need not get caught up in the school day.

Music is an AAP program for everyone. Proven that it improves performance in Math, Science and Reading. Don't agree cuts are needed here

I disagree. If we are cutting to the bone, then I say if it is not math, language arts, social studies/history, or science, I say it should be cut. That should save some money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does that ESOL cost include the money allocated to these students per the needs based staffing ratio? FCPS is currently counting ESOL students and FARM students as if they were 1.5 or 2 students per each student and then running a staffing calculation based on this increased student population to figure out how many teachers should be at a school. Their calculation is about 26.25 teachers per this increased number of students. Then when they tally the numbers and send their average to the state, their student teacher ratios match up with state requirements since they are just sending an average and the state doesn't care that there's 30 1st graders in some high SES elementary school and 15 1st graders in another because the state average is 24. The ESOL students are getting more classroom teachers because of this staffing ratio but FCPS would have to provide many of these teachers anyway just to meet VA code. Does this $83.9 million include the staffing ratio classroom teachers and ESOL teachers?

Your question is a good one an valid. I have no idea. Ask Karen Garza she might be able to decipher her staffs calculations. They make sure to leave us all in the mist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


First, start with all the duplicative music programs. There are lots of music programs that run after school and need not get caught up in the school day.

Music is an AAP program for everyone. Proven that it improves performance in Math, Science and Reading. Don't agree cuts are needed here

I disagree. If we are cutting to the bone, then I say if it is not math, language arts, social studies/history, or science, I say it should be cut. That should save some money.

I respect your opinion but question if you have school aged children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't it true that FCPS spends less per student than neighboring districts? If so, then it seems like maybe we just need to put more money into our schools if we want to keep the same services.

Yes, it sucks that so much money is used for ESOL, but the facts are that we can educate the kids who are here and put them in a position to be paying taxes in their future, or we can ignore them and marginalize them and then we get to continue paying for them as inmates. The whole "let's hate on the ESOL students" argument is just a waste of time. Let's just realize that it's going to cost more for all of us and incease the tax rate a few cents/$100 property value.

I respect the job that my kids' teachers do and I hate that they are always put in the crosshairs for not getting raises or having to take more kids in their classes, etc. I do not envy their jobs. Doesn't it make sense for most of us to pay $200 more in taxes so that we don't end up leaving the public school system for private (where we will be paying somewhere b/t $15K and $30K per year)? Forget about the bus rides to AAP and the ESOL -- let's put on our big boy/girl pants and just accept that we need to pay a little more to keep the kind of schools and society we want in Fairfax County.

I am all for paying a little more to keep funding the schools. Actually we increase it pretty much every Nov. 4. Nevertheless, AAP in elementary and middle is a waste of millions of dollars and not providing a better education to ALL FCPS students. Restructure AAP and make it work for all students and I believe in doing this there would/should be cost reductions. AART's and the whole bureaucratic process of screening are a huge waste of time, resources and money. I see no reason whatsoever for any of it. It is a discriminatory program and a cumbersome application process, and, does not allow ALL children to get a "better" education in All schools. Actually, quite honestly, it is just tracking reincarnated and I believe grounds for a class action.

Actually, I think both PP's make good points in sharp contrast to a lot of the crazy town reactions on here. I think we should be willing to pay more for our schools or be prepared to see them fail. I also agree that since AAP is no longer a gifted program it is simply tracking reincarnated and one other way to divert scarce resources to the haves. I'm not litigious and would prefer to see these worked out by reasonable people. But let's remember that tobacco companies once thought they were invulnerable to being sued as well. With a sharp lawyer there is always a way.

[Anonymous]

Some people on here really want to defund AAP; has about as much chance of ever happening as the Tea Party efforts to defund Obamacare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does that ESOL cost include the money allocated to these students per the needs based staffing ratio? FCPS is currently counting ESOL students and FARM students as if they were 1.5 or 2 students per each student and then running a staffing calculation based on this increased student population to figure out how many teachers should be at a school. Their calculation is about 26.25 teachers per this increased number of students. Then when they tally the numbers and send their average to the state, their student teacher ratios match up with state requirements since they are just sending an average and the state doesn't care that there's 30 1st graders in some high SES elementary school and 15 1st graders in another because the state average is 24. The ESOL students are getting more classroom teachers because of this staffing ratio but FCPS would have to provide many of these teachers anyway just to meet VA code. Does this $83.9 million include the staffing ratio classroom teachers and ESOL teachers?

Your question is a good one an valid. I have no idea. Ask Karen Garza she might be able to decipher her staffs calculations. They make sure to leave us all in the mist.

I am not sure all of the AAP budget is on the up and up either. Doesn't mention busing costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some people on here really want to defund AAP; has about as much chance of ever happening as the Tea Party efforts to defund Obamacare.

Hello idiot (#4today). I think you are wrong here. AAP is on its way out in the elementary schools. And, by the way, the affordable care act is here to stay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


First, start with all the duplicative music programs. There are lots of music programs that run after school and need not get caught up in the school day.

Music is an AAP program for everyone. Proven that it improves performance in Math, Science and Reading. Don't agree cuts are needed here

I disagree. If we are cutting to the bone, then I say if it is not math, language arts, social studies/history, or science, I say it should be cut. That should save some money.

Yes and maybe while they are at it busing should be eliminated altogether. Who said we needed to provide a way to get to school just a way to get an equal education for all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't it true that FCPS spends less per student than neighboring districts? If so, then it seems like maybe we just need to put more money into our schools if we want to keep the same services.

Yes, it sucks that so much money is used for ESOL, but the facts are that we can educate the kids who are here and put them in a position to be paying taxes in their future, or we can ignore them and marginalize them and then we get to continue paying for them as inmates. The whole "let's hate on the ESOL students" argument is just a waste of time. Let's just realize that it's going to cost more for all of us and incease the tax rate a few cents/$100 property value.

I respect the job that my kids' teachers do and I hate that they are always put in the crosshairs for not getting raises or having to take more kids in their classes, etc. I do not envy their jobs. Doesn't it make sense for most of us to pay $200 more in taxes so that we don't end up leaving the public school system for private (where we will be paying somewhere b/t $15K and $30K per year)? Forget about the bus rides to AAP and the ESOL -- let's put on our big boy/girl pants and just accept that we need to pay a little more to keep the kind of schools and society we want in Fairfax County.

I am all for paying a little more to keep funding the schools. Actually we increase it pretty much every Nov. 4. Nevertheless, AAP in elementary and middle is a waste of millions of dollars and not providing a better education to ALL FCPS students. Restructure AAP and make it work for all students and I believe in doing this there would/should be cost reductions. AART's and the whole bureaucratic process of screening are a huge waste of time, resources and money. I see no reason whatsoever for any of it. It is a discriminatory program and a cumbersome application process, and, does not allow ALL children to get a "better" education in All schools. Actually, quite honestly, it is just tracking reincarnated and I believe grounds for a class action.

Actually, I think both PP's make good points in sharp contrast to a lot of the crazy town reactions on here. I think we should be willing to pay more for our schools or be prepared to see them fail. I also agree that since AAP is no longer a gifted program it is simply tracking reincarnated and one other way to divert scarce resources to the haves. I'm not litigious and would prefer to see these worked out by reasonable people. But let's remember that tobacco companies once thought they were invulnerable to being sued as well. With a sharp lawyer there is always a way.

+5

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people on here really want to defund AAP; has about as much chance of ever happening as the Tea Party efforts to defund Obamacare.

Hello idiot (#4today). I think you are wrong here. AAP is on its way out in the elementary schools. And, by the way, the affordable care act is here to stay.

I don't call people names, but I seriously do not think AAP is on the way out anymore than Obamacare is on the way out.