what is the difference between Madison HS, Oakton, and Reston high schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That is simply untrue. Sure, only speaking from our own experience as a past Foreign Service family, but over 15+ years, almost each single family I’ve known of coming back from government service overseas, including military, has been “where are the IB schools?”. We are incredibly grateful that FCPS offers it. Why all the hatred for IB in this forum? You worry your AP kid just won’t shine as much? You are scared of “other” kids transferring? I don’t get it. IB parents never complain about AP, couldn’t care less, they’re just happy with their choice and carry on.

This is one person's opinion. I strongly disagree and prefer AP. Military people live all over the United States. I've never known any to look for the IB school. (spouse of retired military)

+1. FCPS should have a single IB school where kids actually commit to doing the IB program. Having eight IB schools is a waste of money and not good for the kids, either. And the schools with the most military families are West Springfield and Lake Braddock - both AP. So much for seeking out IB.

We've already established, many times in this thread, that IB costs a trivial amount of money. The claim that it is a waste of money is stupid.

There is no proof that IB is "not good for the kids". This claim is also stupid. IB kids at those schools are exactly the ones who get into the better colleges.

Having just one IB school is another very stupid idea because it would require kids to make very long commutes.

IB costs more than AP and the incremental expense isn’t warranted, especially when it leads to worse results. There are years when individual AP schools (other than TJ) have as many NMSFs as all 8 IB schools combined. And the four pyramids that are the top feeders to TJ are all AP.

One IB school should be enough. If it’s all that, students will commute to it just like they do to TJ.

They can have more than one IB school. It's just the issue with all the poorest schools in the SE that have too many IB schools that is an issue.

They may be "equal," but they are not the same. And, most Fairfax residents seem to prefer AP for their kids.

High income white/Asian Fairfax residents prefer being around other people like them. If the “good” schools (Langley McLean etc) were IB and the “bad” schools in the SE were AP then people would “prefer” IB.

It proves a point other than the one you want to make when you have to resort to a hypothetical. Families at AP schools like Langley and McLean have had over 25 years to request that FCPS replace AP with IB if they perceived any advantage to that curriculum and they haven't done so. Those folks certainly aren't shy or unwilling to express their opinions.

Families at South Lakes, Robinson, and Marshall have had over 25 years to request that FCPS replace IB with AP if they perceived any advantage to that curriculum and they haven't done so. Those folks certainly aren't shy or unwilling to express their opinions.

Yes we have. It just falls on deaf ears.

South Lakes parent, I've never heard a single word about changing it to AP.

The only people I ever hear who say this don't even have kids in an IB school.

It is mentioned, letters are sent to School Board reps and it is ignored. And then we leave by pupil placing and let the people who like IB enjoy it and the people who are indifferent enjoy IB. And then we listen to the indifferent people complain that their kids IB classes don't translate to college credit when their kids start college or how hard it is to get college credit from their IB classes.

Anyone who looks at the number of kids transfering out of IB schools and the number of kids completing the IB diploma has to wonder why FCPS keeps the program. I suspect a large part of it is that most of the IB schools have a smaller percentage of kids taking IB classes because the level of poverty and the ELL population at the schools is high enough that IB/AP doesn't matter to close to half of the population because they are not going to do either. The number of people who complain just pupil place out and the people who are fine with the program just don't say anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That is simply untrue. Sure, only speaking from our own experience as a past Foreign Service family, but over 15+ years, almost each single family I’ve known of coming back from government service overseas, including military, has been “where are the IB schools?”. We are incredibly grateful that FCPS offers it. Why all the hatred for IB in this forum? You worry your AP kid just won’t shine as much? You are scared of “other” kids transferring? I don’t get it. IB parents never complain about AP, couldn’t care less, they’re just happy with their choice and carry on.

This is one person's opinion. I strongly disagree and prefer AP. Military people live all over the United States. I've never known any to look for the IB school. (spouse of retired military)

+1. FCPS should have a single IB school where kids actually commit to doing the IB program. Having eight IB schools is a waste of money and not good for the kids, either. And the schools with the most military families are West Springfield and Lake Braddock - both AP. So much for seeking out IB.

We've already established, many times in this thread, that IB costs a trivial amount of money. The claim that it is a waste of money is stupid.

There is no proof that IB is "not good for the kids". This claim is also stupid. IB kids at those schools are exactly the ones who get into the better colleges.

Having just one IB school is another very stupid idea because it would require kids to make very long commutes.

IB costs more than AP and the incremental expense isn’t warranted, especially when it leads to worse results. There are years when individual AP schools (other than TJ) have as many NMSFs as all 8 IB schools combined. And the four pyramids that are the top feeders to TJ are all AP.

One IB school should be enough. If it’s all that, students will commute to it just like they do to TJ.

They can have more than one IB school. It's just the issue with all the poorest schools in the SE that have too many IB schools that is an issue.

They may be "equal," but they are not the same. And, most Fairfax residents seem to prefer AP for their kids.

High income white/Asian Fairfax residents prefer being around other people like them. If the “good” schools (Langley McLean etc) were IB and the “bad” schools in the SE were AP then people would “prefer” IB.

It proves a point other than the one you want to make when you have to resort to a hypothetical. Families at AP schools like Langley and McLean have had over 25 years to request that FCPS replace AP with IB if they perceived any advantage to that curriculum and they haven't done so. Those folks certainly aren't shy or unwilling to express their opinions.

Families at South Lakes, Robinson, and Marshall have had over 25 years to request that FCPS replace IB with AP if they perceived any advantage to that curriculum and they haven't done so. Those folks certainly aren't shy or unwilling to express their opinions.

Yes we have. It just falls on deaf ears.

South Lakes parent, I've never heard a single word about changing it to AP.

The only people I ever hear who say this don't even have kids in an IB school.

I know two people with kids ate. South Lakes. Both have said they would prefer AP. One just graduated with IB diploma. The other is taking some IB classes, but not diploma candidate.

Lmao. So their revealed preference is for IB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That is simply untrue. Sure, only speaking from our own experience as a past Foreign Service family, but over 15+ years, almost each single family I’ve known of coming back from government service overseas, including military, has been “where are the IB schools?”. We are incredibly grateful that FCPS offers it. Why all the hatred for IB in this forum? You worry your AP kid just won’t shine as much? You are scared of “other” kids transferring? I don’t get it. IB parents never complain about AP, couldn’t care less, they’re just happy with their choice and carry on.

This is one person's opinion. I strongly disagree and prefer AP. Military people live all over the United States. I've never known any to look for the IB school. (spouse of retired military)

+1. FCPS should have a single IB school where kids actually commit to doing the IB program. Having eight IB schools is a waste of money and not good for the kids, either. And the schools with the most military families are West Springfield and Lake Braddock - both AP. So much for seeking out IB.

We've already established, many times in this thread, that IB costs a trivial amount of money. The claim that it is a waste of money is stupid.

There is no proof that IB is "not good for the kids". This claim is also stupid. IB kids at those schools are exactly the ones who get into the better colleges.

Having just one IB school is another very stupid idea because it would require kids to make very long commutes.

IB costs more than AP and the incremental expense isn’t warranted, especially when it leads to worse results. There are years when individual AP schools (other than TJ) have as many NMSFs as all 8 IB schools combined. And the four pyramids that are the top feeders to TJ are all AP.

One IB school should be enough. If it’s all that, students will commute to it just like they do to TJ.

They can have more than one IB school. It's just the issue with all the poorest schools in the SE that have too many IB schools that is an issue.

They may be "equal," but they are not the same. And, most Fairfax residents seem to prefer AP for their kids.

High income white/Asian Fairfax residents prefer being around other people like them. If the “good” schools (Langley McLean etc) were IB and the “bad” schools in the SE were AP then people would “prefer” IB.

It would be interesting to see the ethnicity of those pupil placing out of IB schools. I bet dollars to doughnuts that a high percentage of those pupil placing out of South Lakes are doing it for AP --not demographics.

SL has had a positive transfer rate since 2019 - more kids transfer in than out.

Many more kids stay to do IB than leave to do AP.

Finally, SL does not (yet) have bad enough demographics that kids want to leave just for that.

And, pray tell, where do most of the transfers "in" come from?

From surrounding AP school zones.

If you have an IB school surrounded by AP schools, it will have net transfers in even if the number of students transferring out of the IB school exceeds the number transferring out of each of the surrounding AP schools. Basic math.

It doesn’t change the fact that most prefer AP over IB. [It refutes that supposed fact.]

The School Board loves IB so they don’t care if families at IB schools would prefer AP or if the number of kids getting IB diplomas is crazy low.

If kids actually transfer from AP schools to IB then that demonstrates the fact that people prefer IB to AP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That is simply untrue. Sure, only speaking from our own experience as a past Foreign Service family, but over 15+ years, almost each single family I’ve known of coming back from government service overseas, including military, has been “where are the IB schools?”. We are incredibly grateful that FCPS offers it. Why all the hatred for IB in this forum? You worry your AP kid just won’t shine as much? You are scared of “other” kids transferring? I don’t get it. IB parents never complain about AP, couldn’t care less, they’re just happy with their choice and carry on.

This is one person's opinion. I strongly disagree and prefer AP. Military people live all over the United States. I've never known any to look for the IB school. (spouse of retired military)

+1. FCPS should have a single IB school where kids actually commit to doing the IB program. Having eight IB schools is a waste of money and not good for the kids, either. And the schools with the most military families are West Springfield and Lake Braddock - both AP. So much for seeking out IB.

We've already established, many times in this thread, that IB costs a trivial amount of money. The claim that it is a waste of money is stupid.

There is no proof that IB is "not good for the kids". This claim is also stupid. IB kids at those schools are exactly the ones who get into the better colleges.

Having just one IB school is another very stupid idea because it would require kids to make very long commutes.

IB costs more than AP and the incremental expense isn’t warranted, especially when it leads to worse results. There are years when individual AP schools (other than TJ) have as many NMSFs as all 8 IB schools combined. And the four pyramids that are the top feeders to TJ are all AP.

One IB school should be enough. If it’s all that, students will commute to it just like they do to TJ.

They can have more than one IB school. It's just the issue with all the poorest schools in the SE that have too many IB schools that is an issue.

They may be "equal," but they are not the same. And, most Fairfax residents seem to prefer AP for their kids.

High income white/Asian Fairfax residents prefer being around other people like them. If the “good” schools (Langley McLean etc) were IB and the “bad” schools in the SE were AP then people would “prefer” IB.

It would be interesting to see the ethnicity of those pupil placing out of IB schools. I bet dollars to doughnuts that a high percentage of those pupil placing out of South Lakes are doing it for AP --not demographics.

SL has had a positive transfer rate since 2019 - more kids transfer in than out.

Many more kids stay to do IB than leave to do AP.

Finally, SL does not (yet) have bad enough demographics that kids want to leave just for that.

You'd expect there to be a positive balance when an IB school (South Lakes) is largely surrounded by AP schools (Langley, Herndon, Madison, Oakton, and Westfield are all AP and share a border with SLHS, and it's also the closest IB school to Chantilly).

The people who hate IB would expect just the opposite - namely, people defecting from South Lakes to the surrounding AP schools.

There's probably no other high school in FCPS that the School Board has taken as many steps over the past 20 years to prop up as South Lakes.

According to the IB haters, this should have meant that the School Board would switch South Lakes to AP, because concerned parents supposedly prefer this curriculum. But the School Board kept it IB.

Herndon's top students transfer out of Herndon using IB as a reason.

lol so their reason is they prefer IB to AP, thanks for supporting this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there really much difference academically between Herndon and South Lakes?

I know a lot of kids transfer for South Lakes sports teams and pretend its for IB [pffft no you don't know that]

Academically you could note that in school year 2022-23 at South Lakes, 489 kids took IB exams and 418 scored a 4 or better on an IB exam.
Meanwhile at Herndon, 383 kids took AP exams and 276 scored a 3 or better on an AP exam.

So you have similar sized schools with similar demographics, and in both cases roughly similar percentages of kids participated in the advanced academic programs and the success on the exams was better at the IB school than the AP school. This hardly supports the common claim that "hardly any" kids do IB compared to AP and that AP has a superior academic outcome.

One conclusion is that if you are a motivated white or Asian kid, then there is not much difference between Herndon and South Lakes.

[Anonymous]

IB exams are graded on a scale of 1-7. A 4 on an IB exam is not a great score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That is simply untrue. Sure, only speaking from our own experience as a past Foreign Service family, but over 15+ years, almost each single family I’ve known of coming back from government service overseas, including military, has been “where are the IB schools?”. We are incredibly grateful that FCPS offers it. Why all the hatred for IB in this forum? You worry your AP kid just won’t shine as much? You are scared of “other” kids transferring? I don’t get it. IB parents never complain about AP, couldn’t care less, they’re just happy with their choice and carry on.

This is one person's opinion. I strongly disagree and prefer AP. Military people live all over the United States. I've never known any to look for the IB school. (spouse of retired military)

+1. FCPS should have a single IB school where kids actually commit to doing the IB program. Having eight IB schools is a waste of money and not good for the kids, either. And the schools with the most military families are West Springfield and Lake Braddock - both AP. So much for seeking out IB.

We've already established, many times in this thread, that IB costs a trivial amount of money. The claim that it is a waste of money is stupid.

There is no proof that IB is "not good for the kids". This claim is also stupid. IB kids at those schools are exactly the ones who get into the better colleges.

Having just one IB school is another very stupid idea because it would require kids to make very long commutes.

IB costs more than AP and the incremental expense isn’t warranted, especially when it leads to worse results. There are years when individual AP schools (other than TJ) have as many NMSFs as all 8 IB schools combined. And the four pyramids that are the top feeders to TJ are all AP.

One IB school should be enough. If it’s all that, students will commute to it just like they do to TJ.

They can have more than one IB school. It's just the issue with all the poorest schools in the SE that have too many IB schools that is an issue.

They may be "equal," but they are not the same. And, most Fairfax residents seem to prefer AP for their kids.

High income white/Asian Fairfax residents prefer being around other people like them. If the “good” schools (Langley McLean etc) were IB and the “bad” schools in the SE were AP then people would “prefer” IB.

It proves a point other than the one you want to make when you have to resort to a hypothetical. Families at AP schools like Langley and McLean have had over 25 years to request that FCPS replace AP with IB if they perceived any advantage to that curriculum and they haven't done so. Those folks certainly aren't shy or unwilling to express their opinions.

Families at South Lakes, Robinson, and Marshall have had over 25 years to request that FCPS replace IB with AP if they perceived any advantage to that curriculum and they haven't done so. Those folks certainly aren't shy or unwilling to express their opinions.

Yes we have. It just falls on deaf ears.

South Lakes parent, I've never heard a single word about changing it to AP.

The only people I ever hear who say this don't even have kids in an IB school.

I know two people with kids ate. South Lakes. Both have said they would prefer AP. One just graduated with IB diploma. The other is taking some IB classes, but not diploma candidate.

Lmao. So their revealed preference is for IB.

Staying within their boundary with their friends. Your comment is quite a stretch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there really much difference academically between Herndon and South Lakes?

I know a lot of kids transfer for South Lakes sports teams and pretend its for IB [pffft no you don't know that]

Academically you could note that in school year 2022-23 at South Lakes, 489 kids took IB exams and 418 scored a 4 or better on an IB exam.
Meanwhile at Herndon, 383 kids took AP exams and 276 scored a 3 or better on an AP exam.

So you have similar sized schools with similar demographics, and in both cases roughly similar percentages of kids participated in the advanced academic programs and the success on the exams was better at the IB school than the AP school. This hardly supports the common claim that "hardly any" kids do IB compared to AP and that AP has a superior academic outcome.

One conclusion is that if you are a motivated white or Asian kid, then there is not much difference between Herndon and South Lakes.

Using JMU as example:

There are 19 AP courses listed that will give college credit with a score of 3. College sites say most competitive students take 8-12 AP classes and could get college credit for all 8-12 classes if score 3 on AP exam.

For IB, NO college credit given for ANY IB Standard Level courses with a score of 4 and only 11 HL IB courses that would give college credit with 4. For the most competitive students that do full diploma, they can take 3 HL or 3 SL or if school allows, 4 HL and 2 SL- so for most competitive kids at IB schools, most college credit could get with test score of 4 is only for 4 classes.

IB: https://catalog.jmu.edu/content.php?catoid=62&navoid=3542#international-baccalaureate

AP: https://catalog.jmu.edu/content.php?catoid=62&navoid=3542#advanced-placement

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IB exams are graded on a scale of 1-7. A 4 on an IB exam is not a great score.

And if SL class gets no credit at colleges. If looking to maximize college credit are MUCH better to do dual enrollment or AP courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IB exams are graded on a scale of 1-7. A 4 on an IB exam is not a great score.

And if SL class gets no credit at colleges. If looking to maximize college credit are MUCH better to do dual enrollment or AP courses.

If you look at the link, 12 or so SL exams offer college credit. It may require a 5, 6, or 7 on the exams, but that seems reasonable to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That is simply untrue. Sure, only speaking from our own experience as a past Foreign Service family, but over 15+ years, almost each single family I’ve known of coming back from government service overseas, including military, has been “where are the IB schools?”. We are incredibly grateful that FCPS offers it. Why all the hatred for IB in this forum? You worry your AP kid just won’t shine as much? You are scared of “other” kids transferring? I don’t get it. IB parents never complain about AP, couldn’t care less, they’re just happy with their choice and carry on.

This is one person's opinion. I strongly disagree and prefer AP. Military people live all over the United States. I've never known any to look for the IB school. (spouse of retired military)

+1. FCPS should have a single IB school where kids actually commit to doing the IB program. Having eight IB schools is a waste of money and not good for the kids, either. And the schools with the most military families are West Springfield and Lake Braddock - both AP. So much for seeking out IB.

We've already established, many times in this thread, that IB costs a trivial amount of money. The claim that it is a waste of money is stupid.

There is no proof that IB is "not good for the kids". This claim is also stupid. IB kids at those schools are exactly the ones who get into the better colleges.

Having just one IB school is another very stupid idea because it would require kids to make very long commutes.

IB costs more than AP and the incremental expense isn’t warranted, especially when it leads to worse results. There are years when individual AP schools (other than TJ) have as many NMSFs as all 8 IB schools combined. And the four pyramids that are the top feeders to TJ are all AP.

One IB school should be enough. If it’s all that, students will commute to it just like they do to TJ.

They can have more than one IB school. It's just the issue with all the poorest schools in the SE that have too many IB schools that is an issue.

They may be "equal," but they are not the same. And, most Fairfax residents seem to prefer AP for their kids.

High income white/Asian Fairfax residents prefer being around other people like them. If the “good” schools (Langley McLean etc) were IB and the “bad” schools in the SE were AP then people would “prefer” IB.

It proves a point other than the one you want to make when you have to resort to a hypothetical. Families at AP schools like Langley and McLean have had over 25 years to request that FCPS replace AP with IB if they perceived any advantage to that curriculum and they haven't done so. Those folks certainly aren't shy or unwilling to express their opinions.

Families at South Lakes, Robinson, and Marshall have had over 25 years to request that FCPS replace IB with AP if they perceived any advantage to that curriculum and they haven't done so. Those folks certainly aren't shy or unwilling to express their opinions.

Yes we have. It just falls on deaf ears.

South Lakes parent, I've never heard a single word about changing it to AP.

The only people I ever hear who say this don't even have kids in an IB school.

I know two people with kids ate. South Lakes. Both have said they would prefer AP. One just graduated with IB diploma. The other is taking some IB classes, but not diploma candidate.

Lmao. So their revealed preference is for IB.

Staying within their boundary with their friends. Your comment is quite a stretch.

If you don't care enough about the supposed superiority of AP to switch schools to get it, then you prefer IB. You have shown this by your actions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IB exams are graded on a scale of 1-7. A 4 on an IB exam is not a great score.

And if SL class gets no credit at colleges. If looking to maximize college credit are MUCH better to do dual enrollment or AP courses.

If you look at the link, 12 or so SL exams offer college credit. It may require a 5, 6, or 7 on the exams, but that seems reasonable to me.

My reply was to poster who gave stats of students getting 4 or above and another poster said getting a 4 on IB test is not an impressive score as IB scale goes up to 7 and not 5 like AP- JMU info still supports that poster as no college credit for score of 4 for any SL and even if get all 7son the 6 courses would take for IB full diploma, still below the 8-12 (or more) see for AP. The post is right they if looking to maximize college credit are better to do dual enrollment or AP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That is simply untrue. Sure, only speaking from our own experience as a past Foreign Service family, but over 15+ years, almost each single family I’ve known of coming back from government service overseas, including military, has been “where are the IB schools?”. We are incredibly grateful that FCPS offers it. Why all the hatred for IB in this forum? You worry your AP kid just won’t shine as much? You are scared of “other” kids transferring? I don’t get it. IB parents never complain about AP, couldn’t care less, they’re just happy with their choice and carry on.

This is one person's opinion. I strongly disagree and prefer AP. Military people live all over the United States. I've never known any to look for the IB school. (spouse of retired military)

+1. FCPS should have a single IB school where kids actually commit to doing the IB program. Having eight IB schools is a waste of money and not good for the kids, either. And the schools with the most military families are West Springfield and Lake Braddock - both AP. So much for seeking out IB.

We've already established, many times in this thread, that IB costs a trivial amount of money. The claim that it is a waste of money is stupid.

There is no proof that IB is "not good for the kids". This claim is also stupid. IB kids at those schools are exactly the ones who get into the better colleges.

Having just one IB school is another very stupid idea because it would require kids to make very long commutes.

IB costs more than AP and the incremental expense isn’t warranted, especially when it leads to worse results. There are years when individual AP schools (other than TJ) have as many NMSFs as all 8 IB schools combined. And the four pyramids that are the top feeders to TJ are all AP.

One IB school should be enough. If it’s all that, students will commute to it just like they do to TJ.

They can have more than one IB school. It's just the issue with all the poorest schools in the SE that have too many IB schools that is an issue.

They may be "equal," but they are not the same. And, most Fairfax residents seem to prefer AP for their kids.

High income white/Asian Fairfax residents prefer being around other people like them. If the “good” schools (Langley McLean etc) were IB and the “bad” schools in the SE were AP then people would “prefer” IB.

It proves a point other than the one you want to make when you have to resort to a hypothetical. Families at AP schools like Langley and McLean have had over 25 years to request that FCPS replace AP with IB if they perceived any advantage to that curriculum and they haven't done so. Those folks certainly aren't shy or unwilling to express their opinions.

Families at South Lakes, Robinson, and Marshall have had over 25 years to request that FCPS replace IB with AP if they perceived any advantage to that curriculum and they haven't done so. Those folks certainly aren't shy or unwilling to express their opinions.

Yes we have. It just falls on deaf ears.

South Lakes parent, I've never heard a single word about changing it to AP.

The only people I ever hear who say this don't even have kids in an IB school.

I know two people with kids ate. South Lakes. Both have said they would prefer AP. One just graduated with IB diploma. The other is taking some IB classes, but not diploma candidate.

Lmao. So their revealed preference is for IB.

Staying within their boundary with their friends. Your comment is quite a stretch.

If you don't care enough about the supposed superiority of AP to switch schools to get it, then you prefer IB. You have shown this by your actions.

Elitist comment. Not everyone is able to transport their kids or has funds to purchase transportation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there really much difference academically between Herndon and South Lakes?

I know a lot of kids transfer for South Lakes sports teams and pretend its for IB [pffft no you don't know that]

Academically you could note that in school year 2022-23 at South Lakes, 489 kids took IB exams and 418 scored a 4 or better on an IB exam.
Meanwhile at Herndon, 383 kids took AP exams and 276 scored a 3 or better on an AP exam.

So you have similar sized schools with similar demographics, and in both cases roughly similar percentages of kids participated in the advanced academic programs and the success on the exams was better at the IB school than the AP school. This hardly supports the common claim that "hardly any" kids do IB compared to AP and that AP has a superior academic outcome.

One conclusion is that if you are a motivated white or Asian kid, then there is not much difference between Herndon and South Lakes.

South Lakes and Herndon do not have similar demographics. A much higher percentage of students at Herndon are on free and reduced lunch. Herndon is also majority Hispanic.

South lakes has a plurality of white students, and more Asian students. Demographics are also wealthier in comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there really much difference academically between Herndon and South Lakes?

I know a lot of kids transfer for South Lakes sports teams and pretend its for IB [pffft no you don't know that]

Academically you could note that in school year 2022-23 at South Lakes, 489 kids took IB exams and 418 scored a 4 or better on an IB exam.
Meanwhile at Herndon, 383 kids took AP exams and 276 scored a 3 or better on an AP exam.

So you have similar sized schools with similar demographics, and in both cases roughly similar percentages of kids participated in the advanced academic programs and the success on the exams was better at the IB school than the AP school. This hardly supports the common claim that "hardly any" kids do IB compared to AP and that AP has a superior academic outcome.

One conclusion is that if you are a motivated white or Asian kid, then there is not much difference between Herndon and South Lakes.

South Lakes and Herndon do not have similar demographics. A much higher percentage of students at Herndon are on free and reduced lunch. Herndon is also majority Hispanic.

South lakes has a plurality of white students, and more Asian students. Demographics are also wealthier in comparison.

The School Board intervened in 2008 to alter South Lakes' demographics. They haven't taken any similar action yet at Herndon.