Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade

[Anonymous]

We were just told by a counselor at Wilson that the AP-for-all for 11th graders was scrapped. Based on what we were told, there will be regular English and History and AP English and AP History. We had lost confidence on the school (and frankly at have none in the school's leadership) and were considering other options for our kids, including moving out of DC, but this is what we were told. I did not get any official message from school (although, if trues, it must be hard to say "we changed our mind and we will not be dismantling racism and this patriarchal society" or "maybe it was an idiotic idea after all") so I don't know what to think but this is what we were told by a person working at the school. I wonder if anybody else has heard anything

[Anonymous]

Will the AP courses still be open to all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will the AP courses still be open to all?

The AP courses have always been open to all is my understanding. It was never based on any academic standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were just told by a counselor at Wilson that the AP-for-all for 11th graders was scrapped. Based on what we were told, there will be regular English and History and AP English and AP History. We had lost confidence on the school (and frankly at have none in the school's leadership) and were considering other options for our kids, including moving out of DC, but this is what we were told. I did not get any official message from school (although, if trues, it must be hard to say "we changed our mind and we will not be dismantling racism and this patriarchal society" or "maybe it was an idiotic idea after all") so I don't know what to think but this is what we were told by a person working at the school. I wonder if anybody else has heard anything

I am glad to hear this. A few years ago the Walls principal tried to force all seniors to take a certain AP. The kids really pushed back and there were some frankly offensive conversations about race in regards to requiring the AP course but ultimately the principal backed down and let students choose their own courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were just told by a counselor at Wilson that the AP-for-all for 11th graders was scrapped. Based on what we were told, there will be regular English and History and AP English and AP History. We had lost confidence on the school (and frankly at have none in the school's leadership) and were considering other options for our kids, including moving out of DC, but this is what we were told. I did not get any official message from school (although, if trues, it must be hard to say "we changed our mind and we will not be dismantling racism and this patriarchal society" or "maybe it was an idiotic idea after all") so I don't know what to think but this is what we were told by a person working at the school. I wonder if anybody else has heard anything

School leadership is so, so important.

DCPS central should be setting policy, hiring awesome principals who can recruit good staff and lead, then getting the heck out of the way.
And hiring and firing decisions should be more transparent.
Nothing has dismayed me more during the pandemic than DCPS firing the Walls principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were just told by a counselor at Wilson that the AP-for-all for 11th graders was scrapped. Based on what we were told, there will be regular English and History and AP English and AP History. We had lost confidence on the school (and frankly at have none in the school's leadership) and were considering other options for our kids, including moving out of DC, but this is what we were told. I did not get any official message from school (although, if trues, it must be hard to say "we changed our mind and we will not be dismantling racism and this patriarchal society" or "maybe it was an idiotic idea after all") so I don't know what to think but this is what we were told by a person working at the school. I wonder if anybody else has heard anything

School leadership is so, so important.

DCPS central should be setting policy, hiring awesome principals who can recruit good staff and lead, then getting the heck out of the way.
And hiring and firing decisions should be more transparent.
Nothing has dismayed me more during the pandemic than DCPS firing the Walls principal.

Huh. I thought the role of a HS principal was to use to correct the ills of the past on the backs of today’s youth?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were just told by a counselor at Wilson that the AP-for-all for 11th graders was scrapped. Based on what we were told, there will be regular English and History and AP English and AP History. We had lost confidence on the school (and frankly at have none in the school's leadership) and were considering other options for our kids, including moving out of DC, but this is what we were told. I did not get any official message from school (although, if trues, it must be hard to say "we changed our mind and we will not be dismantling racism and this patriarchal society" or "maybe it was an idiotic idea after all") so I don't know what to think but this is what we were told by a person working at the school. I wonder if anybody else has heard anything

has anyone else heard this? wasn't in the update that the principal sends out over the weekend.

[Anonymous]

There's a "coffee chat" on Wednesday at 9am- I assume it will come up then.

[Anonymous]

Any further news on whether this is moving forward?

[Anonymous]

No, it didn't come up at all in the principal's coffee this morning.

[Anonymous]

No one even asked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one even asked?

Nope. She opened the floor multiple times to live questions and took questions in the chat.

[Anonymous]

I heard from another source that this will not happen, at least not this coming year.

[Anonymous]

AP for all was about raising the national profile of Wilson by using Jay Mathews’ “Challenge Index” which is based on number of tests given/number of students. Every student could earn a 0 on AP tests but as long as a school system pays for tests they earn a high ranking.

Wilson is horribly overenrolled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AP for all was about raising the national profile of Wilson by using Jay Mathews’ “Challenge Index” which is based on number of tests given/number of students. Every student could earn a 0 on AP tests but as long as a school system pays for tests they earn a high ranking.

Wilson is horribly overenrolled.

I don’t buy that explanation, but if that were it, it’s a stupid, superficial reason to mess with kids’ actual education.