APS Budget Process

[Anonymous]

I might have missed it (discussion here), but did anyone see the part where APS will only pay for 3 AP exams in a student’s whole APS career (they currently pay for all)? If you don’t take the AP exam, you don’t get the GPA bump from taking an AP class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I might have missed it (discussion here), but did anyone see the part where APS will only pay for 3 AP exams in a student’s whole APS career (they currently pay for all)? If you don’t take the AP exam, you don’t get the GPA bump from taking an AP class.

Why is APS paying for any? I know my high school didn't. Presumably there's a fee waiver or reduced fees for those with financial need, but I don't know why APS would pay exam fees for well off students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have missed it (discussion here), but did anyone see the part where APS will only pay for 3 AP exams in a student’s whole APS career (they currently pay for all)? If you don’t take the AP exam, you don’t get the GPA bump from taking an AP class.

Why is APS paying for any? I know my high school didn't. Presumably there's a fee waiver or reduced fees for those with financial need, but I don't know why APS would pay exam fees for well off students.

I went to a low income high school and we had to pay for ours. APS has said that there will addition tests paid for on a need-based basis (likely FRL standards)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have missed it (discussion here), but did anyone see the part where APS will only pay for 3 AP exams in a student’s whole APS career (they currently pay for all)? If you don’t take the AP exam, you don’t get the GPA bump from taking an AP class.

Why is APS paying for any? I know my high school didn't. Presumably there's a fee waiver or reduced fees for those with financial need, but I don't know why APS would pay exam fees for well off students.

Because 1) they require the exam for the GPA bump. So you’re basically buying a higher GPA, and 2) they actively try (at least at WHS) to encourage a more diverse group of students to take AP classes, and the new policy does the opposite of that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have missed it (discussion here), but did anyone see the part where APS will only pay for 3 AP exams in a student’s whole APS career (they currently pay for all)? If you don’t take the AP exam, you don’t get the GPA bump from taking an AP class.

Why is APS paying for any? I know my high school didn't. Presumably there's a fee waiver or reduced fees for those with financial need, but I don't know why APS would pay exam fees for well off students.

Because 1) they require the exam for the GPA bump. So you’re basically buying a higher GPA, and 2) they actively try (at least at WHS) to encourage a more diverse group of students to take AP classes, and the new policy does the opposite of that.

No, it doesn’t. If you have financial need they’ll be paid for. there’s no reason why we should be paying for nine AP exams for a kid who lives in a $3 million house and goes to Yorktown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have missed it (discussion here), but did anyone see the part where APS will only pay for 3 AP exams in a student’s whole APS career (they currently pay for all)? If you don’t take the AP exam, you don’t get the GPA bump from taking an AP class.

Why is APS paying for any? I know my high school didn't. Presumably there's a fee waiver or reduced fees for those with financial need, but I don't know why APS would pay exam fees for well off students.

Because 1) they require the exam for the GPA bump. So you’re basically buying a higher GPA, and 2) they actively try (at least at WHS) to encourage a more diverse group of students to take AP classes, and the new policy does the opposite of that.

We had to pay because our HS wanted us to have some skin in the game. Otherwise it's tempting to sign up for AP exams but then decide not to show up if you don't think you've studied enough, particularly spring of senior year when you likely already know that certain credits won't transfer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have missed it (discussion here), but did anyone see the part where APS will only pay for 3 AP exams in a student’s whole APS career (they currently pay for all)? If you don’t take the AP exam, you don’t get the GPA bump from taking an AP class.

Why is APS paying for any? I know my high school didn't. Presumably there's a fee waiver or reduced fees for those with financial need, but I don't know why APS would pay exam fees for well off students.

Because 1) they require the exam for the GPA bump. So you’re basically buying a higher GPA, and 2) they actively try (at least at WHS) to encourage a more diverse group of students to take AP classes, and the new policy does the opposite of that.

We had to pay because our HS wanted us to have some skin in the game. Otherwise it's tempting to sign up for AP exams but then decide not to show up if you don't think you've studied enough, particularly spring of senior year when you likely already know that certain credits won't transfer.

Interesting. Perhaps that’s why they require the test for the GPA advantage?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have missed it (discussion here), but did anyone see the part where APS will only pay for 3 AP exams in a student’s whole APS career (they currently pay for all)? If you don’t take the AP exam, you don’t get the GPA bump from taking an AP class.

Why is APS paying for any? I know my high school didn't. Presumably there's a fee waiver or reduced fees for those with financial need, but I don't know why APS would pay exam fees for well off students.

Because 1) they require the exam for the GPA bump. So you’re basically buying a higher GPA, and 2) they actively try (at least at WHS) to encourage a more diverse group of students to take AP classes, and the new policy does the opposite of that.

maybe they should stop requiring the AP test to get the GPA bump. On some level if you did the work for the class, you should get the bump unless APS does not think their classes are taught in a rigorous way and thinks that instead all the rigor actually comes from studying for the test. But in that case I would argue that APS should revamp the courses themselves. I did not take any AP tests my senior year of high school because I either was not going to get credit from my college or could get the same credit by taking my college's own placement test. For students in that situation, APS is just wasting money on the exams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s time to take bold action and kill Montessori once and for a

Were you not invited to birthday parties as a kid? You seem to have a pathological hatred for preK. BTW, this program is very popular and successful.

I would assume the Montessori preschool was self funded with fees?

DP. Montessori brings in more than a $1M a year to general fund. Technically not self funded but one of the very few programs that adds revenue. And the costs per pupil don’t include the revenue brought in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A couple of years ago, Duran gave all of the central office staff (that don’t work in schools) paid vacation for Christmas break and Spring break, in addition to the leave they already accrue (about three weeks). No other school district in the area does this. I am curious as to why the cost of that is not included in this report.

According to someone writing to arl.now , for central office staff not in schools, "School Board allows 32 (!) paid holidays for 12-month employees in addition to Annual Leave of up to 28 days depending on length of service". Is this accurate? OMG, so messed up with public funds! No wonder staff and teachers in schools are so frustrated with central office people, especially when they are uncaring and unresponsive to teachers expressed needs. Looking at you Syphax!

https://www.arlnow.com/2025/03/21/views-split-on-whether-aps-budget-plan-prioritizes-classrooms-over-central-office/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have missed it (discussion here), but did anyone see the part where APS will only pay for 3 AP exams in a student’s whole APS career (they currently pay for all)? If you don’t take the AP exam, you don’t get the GPA bump from taking an AP class.

Why is APS paying for any? I know my high school didn't. Presumably there's a fee waiver or reduced fees for those with financial need, but I don't know why APS would pay exam fees for well off students.

Because 1) they require the exam for the GPA bump. So you’re basically buying a higher GPA, and 2) they actively try (at least at WHS) to encourage a more diverse group of students to take AP classes, and the new policy does the opposite of that.

No, it doesn’t. If you have financial need they’ll be paid for. there’s no reason why we should be paying for nine AP exams for a kid who lives in a $3 million house and goes to Yorktown.

Exactly. Three is plenty. Additional ones could be put on a sliding scale if we want to find common ground.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have missed it (discussion here), but did anyone see the part where APS will only pay for 3 AP exams in a student’s whole APS career (they currently pay for all)? If you don’t take the AP exam, you don’t get the GPA bump from taking an AP class.

Why is APS paying for any? I know my high school didn't. Presumably there's a fee waiver or reduced fees for those with financial need, but I don't know why APS would pay exam fees for well off students.

Because 1) they require the exam for the GPA bump. So you’re basically buying a higher GPA, and 2) they actively try (at least at WHS) to encourage a more diverse group of students to take AP classes, and the new policy does the opposite of that.

We had to pay because our HS wanted us to have some skin in the game. Otherwise it's tempting to sign up for AP exams but then decide not to show up if you don't think you've studied enough, particularly spring of senior year when you likely already know that certain credits won't transfer.

Interesting. Perhaps that’s why they require the test for the GPA advantage?

By spring of senior year the GPA bump won't matter to most. Having the A or whatever on your transcript is enough. It's not like APS lowers your letter grade.

[Anonymous]

Could we please cut whoever is being paid to text me the APS Friday Five every week? There is never one single thing in there that I need to know. I would like to block these texts, but it’s the same number that sends me texts from my kid’s actual school, which actually are occasionally helpful. But I don’t think APS really needs this communications staff and honestly if they could just use APS student interns instead that would be better ha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher. Three weeks of leave should be for school-based staff. Central office should not keep it.

This! Lots of money to save for school based programs if APS wasn't giving all those free days to central office staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where’s a list of all Syphax roles?

Superintendent’s Cabinet 2024 – 2025 (8 pages!):
https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2024/09/APS-Organizational-Chart-24-25.pdf