APS: I can't keep up! (ASFS)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

One of the great aspects of Key being a neighborhood school for spanish speaking students was the ability to late-register and still have guaranteed admission. Many of our spanish speaking students have a higher mobility rate and frequently register at the last minute, moving to the community because of metro access, affordable housing units, and word of mouth that there is a spanish immersion school in close proximity. Those students will be out of luck under the proposed system that is being billed as more equitable in an effort to give higher-income families from other parts of the county more equitable access to immersion. So while it may be well-intended, there is a very direct negative impact that disproportionately impacts lower income spanish speaking families who are less likely to own a house and more likely to be renters without a full understanding of the need to establish residence before the lottery closes.

I understand this concern- but I do think if the lottery is properly implemented it won't be a concern. Basically this means that you go 50/50, and it doesn't close for the Spanish dominant families. So yes they get priority if they apply by April 15th, but their are effectively 50 seats set aside for spanish dominant families in the rising Kindergarten class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

One of the great aspects of Key being a neighborhood school for spanish speaking students was the ability to late-register and still have guaranteed admission. Many of our spanish speaking students have a higher mobility rate and frequently register at the last minute, moving to the community because of metro access, affordable housing units, and word of mouth that there is a spanish immersion school in close proximity. Those students will be out of luck under the proposed system that is being billed as more equitable in an effort to give higher-income families from other parts of the county more equitable access to immersion. So while it may be well-intended, there is a very direct negative impact that disproportionately impacts lower income spanish speaking families who are less likely to own a house and more likely to be renters without a full understanding of the need to establish residence before the lottery closes.

I understand this concern- but I do think if the lottery is properly implemented it won't be a concern. Basically this means that you go 50/50, and it doesn't close for the Spanish dominant families. So yes they get priority if they apply by April 15th, but their are effectively 50 seats set aside for spanish dominant families in the rising Kindergarten class.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree that the lottery, as structured, would negatively impact and diminish access to a whole slew of families who move into the county too late to participate in the lottery who otherwise would be prime candidates for the program. One of my frustrations watching this process is that Claremont and Key really do have a different enrollment dynamic, and much of the impetus to change things with Key has almost nothing to do with there being a need for change with Key's boundaries. It is driven more by a combination of Claremont's enrollment patterns (where surrounding neighborhoods seem to not like their local school option and they choose immersion to escape rather than out of a love for immersion, which creates an unnatural increase in the demand for immersion within the Claremont boundaries) and people's anger at the way ASFS transfers are managed. I get the need to level the playing field for choice schools, but the inability to register late for spanish speaking families who move in across the street from Key - at least that aspect of the proposed lottery system seems like a bad change, not a good change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does tonight's vote also get into high school issues or are we just dealing with choice and transfers?

Murphy is going to recommend the hybrid option tonight. It's already in the presentation. I believe there's a link in this thread on one of the later pages:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/645195.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does tonight's vote also get into high school issues or are we just dealing with choice and transfers?

Murphy is going to recommend the hybrid option tonight. It's already in the presentation. I believe there's a link in this thread on one of the later pages:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/645195.page

The vote is for the enrollment policy. For the HS seats they are presenting the recommendation. There will be a community session for feedback on the recommendation. The board votes on HS seats later in June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

One of the great aspects of Key being a neighborhood school for spanish speaking students was the ability to late-register and still have guaranteed admission. Many of our spanish speaking students have a higher mobility rate and frequently register at the last minute, moving to the community because of metro access, affordable housing units, and word of mouth that there is a spanish immersion school in close proximity. Those students will be out of luck under the proposed system that is being billed as more equitable in an effort to give higher-income families from other parts of the county more equitable access to immersion. So while it may be well-intended, there is a very direct negative impact that disproportionately impacts lower income spanish speaking families who are less likely to own a house and more likely to be renters without a full understanding of the need to establish residence before the lottery closes.

I understand this concern- but I do think if the lottery is properly implemented it won't be a concern. Basically this means that you go 50/50, and it doesn't close for the Spanish dominant families. So yes they get priority if they apply by April 15th, but their are effectively 50 seats set aside for spanish dominant families in the rising Kindergarten class.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree that the lottery, as structured, would negatively impact and diminish access to a whole slew of families who move into the county too late to participate in the lottery who otherwise would be prime candidates for the program. One of my frustrations watching this process is that Claremont and Key really do have a different enrollment dynamic, and much of the impetus to change things with Key has almost nothing to do with there being a need for change with Key's boundaries. It is driven more by a combination of Claremont's enrollment patterns (where surrounding neighborhoods seem to not like their local school option and they choose immersion to escape rather than out of a love for immersion, which creates an unnatural increase in the demand for immersion within the Claremont boundaries) and people's anger at the way ASFS transfers are managed. I get the need to level the playing field for choice schools, but the inability to register late for spanish speaking families who move in across the street from Key - at least that aspect of the proposed lottery system seems like a bad change, not a good change.

If there's still space they could register late. Let's face it, the area around Key is changing demographically and in a few years there won't be many families who fall into this category, because their housing won't exist, at least not in the current Key zone. However, there will be MANY families in the new Key "east boundary" who live in south Arlington who could, theoretically, enroll at Key. I think things are changing rapidly, and the majority of low-income Spanish speaking families are going to be living in different places than they do now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree that the lottery, as structured, would negatively impact and diminish access to a whole slew of families who move into the county too late to participate in the lottery who otherwise would be prime candidates for the program. One of my frustrations watching this process is that Claremont and Key really do have a different enrollment dynamic, and much of the impetus to change things with Key has almost nothing to do with there being a need for change with Key's boundaries. It is driven more by a combination of Claremont's enrollment patterns (where surrounding neighborhoods seem to not like their local school option and they choose immersion to escape rather than out of a love for immersion, which creates an unnatural increase in the demand for immersion within the Claremont boundaries) and people's anger at the way ASFS transfers are managed. I get the need to level the playing field for choice schools, but the inability to register late for spanish speaking families who move in across the street from Key - at least that aspect of the proposed lottery system seems like a bad change, not a good change.

If you are correct, that spanish speaking families that register in the weeks before school, can't get in- then it is a bad change. That's not how I read the policy however- I read it as saying that 50% of the seats are set aside for Spanish speaking kids- so the only way late registrants aren't getting in is if 50% of the seats are already taken, a prospect that seems unlikely- and if it happens should result in a 3rd immersion school.

I don't think the policy changes were driven by Claremont- although Claremont's admissions are some of the most insane. You are currently guaranteed admission if you come from Abingdon, Oakridge or Hoffman-Boston. THose are three of the strongest South ARlington elementary schools. Oakridge and Hoffman-Boston aren't even close to Abingdon. It made no sense to prioritize kids in those school zones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:



Worse yet, there are false narratives put forth about APS rushing this through or not looking at the numbers. If you see the big picture and understand how long these changes have been in the works, you will know the truth.

This is not to defend APS and say that they are blameless and have done everything right. They haven’t. One of the biggest mistakes they have made has been delaying these changes for as long as they have.

In the end, the proposed changes to the Enrollment and Transfer Policy are intended to BEGIN solving some really, really hard problems and it is long overdue. It is just the beginning and the solution is not perfect, but it is a step in the right direction. And even if it will stress certain areas a bit more, on the whole, it will begin the process of addressing some systemic problems that ultimately affect us all.

APS has been seriously considering changes to the Enrollment and Transfer Policy for quite a few years. APS has also been looking at the numbers very carefully. It may not always seem like it, when it may negatively affect a specific area that you care about, but it is true.

Here's the problem: APS has been so wrong about numbers for so long that people are (rightly) suspicious of any claims that they've gotten it right this time. And while a new transfer policy and new boundaries make sense, capitulating to Nancy Van Tantrum and the addition of sibling preference at the secondary level are the most significant and least logical changes.

We're in the Key/ASFS zone, and I support making Key countywide and ASFS neighborhood, but ONLY if ASFS's neighborhood becomes its actual neighborhood, with the boundaries redrawn to bring in some lower income kids who currently get shipped to Ashlawn. LV can go wherever, because virtually none of them are going to walk to ASFS (and note the "virtually" -- if you walk, good for you, but you are the exception and you know it). A short bus ride is not a problem.

I completely agree on the twins at the secondary level, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

As for the neighborhood boundary thing, again I agee. Realize, though, that this is the first step and it's not going to happen overnight. (We didn't get in this mess overnight and we're not going to solve it overnight either.) The policy change is for 2018. In 2019, APS will look tackle elementary boundary changes. One sets up the other. And they need to do both to fix this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think the current arrangement with ASFS and KEY is such a problem that it needs to be changed. At the very least Key should continue to be a neighborhood school with automatic access to the kids in the apartments across the street, many of whom are spanish speakers (makes for a good fit with a spanish immersion school). I think the impetus for changing Key is a spillover from the increased demand for immersion by the neighborhoods assigned to Claremont. Rather than messing with ASFS and Key attendance zones to create the illusion of increased equity in access to choice schools - which doesn't really seem to help anyone very much - maybe they should open a third immersion school and an additional science-focus school?

Changes are not just to address ASFS and Key. They are to make things more consistent and equitable. Automatic access, as you call it, it part of the problem. Whether this is the Team or the Claremont Cluster or guaranteed neighborhood access to an option school, it creates an inequity that APS is trying to start to unwind.

And yes, starting a third immersion school might be a good idea, assuming the demand is there and it's done properly.

[Anonymous]

Would it have been easier to just change the immersion admissions process? All kids apply for immersion and the lottery winners get a seat somewhere - Key, Claremont, #3.

Is there that much unmet demand? Key never had much of a wait list...

[Anonymous]

So, what did they decide?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree that the lottery, as structured, would negatively impact and diminish access to a whole slew of families who move into the county too late to participate in the lottery who otherwise would be prime candidates for the program. One of my frustrations watching this process is that Claremont and Key really do have a different enrollment dynamic, and much of the impetus to change things with Key has almost nothing to do with there being a need for change with Key's boundaries. It is driven more by a combination of Claremont's enrollment patterns (where surrounding neighborhoods seem to not like their local school option and they choose immersion to escape rather than out of a love for immersion, which creates an unnatural increase in the demand for immersion within the Claremont boundaries) and people's anger at the way ASFS transfers are managed. I get the need to level the playing field for choice schools, but the inability to register late for spanish speaking families who move in across the street from Key - at least that aspect of the proposed lottery system seems like a bad change, not a good change.

If you are correct, that spanish speaking families that register in the weeks before school, can't get in- then it is a bad change. That's not how I read the policy however- I read it as saying that 50% of the seats are set aside for Spanish speaking kids- so the only way late registrants aren't getting in is if 50% of the seats are already taken, a prospect that seems unlikely- and if it happens should result in a 3rd immersion school.

I don't think the policy changes were driven by Claremont- although Claremont's admissions are some of the most insane. You are currently guaranteed admission if you come from Abingdon, Oakridge or Hoffman-Boston. THose are three of the strongest South ARlington elementary schools. Oakridge and Hoffman-Boston aren't even close to Abingdon. It made no sense to prioritize kids in those school zones.

I always wondered if it was some sort of back door way to lessen the number of Spanish speakers at those schools, but that wouldn't make sense. Barcroft is much closer and I'm surprised it doesn't enjoy the same status.

The school board seriously needs to redraw districts or revamp the school placement system.

[Anonymous]

I agree that the SB needs to redraw districts and consider ALL schools and boundaries when they do so. However, I believe all schools that they add will be "choice" schools. SB or Murphy said they need 2 to 3 new elementary schools. Every last one of those schools will be choice. Part of the reason is that it looks great in a nation-wide press release "Look, Arlington kids have so many options - that SB is awesome." and the other part is that they do not have to deal with boundaries again. So much easier. And with O'Grady (lover of choice schools), it is a given. So sad.

[Anonymous]

I cannot believe I am saying this, but I am ready for vouchers.

[Anonymous]

It is sad. Choice schools need to go away (OK, maybe except immersion).

Did anyone watch the meeting last night? Somebody on AEM was freaking out, but didn't say why.....just vaguebooking about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is sad. Choice schools need to go away (OK, maybe except immersion).

Did anyone watch the meeting last night? Somebody on AEM was freaking out, but didn't say why.....just vaguebooking about it.

They can't go away, not until communities integrate. And that's even less likely to happen. This is a way that the SB can get away with saying the system isn't one of the most hyper segregated in the country, while not forcing crazy boundaries to make that actually true. I think we're stuck with the system we have. And if you look at the choice programs, except for HB, they more closely resemble the overall demographics of APS than most neighborhood schools. The ones that don't (like HB) can take some easy steps to become more diverse, certainly easier than trying to get diversity through boundary changes. That's why this is happening. If people didn't act like lunatics during boundary changes or when multi family housing is proposed in certain areas, things might be different. But they're not.