Please SOUND OFF if you think FCPS is in decline!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has been increasing teacher salaries and reducing class sizes in recent years.

The facilities management is bad, but this is mostly the School Board’s fault. At least FCPS has been renovating schools and adding capacity throughout the system, not overspending on shiny new buildings while failing to plan for adequate seats (as in Arlington - their Superintendent is bailing now, before the shit really hits the fan).

Eight of the top 10 high schools in VA are in FCPS. And about 1/2 are in the top 25. No other system in the area has nearly as many strong pyramids.

That is only based off test scores of kids whose parents make sure they score well and enrich on the sidelines. Very little to do with the school system now. FCSP is going downhill fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a longtime FxCo resident - attended FCPS as well. The elementary and middle schools are nowhere near as rigorous as they were in the 80s. The whole AAP nonsense has been such an unwelcome distraction. The county should have stuck to its very well-regarded GT program that only accepted a tiny percentage of kids. AAP has turned into a circus and isn't really much different from Gen Ed. That, in and of itself, has made elementary and middle school education somewhat of a joke.

However, the high schools do an excellent job of educating students - probably because at that point, AAP ends and all students have the opportunity to take whatever level they want to (regular, honors, or AP/IB). My kids all said that they didn't feel they were really learning anything until they got to high school - and then it was a brand new and interesting world. No more busy work and silly projects.

Two of my kids are now in college, and the third is still in high school. The college kids have been very well prepared. Maybe one day FCPS will come to its senses and do away with AAP; simply raise the bar for ALL kids.

New poster. Sorry that your particular AAP did not prepare your particular kids as well as you would have liked for their excellent HS education; however, the AAP my child did in FCPS was great preparation for the very rigorous education DC got in an FCPS high school. The kids who went through AAP at our ES and MS were more than ready to handle high school and benefit from it.

Your particular experience, and mine, do not define every family's experience with AAP.

There is a huge tendency on DCUM to tar AAP as horrible yet we and other families who went to our specific schools had good experiences overall and some kids had excellent experiences. The constant drumbeat here of "do away with all AAP" pretends that every school, every program, every teacher, every student is the same and has the same experiences. That's just not the real world. If AAP disappeared tomorrow, you'd get what you call "raise the bar for all kids" and teachers would call "differentiation in the classroom." Over time, the complain of parents like you would be this: "In our school there's not enough differentiation to keep kids who work at a higher level interested in learning! We need to give them more stimulation that meets their needs." That's exactly why AAP (whether at center schools or in all schools) exists. Make it vanish in favor of differentiation in the classroom and see how well that works over time. You'll go back to wanting some form of GT or AAP or separate "streams" for students at that level, because teachers just can't help the kids who need help and at the same time provide what other students need to keep engaged and be ready for MS and HS.

I think the problem most people have with AAP is that it has expanded to the point of being ridiculous. Parents find ways to get their borderline students into the program. It used to be very selective. So while these borderline students may work hard, they are not exceptional in any way. I have witnessed this very thing happening.

This also punishes the non-center schools as they lose not only their exceptional students but also the students whose parents will really push them. This leaves base schools with the more than their fair share of remedial cases and English language learners. This causes scores to drop and then the school becomes less desirable as a neighborhood school - resulting in a downward spiral.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has been increasing teacher salaries and reducing class sizes in recent years.

The facilities management is bad, but this is mostly the School Board’s fault. At least FCPS has been renovating schools and adding capacity throughout the system, not overspending on shiny new buildings while failing to plan for adequate seats (as in Arlington - their Superintendent is bailing now, before the shit really hits the fan).

Eight of the top 10 high schools in VA are in FCPS. And about 1/2 are in the top 25. No other system in the area has nearly as many strong pyramids.

That is only based off test scores of kids whose parents make sure they score well and enrich on the sidelines. Very little to do with the school system now. FCSP is going downhill fast.

It’s based on test scores and AP/IB participation and performance (both in absolute terms and relative to other students in the state), as well as graduation rates. It has plenty to do with the parents, the students, and the school system.

[Anonymous]

Our elementary schools can't continue to be absolutely everything to everyone; FARMS to include backpack or weekend subsistence, clothing closets, food pantries, PTA subsidized school supplies, field trips, instrument provision, ESOL, translators for parent meetings and conferences or even a simple emergency call to home, holiday gift distribution...and the list goes on.

And before I get pummeled for daring to mention these issues, I speak from experience and have given my time and money to quietly support FCPS, but I have donor fatigue.

It's rough to send your average, non gifted, English speaking child with two college educated parents to FCPS kindergarten and I've done it four times.

Your solidly average student will quite frankly be lost in the shuffle. I'm convinced that the uptick in IEPs and parent referral to AAP and legions of twice exceptional students is actually a well played, strategic move by savvy and smart FCPS parents. So, if your kid doesn't have a "hook," forget it.
Move your kid to the head of the class if there's an IEP, kid is 2E, ESL, AAP, homeless, pregnant, FARMs, legally emancipated, parent incarcerated or deported, no computer in the home. Help and programs and services will be on the way!

Plan now to teach the basics; handwriting, spelling, math facts, reading comprehension, grammar, pre-algebra skills, geography, to name a few.

Set aside money for private tutors now if you aren't up to the task or never took chemistry, or can't remember geometry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfair boundary lines and disparity between schools.

Unfortunately some parents like these and see them as signs that the system is meeting their child’s needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary schools can't continue to be absolutely everything to everyone; FARMS to include backpack or weekend subsistence, clothing closets, food pantries, PTA subsidized school supplies, field trips, instrument provision, ESOL, translators for parent meetings and conferences or even a simple emergency call to home, holiday gift distribution...and the list goes on.

And before I get pummeled for daring to mention these issues, I speak from experience and have given my time and money to quietly support FCPS, but I have donor fatigue.

It's rough to send your average, non gifted, English speaking child with two college educated parents to FCPS kindergarten and I've done it four times.

Your solidly average student will quite frankly be lost in the shuffle. I'm convinced that the uptick in IEPs and parent referral to AAP and legions of twice exceptional students is actually a well played, strategic move by savvy and smart FCPS parents. So, if your kid doesn't have a "hook," forget it.
Move your kid to the head of the class if there's an IEP, kid is 2E, ESL, AAP, homeless, pregnant, FARMs, legally emancipated, parent incarcerated or deported, no computer in the home. Help and programs and services will be on the way!

Plan now to teach the basics; handwriting, spelling, math facts, reading comprehension, grammar, pre-algebra skills, geography, to name a few.

Set aside money for private tutors now if you aren't up to the task or never took chemistry, or can't remember geometry.

Do you get this specific in your criticism of support for gifted children or children with SN?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary schools can't continue to be absolutely everything to everyone; FARMS to include backpack or weekend subsistence, clothing closets, food pantries, PTA subsidized school supplies, field trips, instrument provision, ESOL, translators for parent meetings and conferences or even a simple emergency call to home, holiday gift distribution...and the list goes on.

And before I get pummeled for daring to mention these issues, I speak from experience and have given my time and money to quietly support FCPS, but I have donor fatigue.

It's rough to send your average, non gifted, English speaking child with two college educated parents to FCPS kindergarten and I've done it four times.

Your solidly average student will quite frankly be lost in the shuffle. I'm convinced that the uptick in IEPs and parent referral to AAP and legions of twice exceptional students is actually a well played, strategic move by savvy and smart FCPS parents. So, if your kid doesn't have a "hook," forget it.
Move your kid to the head of the class if there's an IEP, kid is 2E, ESL, AAP, homeless, pregnant, FARMs, legally emancipated, parent incarcerated or deported, no computer in the home. Help and programs and services will be on the way!

Plan now to teach the basics; handwriting, spelling, math facts, reading comprehension, grammar, pre-algebra skills, geography, to name a few.

Set aside money for private tutors now if you aren't up to the task or never took chemistry, or can't remember geometry.

Also speaking from experience, I don’t think it’s that “rough” at all. Our kids were still privileged and they went on to do quite well in college, even though they did not go to an AAP center.

Most of the beefs with FCPS come from upper middle class white parents upset that poor brown kids receive supplemental assistance and middle class Asian kids win more academic awards. But the 1950s are not coming back. Preparing white kids for the real world in the 21st Century is a good thing. Your kids can still be the center of your world, but the rest of the world does not revolve around them.

[Anonymous]

Our kids have been in the system for a decade now, so we've had time to see some changes.

For starters, grade school class sizes have increased from 18-20 to 26-30. The focus on AAP has also created a situation where elementary students get the scraps, which makes too many parents frantic to get their kids into AAP. It's a weird brew.

As an older parent, I also notice a decline in teacher quality with the changing of the generations as Boomers and Gen Xers retire from teaching and the Millennials step in to replace them. There is less focus on instilling good manners and a strong sense of consistency. The curriculum can feel like it's all over the place at times. (Not all younger teachers are like this, but more than there should be.)

Our grade school's ranking has fallen 3-4 points over the last five years as the older generation of teachers has retired. I am convinced it has something to do in part with the generational teacher change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary schools can't continue to be absolutely everything to everyone; FARMS to include backpack or weekend subsistence, clothing closets, food pantries, PTA subsidized school supplies, field trips, instrument provision, ESOL, translators for parent meetings and conferences or even a simple emergency call to home, holiday gift distribution...and the list goes on.

And before I get pummeled for daring to mention these issues, I speak from experience and have given my time and money to quietly support FCPS, but I have donor fatigue.

It's rough to send your average, non gifted, English speaking child with two college educated parents to FCPS kindergarten and I've done it four times.

Your solidly average student will quite frankly be lost in the shuffle. I'm convinced that the uptick in IEPs and parent referral to AAP and legions of twice exceptional students is actually a well played, strategic move by savvy and smart FCPS parents. So, if your kid doesn't have a "hook," forget it.
Move your kid to the head of the class if there's an IEP, kid is 2E, ESL, AAP, homeless, pregnant, FARMs, legally emancipated, parent incarcerated or deported, no computer in the home. Help and programs and services will be on the way!

Plan now to teach the basics; handwriting, spelling, math facts, reading comprehension, grammar, pre-algebra skills, geography, to name a few.

Set aside money for private tutors now if you aren't up to the task or never took chemistry, or can't remember geometry.

Agree x 1,000,000,000 with Everything. You. Just. Wrote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has been increasing teacher salaries and reducing class sizes in recent years.

The facilities management is bad, but this is mostly the School Board’s fault. At least FCPS has been renovating schools and adding capacity throughout the system, not overspending on shiny new buildings while failing to plan for adequate seats (as in Arlington - their Superintendent is bailing now, before the shit really hits the fan).

Eight of the top 10 high schools in VA are in FCPS. And about 1/2 are in the top 25. No other system in the area has nearly as many strong pyramids.

That is only based off test scores of kids whose parents make sure they score well and enrich on the sidelines. Very little to do with the school system now. FCSP is going downhill fast.

It’s based on test scores and AP/IB participation and performance (both in absolute terms and relative to other students in the state), as well as graduation rates. It has plenty to do with the parents, the students, and the school system.

This might be tough for you to understand, but the school system could be 'ok' right now and still in decline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't say if they're in decline, but the reputation seems overblown compared to affluent NJ suburbs.

NJ suburbs have small, township-based school systems, so of course no single system there will attract as much attention as FCPS.

And the poorer systems in NJ really suffer, because they aren’t subsidized by the wealthier areas.

No they are subsidized due to court decisions. Camden and Newark in particular.

Nobody in Fairfax county gives a sh*t about New Jersey schools.

I live in Fairfax and I do. The education here is worse than what I got as a kid in wealthy suburban NJ, but it seems that the teaching style today and the subject matter covered is much different than what I had as a kid as well. Maybe the current style is better for most of the student population, but k-2 doesn't seem nearly challenging enough.

Then Go back to Jersey, and quit comparing apples and oranges.

I prefer higher standards. I don't understand why FCPS is so highly regarded.

They never even taught penmanship. No instruction on how to letters properly with correct stroke order. They sure know how to draw on a computer and listen to stories on an ipad though!

No actual tests? No mad minutes? No quizzes on reading? No feedback on actual comprehension of reading? There's no actual objective feedback that lets me know what progress my child is making in school. Report cards are entirely subjective and worthless. Progress reports provide minimal textual feedback on challenges and successes. No notes coming home from the teacher saying good or bad feedback.

No required summer reading so far in elementary.

I have to spend money on weekends and get my kid to do workbooks on their own to give them a more challenging education. If I have to determine on my own what my child is learning in school, how well they're learning it, and challenging my own kids so they actually learn something new why the heck are they in school for 7 hours a day?

The only reasons I can see so far why the system is highly rated is because you have a lot of educated wealthy parents, and a relatively large recent immigrant demographic that takes learning seriously outside of school. This means you have a large number of engaged parents, a lot of support, and a more highly intelligent school cohort than the nation at large.

This is so true. What are they doing for 7+ hours each day? I'm serious when I ask this? Are there any teachers who can answer this? It seems there is a lot of sitting around. My child gets work sent home that is marked correct even when the answer is not actually correct.

I teach 4th grade and my day consists of 60 minutes of math, 90 minutes of language arts, 30 minutes of writing, 45 minutes of history, 30 minutes of science, 30 minutes of recess, 30 minutes of lunch and 60 minutes of specials. All the extra time is transition time, bathroom breaks, morning meetings, clean-up, pack-up, etc. I have a schedule and lesson plans and follow them every day. Things get cut if we have an assembly, field trip, delays or early releases, or I need to spend a little more time on one subject. My students are always busy. If they finish something early, they can read, start their homework, or go to the library.

In my class, the students correct their own math (sometimes lang arts) homework after I check that they did it. After they check it, I review it to look for trends, and sometimes they forget to mark something incorrect. Lastly, I am human, and although I grade every assignment that affects their progress report, I sometimes make mistakes when grading. I figure that I grade at least 250 pieces of paper a week.

I hope that answers your question on how I spend my 7+ hours a day.

I highly doubt you're teaching much in those subjects. My guess is 5 minutes of instruction, LOTS of worksheets, some pullouts and a lot of kids working by themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has been increasing teacher salaries and reducing class sizes in recent years.

The facilities management is bad, but this is mostly the School Board’s fault. At least FCPS has been renovating schools and adding capacity throughout the system, not overspending on shiny new buildings while failing to plan for adequate seats (as in Arlington - their Superintendent is bailing now, before the shit really hits the fan).

Eight of the top 10 high schools in VA are in FCPS. And about 1/2 are in the top 25. No other system in the area has nearly as many strong pyramids.

That is only based off test scores of kids whose parents make sure they score well and enrich on the sidelines. Very little to do with the school system now. FCSP is going downhill fast.

It’s based on test scores and AP/IB participation and performance (both in absolute terms and relative to other students in the state), as well as graduation rates. It has plenty to do with the parents, the students, and the school system.

This might be tough for you to understand, but the school system could be 'ok' right now and still in decline.

Or maybe it's parents with younger kids who whine the most and then chill out when they see their kids thriving in high school and college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't say if they're in decline, but the reputation seems overblown compared to affluent NJ suburbs.

NJ suburbs have small, township-based school systems, so of course no single system there will attract as much attention as FCPS.

And the poorer systems in NJ really suffer, because they aren’t subsidized by the wealthier areas.

No they are subsidized due to court decisions. Camden and Newark in particular.

Nobody in Fairfax county gives a sh*t about New Jersey schools.

I live in Fairfax and I do. The education here is worse than what I got as a kid in wealthy suburban NJ, but it seems that the teaching style today and the subject matter covered is much different than what I had as a kid as well. Maybe the current style is better for most of the student population, but k-2 doesn't seem nearly challenging enough.

Then Go back to Jersey, and quit comparing apples and oranges.

I prefer higher standards. I don't understand why FCPS is so highly regarded.

They never even taught penmanship. No instruction on how to letters properly with correct stroke order. They sure know how to draw on a computer and listen to stories on an ipad though!

No actual tests? No mad minutes? No quizzes on reading? No feedback on actual comprehension of reading? There's no actual objective feedback that lets me know what progress my child is making in school. Report cards are entirely subjective and worthless. Progress reports provide minimal textual feedback on challenges and successes. No notes coming home from the teacher saying good or bad feedback.

No required summer reading so far in elementary.

I have to spend money on weekends and get my kid to do workbooks on their own to give them a more challenging education. If I have to determine on my own what my child is learning in school, how well they're learning it, and challenging my own kids so they actually learn something new why the heck are they in school for 7 hours a day?

The only reasons I can see so far why the system is highly rated is because you have a lot of educated wealthy parents, and a relatively large recent immigrant demographic that takes learning seriously outside of school. This means you have a large number of engaged parents, a lot of support, and a more highly intelligent school cohort than the nation at large.

This is so true. What are they doing for 7+ hours each day? I'm serious when I ask this? Are there any teachers who can answer this? It seems there is a lot of sitting around. My child gets work sent home that is marked correct even when the answer is not actually correct.

I teach 4th grade and my day consists of 60 minutes of math, 90 minutes of language arts, 30 minutes of writing, 45 minutes of history, 30 minutes of science, 30 minutes of recess, 30 minutes of lunch and 60 minutes of specials. All the extra time is transition time, bathroom breaks, morning meetings, clean-up, pack-up, etc. I have a schedule and lesson plans and follow them every day. Things get cut if we have an assembly, field trip, delays or early releases, or I need to spend a little more time on one subject. My students are always busy. If they finish something early, they can read, start their homework, or go to the library.

In my class, the students correct their own math (sometimes lang arts) homework after I check that they did it. After they check it, I review it to look for trends, and sometimes they forget to mark something incorrect. Lastly, I am human, and although I grade every assignment that affects their progress report, I sometimes make mistakes when grading. I figure that I grade at least 250 pieces of paper a week.

I hope that answers your question on how I spend my 7+ hours a day.

I highly doubt you're teaching much in those subjects. My guess is 5 minutes of instruction, LOTS of worksheets, some pullouts and a lot of kids working by themselves.

A teacher responds in detail to a post, and you quickly chime in to dismiss the response. What a jerk. Teachers deserve bonuses for putting up with parents like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary schools can't continue to be absolutely everything to everyone; FARMS to include backpack or weekend subsistence, clothing closets, food pantries, PTA subsidized school supplies, field trips, instrument provision, ESOL, translators for parent meetings and conferences or even a simple emergency call to home, holiday gift distribution...and the list goes on.

And before I get pummeled for daring to mention these issues, I speak from experience and have given my time and money to quietly support FCPS, but I have donor fatigue.

It's rough to send your average, non gifted, English speaking child with two college educated parents to FCPS kindergarten and I've done it four times.

Your solidly average student will quite frankly be lost in the shuffle. I'm convinced that the uptick in IEPs and parent referral to AAP and legions of twice exceptional students is actually a well played, strategic move by savvy and smart FCPS parents. So, if your kid doesn't have a "hook," forget it.
Move your kid to the head of the class if there's an IEP, kid is 2E, ESL, AAP, homeless, pregnant, FARMs, legally emancipated, parent incarcerated or deported, no computer in the home. Help and programs and services will be on the way!

Plan now to teach the basics; handwriting, spelling, math facts, reading comprehension, grammar, pre-algebra skills, geography, to name a few.

Set aside money for private tutors now if you aren't up to the task or never took chemistry, or can't remember geometry.

Agree x 1,000,000,000 with Everything. You. Just. Wrote.

Thank you. I've given this a lot of thought. As mentioned, I have served, helped, contributed, volunteered, organized, advised - genuinely trying to not just complain, but affect change through my own actions. It's overwhelming.

PP who mentioned a new generation of teachers not instilling respect and order and discipline. I agree and see this sea change, too. In general, students do not respect those in position of authority. Their parents convey that their children can do no wrong, so often it's parents v. teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary schools can't continue to be absolutely everything to everyone; FARMS to include backpack or weekend subsistence, clothing closets, food pantries, PTA subsidized school supplies, field trips, instrument provision, ESOL, translators for parent meetings and conferences or even a simple emergency call to home, holiday gift distribution...and the list goes on.

And before I get pummeled for daring to mention these issues, I speak from experience and have given my time and money to quietly support FCPS, but I have donor fatigue.

It's rough to send your average, non gifted, English speaking child with two college educated parents to FCPS kindergarten and I've done it four times.

Your solidly average student will quite frankly be lost in the shuffle. I'm convinced that the uptick in IEPs and parent referral to AAP and legions of twice exceptional students is actually a well played, strategic move by savvy and smart FCPS parents. So, if your kid doesn't have a "hook," forget it.
Move your kid to the head of the class if there's an IEP, kid is 2E, ESL, AAP, homeless, pregnant, FARMs, legally emancipated, parent incarcerated or deported, no computer in the home. Help and programs and services will be on the way!

Plan now to teach the basics; handwriting, spelling, math facts, reading comprehension, grammar, pre-algebra skills, geography, to name a few.

Set aside money for private tutors now if you aren't up to the task or never took chemistry, or can't remember geometry.

Agree x 1,000,000,000 with Everything. You. Just. Wrote.

Thank you. I've given this a lot of thought. As mentioned, I have served, helped, contributed, volunteered, organized, advised - genuinely trying to not just complain, but affect change through my own actions. It's overwhelming.

PP who mentioned a new generation of teachers not instilling respect and order and discipline. I agree and see this sea change, too. In general, students do not respect those in position of authority. Their parents convey that their children can do no wrong, so often it's parents v. teachers.

Disagree. I see a lot of young adults coming out of FCPS who are incredibly polite, thoughtful and socially aware. Earlier generations took their privilege for granted and not only tolerated, but perpetuated, inequalities in both access to education and the broader society.

Disgruntled people who can't get their way or win elections are more inclined to take to anonymous forums to vent their disappointment.