FCPS decline

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's the changing student body causing the decline, violence and drugs. The only way to save it is to tighten the boundaries and avoid diversity but the current fcps board is doing the opposite.

You could welcome diversity but still have standards, whether academic or behavioral. Those currently in charge of the county believe that weakening standards is the best way to demonstrate their commitment to "equity." They do this on the backs of others, while typically ensuring their own children or neighborhoods aren't affected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS was never that great, academically or administratively, people are just noticing it now. FCSP's reputation will never recover.

It actually was at one time...but now we are just hanging on to the coat tails of that once had reputation.

And yet, FCPS consistently still are among the highest ranked schools in the nation on a variety of metrics.

Former FCPS teacher and parent here. I taught for 35 years. I graduated from a FCPS High School. My kids graduated from FCPS.
I can tell you that I saw a gradual decline in the quality of teaching during my career. And, a decline in the quality of administration. It is sad, really.
There are still some really great teachers. But, they are being asked to perform miracles. It is not humanly possibly with the time they have and the incredibly diverse students they teach (and i am not talking about "race" diverse). And, it isn't about pay or the amount we spend on students. I believe FCPS has become "top heavy" with way too many central office and administration positions. I also think FCPS has "mainstreamed" to the point where a good teacher is unable to effectively teach the majority of students because of the serious needs of a few.

And, to compare FCPS to other schools across the nation is an attempt at striving for mediocrity. The US is not setting the world on fire with its education system. According to a Business Insider report in 2018, the U.S. ranked 38th in math scores and 24th in science.

My two cents.

This resonates with most people familiar with FCPS but the schools are run by a Democratic establishment that can’t hire enough people in administrative, non-teaching roles and elevates “mainstreaming” and “equity” over everything else. The results in terms of both decking performance and declining morale are totally predictable.

And the public keeps voting for more of the same, so there is unfortunately no reason to expect any improvement any time soon.

Your desperate attempts to convince people who weren’t already going to vote R to vote R still aren’t working.

You fail to realize how many Democrats are disgusted with the decline of FCPS in recent years. Even if they don’t vote for Republicans they are looking for ways to get out of FCPS. Just look at the declining enrollment numbers.

The numbers are trending back up post-pandemic. If you control for shifts in child population compared to pre-pandemic (we're experiencing more of the demographic cliff with the decline of birth rates since now all of ES and MS are covered by the declining birth rate years) the "decline in enrollment" is fairly illusory.

The slight trend upward doesn't change the fact that there was a large loss in enrollment from 2019-20 to 2020-21 and thereafter, which is primarily due to dissatisfaction with FCPS and cannot simply be ascribed to declining birth rates.

[Anonymous]

I fail to see how declining enrollment is a problem for me. My kids are in FCPS, at a school where class sizes have been getting steadily smaller and teacher attention to each student is therefore able to increase. The schmucks sending their kids to private are still paying property, car, and sales tax (not to mention federal taxes, which pays around half of per-student costs). By all means, please pull your kids out. I won't shed a tear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I fail to see how declining enrollment is a problem for me. My kids are in FCPS, at a school where class sizes have been getting steadily smaller and teacher attention to each student is therefore able to increase. The schmucks sending their kids to private are still paying property, car, and sales tax (not to mention federal taxes, which pays around half of per-student costs). By all means, please pull your kids out. I won't shed a tear.

Schools are staffed according to enrollment. Staff can be eliminated. I was a first grade teacher. One year, we lost a first grade teacher because of an unexpected drop in enrollment. Her last day was Halloween that year. The next school day, all the other first grade teachers gained six new kids. Not good for the kids. Not good for the teachers--especially the one who was cut--last hired. She was an absolutely terrific teacher who did find a position at another school.
The sad part--she had a couple of students who were Problem kids. She was magical with them. Those two did not respond well to the change. I was lucky not to get one of them.

[Anonymous]

Exactly. Normally class sizes do not go down with enrollment drops...teachers get destaffed and class sizes may even get bigger. That will only change when state DOE regulations change to mandate smaller class sizes per teacher ... so that kids could actually learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the changing student body causing the decline, violence and drugs. The only way to save it is to tighten the boundaries and avoid diversity but the current fcps board is doing the opposite.

You could welcome diversity but still have standards, whether academic or behavioral. Those currently in charge of the county believe that weakening standards is the best way to demonstrate their commitment to "equity." They do this on the backs of others, while typically ensuring their own children or neighborhoods aren't affected.

Actually you can’t. When minorities make up the majority not living up to standards then standards are jettisoned. Elite white liberals understand that basic fact and move to surgically segregated neighborhoods and schools ( private ) but make sure to stand with Ukraine and have a BLM sign in their front yard to vaccinate themselves against attack by the downtrodden mob.

[Anonymous]

We moved to MOCO for access to multiple and the best privates. MOCO is ahead of the game in that regard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS was never that great, academically or administratively, people are just noticing it now. FCSP's reputation will never recover.

It actually was at one time...but now we are just hanging on to the coat tails of that once had reputation.

And yet, FCPS consistently still are among the highest ranked schools in the nation on a variety of metrics.

Former FCPS teacher and parent here. I taught for 35 years. I graduated from a FCPS High School. My kids graduated from FCPS.
I can tell you that I saw a gradual decline in the quality of teaching during my career. And, a decline in the quality of administration. It is sad, really.
There are still some really great teachers. But, they are being asked to perform miracles. It is not humanly possibly with the time they have and the incredibly diverse students they teach (and i am not talking about "race" diverse). And, it isn't about pay or the amount we spend on students. I believe FCPS has become "top heavy" with way too many central office and administration positions. I also think FCPS has "mainstreamed" to the point where a good teacher is unable to effectively teach the majority of students because of the serious needs of a few.

And, to compare FCPS to other schools across the nation is an attempt at striving for mediocrity. The US is not setting the world on fire with its education system. According to a Business Insider report in 2018, the U.S. ranked 38th in math scores and 24th in science.

My two cents.

This resonates with most people familiar with FCPS but the schools are run by a Democratic establishment that can’t hire enough people in administrative, non-teaching roles and elevates “mainstreaming” and “equity” over everything else. The results in terms of both decking performance and declining morale are totally predictable.

And the public keeps voting for more of the same, so there is unfortunately no reason to expect any improvement any time soon.

Your desperate attempts to convince people who weren’t already going to vote R to vote R still aren’t working.

You fail to realize how many Democrats are disgusted with the decline of FCPS in recent years. Even if they don’t vote for Republicans they are looking for ways to get out of FCPS. Just look at the declining enrollment numbers.

The numbers are trending back up post-pandemic. If you control for shifts in child population compared to pre-pandemic (we're experiencing more of the demographic cliff with the decline of birth rates since now all of ES and MS are covered by the declining birth rate years) the "decline in enrollment" is fairly illusory.

The slight trend upward doesn't change the fact that there was a large loss in enrollment from 2019-20 to 2020-21 and thereafter, which is primarily due to dissatisfaction with FCPS and cannot simply be ascribed to declining birth rates.

I've looked at the data and it doesn't support your conclusion. I don't think it's simply ascribed to declining birth rates. Some people left because they needed/wanted in-person schools, some came back and some didn't--likely in part because they don't want to move their kids. Many DID come back. It's about 2% down compared to pre-pandemic levels--which is in part people who went private and who didn't come back, declining numbers of children in the FCPS area (median age in Fairfax county has been moving up not down compared to Loudoun and other areas). There may be some people dissatisfied, but it doesn't seem to be huge numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS was never that great, academically or administratively, people are just noticing it now. FCSP's reputation will never recover.

It actually was at one time...but now we are just hanging on to the coat tails of that once had reputation.

And yet, FCPS consistently still are among the highest ranked schools in the nation on a variety of metrics.

Former FCPS teacher and parent here. I taught for 35 years. I graduated from a FCPS High School. My kids graduated from FCPS.
I can tell you that I saw a gradual decline in the quality of teaching during my career. And, a decline in the quality of administration. It is sad, really.
There are still some really great teachers. But, they are being asked to perform miracles. It is not humanly possibly with the time they have and the incredibly diverse students they teach (and i am not talking about "race" diverse). And, it isn't about pay or the amount we spend on students. I believe FCPS has become "top heavy" with way too many central office and administration positions. I also think FCPS has "mainstreamed" to the point where a good teacher is unable to effectively teach the majority of students because of the serious needs of a few.

And, to compare FCPS to other schools across the nation is an attempt at striving for mediocrity. The US is not setting the world on fire with its education system. According to a Business Insider report in 2018, the U.S. ranked 38th in math scores and 24th in science.

My two cents.

This resonates with most people familiar with FCPS but the schools are run by a Democratic establishment that can’t hire enough people in administrative, non-teaching roles and elevates “mainstreaming” and “equity” over everything else. The results in terms of both decking performance and declining morale are totally predictable.

And the public keeps voting for more of the same, so there is unfortunately no reason to expect any improvement any time soon.

Your desperate attempts to convince people who weren’t already going to vote R to vote R still aren’t working.

You fail to realize how many Democrats are disgusted with the decline of FCPS in recent years. Even if they don’t vote for Republicans they are looking for ways to get out of FCPS. Just look at the declining enrollment numbers.

The numbers are trending back up post-pandemic. If you control for shifts in child population compared to pre-pandemic (we're experiencing more of the demographic cliff with the decline of birth rates since now all of ES and MS are covered by the declining birth rate years) the "decline in enrollment" is fairly illusory.

The slight trend upward doesn't change the fact that there was a large loss in enrollment from 2019-20 to 2020-21 and thereafter, which is primarily due to dissatisfaction with FCPS and cannot simply be ascribed to declining birth rates.

I've noticed no decreased enrollment or smaller class sizes at all. I know not a single child that transferred as a result of the pandemic. While that's anecdotal, I also don't think 1-2 years out from the pandemic is much of a "trend" either way. People are still using the pandemic as a talking point, riling people up with the politics of it, complaining about it . . . regardless of where you fall on that, you can't say anything after 1.5 years of being back to normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS was never that great, academically or administratively, people are just noticing it now. FCSP's reputation will never recover.

It actually was at one time...but now we are just hanging on to the coat tails of that once had reputation.

And yet, FCPS consistently still are among the highest ranked schools in the nation on a variety of metrics.

Former FCPS teacher and parent here. I taught for 35 years. I graduated from a FCPS High School. My kids graduated from FCPS.
I can tell you that I saw a gradual decline in the quality of teaching during my career. And, a decline in the quality of administration. It is sad, really.
There are still some really great teachers. But, they are being asked to perform miracles. It is not humanly possibly with the time they have and the incredibly diverse students they teach (and i am not talking about "race" diverse). And, it isn't about pay or the amount we spend on students. I believe FCPS has become "top heavy" with way too many central office and administration positions. I also think FCPS has "mainstreamed" to the point where a good teacher is unable to effectively teach the majority of students because of the serious needs of a few.

And, to compare FCPS to other schools across the nation is an attempt at striving for mediocrity. The US is not setting the world on fire with its education system. According to a Business Insider report in 2018, the U.S. ranked 38th in math scores and 24th in science.

My two cents.

This resonates with most people familiar with FCPS but the schools are run by a Democratic establishment that can’t hire enough people in administrative, non-teaching roles and elevates “mainstreaming” and “equity” over everything else. The results in terms of both decking performance and declining morale are totally predictable.

And the public keeps voting for more of the same, so there is unfortunately no reason to expect any improvement any time soon.

Your desperate attempts to convince people who weren’t already going to vote R to vote R still aren’t working.

You fail to realize how many Democrats are disgusted with the decline of FCPS in recent years. Even if they don’t vote for Republicans they are looking for ways to get out of FCPS. Just look at the declining enrollment numbers.

The numbers are trending back up post-pandemic. If you control for shifts in child population compared to pre-pandemic (we're experiencing more of the demographic cliff with the decline of birth rates since now all of ES and MS are covered by the declining birth rate years) the "decline in enrollment" is fairly illusory.

The slight trend upward doesn't change the fact that there was a large loss in enrollment from 2019-20 to 2020-21 and thereafter, which is primarily due to dissatisfaction with FCPS and cannot simply be ascribed to declining birth rates.

That trend was due in large part to people relocating to a cheaper area due to remote/hybrid work or wholesale career changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the changing student body causing the decline, violence and drugs. The only way to save it is to tighten the boundaries and avoid diversity but the current fcps board is doing the opposite.

You could welcome diversity but still have standards, whether academic or behavioral. Those currently in charge of the county believe that weakening standards is the best way to demonstrate their commitment to "equity." They do this on the backs of others, while typically ensuring their own children or neighborhoods aren't affected.

Agreed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS was never that great, academically or administratively, people are just noticing it now. FCSP's reputation will never recover.

It actually was at one time...but now we are just hanging on to the coat tails of that once had reputation.

And yet, FCPS consistently still are among the highest ranked schools in the nation on a variety of metrics.

Former FCPS teacher and parent here. I taught for 35 years. I graduated from a FCPS High School. My kids graduated from FCPS.
I can tell you that I saw a gradual decline in the quality of teaching during my career. And, a decline in the quality of administration. It is sad, really.
There are still some really great teachers. But, they are being asked to perform miracles. It is not humanly possibly with the time they have and the incredibly diverse students they teach (and i am not talking about "race" diverse). And, it isn't about pay or the amount we spend on students. I believe FCPS has become "top heavy" with way too many central office and administration positions. I also think FCPS has "mainstreamed" to the point where a good teacher is unable to effectively teach the majority of students because of the serious needs of a few.

And, to compare FCPS to other schools across the nation is an attempt at striving for mediocrity. The US is not setting the world on fire with its education system. According to a Business Insider report in 2018, the U.S. ranked 38th in math scores and 24th in science.

My two cents.

This resonates with most people familiar with FCPS but the schools are run by a Democratic establishment that can’t hire enough people in administrative, non-teaching roles and elevates “mainstreaming” and “equity” over everything else. The results in terms of both decking performance and declining morale are totally predictable.

And the public keeps voting for more of the same, so there is unfortunately no reason to expect any improvement any time soon.

Your desperate attempts to convince people who weren’t already going to vote R to vote R still aren’t working.

You fail to realize how many Democrats are disgusted with the decline of FCPS in recent years. Even if they don’t vote for Republicans they are looking for ways to get out of FCPS. Just look at the declining enrollment numbers.

The numbers are trending back up post-pandemic. If you control for shifts in child population compared to pre-pandemic (we're experiencing more of the demographic cliff with the decline of birth rates since now all of ES and MS are covered by the declining birth rate years) the "decline in enrollment" is fairly illusory.

The slight trend upward doesn't change the fact that there was a large loss in enrollment from 2019-20 to 2020-21 and thereafter, which is primarily due to dissatisfaction with FCPS and cannot simply be ascribed to declining birth rates.

That trend was due in large part to people relocating to a cheaper area due to remote/hybrid work or wholesale career changes.

You left out the part about people relocating to areas where the schools were open, typically for five days a week. Even when you can work remotely there are a lot of transaction costs associated with relocating. It’s not something you do lightly but the county (including FCPS) are driving people away with policies that aren’t friendly to wage-earners and parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I fail to see how declining enrollment is a problem for me. My kids are in FCPS, at a school where class sizes have been getting steadily smaller and teacher attention to each student is therefore able to increase. The schmucks sending their kids to private are still paying property, car, and sales tax (not to mention federal taxes, which pays around half of per-student costs). By all means, please pull your kids out. I won't shed a tear.

I've subbed in classes like this, and the majority still struggle with basic math facts, in general classes (not AAP).

[Anonymous]

I am not in the district but I know this: large districts with many high needs kids (even if they are concentrated in certain schools) do not tend to do well, at least from the POV of a typical middle class family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the changing student body causing the decline, violence and drugs. The only way to save it is to tighten the boundaries and avoid diversity but the current fcps board is doing the opposite.

You could welcome diversity but still have standards, whether academic or behavioral. Those currently in charge of the county believe that weakening standards is the best way to demonstrate their commitment to "equity." They do this on the backs of others, while typically ensuring their own children or neighborhoods aren't affected.

Actually you can’t. When minorities make up the majority not living up to standards then standards are jettisoned. Elite white liberals understand that basic fact and move to surgically segregated neighborhoods and schools ( private ) but make sure to stand with Ukraine and have a BLM sign in their front yard to vaccinate themselves against attack by the downtrodden mob.

Yep, this