VA math changes - ways to speak out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really hesitant to send an email to my delegate about anything, to be honest. A year or so ago I sent him an email about a bill I had reasonable reservations about and he sent me a long vitriolic reply calling me a right wing extremist. I'm a Democrat. I don't trust him to listen to my concerns. I'll look up who else I can email about it.

Which bill?

[Anonymous]

Which delegate? I’m a Dem but that is awful behavior by an elected official.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suggest contacting the school board, and seeing if they will bring a resolution opposing the changes, and confirming they will continue to track and offer acceleration. I don't think they are allowed to offer additional classes, but they can let kids continue to test up to higher levels, and separate the classes by ability.

Maybe other school districts' school boards would help but I highly doubt Fairfax County will. If you live in Fairfax county I would contact your state senator and delegate and anyone you are considering voting for, for Gov.

+1
FCPS - and probably APS and ACPS too - SB will be no help here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which delegate? I’m a Dem but that is awful behavior by an elected official.

Mark Levine

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which delegate? I’m a Dem but that is awful behavior by an elected official.

Mark Levine

Which bill?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really hesitant to send an email to my delegate about anything, to be honest. A year or so ago I sent him an email about a bill I had reasonable reservations about and he sent me a long vitriolic reply calling me a right wing extremist. I'm a Democrat. I don't trust him to listen to my concerns. I'll look up who else I can email about it.

I sure hope you won't be voting that person in again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which delegate? I’m a Dem but that is awful behavior by an elected official.

Mark Levine

Which bill?

Gun control?
Abortion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All kids having a "deeper learning experience" in math sounds good. Gut instinct - good idea! We all want kids to understand math -- hopefully like one stream of it (finance, statistics, etc) But a "deeper learning experience" is a term of art -- meaningless without specifics. And this plan is on track to start rolling our soon (test runs before full scale in 25-26).

I have reached out to elected officials and even a school principal. None of them seem to know anything about it beyond a bullet point or two provided by the VA DOE and it's all **abstract talking points.**

They call for detracking all the way through elementary school. In practical terms, that may mean:
--No AAP
--No honors/advanced math in elementary or middle school.
--This would be statewide, but the IB diploma is set by international standards. The switch to this pacing would make it difficult to get the IB diploma.
--Fewer chances for advanced math and science classes. Students interested in STEM would hit fewer higher level classes and thus be less competitive to certain colleges.
--This also translates into fewer opportunities for AP courses at the high school level. That is real money in at college level courses that will hit college students and their families' pocketbooks.
--For teachers, they talk about "heterogenous classrooms," which translates into them expecting miracles out of teachers so they they teach to all levels in one room. That won't happen.

On one of the webinars, a state employee who was a representative of the VMPI said well - college level courses should stay in college. No a fan of the AP level coursework. Again... that is a huge money saver for many families.

I think this program has some unintended consequences. I would love to be wrong, but I don't think people have any idea what is coming at them and it will change the system in some pretty profound ways.

I believe in public education and think they should look for more ways to help students get and stay interested in math. But that shouldn't start by eliminating advancement opportunities.

I encourage you to reach out to your school board members and your elected officials (more than once if you have to) to make sure they become educated beyond the abstract terms.

I spoke to my state Senator yesterday and he plans to reach out to the VMPI for clarity (practical implications -- not abstract jargon), but we need all of the state senators and delegates and school board members to AT LEAST UNDERSTAND the implications of what it will mean in practical terms.

You are speculating that it’d be harder for IB. They haven’t shared specifics yet.

I think it’s important to understand the impacts of these changes — that will be easier to do after they’ve shared specifics. We should hear more at the next info sessions.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 - Essential Concepts in Grades 8 - 10
Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Advanced Pathways in Grades 11 - 12

https://youtube.com/channel/UCrbxl9wHScrWKWIEoUWNIfQ

So I posted 6 reasons for concern and you mentioned I was speculating on the one that likely affects the least number of families. I encourage everyone to watch those webinars and submit questions, but know you are watching it on youtube and they pick the questions they want to answer. Also... Asking bureaucrats at VMPI, who support the plan and talk in abstract terms, will have less impact than reaching out to your Delegate and State Senator and school board. The superintendents will have to follow the programs. The others may have more room to shape it. Also - these last two webinars are directed towards kids in upper-grades, BUT the people most affected by this are in elementary school now. So... elementary school parents... I know it's for Grades 8-10, but you need to be watching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which delegate? I’m a Dem but that is awful behavior by an elected official.

Mark Levine

Which bill?

Gun control?
Abortion?

Let me guess. You emailed him about gun control right after that 2A nutjob stalked his house?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All kids having a "deeper learning experience" in math sounds good. Gut instinct - good idea! We all want kids to understand math -- hopefully like one stream of it (finance, statistics, etc) But a "deeper learning experience" is a term of art -- meaningless without specifics. And this plan is on track to start rolling our soon (test runs before full scale in 25-26).

I have reached out to elected officials and even a school principal. None of them seem to know anything about it beyond a bullet point or two provided by the VA DOE and it's all **abstract talking points.**

They call for detracking all the way through elementary school. In practical terms, that may mean:
--No AAP
--No honors/advanced math in elementary or middle school.
--This would be statewide, but the IB diploma is set by international standards. The switch to this pacing would make it difficult to get the IB diploma.
--Fewer chances for advanced math and science classes. Students interested in STEM would hit fewer higher level classes and thus be less competitive to certain colleges.
--This also translates into fewer opportunities for AP courses at the high school level. That is real money in at college level courses that will hit college students and their families' pocketbooks.
--For teachers, they talk about "heterogenous classrooms," which translates into them expecting miracles out of teachers so they they teach to all levels in one room. That won't happen.

On one of the webinars, a state employee who was a representative of the VMPI said well - college level courses should stay in college. No a fan of the AP level coursework. Again... that is a huge money saver for many families.

I think this program has some unintended consequences. I would love to be wrong, but I don't think people have any idea what is coming at them and it will change the system in some pretty profound ways.

I believe in public education and think they should look for more ways to help students get and stay interested in math. But that shouldn't start by eliminating advancement opportunities.

I encourage you to reach out to your school board members and your elected officials (more than once if you have to) to make sure they become educated beyond the abstract terms.

I spoke to my state Senator yesterday and he plans to reach out to the VMPI for clarity (practical implications -- not abstract jargon), but we need all of the state senators and delegates and school board members to AT LEAST UNDERSTAND the implications of what it will mean in practical terms.

You are speculating that it’d be harder for IB. They haven’t shared specifics yet.

I think it’s important to understand the impacts of these changes — that will be easier to do after they’ve shared specifics. We should hear more at the next info sessions.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 - Essential Concepts in Grades 8 - 10
Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Advanced Pathways in Grades 11 - 12

https://youtube.com/channel/UCrbxl9wHScrWKWIEoUWNIfQ

So I posted 6 reasons for concern and you mentioned I was speculating on the one that likely affects the least number of families. I encourage everyone to watch those webinars and submit questions, but know you are watching it on youtube and they pick the questions they want to answer. Also... Asking bureaucrats at VMPI, who support the plan and talk in abstract terms, will have less impact than reaching out to your Delegate and State Senator and school board. The superintendents will have to follow the programs. The others may have more room to shape it. Also - these last two webinars are directed towards kids in upper-grades, BUT the people most affected by this are in elementary school now. So... elementary school parents... I know it's for Grades 8-10, but you need to be watching.

I completely agree people should stay informed and provide constructive feedback to VDOE & representatives.

The doomsday scenarios being thrown around based on zero facts aren’t productive at all though.

It’ll be easier to give feedback after the next two sessions once they’ve (hopefully) provided some specifics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Voters elected an administration which supported this proposal. I don’t get the outrage.

Ignorance.

Huh?

People are outraged because they don't understand the changes. They are speculating and coming up with all sorts of doomsday scenarios.

It is speculating until it is implemented and people see it in action. At this point several years worth of kids have been put thru inferior classes.

It’s speculating until they announce plans.

They have announced they are eliminating tracking. They have announced the available classes for 11th and 12th grade.
They have announced that group work can be used to help underperforming kids do better.
They have announced that calculus in high school is not important, only 28%, etc.
They have announced that equity is a primary goal.
They have put math and social justice as one of their source materials.
They have announced that asians and whites do better than average on SOLs while other races do worse.
They have announced that they are eliminating advancing ahead in classes.

Also, in LCPS they have announced going to Integrated Math 9 from Prealgebra in 8th grade for 2024-2025. So they aren't too worried about these kids missing out on algebra prior to Math 9.

Speculating would be if I took their announcement that geometry and algebra will be 2 of the 5 things covered in math from grade 8 thru 10 and concluding they are 40% of the class.
It looks like they are doing everything with computer assistance and modeling and indeed doing a cliff's notes version.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which delegate? I’m a Dem but that is awful behavior by an elected official.

Mark Levine

Which bill?

Gun control?
Abortion?

Let me guess. You emailed him about gun control right after that 2A nutjob stalked his house?

No, it was not about gun control or abortion. Like I said, I'm a Democrat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I think it’s important to understand the impacts of these changes — that will be easier to do after they’ve shared specifics. We should hear more at the next info sessions."

Why do they keep only sharing info orally in dribs and drabs? Why isn't there more in writing on the VMPI website like a FAQ that responds substantively - not in talking points or top-level assurances - to the questions and concerns that have been raised? If all is fine and this is great for everyone it's sure odd how little is in writing and in detail.

I assume they haven’t finalized the plan enough for public consumption.

But they have done it enough to take opportunities away from students. LCPS, no 6th graders in algebra, no 7th graders in geometry, no 8th graders in alg 2/trig, in 2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024 respectively.
Don't know if Fairfax has implemented changes in response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suggest contacting the school board, and seeing if they will bring a resolution opposing the changes, and confirming they will continue to track and offer acceleration. I don't think they are allowed to offer additional classes, but they can let kids continue to test up to higher levels, and separate the classes by ability.

Maybe other school districts' school boards would help but I highly doubt Fairfax County will. If you live in Fairfax county I would contact your state senator and delegate and anyone you are considering voting for, for Gov.

Fairfax has the most kids that accelerate. You need to push a school board member to bring a resolution to put the existing board on record. If they vote no, it gives a push to remove the school board members.

[Anonymous]

This is NOT going to be aSB decision of VDOE gets their way. SB is a waste of time. Effort needs focused at the state level.