New Budget Recommendations -- eliminate AAP busing and centers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than the cost of transportation which is about $1 million, I just don't see why there is so much hate for AAP programs. Fairfax provides access to a higher level curriculum to many more students than surrounding counties with three different levels of gifted education plus AART teachers at just about every school. The actual time children receive gifted education is greatly increased for Fairfax students as well. To me these are all good things. Why would anyone want to reduce the access of higher level curriculum materials to students? It just makes no sense. It's also one of the most equitable testing methods in the nation with several intelligence and reading tests as part of the process, a teacher recommendation, parent referral allowed, appeals allowed, entrance allowed at 6 grade levels. To me the only issue with the AAP program is that it's a bit divisive. I think this can be worked out without dismantling the program and reducing services to students.

After 23 pages, it seems to boil down to some parents just not being able to handle the fact that their kids aren't gifted in academics. Or more accurately, they believe their kids are gifted and FCPS does not. Honestly, reading many of these responses (AAP is more unfair than childhood cancer. AAP is the root of all evil), the biggest problem most parents seem to have is a big case of sour grapes.

If it were only a "higher level curriculum" program then it might make more sense. Seems to me that it is more of a special education program for most students in the center programs.

And that being said, there is a need for a special place for these special students. I prefer they keep the centers and keep these special students separate from my non AAP students. All you non-center parents be careful what you ask for. You really don't want these center students at your kids school. Do you? Go visit an AAP center at lunch time or on the play ground and if you get the chance a classroom. You'll want those centers when your visit is done. Just make 'em pay for the busing and generate $1mil revenue instead of costs.

What does this mean? Can you elaborate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than the cost of transportation which is about $1 million, I just don't see why there is so much hate for AAP programs. Fairfax provides access to a higher level curriculum to many more students than surrounding counties with three different levels of gifted education plus AART teachers at just about every school. The actual time children receive gifted education is greatly increased for Fairfax students as well. To me these are all good things. Why would anyone want to reduce the access of higher level curriculum materials to students? It just makes no sense. It's also one of the most equitable testing methods in the nation with several intelligence and reading tests as part of the process, a teacher recommendation, parent referral allowed, appeals allowed, entrance allowed at 6 grade levels. To me the only issue with the AAP program is that it's a bit divisive. I think this can be worked out without dismantling the program and reducing services to students.

After 23 pages, it seems to boil down to some parents just not being able to handle the fact that their kids aren't gifted in academics. Or more accurately, they believe their kids are gifted and FCPS does not. Honestly, reading many of these responses (AAP is more unfair than childhood cancer. AAP is the root of all evil), the biggest problem most parents seem to have is a big case of sour grapes.

You do realize that response was not written by anyone trying to reform AAP? It was written sarcastically by one of the AAP fangirls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Other than the cost of transportation which is about $1 million, I just don't see why there is so much hate for AAP programs. Fairfax provides access to a higher level curriculum to many more students than surrounding counties with three different levels of gifted education plus AART teachers at just about every school. The actual time children receive gifted education is greatly increased for Fairfax students as well. To me these are all good things. Why would anyone want to reduce the access of higher level curriculum materials to students? It just makes no sense. It's also one of the most equitable testing methods in the nation with several intelligence and reading tests as part of the process, a teacher recommendation, parent referral allowed, appeals allowed, entrance allowed at 6 grade levels. To me the only issue with the AAP program is that it's a bit divisive. I think this can be worked out without dismantling the program and reducing services to students.

"A bit"? Understatement of the year. How would you propose working that out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than the cost of transportation which is about $1 million, I just don't see why there is so much hate for AAP programs. Fairfax provides access to a higher level curriculum to many more students than surrounding counties with three different levels of gifted education plus AART teachers at just about every school. The actual time children receive gifted education is greatly increased for Fairfax students as well. To me these are all good things. Why would anyone want to reduce the access of higher level curriculum materials to students? It just makes no sense. It's also one of the most equitable testing methods in the nation with several intelligence and reading tests as part of the process, a teacher recommendation, parent referral allowed, appeals allowed, entrance allowed at 6 grade levels. To me the only issue with the AAP program is that it's a bit divisive. I think this can be worked out without dismantling the program and reducing services to students.

After 23 pages, it seems to boil down to some parents just not being able to handle the fact that their kids aren't gifted in academics. Or more accurately, they believe their kids are gifted and FCPS does not. Honestly, reading many of these responses (AAP is more unfair than childhood cancer. AAP is the root of all evil), the biggest problem most parents seem to have is a big case of sour grapes.

If it were only a "higher level curriculum" program then it might make more sense. Seems to me that it is more of a special education program for most students in the center programs.

It is the exact same curriculum as that given in Gen Ed; it just moves a bit faster. It's most definitely not "special education."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than the cost of transportation which is about $1 million, I just don't see why there is so much hate for AAP programs. Fairfax provides access to a higher level curriculum to many more students than surrounding counties with three different levels of gifted education plus AART teachers at just about every school. The actual time children receive gifted education is greatly increased for Fairfax students as well. To me these are all good things. Why would anyone want to reduce the access of higher level curriculum materials to students? It just makes no sense. It's also one of the most equitable testing methods in the nation with several intelligence and reading tests as part of the process, a teacher recommendation, parent referral allowed, appeals allowed, entrance allowed at 6 grade levels. To me the only issue with the AAP program is that it's a bit divisive. I think this can be worked out without dismantling the program and reducing services to students.

After 23 pages, it seems to boil down to some parents just not being able to handle the fact that their kids aren't gifted in academics. Or more accurately, they believe their kids are gifted and FCPS does not. Honestly, reading many of these responses (AAP is more unfair than childhood cancer. AAP is the root of all evil), the biggest problem most parents seem to have is a big case of sour grapes.

If it were only a "higher level curriculum" program then it might make more sense. Seems to me that it is more of a special education program for most students in the center programs.

And that being said, there is a need for a special place for these special students. I prefer they keep the centers and keep these special students separate from my non AAP students. All you non-center parents be careful what you ask for. You really don't want these center students at your kids school. Do you? Go visit an AAP center at lunch time or on the play ground and if you get the chance a classroom. You'll want those centers when your visit is done. Just make 'em pay for the busing and generate $1mil revenue instead of costs.

Umm... "special students"? Also, what about Gen Ed kids who have to attend centers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Life isn't "fair and equitable" people. Don't you know that by now??

Anyone up.for a challenge?

Pop quiz for you parents out there-- can you name 3 things that are fair and equitable?

The catch is that we all have to agree that what you list is fair and equitable.


I bet we can all easily list 10 things that aren't fair, #1 would be the FCPS AAP.

Can childhood cancer be a close second?

Moron.

Not the PP, but talk about moronic responses.

I would definitely agree that FCPS AAP is unfair and inequitable. This is a public school system. If you want special treatment for your child, there's always private school or homeschooling.

You may want to sit down for this. I'm sorry to tell you that the problem goes much deeper than AAP. FCPS, a public school system, actually offers a wide range of special treatments to some kids but not others. Read all about it here, and despair! http://www.fcps.edu/dss/sei/

Thank you for linking to the Special Education page of FCPS. I'm happy to know that FCPS offers help to those with special needs and disabilities. Interestingly, AAP is not one of the programs listed. AAP is clearly not considered Special Education. I guess that puts to rest all of the specious claims on this forum that AAP should be implemented and treated as Special Education. Have a nice day.

Good gracious, must we provide you a link to the AAP page as well? Dodge the point all you want, call it "special" or not, but there's no getting around that AAP, like other programs, is offered to some but not all. You can't cry about it being "unfair" unless you're going to cry about all such programs.

Pointing out inequities in a public school system isn't "crying" about anything. The fact remains that FCPS should (and does) provide special education and programs to children who have special needs. Surely you can't, with a straight face, claim that the vast majority of AAP kids have "special needs"? I dare you to go make that claim on the Special Needs forum and see what kind of response you get from those parents.

[Anonymous]

There are some community proposals circulating about creating a new Level V program for the highly gifted, possibly starting in 5th grade, and moving Level IV to every school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Other than the cost of transportation which is about $1 million, I just don't see why there is so much hate for AAP programs.

The $1.2 million cost savings of eliminating transportation to Level IV Centers does not take into account the increased transportation costs of busing kids to their base schools for Local Level IV.

[Anonymous]

Pointing out inequities in a public school system isn't "crying" about anything. The fact remains that FCPS should (and does) provide special education and programs to children who have special needs. Surely you can't, with a straight face, claim that the vast majority of AAP kids have "special needs"? I dare you to go make that claim on the Special Needs forum and see what kind of response you get from those parents.

Why on earth would anyone want to do that? Again, you or those like you seem determined to equate AAP with what is formally known as "special needs", or at least to get others to make such a connection. You're the one struggling to comprehend how AAP is able to exist. Some have attempted to draw loose analogies to other programs and are pounced upon in the manner you are doing now. In the end, it's not my or any AAP parent's job to explain it to you. You're hopeless. And yes, cherry picking programs to complain about as inequitable counts as crying in my book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than the cost of transportation which is about $1 million, I just don't see why there is so much hate for AAP programs.

The $1.2 million cost savings of eliminating transportation to Level IV Centers does not take into account the increased transportation costs of busing kids to their base schools for Local Level IV.

Those buses are already in the neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Pointing out inequities in a public school system isn't "crying" about anything. The fact remains that FCPS should (and does) provide special education and programs to children who have special needs. Surely you can't, with a straight face, claim that the vast majority of AAP kids have "special needs"? I dare you to go make that claim on the Special Needs forum and see what kind of response you get from those parents.

Why on earth would anyone want to do that? Again, you or those like you seem determined to equate AAP with what is formally known as "special needs", or at least to get others to make such a connection. You're the one struggling to comprehend how AAP is able to exist. Some have attempted to draw loose analogies to other programs and are pounced upon in the manner you are doing now. In the end, it's not my or any AAP parent's job to explain it to you. You're hopeless. And yes, cherry picking programs to complain about as inequitable counts as crying in my book.

different PP here.

It isn't cherry picking when you are in a forum titled Advanced Academic Programs and the titled of the thread "New Budget Recommendations -- eliminate AAP busing and centers. There was a similar thread in VA Public schools that discussed the other programs on the chopping block.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Pointing out inequities in a public school system isn't "crying" about anything. The fact remains that FCPS should (and does) provide special education and programs to children who have special needs. Surely you can't, with a straight face, claim that the vast majority of AAP kids have "special needs"? I dare you to go make that claim on the Special Needs forum and see what kind of response you get from those parents.

Why on earth would anyone want to do that? Again, you or those like you seem determined to equate AAP with what is formally known as "special needs", or at least to get others to make such a connection. You're the one struggling to comprehend how AAP is able to exist. Some have attempted to draw loose analogies to other programs and are pounced upon in the manner you are doing now. In the end, it's not my or any AAP parent's job to explain it to you. You're hopeless. And yes, cherry picking programs to complain about as inequitable counts as crying in my book.

different PP here.

It isn't cherry picking when you are in a forum titled Advanced Academic Programs and the titled of the thread "New Budget Recommendations -- eliminate AAP busing and centers. There was a similar thread in VA Public schools that discussed the other programs on the chopping block.

No one said PP was being irrelevant or off topic. The cherry picking criticism stands up fine in the context of PP's reasoning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are some community proposals circulating about creating a new Level V program for the highly gifted, possibly starting in 5th grade, and moving Level IV to every school.

OMG! You need an AAP car magnet! Get a life and stop trying to live what you lost through your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than the cost of transportation which is about $1 million, I just don't see why there is so much hate for AAP programs.

The $1.2 million cost savings of eliminating transportation to Level IV Centers does not take into account the increased transportation costs of busing kids to their base schools for Local Level IV.

Those buses are already in the neighborhoods.

NO hate here from a non-AAP parent. Centers are great. Keep the centers they serve a great purpose. Seriously. Something I've learned in my kids elementary education ladder. Keep the centers! I just feel badly for the kids who are pushed there by there parents it really messes with their self esteem and success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than the cost of transportation which is about $1 million, I just don't see why there is so much hate for AAP programs. Fairfax provides access to a higher level curriculum to many more students than surrounding counties with three different levels of gifted education plus AART teachers at just about every school. The actual time children receive gifted education is greatly increased for Fairfax students as well. To me these are all good things. Why would anyone want to reduce the access of higher level curriculum materials to students? It just makes no sense. It's also one of the most equitable testing methods in the nation with several intelligence and reading tests as part of the process, a teacher recommendation, parent referral allowed, appeals allowed, entrance allowed at 6 grade levels. To me the only issue with the AAP program is that it's a bit divisive. I think this can be worked out without dismantling the program and reducing services to students.

After 23 pages, it seems to boil down to some parents just not being able to handle the fact that their kids aren't gifted in academics. Or more accurately, they believe their kids are gifted and FCPS does not. Honestly, reading many of these responses (AAP is more unfair than childhood cancer. AAP is the root of all evil), the biggest problem most parents seem to have is a big case of sour grapes.

If it were only a "higher level curriculum" program then it might make more sense. Seems to me that it is more of a special education program for most students in the center programs.

And that being said, there is a need for a special place for these special students. I prefer they keep the centers and keep these special students separate from my non AAP students. All you non-center parents be careful what you ask for. You really don't want these center students at your kids school. Do you? Go visit an AAP center at lunch time or on the play ground and if you get the chance a classroom. You'll want those centers when your visit is done. Just make 'em pay for the busing and generate $1mil revenue instead of costs.

Umm... "special students"? Also, what about Gen Ed kids who have to attend centers?

Yep they should be at a non center school. It sucks for them.