APS budget is unacceptable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Advocate to the County and State to Increase APS Funding

The Superintendent’s Proposed Budget for FY 2025 focuses on a 3.3% increase in compensation for staff, maintenance of core needs, and significant cuts as we work to close a $29.5 million gap.

The County’s budget process is underway. We urge all to advocate to the County to pass a 2.5 cent tax increase to support our schools. There are two upcoming opportunities to advocate for schools. Make your voices heard!

Public Hearing at 7 p.m., on April 2 and April 4.
Members of the public who wish to sign-up to speak at a budget public hearing can do so online.
All work sessions and public hearings are open to the public and will be live-streamed and broadcast on Cable Channel 70 and Verizon FIOS Channel 41.
Budget wrap-up session on April 11, from 3-5 p.m.
Final budget decisions will be made during the April 16 budget mark-up session, from 3-5 p.m. This will be the last meeting before board members vote to formally adopt the final budget on April 20.

Anyone can advocate by attending the hearing or by writing to the County Board at [e-mail]. All are also encouraged to advocate to the State to increase funding for APS – the current budget proposed by the Governor cuts APS. Contact the Governor today!

who is "we"?

APS community members who want our schools to have proper funding.

Ok, so you don't want to say what group wrote that? Why not?

Don't you know? Because it will start the whole APE ranting again.

Is APE pushing Youngkin for more funding?

good question, maybe the APEs will answer, we know they're on here

Of course they're not. They supported him and support his tax cuts.

Is this true?

What is APE’s position on Youngkin **cutting** the funding of K-12?

They've been silent. They are not a "for education" group after all. Anyone surprised?

No I am not surprised. I recall quite a few pro-voucher, Republicans and DINOs in the APE group. Undermining public ed seems to be a feature for them, not a bug. A lot of APE voted for Youngkin.

There are some vocal APEers on DCUM.

What’s the word about Youngkin cutting k-12 funding in APEland?

[Anonymous]

You don’t see APE complaining about the state, just expect the world of APS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don’t see APE complaining about the state, just expect the world of APS

If they are advocating for our kids why aren’t they pushing for proper funding - from Youngkin and the county?

They are a lobbying organization.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don’t see APE complaining about the state, just expect the world of APS

If they are advocating for our kids why aren’t they pushing for proper funding - from Youngkin and the county?

They are a lobbying organization.

I have no idea, go ask APE

(but I suspect it's because APE is actually good with defunding public schools, then they get their vouchers, sail off to private and leave the school system in the lurch - not their problem!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the 2.5¢ tax Duran is asking for?

APS is very well funded already. They just WASTE those funds on unnecessary programs and positions. Get rid of Syphax bloat. Cut Outdoor Lab. Cut the 80/20 immersion program back to 50/50 if it’s more expensive. Get rid of ALL the option schools if they’re more expensive to run than neighborhood schools. FFS, get rid of iPads in K-5, switch to Chromebooks for 6-12.

Agree and disagree.
Rid the bloat - YES.

Cut relatively inexpensive programs that provide a unique and often lasting/life-changing learning experience like Outdoor Lab that are unique to APS? NO. (That goes for TJHSST, too)

80/20 immersion is only "more expensive" as they transition to the model and implement the new parts of the curriculum and provide teacher training. Once the model is established, it is no longer has the extra expense. And again, if this is an instructional model that has a notable positive impact on learning and achievement, especially for English learners and underprivileged students - and especially especially for underprivileged English learners - then NO.

Get rid of option schools that do not show a significant benefit for students v. a typical neighborhood school of similar demographics or less diverse? YES.
Get rid of option programs that are not clearly distinctive from non-option programs and any specific characteristics of which could be incorporated into every school? YES. (looking at you, MPSA, ATS, and HB)

Get rid of iPads entirely? YES YES and YES
Replace iPads 6-8 with laptops/Macbooks? YES. (But maybe not start 1:1 at all until 7th. 6th can continue with classroom sets)
Replace MacBooks with Chromebooks - POSSIBLY. I'd like to see the side-by-side comparisons in costs and security, maintenance, etc.

Sorry, but Outdoor Lab isn’t *LiFe ChAnGiNg* for anyone. (Well, other than the kid who was sexually assaulted recently… Yet another reason to shut it down.)

Keep TJ as an option, as sending kids there isn’t more expensive than keeping them at their home school. (And it actually IS a life-changing experience for those kids.)

And I love teachers, but if they want 12-month employee level salaries, let’s make them 12-month employees. So many kids need summer school at this point, and any excess staff could help solve the summer camp availability problem.

Outdoor Lab has indeed had life-changing impacts on numerous kids. Many kids became interested in science/environmental science/teaching specifically because of their experience there. And that experience was very special for one of my kids because of the way the adults there treated him, out of the ordinary school setting and usual mundane activities.

Agree about the 12-month employment and compensation. I don't think the comparisons AEA and its main spokesperson always make about paid/unpaid days off is fair. You can't make a straight comparison between a yearly employee with a yearly salary and specific benefits to a contracted employee paid for "x" # of days' work.

tell me why APS kids can't take a field trip to one of our many nature centers right here in the County and learn the same things?

The curriculum is coordinated with APS.
Our nature centers don't afford a camping overnight experience.
Our nature centers aren't out farther away from all the city light which hides the stars.
Our nature centers don't have boating/canoeing opportunities.
Our nature centers just don't have the space to accommodate the various activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the 2.5¢ tax Duran is asking for?

APS is very well funded already. They just WASTE those funds on unnecessary programs and positions. Get rid of Syphax bloat. Cut Outdoor Lab. Cut the 80/20 immersion program back to 50/50 if it’s more expensive. Get rid of ALL the option schools if they’re more expensive to run than neighborhood schools. FFS, get rid of iPads in K-5, switch to Chromebooks for 6-12.

Agree and disagree.
Rid the bloat - YES.

Cut relatively inexpensive programs that provide a unique and often lasting/life-changing learning experience like Outdoor Lab that are unique to APS? NO. (That goes for TJHSST, too)

80/20 immersion is only "more expensive" as they transition to the model and implement the new parts of the curriculum and provide teacher training. Once the model is established, it is no longer has the extra expense. And again, if this is an instructional model that has a notable positive impact on learning and achievement, especially for English learners and underprivileged students - and especially especially for underprivileged English learners - then NO.

Get rid of option schools that do not show a significant benefit for students v. a typical neighborhood school of similar demographics or less diverse? YES.
Get rid of option programs that are not clearly distinctive from non-option programs and any specific characteristics of which could be incorporated into every school? YES. (looking at you, MPSA, ATS, and HB)

Get rid of iPads entirely? YES YES and YES
Replace iPads 6-8 with laptops/Macbooks? YES. (But maybe not start 1:1 at all until 7th. 6th can continue with classroom sets)
Replace MacBooks with Chromebooks - POSSIBLY. I'd like to see the side-by-side comparisons in costs and security, maintenance, etc.

Both of you should run for county or school board, it’s clearly very easy to make program and budget decisions (of course there are no constituencies that will give you any pushback or provide evidence/public support for the opposite position). Why don’t we just make all these changes tomorrow, since it’s so obvious what the right/best answer is?

What are YOUR suggestions? Keep asking for more money? For that ship that continues to sink… sink… sink…

Be careful, guys. Even those of us who lean liberal are beginning to see the upsides of school choice and vouchers.

So APS would get even less while you're subsidized to go private? In what universe is that liberal thinking?

Those of us who lean liberal but are forced to live with the reality of the consequences of the policies.

At some point, we have to wake up and see that we are hemorrhaging money for terrible results. It isn’t working. And more money won’t fix it.

Fund parenting classes. That might help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the 2.5¢ tax Duran is asking for?

APS is very well funded already. They just WASTE those funds on unnecessary programs and positions. Get rid of Syphax bloat. Cut Outdoor Lab. Cut the 80/20 immersion program back to 50/50 if it’s more expensive. Get rid of ALL the option schools if they’re more expensive to run than neighborhood schools. FFS, get rid of iPads in K-5, switch to io Chromebooks for 6-12.

Agree and disagree.
Rid the bloat - YES.

Cut relatively inexpensive programs that provide a unique and often lasting/life-changing learning experience like Outdoor Lab that are unique to APS? NO. (That goes for TJHSST, too)

80/20 immersion is only "more expensive" as they transition to the model and implement the new parts of the curriculum and provide teacher training. Once the model is established, it is no longer has the extra expense. And again, if this is an instructional model that has a notable positive impact on learning and achievement, especially for English learners and underprivileged students - and especially especially for underprivileged English learners - then NO.

Get rid of option schools that do not show a significant benefit for students v. a typical neighborhood school of similar demographics or less diverse? YES.
Get rid of option programs that are not clearly distinctive from non-option programs and any specific characteristics of which could be incorporated into every school? YES. (looking at you, MPSA, ATS, and HB)

Get rid of iPads entirely? YES YES and YES
Replace iPads 6-8 with laptops/Macbooks? YES. (But maybe not start 1:1 at all until 7th. 6th can continue with classroom sets)
Replace MacBooks with Chromebooks - POSSIBLY. I'd like to see the side-by-side comparisons in costs and security, maintenance, etc.

Sorry, but Outdoor Lab isn’t *LiFe ChAnGiNg* for anyone. (Well, other than the kid who was sexually assaulted recently… Yet another reason to shut it down.)

Keep TJ as an option, as sending kids there isn’t more expensive than keeping them at their home school. (And it actually IS a life-changing experience for those kids.)

And I love teachers, but if they want 12-month employee level salaries, let’s make them 12-month employees. So many kids need summer school at this point, and any excess staff could help solve the summer camp availability problem.

Outdoor Lab has indeed had life-changing impacts on numerous kids. Many kids became interested in science/environmental science/teaching specifically because of their experience there. And that experience was very special for one of my kids because of the way the adults there treated him, out of the ordinary school setting and usual mundane activities.

Agree about the 12-month employment and compensation. I don't think the comparisons AEA and its main spokesperson always make about paid/unpaid days off is fair. You can't make a straight comparison between a yearly employee with a yearly salary and specific benefits to a contracted employee paid for "x" # of days' work.

tell me why APS kids can't take a field trip to one of our many nature centers right here in the County and learn the same things?

The curriculum is coordinated with APS.
Our nature centers don't afford a camping overnight experience.
Our nature centers aren't out farther away from all the city light which hides the stars.
Our nature centers don't have boating/canoeing opportunities.
Our nature centers just don't have the space to accommodate the various activities.

None of this is more important than getting class sizes down. Let’s worry about getting kids to read and do basic math before worrying if they have a LiFe ChAnGiNg moment in a canoe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ACPS stopped sending kids to TJ about 12 years ago. Every time the budget comes up there is an outcry that schools aren’t funded enough or well enough. So kids not going to TJ won’t fix a budget issue.

TJ limits the number of kids surrounding counties and cities can send. And then each county or city limits the budget allocated so further limiting the number of slots. APS could reduce their slots at TJ but it’s maybe it’s a case of you give them up you don’t get them back. Also I think it goes unnoticed by FCPS parents a lot of the time that slots at TJ are taken up by out of county students (exception is London) That could become a new cause celebre for some parents though and who knows maybe Fairfax reduces the slots, charges even more or eliminates them

It might be once the career center is finished then they plan would be for APS to drop their slots.

Maybe APS can raise some money by offering a select number of slots to Alexandria City residents to attend APS and then charge the City tuition or heck even the parents. Non religious private high schools close to Alexandria city are not exactly plentiful. Wakefield can be offered at a discount. APS overcrowds the schools anyways what’s another 10 students here and there ?

. Yes, I’m sure Wakefield is full of Alexandria students , and that’s got to FULLY STOP.

APS should do an address check of all the kids at Wakefield. Definitely abuse going on there.

The check at 8th grade is a good start, they should add one in 11th

+1.

A check is needed at the high school level - 4 years with no checks, just why?! APS is bursting at the seams in terms of space, and money, so how about *not* educating many 100s of non-county residents at the highest prices in the entire region? There are school districts in the Northeast that do checks every year, it is not something unusual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the 2.5¢ tax Duran is asking for?

APS is very well funded already. They just WASTE those funds on unnecessary programs and positions. Get rid of Syphax bloat. Cut Outdoor Lab. Cut the 80/20 immersion program back to 50/50 if it’s more expensive. Get rid of ALL the option schools if they’re more expensive to run than neighborhood schools. FFS, get rid of iPads in K-5, switch to Chromebooks for 6-12.

Agree and disagree.
Rid the bloat - YES.

Cut relatively inexpensive programs that provide a unique and often lasting/life-changing learning experience like Outdoor Lab that are unique to APS? NO. (That goes for TJHSST, too)

80/20 immersion is only "more expensive" as they transition to the model and implement the new parts of the curriculum and provide teacher training. Once the model is established, it is no longer has the extra expense. And again, if this is an instructional model that has a notable positive impact on learning and achievement, especially for English learners and underprivileged students - and especially especially for underprivileged English learners - then NO.

Get rid of option schools that do not show a significant benefit for students v. a typical neighborhood school of similar demographics or less diverse? YES.
Get rid of option programs that are not clearly distinctive from non-option programs and any specific characteristics of which could be incorporated into every school? YES. (looking at you, MPSA, ATS, and HB)

Get rid of iPads entirely? YES YES and YES
Replace iPads 6-8 with laptops/Macbooks? YES. (But maybe not start 1:1 at all until 7th. 6th can continue with classroom sets)
Replace MacBooks with Chromebooks - POSSIBLY. I'd like to see the side-by-side comparisons in costs and security, maintenance, etc.

Sorry, but Outdoor Lab isn’t *LiFe ChAnGiNg* for anyone. (Well, other than the kid who was sexually assaulted recently… Yet another reason to shut it down.)

Keep TJ as an option, as sending kids there isn’t more expensive than keeping them at their home school. (And it actually IS a life-changing experience for those kids.)

And I love teachers, but if they want 12-month employee level salaries, let’s make them 12-month employees. So many kids need summer school at this point, and any excess staff could help solve the summer camp availability problem.

Outdoor Lab has indeed had life-changing impacts on numerous kids. Many kids became interested in science/environmental science/teaching specifically because of their experience there. And that experience was very special for one of my kids because of the way the adults there treated him, out of the ordinary school setting and usual mundane activities.

Agree about the 12-month employment and compensation. I don't think the comparisons AEA and its main spokesperson always make about paid/unpaid days off is fair. You can't make a straight comparison between a yearly employee with a yearly salary and specific benefits to a contracted employee paid for "x" # of days' work.

tell me why APS kids can't take a field trip to one of our many nature centers right here in the County and learn the same things?

Have you been to our nature centers? They're amazing but so small. No way a class, let alone a whole grade, could visit one. Maybe North Arlington's nature centers are larger than where I live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the 2.5¢ tax Duran is asking for?

APS is very well funded already. They just WASTE those funds on unnecessary programs and positions. Get rid of Syphax bloat. Cut Outdoor Lab. Cut the 80/20 immersion program back to 50/50 if it’s more expensive. Get rid of ALL the option schools if they’re more expensive to run than neighborhood schools. FFS, get rid of iPads in K-5, switch to io Chromebooks for 6-12.

Agree and disagree.
Rid the bloat - YES.

Cut relatively inexpensive programs that provide a unique and often lasting/life-changing learning experience like Outdoor Lab that are unique to APS? NO. (That goes for TJHSST, too)

80/20 immersion is only "more expensive" as they transition to the model and implement the new parts of the curriculum and provide teacher training. Once the model is established, it is no longer has the extra expense. And again, if this is an instructional model that has a notable positive impact on learning and achievement, especially for English learners and underprivileged students - and especially especially for underprivileged English learners - then NO.

Get rid of option schools that do not show a significant benefit for students v. a typical neighborhood school of similar demographics or less diverse? YES.
Get rid of option programs that are not clearly distinctive from non-option programs and any specific characteristics of which could be incorporated into every school? YES. (looking at you, MPSA, ATS, and HB)

Get rid of iPads entirely? YES YES and YES
Replace iPads 6-8 with laptops/Macbooks? YES. (But maybe not start 1:1 at all until 7th. 6th can continue with classroom sets)
Replace MacBooks with Chromebooks - POSSIBLY. I'd like to see the side-by-side comparisons in costs and security, maintenance, etc.

Sorry, but Outdoor Lab isn’t *LiFe ChAnGiNg* for anyone. (Well, other than the kid who was sexually assaulted recently… Yet another reason to shut it down.)

Keep TJ as an option, as sending kids there isn’t more expensive than keeping them at their home school. (And it actually IS a life-changing experience for those kids.)

And I love teachers, but if they want 12-month employee level salaries, let’s make them 12-month employees. So many kids need summer school at this point, and any excess staff could help solve the summer camp availability problem.

Outdoor Lab has indeed had life-changing impacts on numerous kids. Many kids became interested in science/environmental science/teaching specifically because of their experience there. And that experience was very special for one of my kids because of the way the adults there treated him, out of the ordinary school setting and usual mundane activities.

Agree about the 12-month employment and compensation. I don't think the comparisons AEA and its main spokesperson always make about paid/unpaid days off is fair. You can't make a straight comparison between a yearly employee with a yearly salary and specific benefits to a contracted employee paid for "x" # of days' work.

tell me why APS kids can't take a field trip to one of our many nature centers right here in the County and learn the same things?

The curriculum is coordinated with APS.
Our nature centers don't afford a camping overnight experience.
Our nature centers aren't out farther away from all the city light which hides the stars.
Our nature centers don't have boating/canoeing opportunities.
Our nature centers just don't have the space to accommodate the various activities.

None of this is more important than getting class sizes down. Let’s worry about getting kids to read and do basic math before worrying if they have a LiFe ChAnGiNg moment in a canoe.

Cutting outdoor lab is not going to make enough of a dent to reduce class sizes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the 2.5¢ tax Duran is asking for?

APS is very well funded already. They just WASTE those funds on unnecessary programs and positions. Get rid of Syphax bloat. Cut Outdoor Lab. Cut the 80/20 immersion program back to 50/50 if it’s more expensive. Get rid of ALL the option schools if they’re more expensive to run than neighborhood schools. FFS, get rid of iPads in K-5, switch to io Chromebooks for 6-12.

Agree and disagree.
Rid the bloat - YES.

Cut relatively inexpensive programs that provide a unique and often lasting/life-changing learning experience like Outdoor Lab that are unique to APS? NO. (That goes for TJHSST, too)

80/20 immersion is only "more expensive" as they transition to the model and implement the new parts of the curriculum and provide teacher training. Once the model is established, it is no longer has the extra expense. And again, if this is an instructional model that has a notable positive impact on learning and achievement, especially for English learners and underprivileged students - and especially especially for underprivileged English learners - then NO.

Get rid of option schools that do not show a significant benefit for students v. a typical neighborhood school of similar demographics or less diverse? YES.
Get rid of option programs that are not clearly distinctive from non-option programs and any specific characteristics of which could be incorporated into every school? YES. (looking at you, MPSA, ATS, and HB)

Get rid of iPads entirely? YES YES and YES
Replace iPads 6-8 with laptops/Macbooks? YES. (But maybe not start 1:1 at all until 7th. 6th can continue with classroom sets)
Replace MacBooks with Chromebooks - POSSIBLY. I'd like to see the side-by-side comparisons in costs and security, maintenance, etc.

Sorry, but Outdoor Lab isn’t *LiFe ChAnGiNg* for anyone. (Well, other than the kid who was sexually assaulted recently… Yet another reason to shut it down.)

Keep TJ as an option, as sending kids there isn’t more expensive than keeping them at their home school. (And it actually IS a life-changing experience for those kids.)

And I love teachers, but if they want 12-month employee level salaries, let’s make them 12-month employees. So many kids need summer school at this point, and any excess staff could help solve the summer camp availability problem.

Outdoor Lab has indeed had life-changing impacts on numerous kids. Many kids became interested in science/environmental science/teaching specifically because of their experience there. And that experience was very special for one of my kids because of the way the adults there treated him, out of the ordinary school setting and usual mundane activities.

Agree about the 12-month employment and compensation. I don't think the comparisons AEA and its main spokesperson always make about paid/unpaid days off is fair. You can't make a straight comparison between a yearly employee with a yearly salary and specific benefits to a contracted employee paid for "x" # of days' work.

tell me why APS kids can't take a field trip to one of our many nature centers right here in the County and learn the same things?

The curriculum is coordinated with APS.
Our nature centers don't afford a camping overnight experience.
Our nature centers aren't out farther away from all the city light which hides the stars.
Our nature centers don't have boating/canoeing opportunities.
Our nature centers just don't have the space to accommodate the various activities.

None of this is more important than getting class sizes down. Let’s worry about getting kids to read and do basic math before worrying if they have a LiFe ChAnGiNg moment in a canoe.

Cutting outdoor lab is not going to make enough of a dent to reduce class sizes

Cutting Outdoor Lab, [/i] in addition to other unnecessary programs, will help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the 2.5¢ tax Duran is asking for?

APS is very well funded already. They just WASTE those funds on unnecessary programs and positions. Get rid of Syphax bloat. Cut Outdoor Lab. Cut the 80/20 immersion program back to 50/50 if it’s more expensive. Get rid of ALL the option schools if they’re more expensive to run than neighborhood schools. FFS, get rid of iPads in K-5, switch to io Chromebooks for 6-12.

Agree and disagree.
Rid the bloat - YES.

Cut relatively inexpensive programs that provide a unique and often lasting/life-changing learning experience like Outdoor Lab that are unique to APS? NO. (That goes for TJHSST, too)

80/20 immersion is only "more expensive" as they transition to the model and implement the new parts of the curriculum and provide teacher training. Once the model is established, it is no longer has the extra expense. And again, if this is an instructional model that has a notable positive impact on learning and achievement, especially for English learners and underprivileged students - and especially especially for underprivileged English learners - then NO.

Get rid of option schools that do not show a significant benefit for students v. a typical neighborhood school of similar demographics or less diverse? YES.
Get rid of option programs that are not clearly distinctive from non-option programs and any specific characteristics of which could be incorporated into every school? YES. (looking at you, MPSA, ATS, and HB)

Get rid of iPads entirely? YES YES and YES
Replace iPads 6-8 with laptops/Macbooks? YES. (But maybe not start 1:1 at all until 7th. 6th can continue with classroom sets)
Replace MacBooks with Chromebooks - POSSIBLY. I'd like to see the side-by-side comparisons in costs and security, maintenance, etc.

Sorry, but Outdoor Lab isn’t *LiFe ChAnGiNg* for anyone. (Well, other than the kid who was sexually assaulted recently… Yet another reason to shut it down.)

Keep TJ as an option, as sending kids there isn’t more expensive than keeping them at their home school. (And it actually IS a life-changing experience for those kids.)

And I love teachers, but if they want 12-month employee level salaries, let’s make them 12-month employees. So many kids need summer school at this point, and any excess staff could help solve the summer camp availability problem.

Outdoor Lab has indeed had life-changing impacts on numerous kids. Many kids became interested in science/environmental science/teaching specifically because of their experience there. And that experience was very special for one of my kids because of the way the adults there treated him, out of the ordinary school setting and usual mundane activities.

Agree about the 12-month employment and compensation. I don't think the comparisons AEA and its main spokesperson always make about paid/unpaid days off is fair. You can't make a straight comparison between a yearly employee with a yearly salary and specific benefits to a contracted employee paid for "x" # of days' work.

tell me why APS kids can't take a field trip to one of our many nature centers right here in the County and learn the same things?

The curriculum is coordinated with APS.
Our nature centers don't afford a camping overnight experience.
Our nature centers aren't out farther away from all the city light which hides the stars.
Our nature centers don't have boating/canoeing opportunities.
Our nature centers just don't have the space to accommodate the various activities.

None of this is more important than getting class sizes down. Let’s worry about getting kids to read and do basic math before worrying if they have a LiFe ChAnGiNg moment in a canoe.

Cutting outdoor lab is not going to make enough of a dent to reduce class sizes

Cutting Outdoor Lab, [/i] in addition to other unnecessary programs, will help.

+1, Gotta start somewhere. Kids can take field trips to the nature centers in Arlington which APS doesn't pay to staff and run. Done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the 2.5¢ tax Duran is asking for?

APS is very well funded already. They just WASTE those funds on unnecessary programs and positions. Get rid of Syphax bloat. Cut Outdoor Lab. Cut the 80/20 immersion program back to 50/50 if it’s more expensive. Get rid of ALL the option schools if they’re more expensive to run than neighborhood schools. FFS, get rid of iPads in K-5, switch to io Chromebooks for 6-12.

Agree and disagree.
Rid the bloat - YES.

Cut relatively inexpensive programs that provide a unique and often lasting/life-changing learning experience like Outdoor Lab that are unique to APS? NO. (That goes for TJHSST, too)

80/20 immersion is only "more expensive" as they transition to the model and implement the new parts of the curriculum and provide teacher training. Once the model is established, it is no longer has the extra expense. And again, if this is an instructional model that has a notable positive impact on learning and achievement, especially for English learners and underprivileged students - and especially especially for underprivileged English learners - then NO.

Get rid of option schools that do not show a significant benefit for students v. a typical neighborhood school of similar demographics or less diverse? YES.
Get rid of option programs that are not clearly distinctive from non-option programs and any specific characteristics of which could be incorporated into every school? YES. (looking at you, MPSA, ATS, and HB)

Get rid of iPads entirely? YES YES and YES
Replace iPads 6-8 with laptops/Macbooks? YES. (But maybe not start 1:1 at all until 7th. 6th can continue with classroom sets)
Replace MacBooks with Chromebooks - POSSIBLY. I'd like to see the side-by-side comparisons in costs and security, maintenance, etc.

Sorry, but Outdoor Lab isn’t *LiFe ChAnGiNg* for anyone. (Well, other than the kid who was sexually assaulted recently… Yet another reason to shut it down.)

Keep TJ as an option, as sending kids there isn’t more expensive than keeping them at their home school. (And it actually IS a life-changing experience for those kids.)

And I love teachers, but if they want 12-month employee level salaries, let’s make them 12-month employees. So many kids need summer school at this point, and any excess staff could help solve the summer camp availability problem.

Outdoor Lab has indeed had life-changing impacts on numerous kids. Many kids became interested in science/environmental science/teaching specifically because of their experience there. And that experience was very special for one of my kids because of the way the adults there treated him, out of the ordinary school setting and usual mundane activities.

Agree about the 12-month employment and compensation. I don't think the comparisons AEA and its main spokesperson always make about paid/unpaid days off is fair. You can't make a straight comparison between a yearly employee with a yearly salary and specific benefits to a contracted employee paid for "x" # of days' work.

tell me why APS kids can't take a field trip to one of our many nature centers right here in the County and learn the same things?

The curriculum is coordinated with APS.
Our nature centers don't afford a camping overnight experience.
Our nature centers aren't out farther away from all the city light which hides the stars.
Our nature centers don't have boating/canoeing opportunities.
Our nature centers just don't have the space to accommodate the various activities.

None of this is more important than getting class sizes down. Let’s worry about getting kids to read and do basic math before worrying if they have a LiFe ChAnGiNg moment in a canoe.

Cutting outdoor lab is not going to make enough of a dent to reduce class sizes

Cutting Outdoor Lab, [/i] in addition to other unnecessary programs, will help.

+1, Gotta start somewhere. Kids can take field trips to the nature centers in Arlington which APS doesn't pay to staff and run. Done.

You do know our nature centers are understaffed, right? They are closed most days. Pretty sure they can't just add 25 field trips to their schedule without actually having staff there. Nothing's free, sorry.

[Anonymous]

Lots of APS math graduates in here. Cutting Outdoor Lab and TJHSST don't even come close to balancing the budget.

The sacred cows of option schools need a hard look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the 2.5¢ tax Duran is asking for?

APS is very well funded already. They just WASTE those funds on unnecessary programs and positions. Get rid of Syphax bloat. Cut Outdoor Lab. Cut the 80/20 immersion program back to 50/50 if it’s more expensive. Get rid of ALL the option schools if they’re more expensive to run than neighborhood schools. FFS, get rid of iPads in K-5, switch to Chromebooks for 6-12.

Agree and disagree.
Rid the bloat - YES.

Cut relatively inexpensive programs that provide a unique and often lasting/life-changing learning experience like Outdoor Lab that are unique to APS? NO. (That goes for TJHSST, too)

80/20 immersion is only "more expensive" as they transition to the model and implement the new parts of the curriculum and provide teacher training. Once the model is established, it is no longer has the extra expense. And again, if this is an instructional model that has a notable positive impact on learning and achievement, especially for English learners and underprivileged students - and especially especially for underprivileged English learners - then NO.

Get rid of option schools that do not show a significant benefit for students v. a typical neighborhood school of similar demographics or less diverse? YES.
Get rid of option programs that are not clearly distinctive from non-option programs and any specific characteristics of which could be incorporated into every school? YES. (looking at you, MPSA, ATS, and HB)

Get rid of iPads entirely? YES YES and YES
Replace iPads 6-8 with laptops/Macbooks? YES. (But maybe not start 1:1 at all until 7th. 6th can continue with classroom sets)
Replace MacBooks with Chromebooks - POSSIBLY. I'd like to see the side-by-side comparisons in costs and security, maintenance, etc.

Both of you should run for county or school board, it’s clearly very easy to make program and budget decisions (of course there are no constituencies that will give you any pushback or provide evidence/public support for the opposite position). Why don’t we just make all these changes tomorrow, since it’s so obvious what the right/best answer is?

What are YOUR suggestions? Keep asking for more money? For that ship that continues to sink… sink… sink…

Be careful, guys. Even those of us who lean liberal are beginning to see the upsides of school choice and vouchers.

So APS would get even less while you're subsidized to go private? In what universe is that liberal thinking?

Those of us who lean liberal but are forced to live with the reality of the consequences of the policies.

At some point, we have to wake up and see that we are hemorrhaging money for terrible results. It isn’t working. And more money won’t fix it.

Fund parenting classes. That might help.

If you actually looked at the budget instead of pushing GOP talking points, you’d see that we aren’t “hemorrhaging money”. The operating funds include capital improvements.