Anyone else educated by FCPS and sees the decline?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One data point:

My child in Honors 9th grade English at Langley is reading an abridged version of the Odyssey. It’s about 1/3 the length of the original book and the language is simplified.

I read the full book when I was in 9th grade in FCPS and her older cousin also read the full book about 10 years ago in another FCPS high school.

This is disgusting. They are not offering abridged versions in Germany, China, or Japan. I fear for the future of our country.

[Anonymous]

I know kids today have access to technology that obviously we didn't 35 years ago so more should be expected of them.
I graduated top 10 in my class in FCPS in an AP program and what I've seen my senior do in IB is so far superior. Really impressed at the level of thinking and response that he is required to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the older generations are always doom and gloom about school. My dad is livid that kids aren't learning cursive anymore. I couldn't be happier that it's gone.

I understand the suspicion of quality of snippets, materials cobbled together from online sources, etc., but the reality is that with electronic media there is often no reason to have a textbook. As a college professor, I have moved in the last 15 years from relying primarily on a very popular textbook to teaching my class without a textbook. I've read all 8 or so well-known textbooks in the field and I feel that, through powerpoints and assigned brief readings, I am able to outperform any textbook on the topic (students seem to agree). There is no benefit to reading a 50 page chapter in a bloated book that gets key principles incorrect or has not been updated to reflect changing theories or evidence.

I'd also point out that, in response to someone's comment about reading an abridged version of the Odyssey, this happened at both a public AND private school that I attended in the 90s, so this is not new unless you classify the mid-90s as "new."

Finally, while I have been skeptical of the changes to learning, I don't observe that my oldest son is behind where I and my peers were (in an advanced program) in terms of reading, writing, and math. It seems that students can learn to spell and write without memorizing vocabulary/spelling lists for hours every month. I say this is a wonderful development.

That’s “I don’t observe that my oldest son is behind where my peers and I were …” Well, then, I guess that makes sense!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know kids today have access to technology that obviously we didn't 35 years ago so more should be expected of them.
I graduated top 10 in my class in FCPS in an AP program and what I've seen my senior do in IB is so far superior. Really impressed at the level of thinking and response that he is required to do.

I see what you did there but IB is an expensive waste of money. Getting rid of it would be a great idea and align with FCPS’s purported goal of providing students with equitable access to programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This is changing.
We see DEI being less fashionable and people are recognizing that we need an educated populace more than we need an indoctrinated populace.

Where? I live in New England and what I see mirrors what I read on DCUM about DMV schools.

Yep. The pendulum has swing friends...watch it come back the other direction now ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's because Fairfax doesn't spend enough money on its public schools.

The information is easily available.

Spending per pupil in states with the best schools, like NY, is typically in the low 20K's to the high 30K's. In fact, MOST districts, good or bad, spend more than FCPS per pupil. FCPS is a poor, underfunded school district in a wealthy county.

Jeff McKay and the other democrats tried hard to change that by passing a restaurant tax. For a few pennies per meal (literally) you could have had fewer kids per class. But no, massive public campaigns opposed it so it didn't pass, so now we are stuck with an underfunded school district.

Unless, of course, you can afford to send your kids to private.

Ha, right. It’s totally not because they’re trying to bring everyone down to an equal level. We trust you 🙄

You don't have to trust me. You can turn off the Fox News for ten minutes and look it up yourself.

[Anonymous]

Illegal immigrants And the left wing swing in the early 2000s broke fcps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's because Fairfax doesn't spend enough money on its public schools.

The information is easily available.

Spending per pupil in states with the best schools, like NY, is typically in the low 20K's to the high 30K's. In fact, MOST districts, good or bad, spend more than FCPS per pupil. FCPS is a poor, underfunded school district in a wealthy county.

Jeff McKay and the other democrats tried hard to change that by passing a restaurant tax. For a few pennies per meal (literally) you could have had fewer kids per class. But no, massive public campaigns opposed it so it didn't pass, so now we are stuck with an underfunded school district.

Unless, of course, you can afford to send your kids to private.

Ha, right. It’s totally not because they’re trying to bring everyone down to an equal level. We trust you 🙄

You don't have to trust me. You can turn off the Fox News for ten minutes and look it up yourself.

I’m a moderate. Fox news is too extreme the other way for me.

That’s the thing, you want to stereotype anyone who disagrees with you as a rabid republican. I was a lifelong democrat until recently. One day you’ll wake up and see that the extreme left has left the Democratic party in the wilderness permanently. Until then, have fun destroying a once great school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One data point:

My child in Honors 9th grade English at Langley is reading an abridged version of the Odyssey. It’s about 1/3 the length of the original book and the language is simplified.

I read the full book when I was in 9th grade in FCPS and her older cousin also read the full book about 10 years ago in another FCPS high school.

This is disgusting. They are not offering abridged versions in Germany, China, or Japan. I fear for the future of our country.

FCPS is cheering on and encouraging our national decline, instead of trying to correct it. Here is more evidence of decline:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1246273.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's because Fairfax doesn't spend enough money on its public schools.

The information is easily available.

Spending per pupil in states with the best schools, like NY, is typically in the low 20K's to the high 30K's. In fact, MOST districts, good or bad, spend more than FCPS per pupil. FCPS is a poor, underfunded school district in a wealthy county.

Jeff McKay and the other democrats tried hard to change that by passing a restaurant tax. For a few pennies per meal (literally) you could have had fewer kids per class. But no, massive public campaigns opposed it so it didn't pass, so now we are stuck with an underfunded school district.

Unless, of course, you can afford to send your kids to private.

Ha, right. It’s totally not because they’re trying to bring everyone down to an equal level. We trust you 🙄

You don't have to trust me. You can turn off the Fox News for ten minutes and look it up yourself.

I’m a moderate. Fox news is too extreme the other way for me.

That’s the thing, you want to stereotype anyone who disagrees with you as a rabid republican. I was a lifelong democrat until recently. One day you’ll wake up and see that the extreme left has left the Democratic party in the wilderness permanently. Until then, have fun destroying a once great school system.

I gave you facts, not extreme anything. Instead of looking it up (are you unable to do that or just determined to blame politics you disagree with for everything?) you come back with the usual, tired accusations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's because Fairfax doesn't spend enough money on its public schools.

The information is easily available.

Spending per pupil in states with the best schools, like NY, is typically in the low 20K's to the high 30K's. In fact, MOST districts, good or bad, spend more than FCPS per pupil. FCPS is a poor, underfunded school district in a wealthy county.

Jeff McKay and the other democrats tried hard to change that by passing a restaurant tax. For a few pennies per meal (literally) you could have had fewer kids per class. But no, massive public campaigns opposed it so it didn't pass, so now we are stuck with an underfunded school district.

Unless, of course, you can afford to send your kids to private.

Ha, right. It’s totally not because they’re trying to bring everyone down to an equal level. We trust you 🙄

You don't have to trust me. You can turn off the Fox News for ten minutes and look it up yourself.

I’m a moderate. Fox news is too extreme the other way for me.

That’s the thing, you want to stereotype anyone who disagrees with you as a rabid republican. I was a lifelong democrat until recently. One day you’ll wake up and see that the extreme left has left the Democratic party in the wilderness permanently. Until then, have fun destroying a once great school system.

I gave you facts, not extreme anything. Instead of looking it up (are you unable to do that or just determined to blame politics you disagree with for everything?) you come back with the usual, tired accusations.

I’m plugged into the situation. You gave school board spin, not fact.

Also, worth pointing out that you were the only one accusing anyone of anything - accusing me of being a Fox News watcher.

One other thing. I used to always support the schools. Now, because of the boundary nonsense, I will not vote for future bonds. The school board needs to understand, apparently in simple terms, that it’ll get the support that it deserves. And it’s about to lose a significant amount of its dwindling support with the equity redistricting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's because Fairfax doesn't spend enough money on its public schools.

The information is easily available.

Spending per pupil in states with the best schools, like NY, is typically in the low 20K's to the high 30K's. In fact, MOST districts, good or bad, spend more than FCPS per pupil. FCPS is a poor, underfunded school district in a wealthy county.

Jeff McKay and the other democrats tried hard to change that by passing a restaurant tax. For a few pennies per meal (literally) you could have had fewer kids per class. But no, massive public campaigns opposed it so it didn't pass, so now we are stuck with an underfunded school district.

Unless, of course, you can afford to send your kids to private.

Ha, right. It’s totally not because they’re trying to bring everyone down to an equal level. We trust you 🙄

You don't have to trust me. You can turn off the Fox News for ten minutes and look it up yourself.

+1

STFU RWNJ troll

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's because Fairfax doesn't spend enough money on its public schools.

The information is easily available.

Spending per pupil in states with the best schools, like NY, is typically in the low 20K's to the high 30K's. In fact, MOST districts, good or bad, spend more than FCPS per pupil. FCPS is a poor, underfunded school district in a wealthy county.

Jeff McKay and the other democrats tried hard to change that by passing a restaurant tax. For a few pennies per meal (literally) you could have had fewer kids per class. But no, massive public campaigns opposed it so it didn't pass, so now we are stuck with an underfunded school district.

Unless, of course, you can afford to send your kids to private.

Ha, right. It’s totally not because they’re trying to bring everyone down to an equal level. We trust you 🙄

You don't have to trust me. You can turn off the Fox News for ten minutes and look it up yourself.

+1

STFU RWNJ troll

🤣🤣🤣Someone needs to learn to read the entire thread before posting…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Illegal immigrants And the left wing swing in the early 2000s broke fcps

This is the answer folks. Sadly not going to change any time soon.

[Anonymous]

Teacher here. I think a lot of people are failing to mention the population of kids have changed. Their attention spans are awful and if things aren’t fun, they shut down. Add onto kids learning English and more kids with an IEP and schools everywhere are a hot mess. You can be the best teacher and have high expectations and you still will have these struggles. The US needs to change the narrative that not all kids need to get a 4 year degree. We need to stop looking at these kids as just data points. I do think Upper ES (5th and 6th) should start following secondary grading practices to better help parents/kids understand where their kid is performing. The 4,3,2,1 is meaningless.