AAP Center Elimination Rumors

[Anonymous]

So it seems this parent of a gifted student feels the gifted students from another nearby neighborhood are not welcome in “her school”. Interesting. It is important all students who qualify for advanced academics have access. My neighborhood elementary school has never in over 4O years had more than a few students qualify for the Center; yet all three of mine did qualify. It’s sad to think there were parents in the Center school who did not feel they belonged in the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care if they get rid of Centers or not. What I do care about is that they drop kids who don't belong in AAP every year. Didn't get pass advanced in SOLs or 90+ percentile on both iready tests? OUT.

Exactly. The whole point is to not be slow the class down pulling up the stragglers. And to the poster who is just sure her child belongs if not for the mean test scores saying no - maybe you should prep your kid for the test if you are so convinced they'd be fine with all the work. Tests are the most fair way to evaluate aptitude that we have. The line has to be drawn somewhere. It's already too low, as shown by all the whining here about other kids that got in. I'd love for it to be higher. However, we'd just be hearing from a different set of parents instead of you.

No, the whole point is that fcps should keep their word and start meeting all kids where they are at.
The fact that there are kids in aap dragging it down and kids in ge sitting around running out of work to do (per the teacher, not just the kids saying it) illustrates the problems with the current system. Maybe if all kids were met where they were at, less on the fringe parents would apply just because.

Sounds like your problem is with the gen ed class experience. Why don't you complain and do something about that and quit bringing the AAP kids into it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care if they get rid of Centers or not. What I do care about is that they drop kids who don't belong in AAP every year. Didn't get pass advanced in SOLs or 90+ percentile on both iready tests? OUT.

Exactly. The whole point is to not be slow the class down pulling up the stragglers. And to the poster who is just sure her child belongs if not for the mean test scores saying no - maybe you should prep your kid for the test if you are so convinced they'd be fine with all the work. Tests are the most fair way to evaluate aptitude that we have. The line has to be drawn somewhere. It's already too low, as shown by all the whining here about other kids that got in. I'd love for it to be higher. However, we'd just be hearing from a different set of parents instead of you.

No, the whole point is that fcps should keep their word and start meeting all kids where they are at.
The fact that there are kids in aap dragging it down and kids in ge sitting around running out of work to do (per the teacher, not just the kids saying it) illustrates the problems with the current system. Maybe if all kids were met where they were at, less on the fringe parents would apply just because.

Sounds like your problem is with the gen ed class experience. Why don't you complain and do something about that and quit bringing the AAP kids into it?

I doubt it is happening in GenED as you say. And, if it is happening in GenED, it would also be applicable to AAP.. Do you not think that the ones who just barely slip in AAP could be bringing down the truly GT kids?

And, did you never take a test and finish before everyone else and have to wait for others to finish?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

Ok. But there are schools that have a large enough cohort. In my opinion, the centers should only be allowed if the cohort is too small. Why should we bus kids to a center when there is a large enough cohort with a designated class. I know our center pulls from two schools. Both of these schools including my own, has a designated AAP class (not cluster model) and routinely has enough kids (12-17 kids)

It's crazy that you are anti busing AAP kids but are just fine with a 1:12 teacher to student ratio only for AAP. Doubtful that general ed classes have that ratio.

Wow. No, mommy, principals place other smart students into the Level IV class to make sure it is a similar size to the other classrooms. Most of these kids would have gotten into AAP if they were in a Title I or lower SES school anyway, so it works out. Your little baby is not "gifted" as much as you want to think s/he is. Principal placed kids do just as well if not better than the kids who got into AAP because their 2nd grade teacher liked them.

Principal placed kids get there because parents suck up to them.
Second grade teachers of the student are not on the selection committee for full time AAP.
Principal placing kids who did not make the cut into classrooms are part of the reason people prefer centers. The peer group has all been selected by a neutral centralized committee rather than who sucks up to the principal.

AAP is an advanced program. It must be hard for you to accept that even with a lower standard than gifted your kid still didn't make the cut. It's not the end of the world.

You're absolutely right, it's not the end of the world, yet here you are getting suuuuper defensive and freaking out and insulting people that you 100% know are telling the truth but oh boy, you just can't handle the fact that your child isn't as precious as you think s/he is. Trust me, my kids are going to end up in the exact same AP classes as yours in high school and will probably blow them out of the water.

You were the first to bring up kids saying my "little baby isnt gifted as I think he is." Well it's a good thing there are tests that independently confirmed giftedness for them. No sucking up needed.

It's very weird that you are comparing your kids future academic success to that of strangers. You sound very insecure about needing that annual principal placement for your future academic rockstar.

Yeah some people are really bothered by their kids not being selected for AAP. I enjoy listening to them complain and denigrate others kids.

If they stood back and took a second to breathe, they would understand that the kids are really where they need to be and should be happy the system allows this much flexibility for everyone’s learning needs.

Where is the flexibility for the remedial children? Where are their centers? Why do they have to be lumped in with all of the normal children while your special snowflake gets advanced math and extra special worksheets in AAP?

Are you serious? The elimination of leveled classrooms/tracking and the mainstreaming of remedial and special ed students was the result of parents of those students pushing for mainstreaming. Parents of advanced and on-level kids didn't do any of this to you - point your finger at your own counterparts from the last decades.

Currently, you could advocate for more tracking in every school - but I'd be ready from blowback from other parents who don't want to see their kid in the remedial class, even if it would be the best fit.

LOLing at you saying AAP parents didn't cause this. PLEASE. Parents are absolutely the reason there is a bloated AAP program full of normal children who belong in GenEd.

+1
I blame FCPS for allowing this system to get so bloated and out of control. What a joke it is now, compared to when they had a tiny and excellent GT program.

So your kid didn't make it into AAP but you're arguing to reduce the number of other kids' access to AAP.
What do you get out of this? Your kid isn't getting in either way. Is it spite that drives this behavior?

DP. So you're admitting that your kid is at the bottom of aap? Otherwise you would be happy to get rid of the low performers and elevate the class as a whole.

No. My kids are legitimately gifted. I don't covet what those kids have and have no reason to be spiteful like you apparently do. Low performers haven't impacted our school 's AAP classrooms. The teachers don't appear to slow down for stragglers. They move through material and you either get it or you don't.

Every AAP parent says this, LOL!

+100
It's such a tell. The only reason AAP was opened up to the masses is because of the ridiculous "equity" push. Same with TJ. Both AAP and TJ admissions need to go back to merit ONLY, and take only the top 5% of students. The ones who absolutely need a gifted curriculum - which AAP is certainly not.

No, the tell is those of you who don't realize that there is a whole world outside of FCPS for gifted people. There are a lot of resources for gifted children to be able to learn and grow outside of school and FCPS isn't the beginning or end of education. There really isn't a need to obsess over AAP.

Great, it sounds like your child is getting enough enrichment from all of your outside gifted people resources and doesn't need a separate "advanced" curriculum in school. We all agree, woohoo!

Nope. VA still requires gifted education. AAP won't be going away.

DP. No one is talking about doing away with AAP - or advanced classes. Ending the segregation that are center schools and the AAP program as a whole is the problem. If a kid can do the work, there is no reason why they shouldn’t be in an advanced group. Flexible groupings per core class are the obvious answer.

Your post completely contradicts itself.

The kids who have proven they can do the work are in the advanced group. It's called AAP. Apply again next year.

Kids who are at center schools are a disadvantage here because there is no room to push in to the advanced classes. So it's a committee of strangers who make the decision about my kids. The max local staff can do is assign my kids to part time services.

+1
And we all know that “part time services” is merely a euphemism for “handing the kid a worksheet once a week and pretending that’s enrichment.”

The whole Level 1, 2, 3, 4 nonsense is all so absurd. Just have flexible groupings where all kids can get the instruction they need, every day.

This may be true for your school. Sounds like a personnel problem specific to your kids school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care if they get rid of Centers or not. What I do care about is that they drop kids who don't belong in AAP every year. Didn't get pass advanced in SOLs or 90+ percentile on both iready tests? OUT.

Exactly. The whole point is to not be slow the class down pulling up the stragglers. And to the poster who is just sure her child belongs if not for the mean test scores saying no - maybe you should prep your kid for the test if you are so convinced they'd be fine with all the work. Tests are the most fair way to evaluate aptitude that we have. The line has to be drawn somewhere. It's already too low, as shown by all the whining here about other kids that got in. I'd love for it to be higher. However, we'd just be hearing from a different set of parents instead of you.

No, the whole point is that fcps should keep their word and start meeting all kids where they are at.
The fact that there are kids in aap dragging it down and kids in ge sitting around running out of work to do (per the teacher, not just the kids saying it) illustrates the problems with the current system. Maybe if all kids were met where they were at, less on the fringe parents would apply just because.

Sounds like your problem is with the gen ed class experience. Why don't you complain and do something about that and quit bringing the AAP kids into it?

I doubt it is happening in GenED as you say. And, if it is happening in GenED, it would also be applicable to AAP.. Do you not think that the ones who just barely slip in AAP could be bringing down the truly GT kids?

And, did you never take a test and finish before everyone else and have to wait for others to finish?

The irony of the parents here arguing their kid who was denied entrance should have AAP full time but also arguing about "the ones who just barely slip in AAP could be bringing down the truly GT kids."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care if they get rid of Centers or not. What I do care about is that they drop kids who don't belong in AAP every year. Didn't get pass advanced in SOLs or 90+ percentile on both iready tests? OUT.

Exactly. The whole point is to not be slow the class down pulling up the stragglers. And to the poster who is just sure her child belongs if not for the mean test scores saying no - maybe you should prep your kid for the test if you are so convinced they'd be fine with all the work. Tests are the most fair way to evaluate aptitude that we have. The line has to be drawn somewhere. It's already too low, as shown by all the whining here about other kids that got in. I'd love for it to be higher. However, we'd just be hearing from a different set of parents instead of you.

No, the whole point is that fcps should keep their word and start meeting all kids where they are at.
The fact that there are kids in aap dragging it down and kids in ge sitting around running out of work to do (per the teacher, not just the kids saying it) illustrates the problems with the current system. Maybe if all kids were met where they were at, less on the fringe parents would apply just because.

Sounds like your problem is with the gen ed class experience. Why don't you complain and do something about that and quit bringing the AAP kids into it?

I doubt it is happening in GenED as you say. And, if it is happening in GenED, it would also be applicable to AAP.. Do you not think that the ones who just barely slip in AAP could be bringing down the truly GT kids?

And, did you never take a test and finish before everyone else and have to wait for others to finish?

The irony of the parents here arguing their kid who was denied entrance should have AAP full time but also arguing about "the ones who just barely slip in AAP could be bringing down the truly GT kids."

I posted that. I was trying to point out the hypocrisy of both sides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care if they get rid of Centers or not. What I do care about is that they drop kids who don't belong in AAP every year. Didn't get pass advanced in SOLs or 90+ percentile on both iready tests? OUT.

Exactly. The whole point is to not be slow the class down pulling up the stragglers. And to the poster who is just sure her child belongs if not for the mean test scores saying no - maybe you should prep your kid for the test if you are so convinced they'd be fine with all the work. Tests are the most fair way to evaluate aptitude that we have. The line has to be drawn somewhere. It's already too low, as shown by all the whining here about other kids that got in. I'd love for it to be higher. However, we'd just be hearing from a different set of parents instead of you.

No, the whole point is that fcps should keep their word and start meeting all kids where they are at.
The fact that there are kids in aap dragging it down and kids in ge sitting around running out of work to do (per the teacher, not just the kids saying it) illustrates the problems with the current system. Maybe if all kids were met where they were at, less on the fringe parents would apply just because.

Sounds like your problem is with the gen ed class experience. Why don't you complain and do something about that and quit bringing the AAP kids into it?

DP but are you seriously telling me that every child in your child's AAP classroom belongs there? Because I guarantee they don't - my DD knows the kids in her class that have tutors and need extra help. Two different parents were asking around to see if anyone wanted to share in the cost of an advanced math tutor (I connected them with each other) and even more have their kids in Kumon and Mathnasium not because they need enrichment, but because they need the extra help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

Ok. But there are schools that have a large enough cohort. In my opinion, the centers should only be allowed if the cohort is too small. Why should we bus kids to a center when there is a large enough cohort with a designated class. I know our center pulls from two schools. Both of these schools including my own, has a designated AAP class (not cluster model) and routinely has enough kids (12-17 kids)

It's crazy that you are anti busing AAP kids but are just fine with a 1:12 teacher to student ratio only for AAP. Doubtful that general ed classes have that ratio.

Wow. No, mommy, principals place other smart students into the Level IV class to make sure it is a similar size to the other classrooms. Most of these kids would have gotten into AAP if they were in a Title I or lower SES school anyway, so it works out. Your little baby is not "gifted" as much as you want to think s/he is. Principal placed kids do just as well if not better than the kids who got into AAP because their 2nd grade teacher liked them.

Principal placed kids get there because parents suck up to them.
Second grade teachers of the student are not on the selection committee for full time AAP.
Principal placing kids who did not make the cut into classrooms are part of the reason people prefer centers. The peer group has all been selected by a neutral centralized committee rather than who sucks up to the principal.

AAP is an advanced program. It must be hard for you to accept that even with a lower standard than gifted your kid still didn't make the cut. It's not the end of the world.

You're absolutely right, it's not the end of the world, yet here you are getting suuuuper defensive and freaking out and insulting people that you 100% know are telling the truth but oh boy, you just can't handle the fact that your child isn't as precious as you think s/he is. Trust me, my kids are going to end up in the exact same AP classes as yours in high school and will probably blow them out of the water.

You were the first to bring up kids saying my "little baby isnt gifted as I think he is." Well it's a good thing there are tests that independently confirmed giftedness for them. No sucking up needed.

It's very weird that you are comparing your kids future academic success to that of strangers. You sound very insecure about needing that annual principal placement for your future academic rockstar.

Yeah some people are really bothered by their kids not being selected for AAP. I enjoy listening to them complain and denigrate others kids.

If they stood back and took a second to breathe, they would understand that the kids are really where they need to be and should be happy the system allows this much flexibility for everyone’s learning needs.

Where is the flexibility for the remedial children? Where are their centers? Why do they have to be lumped in with all of the normal children while your special snowflake gets advanced math and extra special worksheets in AAP?

Are you serious? The elimination of leveled classrooms/tracking and the mainstreaming of remedial and special ed students was the result of parents of those students pushing for mainstreaming. Parents of advanced and on-level kids didn't do any of this to you - point your finger at your own counterparts from the last decades.

Currently, you could advocate for more tracking in every school - but I'd be ready from blowback from other parents who don't want to see their kid in the remedial class, even if it would be the best fit.

LOLing at you saying AAP parents didn't cause this. PLEASE. Parents are absolutely the reason there is a bloated AAP program full of normal children who belong in GenEd.

+1
I blame FCPS for allowing this system to get so bloated and out of control. What a joke it is now, compared to when they had a tiny and excellent GT program.

So your kid didn't make it into AAP but you're arguing to reduce the number of other kids' access to AAP.
What do you get out of this? Your kid isn't getting in either way. Is it spite that drives this behavior?

DP. So you're admitting that your kid is at the bottom of aap? Otherwise you would be happy to get rid of the low performers and elevate the class as a whole.

No. My kids are legitimately gifted. I don't covet what those kids have and have no reason to be spiteful like you apparently do. Low performers haven't impacted our school 's AAP classrooms. The teachers don't appear to slow down for stragglers. They move through material and you either get it or you don't.

Every AAP parent says this, LOL!

+100
It's such a tell. The only reason AAP was opened up to the masses is because of the ridiculous "equity" push. Same with TJ. Both AAP and TJ admissions need to go back to merit ONLY, and take only the top 5% of students. The ones who absolutely need a gifted curriculum - which AAP is certainly not.

No, the tell is those of you who don't realize that there is a whole world outside of FCPS for gifted people. There are a lot of resources for gifted children to be able to learn and grow outside of school and FCPS isn't the beginning or end of education. There really isn't a need to obsess over AAP.

Great, it sounds like your child is getting enough enrichment from all of your outside gifted people resources and doesn't need a separate "advanced" curriculum in school. We all agree, woohoo!

Nope. VA still requires gifted education. AAP won't be going away.

DP. No one is talking about doing away with AAP - or advanced classes. Ending the segregation that are center schools and the AAP program as a whole is the problem. If a kid can do the work, there is no reason why they shouldn’t be in an advanced group. Flexible groupings per core class are the obvious answer.

Your post completely contradicts itself.

The kids who have proven they can do the work are in the advanced group. It's called AAP. Apply again next year.

Kids who are at center schools are a disadvantage here because there is no room to push in to the advanced classes. So it's a committee of strangers who make the decision about my kids. The max local staff can do is assign my kids to part time services.

+1
And we all know that “part time services” is merely a euphemism for “handing the kid a worksheet once a week and pretending that’s enrichment.”

The whole Level 1, 2, 3, 4 nonsense is all so absurd. Just have flexible groupings where all kids can get the instruction they need, every day.

This may be true for your school. Sounds like a personnel problem specific to your kids school.

Actually it's an inherent problem with the way centers work. Perhaps if the centers could be aap only and my bright and talented kid could be bussed to the es next door they would be able to design a system that get resources needed to all kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care if they get rid of Centers or not. What I do care about is that they drop kids who don't belong in AAP every year. Didn't get pass advanced in SOLs or 90+ percentile on both iready tests? OUT.

Exactly. The whole point is to not be slow the class down pulling up the stragglers. And to the poster who is just sure her child belongs if not for the mean test scores saying no - maybe you should prep your kid for the test if you are so convinced they'd be fine with all the work. Tests are the most fair way to evaluate aptitude that we have. The line has to be drawn somewhere. It's already too low, as shown by all the whining here about other kids that got in. I'd love for it to be higher. However, we'd just be hearing from a different set of parents instead of you.

No, the whole point is that fcps should keep their word and start meeting all kids where they are at.
The fact that there are kids in aap dragging it down and kids in ge sitting around running out of work to do (per the teacher, not just the kids saying it) illustrates the problems with the current system. Maybe if all kids were met where they were at, less on the fringe parents would apply just because.

Sounds like your problem is with the gen ed class experience. Why don't you complain and do something about that and quit bringing the AAP kids into it?

DP but are you seriously telling me that every child in your child's AAP classroom belongs there? Because I guarantee they don't - my DD knows the kids in her class that have tutors and need extra help. Two different parents were asking around to see if anyone wanted to share in the cost of an advanced math tutor (I connected them with each other) and even more have their kids in Kumon and Mathnasium not because they need enrichment, but because they need the extra help.

I said upthread that I wish the bar was a little higher and more importantly that testing was continuous so that the kids who were prepped in 2nd grade would get filtered out over time if they didn't keep up. However, this thread isn't AAP parents complaining - it's GenEd parents complaining that their kids are stuck with remedial kids slowing things down. Somehow they blame it on AAP existing rather than trying to fix their own kids' class issues.

[Anonymous]

I really do not understand why kids with really special learning needs are guaranteed mainstreaming, but GT kids are guaranteed separate learning.

It makes no sense at all.

But, I will say, now that 2E kids are included in AAP, it is not the perfect greenhouse of learning that you think it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care if they get rid of Centers or not. What I do care about is that they drop kids who don't belong in AAP every year. Didn't get pass advanced in SOLs or 90+ percentile on both iready tests? OUT.

Exactly. The whole point is to not be slow the class down pulling up the stragglers. And to the poster who is just sure her child belongs if not for the mean test scores saying no - maybe you should prep your kid for the test if you are so convinced they'd be fine with all the work. Tests are the most fair way to evaluate aptitude that we have. The line has to be drawn somewhere. It's already too low, as shown by all the whining here about other kids that got in. I'd love for it to be higher. However, we'd just be hearing from a different set of parents instead of you.

No, the whole point is that fcps should keep their word and start meeting all kids where they are at.
The fact that there are kids in aap dragging it down and kids in ge sitting around running out of work to do (per the teacher, not just the kids saying it) illustrates the problems with the current system. Maybe if all kids were met where they were at, less on the fringe parents would apply just because.

Sounds like your problem is with the gen ed class experience. Why don't you complain and do something about that and quit bringing the AAP kids into it?

DP but are you seriously telling me that every child in your child's AAP classroom belongs there? Because I guarantee they don't - my DD knows the kids in her class that have tutors and need extra help. Two different parents were asking around to see if anyone wanted to share in the cost of an advanced math tutor (I connected them with each other) and even more have their kids in Kumon and Mathnasium not because they need enrichment, but because they need the extra help.

I said upthread that I wish the bar was a little higher and more importantly that testing was continuous so that the kids who were prepped in 2nd grade would get filtered out over time if they didn't keep up. However, this thread isn't AAP parents complaining - it's GenEd parents complaining that their kids are stuck with remedial kids slowing things down. Somehow they blame it on AAP existing rather than trying to fix their own kids' class issues.

Yes, because the perfect grouping for my kid would probably be with some of the kids in aap...but that can never happen in the current system

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really do not understand why kids with really special learning needs are guaranteed mainstreaming, but GT kids are guaranteed separate learning.

It makes no sense at all.

But, I will say, now that 2E kids are included in AAP, it is not the perfect greenhouse of learning that you think it is.

Because parents of special needs kids advocated for mainstreaming, literally fighting for it in the courts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

Ok. But there are schools that have a large enough cohort. In my opinion, the centers should only be allowed if the cohort is too small. Why should we bus kids to a center when there is a large enough cohort with a designated class. I know our center pulls from two schools. Both of these schools including my own, has a designated AAP class (not cluster model) and routinely has enough kids (12-17 kids)

It's crazy that you are anti busing AAP kids but are just fine with a 1:12 teacher to student ratio only for AAP. Doubtful that general ed classes have that ratio.

Wow. No, mommy, principals place other smart students into the Level IV class to make sure it is a similar size to the other classrooms. Most of these kids would have gotten into AAP if they were in a Title I or lower SES school anyway, so it works out. Your little baby is not "gifted" as much as you want to think s/he is. Principal placed kids do just as well if not better than the kids who got into AAP because their 2nd grade teacher liked them.

Principal placed kids get there because parents suck up to them.
Second grade teachers of the student are not on the selection committee for full time AAP.
Principal placing kids who did not make the cut into classrooms are part of the reason people prefer centers. The peer group has all been selected by a neutral centralized committee rather than who sucks up to the principal.

AAP is an advanced program. It must be hard for you to accept that even with a lower standard than gifted your kid still didn't make the cut. It's not the end of the world.

You're absolutely right, it's not the end of the world, yet here you are getting suuuuper defensive and freaking out and insulting people that you 100% know are telling the truth but oh boy, you just can't handle the fact that your child isn't as precious as you think s/he is. Trust me, my kids are going to end up in the exact same AP classes as yours in high school and will probably blow them out of the water.

You were the first to bring up kids saying my "little baby isnt gifted as I think he is." Well it's a good thing there are tests that independently confirmed giftedness for them. No sucking up needed.

It's very weird that you are comparing your kids future academic success to that of strangers. You sound very insecure about needing that annual principal placement for your future academic rockstar.

Yeah some people are really bothered by their kids not being selected for AAP. I enjoy listening to them complain and denigrate others kids.

If they stood back and took a second to breathe, they would understand that the kids are really where they need to be and should be happy the system allows this much flexibility for everyone’s learning needs.

Where is the flexibility for the remedial children? Where are their centers? Why do they have to be lumped in with all of the normal children while your special snowflake gets advanced math and extra special worksheets in AAP?

Are you serious? The elimination of leveled classrooms/tracking and the mainstreaming of remedial and special ed students was the result of parents of those students pushing for mainstreaming. Parents of advanced and on-level kids didn't do any of this to you - point your finger at your own counterparts from the last decades.

Currently, you could advocate for more tracking in every school - but I'd be ready from blowback from other parents who don't want to see their kid in the remedial class, even if it would be the best fit.

LOLing at you saying AAP parents didn't cause this. PLEASE. Parents are absolutely the reason there is a bloated AAP program full of normal children who belong in GenEd.

+1
I blame FCPS for allowing this system to get so bloated and out of control. What a joke it is now, compared to when they had a tiny and excellent GT program.

So your kid didn't make it into AAP but you're arguing to reduce the number of other kids' access to AAP.
What do you get out of this? Your kid isn't getting in either way. Is it spite that drives this behavior?

DP. So you're admitting that your kid is at the bottom of aap? Otherwise you would be happy to get rid of the low performers and elevate the class as a whole.

No. My kids are legitimately gifted. I don't covet what those kids have and have no reason to be spiteful like you apparently do. Low performers haven't impacted our school 's AAP classrooms. The teachers don't appear to slow down for stragglers. They move through material and you either get it or you don't.

Every AAP parent says this, LOL!

+100
It's such a tell. The only reason AAP was opened up to the masses is because of the ridiculous "equity" push. Same with TJ. Both AAP and TJ admissions need to go back to merit ONLY, and take only the top 5% of students. The ones who absolutely need a gifted curriculum - which AAP is certainly not.

No, the tell is those of you who don't realize that there is a whole world outside of FCPS for gifted people. There are a lot of resources for gifted children to be able to learn and grow outside of school and FCPS isn't the beginning or end of education. There really isn't a need to obsess over AAP.

Great, it sounds like your child is getting enough enrichment from all of your outside gifted people resources and doesn't need a separate "advanced" curriculum in school. We all agree, woohoo!

Nope. VA still requires gifted education. AAP won't be going away.

DP. No one is talking about doing away with AAP - or advanced classes. Ending the segregation that are center schools and the AAP program as a whole is the problem. If a kid can do the work, there is no reason why they shouldn’t be in an advanced group. Flexible groupings per core class are the obvious answer.

Your post completely contradicts itself.

The kids who have proven they can do the work are in the advanced group. It's called AAP. Apply again next year.

Sorry, no. Getting a certain score on a test given at the age of 6/7 is not proof that a child either is or is not able to do advanced work. As others have said, there are plenty of kids in AAP who are only there due to intense prepping by their parents and outside tutoring. And there are kids in GE were never prepped or tutored but who could easily do AAP work if given the chance. Let’s be clear: AAP is *not* neurosurgery. And it’s definitely not even a gifted curriculum. It’s just slightly accelerated - which tons of GE kids would be able to do. Many schools, in fact, have been simply using the AAP curriculum for their GE students, which is as it should be.

Face it - you enjoy the gatekeeping aspect of this and don’t want the segregation to end because then you’d have to stop pretending your child is somehow smarter than the others.

+ a million
Thank you for articulating what so many of us feel.

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Anonymous wrote:I don't care if they get rid of Centers or not. What I do care about is that they drop kids who don't belong in AAP every year. Didn't get pass advanced in SOLs or 90+ percentile on both iready tests? OUT.

Exactly. The whole point is to not be slow the class down pulling up the stragglers. And to the poster who is just sure her child belongs if not for the mean test scores saying no - maybe you should prep your kid for the test if you are so convinced they'd be fine with all the work. Tests are the most fair way to evaluate aptitude that we have. The line has to be drawn somewhere. It's already too low, as shown by all the whining here about other kids that got in. I'd love for it to be higher. However, we'd just be hearing from a different set of parents instead of you.

No, the whole point is that fcps should keep their word and start meeting all kids where they are at.
The fact that there are kids in aap dragging it down and kids in ge sitting around running out of work to do (per the teacher, not just the kids saying it) illustrates the problems with the current system. Maybe if all kids were met where they were at, less on the fringe parents would apply just because.

Sounds like your problem is with the gen ed class experience. Why don't you complain and do something about that and quit bringing the AAP kids into it?

DP but are you seriously telling me that every child in your child's AAP classroom belongs there? Because I guarantee they don't - my DD knows the kids in her class that have tutors and need extra help. Two different parents were asking around to see if anyone wanted to share in the cost of an advanced math tutor (I connected them with each other) and even more have their kids in Kumon and Mathnasium not because they need enrichment, but because they need the extra help.

I said upthread that I wish the bar was a little higher and more importantly that testing was continuous so that the kids who were prepped in 2nd grade would get filtered out over time if they didn't keep up. However, this thread isn't AAP parents complaining - it's GenEd parents complaining that their kids are stuck with remedial kids slowing things down. Somehow they blame it on AAP existing rather than trying to fix their own kids' class issues.

I am a center teacher. Not a parent. I think AAP Centers should stop. It isn’t what it used to be. It is a waste of money/resources. Especially with all kids doing Benchmark.

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Anonymous wrote:Centers are needed in schools where there aren’t enough level 4 kids to make a whole class.

Ok. But there are schools that have a large enough cohort. In my opinion, the centers should only be allowed if the cohort is too small. Why should we bus kids to a center when there is a large enough cohort with a designated class. I know our center pulls from two schools. Both of these schools including my own, has a designated AAP class (not cluster model) and routinely has enough kids (12-17 kids)

It's crazy that you are anti busing AAP kids but are just fine with a 1:12 teacher to student ratio only for AAP. Doubtful that general ed classes have that ratio.

Wow. No, mommy, principals place other smart students into the Level IV class to make sure it is a similar size to the other classrooms. Most of these kids would have gotten into AAP if they were in a Title I or lower SES school anyway, so it works out. Your little baby is not "gifted" as much as you want to think s/he is. Principal placed kids do just as well if not better than the kids who got into AAP because their 2nd grade teacher liked them.

Principal placed kids get there because parents suck up to them.
Second grade teachers of the student are not on the selection committee for full time AAP.
Principal placing kids who did not make the cut into classrooms are part of the reason people prefer centers. The peer group has all been selected by a neutral centralized committee rather than who sucks up to the principal.

AAP is an advanced program. It must be hard for you to accept that even with a lower standard than gifted your kid still didn't make the cut. It's not the end of the world.

You're absolutely right, it's not the end of the world, yet here you are getting suuuuper defensive and freaking out and insulting people that you 100% know are telling the truth but oh boy, you just can't handle the fact that your child isn't as precious as you think s/he is. Trust me, my kids are going to end up in the exact same AP classes as yours in high school and will probably blow them out of the water.

You were the first to bring up kids saying my "little baby isnt gifted as I think he is." Well it's a good thing there are tests that independently confirmed giftedness for them. No sucking up needed.

It's very weird that you are comparing your kids future academic success to that of strangers. You sound very insecure about needing that annual principal placement for your future academic rockstar.

Yeah some people are really bothered by their kids not being selected for AAP. I enjoy listening to them complain and denigrate others kids.

If they stood back and took a second to breathe, they would understand that the kids are really where they need to be and should be happy the system allows this much flexibility for everyone’s learning needs.

Where is the flexibility for the remedial children? Where are their centers? Why do they have to be lumped in with all of the normal children while your special snowflake gets advanced math and extra special worksheets in AAP?

Are you serious? The elimination of leveled classrooms/tracking and the mainstreaming of remedial and special ed students was the result of parents of those students pushing for mainstreaming. Parents of advanced and on-level kids didn't do any of this to you - point your finger at your own counterparts from the last decades.

Currently, you could advocate for more tracking in every school - but I'd be ready from blowback from other parents who don't want to see their kid in the remedial class, even if it would be the best fit.

LOLing at you saying AAP parents didn't cause this. PLEASE. Parents are absolutely the reason there is a bloated AAP program full of normal children who belong in GenEd.

+1
I blame FCPS for allowing this system to get so bloated and out of control. What a joke it is now, compared to when they had a tiny and excellent GT program.

So your kid didn't make it into AAP but you're arguing to reduce the number of other kids' access to AAP.
What do you get out of this? Your kid isn't getting in either way. Is it spite that drives this behavior?

DP. So you're admitting that your kid is at the bottom of aap? Otherwise you would be happy to get rid of the low performers and elevate the class as a whole.

No. My kids are legitimately gifted. I don't covet what those kids have and have no reason to be spiteful like you apparently do. Low performers haven't impacted our school 's AAP classrooms. The teachers don't appear to slow down for stragglers. They move through material and you either get it or you don't.

Every AAP parent says this, LOL!

+100
It's such a tell. The only reason AAP was opened up to the masses is because of the ridiculous "equity" push. Same with TJ. Both AAP and TJ admissions need to go back to merit ONLY, and take only the top 5% of students. The ones who absolutely need a gifted curriculum - which AAP is certainly not.

No, the tell is those of you who don't realize that there is a whole world outside of FCPS for gifted people. There are a lot of resources for gifted children to be able to learn and grow outside of school and FCPS isn't the beginning or end of education. There really isn't a need to obsess over AAP.

Great, it sounds like your child is getting enough enrichment from all of your outside gifted people resources and doesn't need a separate "advanced" curriculum in school. We all agree, woohoo!

Nope. VA still requires gifted education. AAP won't be going away.

DP. No one is talking about doing away with AAP - or advanced classes. Ending the segregation that are center schools and the AAP program as a whole is the problem. If a kid can do the work, there is no reason why they shouldn’t be in an advanced group. Flexible groupings per core class are the obvious answer.

Your post completely contradicts itself.

The kids who have proven they can do the work are in the advanced group. It's called AAP. Apply again next year.

Sorry, no. Getting a certain score on a test given at the age of 6/7 is not proof that a child either is or is not able to do advanced work. As others have said, there are plenty of kids in AAP who are only there due to intense prepping by their parents and outside tutoring. And there are kids in GE were never prepped or tutored but who could easily do AAP work if given the chance. Let’s be clear: AAP is *not* neurosurgery. And it’s definitely not even a gifted curriculum. It’s just slightly accelerated - which tons of GE kids would be able to do. Many schools, in fact, have been simply using the AAP curriculum for their GE students, which is as it should be.

Face it - you enjoy the gatekeeping aspect of this and don’t want the segregation to end because then you’d have to stop pretending your child is somehow smarter than the others.

Face it. Honors for all is a failure. Gate keeping is required. Unfortunately some are left on the outside of the gate. The county is getting poorer and families who care about academics need a safe haven. AAP is it. Sorry some kids aren’t good at tests every year and can’t make the cut. Try again.

DP. It's clear you have reading comprehension issues. The PP wasn't advocating "Honors for all" - more like, Honors for anyone who can do the work. If a student can't do the work, then obviously they would be in another group until they could. The point is that those groupings should be open and flexible so that kids can cycle into (and out of) them as needed.

High school already does this. AP and Honors classes used to be by recommendation only. Sometime in the past couple of decades, that thankfully changed so that any student can take those classes. If they don't do well, the consequence is that they either drop back a level or they receive a bad grade. The instruction isn't slowed down for anyone, and most do very well. Elementary and middle school should be treated the same way.

And btw? "Families who care about academics" are not just AAP parents. That statement alone makes it clear you are utterly clueless.