The difference btw the AAP class and the General Ed class

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's great if Gen Ed works for you at your UMC school. Our experience was quite different for us in our 60% Farms Title 1 school where, as a PP pointed out, there can be so many kids 3 grades below and a few 2 grades above in one class. I didn't want that for my kids. At the Title 1 school, few parents showed up at open house. It was like night and day once we got to the AAP center in terms of parent involvement, peers and classwork.

Wouldn't it be better to just do whatever you can to move to a different school pyramid so you don't have to put all your eggs in the AAP basket? That puts so much pressure on kids to "have" to get in to AAP in order to have a decent school experience. There are non Title 1 schools in affordable areas that don't have such stark disparities.

This is why people need to stop speaking in generalities about AAP vs Gen Ed and framing Gen Ed as some kind of nightmare place. It varies wildly depending on the school. Making sweeping statements is very unhelpful and freaks parents out unnecessarily.

I wish we could have moved but it just couldn't happen at the time. Our school was rated decently when we bought the house but what we didn't know was that the school miles down the road was experiencing high numbers of newcomers. Eventually those students were transferred to our school, many of whom were high needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is correct. AAP is not only a brain drain, taking all the best students out of the population of a school and classroom, leaving mediocre-poor lumped together behind. It's also a parent drain. I used to be volunteer coordinator for my child's ES, and when 3rd grade came and all the AAP kids left, so did all the volunteers. It's time to get rid of AAP. It's good for a handful of people, and bad for the rest of us.

Opinions like this reveal some of you for the a-holes you are. NEWSFLASH: some people CHOOSE not to send their kids to AAP. There are plenty of smart and motivated kids in "gen ed" classes. Mine was one of them. DC started honors classes in middle school (which our center school told us that all honors courses was essentially the AAP curriculum). DC is now in HS (10th) and all honors and AAP and killing it. Doing better than a lot of her AAP friends from ES.

Generalizing those not in AAP as mediocre and their parents . . . bunch of crap. The Gen Ed parent volunteers were just as involved -if not more so- at our ES. You smug hags need to check yourself.

+ a million
My kids had to attend a center school as Gen Ed students and it was horrible. The AAP kids actually thought they were superior - as did their parents. It was such a relief to get to middle school where they could take honors classes, and then high school where they could take honors and AP. They excelled. AAP center schools are truly the worst and I’m astounded they still exist.

Now, with every ES having LLIV, every school will be like this. How nice!

But at least the majority of the kids will be Gen Ed, and not AAP - as it is at a center.

[Anonymous]

anecdotally, all of the room parents from K/1/2 at our school wound up getting their kids into AAP one way or another (some are guests in the local level IV).

we were curious who would step up for the other three classes this year since all prior room parents had kids in the same program-- guess what? those classes found room parents right off the bat, and the AAP class had to put out a special request for someone to be the room parent after no one answered the initial call.

Made me chuckle -- did people get what they want and then stop volunteering? I will note several came forward on the second request.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is correct. AAP is not only a brain drain, taking all the best students out of the population of a school and classroom, leaving mediocre-poor lumped together behind. It's also a parent drain. I used to be volunteer coordinator for my child's ES, and when 3rd grade came and all the AAP kids left, so did all the volunteers. It's time to get rid of AAP. It's good for a handful of people, and bad for the rest of us.

Opinions like this reveal some of you for the a-holes you are. NEWSFLASH: some people CHOOSE not to send their kids to AAP. There are plenty of smart and motivated kids in "gen ed" classes. Mine was one of them. DC started honors classes in middle school (which our center school told us that all honors courses was essentially the AAP curriculum). DC is now in HS (10th) and all honors and AAP and killing it. Doing better than a lot of her AAP friends from ES.

Generalizing those not in AAP as mediocre and their parents . . . bunch of crap. The Gen Ed parent volunteers were just as involved -if not more so- at our ES. You smug hags need to check yourself.

Was this a Title 1 elementary school?

No. But the generalization was that AAP = good, smart kids and parents and non-AAP= not. I'll also say that perception bled into our Center School, with the AAP kids even given a separate promotion ceremony, separate events through the year, etc. And that perception is false, unwarranted and just plain ignorant.

+ a million
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is correct. AAP is not only a brain drain, taking all the best students out of the population of a school and classroom, leaving mediocre-poor lumped together behind. It's also a parent drain. I used to be volunteer coordinator for my child's ES, and when 3rd grade came and all the AAP kids left, so did all the volunteers. It's time to get rid of AAP. It's good for a handful of people, and bad for the rest of us.

Opinions like this reveal some of you for the a-holes you are. NEWSFLASH: some people CHOOSE not to send their kids to AAP. There are plenty of smart and motivated kids in "gen ed" classes. Mine was one of them. DC started honors classes in middle school (which our center school told us that all honors courses was essentially the AAP curriculum). DC is now in HS (10th) and all honors and AAP and killing it. Doing better than a lot of her AAP friends from ES.

Generalizing those not in AAP as mediocre and their parents . . . bunch of crap. The Gen Ed parent volunteers were just as involved -if not more so- at our ES. You smug hags need to check yourself.

Was this a Title 1 elementary school?

No. But the generalization was that AAP = good, smart kids and parents and non-AAP= not. I'll also say that perception bled into our Center School, with the AAP kids even given a separate promotion ceremony, separate events through the year, etc. And that perception is false, unwarranted and just plain ignorant.

That's on the principal. The base kids' parents need them to know that it's not ok and if it keeps happening, they need to do something about it.

The principal. And AAP parents.

I had one parent flat out tell me before promotion how excited she was her kid would be AAP in MS since those kids can sort of keep to themselves and avoid Gen Ed kids. She thought mine was AAP. When I told her mine wasn't, she jsut fumbled and fussed until I turned my back on her. A lot of those parent are gross.

DP. Yes! I had almost an identical experience when my kids were in elementary school. A parent turned to me at BTSN and said how excited she was about her kid being in AAP as it was a "private school experience within a public school" (ha, as if). She thought my kid was also in AAP and when I said he was not, she started stammering and trying to change the subject. Cringeworthy behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is correct. AAP is not only a brain drain, taking all the best students out of the population of a school and classroom, leaving mediocre-poor lumped together behind. It's also a parent drain. I used to be volunteer coordinator for my child's ES, and when 3rd grade came and all the AAP kids left, so did all the volunteers. It's time to get rid of AAP. It's good for a handful of people, and bad for the rest of us.

Opinions like this reveal some of you for the a-holes you are. NEWSFLASH: some people CHOOSE not to send their kids to AAP. There are plenty of smart and motivated kids in "gen ed" classes. Mine was one of them. DC started honors classes in middle school (which our center school told us that all honors courses was essentially the AAP curriculum). DC is now in HS (10th) and all honors and AAP and killing it. Doing better than a lot of her AAP friends from ES.

Generalizing those not in AAP as mediocre and their parents . . . bunch of crap. The Gen Ed parent volunteers were just as involved -if not more so- at our ES. You smug hags need to check yourself.

Was this a Title 1 elementary school?

No. But the generalization was that AAP = good, smart kids and parents and non-AAP= not. I'll also say that perception bled into our Center School, with the AAP kids even given a separate promotion ceremony, separate events through the year, etc. And that perception is false, unwarranted and just plain ignorant.

That's on the principal. The base kids' parents need them to know that it's not ok and if it keeps happening, they need to do something about it.

The principal. And AAP parents.

I had one parent flat out tell me before promotion how excited she was her kid would be AAP in MS since those kids can sort of keep to themselves and avoid Gen Ed kids. She thought mine was AAP. When I told her mine wasn't, she jsut fumbled and fussed until I turned my back on her. A lot of those parent are gross.

I 100% don't understand why there is AAP in middle school when there are also honors classes. It's such a waste of resources.

It absolutely is. But be prepared to be told that "AAP offers so much more than honors!" and should still remain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP coming back to say I really hope they remove AAP from middle schools before my children get there. I have one in 4th and the AAP-General Ed divide has been awful. There are girls who she was good friends with from before they were even in grade school that won't even look at her now, even though they're in extracurriculars together.

Same experience with my daughter. Her best friend went into AAP and told my daughter she could have gotten in too if she was just "smarter." That stuck with my daughter for years - however, she shot way ahead of this girl in high school and attended a far more selective college than her. I guess she was "smarter" all along.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is correct. AAP is not only a brain drain, taking all the best students out of the population of a school and classroom, leaving mediocre-poor lumped together behind. It's also a parent drain. I used to be volunteer coordinator for my child's ES, and when 3rd grade came and all the AAP kids left, so did all the volunteers. It's time to get rid of AAP. It's good for a handful of people, and bad for the rest of us.

Opinions like this reveal some of you for the a-holes you are. NEWSFLASH: some people CHOOSE not to send their kids to AAP. There are plenty of smart and motivated kids in "gen ed" classes. Mine was one of them. DC started honors classes in middle school (which our center school told us that all honors courses was essentially the AAP curriculum). DC is now in HS (10th) and all honors and AAP and killing it. Doing better than a lot of her AAP friends from ES.

Generalizing those not in AAP as mediocre and their parents . . . bunch of crap. The Gen Ed parent volunteers were just as involved -if not more so- at our ES. You smug hags need to check yourself.

+ a million
My kids had to attend a center school as Gen Ed students and it was horrible. The AAP kids actually thought they were superior - as did their parents. It was such a relief to get to middle school where they could take honors classes, and then high school where they could take honors and AP. They excelled. AAP center schools are truly the worst and I’m astounded they still exist.

Now, with every ES having LLIV, every school will be like this. How nice!

But at least the majority of the kids will be Gen Ed, and not AAP - as it is at a center.

AAP kids are not the majority at our center. It’s not even 50/50. More like 2/3 Gen Ed and 1/3 AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:anecdotally, all of the room parents from K/1/2 at our school wound up getting their kids into AAP one way or another (some are guests in the local level IV).

we were curious who would step up for the other three classes this year since all prior room parents had kids in the same program-- guess what? those classes found room parents right off the bat, and the AAP class had to put out a special request for someone to be the room parent after no one answered the initial call.

Made me chuckle -- did people get what they want and then stop volunteering? I will note several came forward on the second request.

Oh look it's "PTA moms get preferential treatment for AAP" lady. No, they don't, that's not how this works. Step away from the wine, Sarah/Jessica/Katie.

[Anonymous]

I would be fine if they got rid of the Centers at MS and ES. I also think a better model would be to have an Advanced Math and Advanced LA class and have kids change classes based on their ability level in each area. Group Math and Science and LA and Social Studies but allow kids to switch classes based on their needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:anecdotally, all of the room parents from K/1/2 at our school wound up getting their kids into AAP one way or another (some are guests in the local level IV).

we were curious who would step up for the other three classes this year since all prior room parents had kids in the same program-- guess what? those classes found room parents right off the bat, and the AAP class had to put out a special request for someone to be the room parent after no one answered the initial call.

Made me chuckle -- did people get what they want and then stop volunteering? I will note several came forward on the second request.

Oh look it's "PTA moms get preferential treatment for AAP" lady. No, they don't, that's not how this works. Step away from the wine, Sarah/Jessica/Katie.

The PTA mom route was the easiest most effective way to get your kid (s) placed for years...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP coming back to say I really hope they remove AAP from middle schools before my children get there. I have one in 4th and the AAP-General Ed divide has been awful. There are girls who she was good friends with from before they were even in grade school that won't even look at her now, even though they're in extracurriculars together.

I have one heading to middle school next year and they are just figuring out who is center placed, principal placed, and just in their class. This is a school that has had local for years. We’re going to let DD decline services because she found out that most of the girls she’s close with are not center placed. Reading this thread, I’m happy that they never knew until now and only seem to care to the extent they can stay together

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is correct. AAP is not only a brain drain, taking all the best students out of the population of a school and classroom, leaving mediocre-poor lumped together behind. It's also a parent drain. I used to be volunteer coordinator for my child's ES, and when 3rd grade came and all the AAP kids left, so did all the volunteers. It's time to get rid of AAP. It's good for a handful of people, and bad for the rest of us.

Opinions like this reveal some of you for the a-holes you are. NEWSFLASH: some people CHOOSE not to send their kids to AAP. There are plenty of smart and motivated kids in "gen ed" classes. Mine was one of them. DC started honors classes in middle school (which our center school told us that all honors courses was essentially the AAP curriculum). DC is now in HS (10th) and all honors and AAP and killing it. Doing better than a lot of her AAP friends from ES.

Generalizing those not in AAP as mediocre and their parents . . . bunch of crap. The Gen Ed parent volunteers were just as involved -if not more so- at our ES. You smug hags need to check yourself.

Was this a Title 1 elementary school?

No. But the generalization was that AAP = good, smart kids and parents and non-AAP= not. I'll also say that perception bled into our Center School, with the AAP kids even given a separate promotion ceremony, separate events through the year, etc. And that perception is false, unwarranted and just plain ignorant.

That's on the principal. The base kids' parents need them to know that it's not ok and if it keeps happening, they need to do something about it.

The principal. And AAP parents.

I had one parent flat out tell me before promotion how excited she was her kid would be AAP in MS since those kids can sort of keep to themselves and avoid Gen Ed kids. She thought mine was AAP. When I told her mine wasn't, she jsut fumbled and fussed until I turned my back on her. A lot of those parent are gross.

I 100% don't understand why there is AAP in middle school when there are also honors classes. It's such a waste of resources.

It absolutely is. But be prepared to be told that "AAP offers so much more than honors!" and should still remain.

The problem with Honors it is open enrollment. You have kids reading below grade level signing up for honors classes even if the 6th grade teacher recommends. While I understand the rational behind having open enrollment, I do think there should be prerequisites such as passing SOL’s and getting 3’s, 4’s in that subject area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:anecdotally, all of the room parents from K/1/2 at our school wound up getting their kids into AAP one way or another (some are guests in the local level IV).

we were curious who would step up for the other three classes this year since all prior room parents had kids in the same program-- guess what? those classes found room parents right off the bat, and the AAP class had to put out a special request for someone to be the room parent after no one answered the initial call.

Made me chuckle -- did people get what they want and then stop volunteering? I will note several came forward on the second request.

Oh look it's "PTA moms get preferential treatment for AAP" lady. No, they don't, that's not how this works. Step away from the wine, Sarah/Jessica/Katie.

The PTA mom route was the easiest most effective way to get your kid (s) placed for years...

Maybe principal placed, but not county-selected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is correct. AAP is not only a brain drain, taking all the best students out of the population of a school and classroom, leaving mediocre-poor lumped together behind. It's also a parent drain. I used to be volunteer coordinator for my child's ES, and when 3rd grade came and all the AAP kids left, so did all the volunteers. It's time to get rid of AAP. It's good for a handful of people, and bad for the rest of us.

Opinions like this reveal some of you for the a-holes you are. NEWSFLASH: some people CHOOSE not to send their kids to AAP. There are plenty of smart and motivated kids in "gen ed" classes. Mine was one of them. DC started honors classes in middle school (which our center school told us that all honors courses was essentially the AAP curriculum). DC is now in HS (10th) and all honors and AAP and killing it. Doing better than a lot of her AAP friends from ES.

Generalizing those not in AAP as mediocre and their parents . . . bunch of crap. The Gen Ed parent volunteers were just as involved -if not more so- at our ES. You smug hags need to check yourself.

Was this a Title 1 elementary school?

No. But the generalization was that AAP = good, smart kids and parents and non-AAP= not. I'll also say that perception bled into our Center School, with the AAP kids even given a separate promotion ceremony, separate events through the year, etc. And that perception is false, unwarranted and just plain ignorant.

That's on the principal. The base kids' parents need them to know that it's not ok and if it keeps happening, they need to do something about it.

The principal. And AAP parents.

I had one parent flat out tell me before promotion how excited she was her kid would be AAP in MS since those kids can sort of keep to themselves and avoid Gen Ed kids. She thought mine was AAP. When I told her mine wasn't, she jsut fumbled and fussed until I turned my back on her. A lot of those parent are gross.

I 100% don't understand why there is AAP in middle school when there are also honors classes. It's such a waste of resources.

It absolutely is. But be prepared to be told that "AAP offers so much more than honors!" and should still remain.

The problem with Honors it is open enrollment. You have kids reading below grade level signing up for honors classes even if the 6th grade teacher recommends. While I understand the rational behind having open enrollment, I do think there should be prerequisites such as passing SOL’s and getting 3’s, 4’s in that subject area.

I'm fine with open enrollment. I think the middle school teachers need to be willing to fail students who can't keep up (these grades aren't on HS transcripts, so there are no real repercussions) and the schools need to be willing to offer a switch to regular for kids who realize they are in over their heads a month or two into the year