What are the likely implications of AAP being dismantled?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

LLIV will exist. There will be an AAP class at every school and that is very different than what students get in other school districts. Choose your home based on the school your kid will attend. You won’t be able to buy a big house at a Title 1 school with the plan of changing your kids school because you won’t have a Center school to move to.

Buy what you can afford at a school you want your child to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

LLIV will exist. There will be an AAP class at every school and that is very different than what students get in other school districts. Choose your home based on the school your kid will attend. You won’t be able to buy a big house at a Title 1 school with the plan of changing your kids school because you won’t have a Center school to move to.

Buy what you can afford at a school you want your child to attend.

Lol no. The cluster model isn't LLIV. If/when center schools are gone, then AAP and Level IV is gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

LLIV will exist. There will be an AAP class at every school and that is very different than what students get in other school districts. Choose your home based on the school your kid will attend. You won’t be able to buy a big house at a Title 1 school with the plan of changing your kids school because you won’t have a Center school to move to.

Buy what you can afford at a school you want your child to attend.

Lol no. The cluster model isn't LLIV. If/when center schools are gone, then AAP and Level IV is gone.

First off not all schools are doing cluster models. My kids school still has 1 AAP class per grade. IMO the easiest way to do all of this is departmentalization in grades 3-6 so all kids get what they need. The problem is, this is most effective when schools have at least 4 teachers per team and flexibility to create schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

LLIV will exist. There will be an AAP class at every school and that is very different than what students get in other school districts. Choose your home based on the school your kid will attend. You won’t be able to buy a big house at a Title 1 school with the plan of changing your kids school because you won’t have a Center school to move to.

Buy what you can afford at a school you want your child to attend.

Lol no. The cluster model isn't LLIV. If/when center schools are gone, then AAP and Level IV is gone.

First off not all schools are doing cluster models. My kids school still has 1 AAP class per grade. IMO the easiest way to do all of this is departmentalization in grades 3-6 so all kids get what they need. The problem is, this is most effective when schools have at least 4 teachers per team and flexibility to create schedule.

This. Our center is Westbriar and all of the schools going into Westbriar are not doing the cluster model. It is a waste or resources bussing kids to Westbriar when there is an AAP class at their base school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

True, FCPS had the best "gifted" program for kids who were not all that gifted but well prepped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

LLIV will exist. There will be an AAP class at every school and that is very different than what students get in other school districts. Choose your home based on the school your kid will attend. You won’t be able to buy a big house at a Title 1 school with the plan of changing your kids school because you won’t have a Center school to move to.

Buy what you can afford at a school you want your child to attend.

At least until they change all this a couple years from now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

It's possible that the LLIV programs will be stronger than center programs currently are. One of the biggest issues for AAP is that kids receive permanent AAP status, even if they were early peakers who look pretty average by 6th grade or if they never should have been selected for AAP in the first place. If all schools offer only a LLIV program, it would be easier to have kids test in every year and be removed from the program if they can't handle the rigor. The other problem is that kids who are strong in only LA but average in math or vice versa either get into AAP and slow the program down for everyone else in their weak area, or they don't get in and thus don't receive services in their area of strength. LLIV programs allow for placement in the area of strength with gen ed in the weaker subject.

Abolishing centers would only be a problem for schools that have too few kids above grade level in each subject.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

It's possible that the LLIV programs will be stronger than center programs currently are. One of the biggest issues for AAP is that kids receive permanent AAP status, even if they were early peakers who look pretty average by 6th grade or if they never should have been selected for AAP in the first place. If all schools offer only a LLIV program, it would be easier to have kids test in every year and be removed from the program if they can't handle the rigor. The other problem is that kids who are strong in only LA but average in math or vice versa either get into AAP and slow the program down for everyone else in their weak area, or they don't get in and thus don't receive services in their area of strength. LLIV programs allow for placement in the area of strength with gen ed in the weaker subject.

Abolishing centers would only be a problem for schools that have too few kids above grade level in each subject.

That would be an issue. Is that a case where having clustering, with a teacher to support it, would make sense?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

It's possible that the LLIV programs will be stronger than center programs currently are. One of the biggest issues for AAP is that kids receive permanent AAP status, even if they were early peakers who look pretty average by 6th grade or if they never should have been selected for AAP in the first place. If all schools offer only a LLIV program, it would be easier to have kids test in every year and be removed from the program if they can't handle the rigor. The other problem is that kids who are strong in only LA but average in math or vice versa either get into AAP and slow the program down for everyone else in their weak area, or they don't get in and thus don't receive services in their area of strength. LLIV programs allow for placement in the area of strength with gen ed in the weaker subject.

Abolishing centers would only be a problem for schools that have too few kids above grade level in each subject.

That's a significant number of elementary schools. Not everyone lives in the Langley/McLean pyramid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

It's possible that the LLIV programs will be stronger than center programs currently are. One of the biggest issues for AAP is that kids receive permanent AAP status, even if they were early peakers who look pretty average by 6th grade or if they never should have been selected for AAP in the first place. If all schools offer only a LLIV program, it would be easier to have kids test in every year and be removed from the program if they can't handle the rigor. The other problem is that kids who are strong in only LA but average in math or vice versa either get into AAP and slow the program down for everyone else in their weak area, or they don't get in and thus don't receive services in their area of strength. LLIV programs allow for placement in the area of strength with gen ed in the weaker subject.

Abolishing centers would only be a problem for schools that have too few kids above grade level in each subject.

That's a significant number of elementary schools. Not everyone lives in the Langley/McLean pyramid.

It most likely isn't. My kids' Title I elementary school in Fairfax City could have easily filled one classroom per grade level with kids above grade level. Only the schools within the Beltway might have issues with too few advanced kids to support a real LLIV program.

[Anonymous]

We are at a smaller school with a Language Immersion program. I understand why they are using the cluster method, the LI kids participate in math and science in the language they are using. There are not enough Gen Ed only kids to make a LLIV class. If we didn’t have an LI program, there would be enough kids to make 1 LLIV class.

I think most schools end up with 15 or so kids accepted into LIV each year, which is enough to make a LLIV class. You can have the Advanced Math kids join them for math and kids who are stronger in LA join them for LA. That would get you to a group of 20-25 kids in LLIV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a lot of gossip about AAP being "dismantled". We are looking for a house and had hoped DC might get into AAP.

If there's no more AAP, what happens to the quality of instruction at the local and center schools?

With or without AAP, there will be substantial number of students who will exhaust all honors courses and go on to pursue dual enrollment courses. It's foolish for equity crazies to go after AAP/TJ, with the hope of stopping the top students from learning more. FCPS does not control what the student learns, students do. Unless they can somehow eliminate every available learning resource outside school, such as banning Khan Academy or restrict access to libraries or similar nonsense, the idea of constraining an advanced student's learning remains wishful thinking.

If you are looking for house, safe bet would be McLean, Langley, or Oakton attendance boundaries.

Our family income is well above the median household income and we are both well educated, yet could not afford in McLean or Langley and lately all I'm seeing for SFHs in Oakton are tear downs for 850k (our budget is slightly higher currently, with mortgage rates as they are). Could it really be that the only reliably good public schools are in such wealthy districts?

You're less likely to qualify for AAP from the wealthy districts as the criteria are relative to your AAP center. I think the best bet personally are the more 'middle of the pack' FCPS schools--you get quality education without the pressure-cooker atmosphere. I have two kids who were in AAP in one of these areas (Lake Braddock pyramid).

Some would say so.

[Anonymous]

No to permanent level VI status, yes to yearly screening for level VI.

They have to screen every year, not give permanent status in 2nd(?!?!?!) grade. Why 2nd grade? Why not Kindergarten? Some genius at FCPS rob the childhood away by putting this toxic selection process testing NNat and CogAt the entire first and second grade. No matter how you lie to your kid, they know the test is to pick the ‘smart’ kids for AAP. (You don’t know half the dynamics your child goes through at school because your kid won’t tell you. If they did, you’d be disgusted.) The testing everyone is for “equity” but if your child has the loser parent who can’t advocate and package them well as “gifted” they will be part of the 70% that will feel like losers throughout their elementary school experience. With that kind of self-esteem, do you think they will blossom in MS, HS, and later in life? FCPS has set up something brilliant that fails 70% of potential late bloomers. And lots of kids that need to get the level IV service are in gen Ed because their parents failed to adequately present them for the Committee gods. You can use any euphemism to repute or deny but it is what it is.

Screen them every year. FCPS was cruel when students were in 2nd grade, so do it every year to weed out those who wilt and pick those who blossom. This will actually motivate kids in Gen Ed to do better and trigger survival instinct for those in level IV to remain. Make it so cumbersome for parents (to prep for level VI every year) so it’s purely based on kids’ performance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I don’t think AAP is going away, but I do think centers will eventually. The whole plan is to have every ES offer it and they are getting close to that goal. There will be no need for centers if services can be at the base school.

That's the obvious plan, and in some places it's working as parents choose the base school over transferring to the center. But in other places, the centers remain the first choice for families. Rather than phasing out center schools altogether, the county is creating a dual system with some areas having robust centers and other areas having no centers. I wonder how long that will last.

I think eventually they will just phase out centers once every ES has LL4. Most districts do not offer kids to choose which school they attend. Honestly, as a teacher I think getting rid of centers is a good thing.

I'm curious about this common sentiment - when I moved to this area, I lived in Arlington and worked in DC and everyone knew that Fairfax had the best gifted program (MoCo had an even better gifted program but it was impossible to get into) and, if your kids are gifted, move there. Otherwise, Arlington.

Getting rid of center schools will have an effect on the county, including high school. High IQ families will broaden their housing searches and will choose based on other factors. Some will choose Fairfax and others will choose elsewhere.

LLIV will exist. There will be an AAP class at every school and that is very different than what students get in other school districts. Choose your home based on the school your kid will attend. You won’t be able to buy a big house at a Title 1 school with the plan of changing your kids school because you won’t have a Center school to move to.

Buy what you can afford at a school you want your child to attend.

Lol no. The cluster model isn't LLIV. If/when center schools are gone, then AAP and Level IV is gone.

Nah, they'll have a new program called AAP LLIV for All which all children can participate in!