TJ kids below proficient in Algebra I?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of this would be avoided if a baseline proficiency test were used as part of the application packet. Kids who need extensive remediation or lack the math and science reasoning skills to be successful at TJ should not be admitted to TJ. FCPS seems to care more about the optics and political points than they do about the individual children that they're setting up to fail.

It doesn't seem to be a real problem so not all that concerned about the rare student like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of this would be avoided if a baseline proficiency test were used as part of the application packet. Kids who need extensive remediation or lack the math and science reasoning skills to be successful at TJ should not be admitted to TJ. FCPS seems to care more about the optics and political points than they do about the individual children that they're setting up to fail.

It doesn't seem to be a real problem so not all that concerned about the rare student like this.

rare student? There are 150+ students in each TJ class struggling to get to the bare minimum calc ab.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

TJ does not use ALEKS to teach precalculus. Instead, ALEKS is used as a remedial and intervention tool for students who lack algebra 1 proficiency coming out of middle school.

My student is a 10th grader. Last year, she was assigned several modules in ALEKS to complete.

With students coming from so many different school districts, each of the districts may emphasize different aspects of Algebra I in their courses. ALEKS helped to create a foundation, from which the TJ Math teachers can assume a certain base level of knowledge.

My student came from a non-FCPS school district, and had to complete 100+ ALEKS modules. At first, I was appalled, and thought that our local school district didn't prep the students for TJ math rigor, despite honors/accelerated. But then after talking with a lot of other parents it became apparent that Algebra I (especially in the honors level) has really different areas to focus on. LCPS might be stronger in one area, APS another. Etc. Seems like the FCPS kids seem to have less of the ALEKS modules: so I don't think it's related to math aptitude as it is an integrated design of math progression between TJ and FCPS middle school math.

How big is a module? There only 180 days of Algebra 1 class!

ALEKS is pretty much rule based. If student doesn't answer a series of algebra 1 questions correctly, it them back to prealgebra level. So exercises can go into hundreds.

What is the big idea behind admitting innocent kids to TJ only to subject them to ALEKS prealgebra remediation and setting them up to fail?

claim political brownie points for achieving diversity

TJ's diverse? I thought it was predominately Asian?

What cave are you living in? Is there a STEM class or program in FCPS or any public school system for that matter where Asian Americans don't enroll overwhelmingly?

Elite universities are somehow far more balanced.

sure, but students struggling with algebra 1 dont get admitted either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought that was a smart kid school?

Used to be until 2021

I also miss the good old days when smart meant being able to afford a copy of the test too.

#backdoorKaren

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rather than this embarrassment, they should just do-away with TJ.

+1 If you are teaching remedial math, you took a wrong turn. I guess the so-called test preppers at least learned Algebra while prepping. Shut it down it's become a waste of money and attention.

[Anonymous]

Shutdown which one, Whitman Middle or TJ?

[Anonymous]

TJ!

[Anonymous]

Hate the existence of TJ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TJ!

I say shutdown McClean, Oakton, and Langley, while we are at it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of this would be avoided if a baseline proficiency test were used as part of the application packet. Kids who need extensive remediation or lack the math and science reasoning skills to be successful at TJ should not be admitted to TJ. FCPS seems to care more about the optics and political points than they do about the individual children that they're setting up to fail.

It doesn't seem to be a real problem so not all that concerned about the rare student like this.

rare student? There are 150+ students in each TJ class struggling to get to the bare minimum calc ab.

With bunch of Cs, there’s now plenty company at TJ itself. Why switch to base school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of this would be avoided if a baseline proficiency test were used as part of the application packet. Kids who need extensive remediation or lack the math and science reasoning skills to be successful at TJ should not be admitted to TJ. FCPS seems to care more about the optics and political points than they do about the individual children that they're setting up to fail.

It doesn't seem to be a real problem so not all that concerned about the rare student like this.

rare student? There are 150+ students in each TJ class struggling to get to the bare minimum calc ab.

Where did you get this factoid from? How do you know who is struggling?

It's only the "bare minimum" because they raised the minimum above the usual minimum.

[Anonymous]

Let's take an actually useful lesson here:

Thanks to TJ's new admissions system, FCPS is exposing middle schools where the top 1.5% of students are enrolled in Algebra, getting As, but not learning algebra. Imagine what the situation is for the rest of the students at these schools.

I'd rather TJ admit kids in Math 8 and able to pass the test, than kids in Algebra who can't.

That's a far more important problem to solve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hate the existence of TJ

specifically hate the Math they teach there. They want student to slog staying up till the wee hours but given nothing but a C. Cruel!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hate the existence of TJ

specifically hate the Math they teach there. They want student to slog staying up till the wee hours but given nothing but a C. Cruel!

If a student who is struggling with math is put in the nation's most rigorous magnet school, of course it's a recipe for disaster. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the school or the students, it's just a fit issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rather than this embarrassment, they should just do-away with TJ.

+1 If you are teaching remedial math, you took a wrong turn. I guess the so-called test preppers at least learned Algebra while prepping. Shut it down it's become a waste of money and attention.

Why should you do away with TJ as a whole, instead of the new admissions policy that's hurting students? And I think it's a good think that it's drawing attention to the fact that many of the top students in FCPS receive As despite not knowing the math their schools claim they do.