Anyone's child not able to stay in AP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see how AAP would cost more. Our DD is in AAP - their class in the same trailers as the other 3rd grade classes, no special equipment that I'm aware of, lots of paper and pencil tasks. The difference seems to be that instruction is more in depth compared to the regular classes (e.g., they use the 5th grade vocabularly book, math is advanced), and there's more homework and in-class projects.

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

The only extra costs I would see are the transportation costs to get students from their base school to the center school. Of course they could elimate those to keep costs the same as keeping a student in his base school.

[Anonymous]

The way I look at it is if AAP does not cost more than General Education, why not have any child that is capable of doing the work allowed in?

[Anonymous]

The way I understand it is AAP is the opposite side of the coin of special education - it is a differentiated program for children that have been found by the FCPS standards to need the additional academic depth and challenge to achieve their potential.

Like one of the PPs, our DD had very high test scores but at time struggles with the underpinnings, such as attention and organization. DD learns in a different way from her peers. She does much better with hands-on learning than "accelerated gen. ed.", which I think for the most part the AAP is. I actually think such kids need a differentiated curriculum even more so than those who are bright (but not necessarily highly gifted) and are fortunate enough to possess strong attention and organizational skills. However, since there seems to be a relatively small number of gifted kids with issues, the school system is not likely to create a curriculum just for them. The public school choices seem to be (i) stay in AAP and try to work on the issues at home or with tutors (and get accommodtions if eligible), or (ii) return to gen. ed. and supplement/remediate at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The way I look at it is if AAP does not cost more than General Education, why not have any child that is capable of doing the work allowed in?

[list] Unfortunately it is not that way. Your use of "any child capable" is exactly one of the problems. There are many children capable of doing the AAP center work and they are not getting it because, for whatever the reason, they were not deemed capable of getting a higher quality education at the AAP center. I actually know two children who were not capable before going into the center and are not capable now of doing the AAP work. But because these children, in 2nd grade(!), were deemed eligible, they will automatically be afforded the "AAP" label throughout their education. I know for a fact one of them scored very poorly on all of their testing and had poor grades; the other was not passing school.

So a child with drive, relatively high across the board testing and strait "A's" on their report card should not be given an advanced curriculum? Fairfax County has a problem. The center is the problem it should be offered in all base schools as advanced classes and your grades and drive should open the door. Not some panel, most of which do not even know your child, opening that door for you. There is no reason why these children need a separate school to be given advanced class work. If it were in the base schools all children could be offered the opportunity when they were "deemed capable".

In addition to the transportation costs the testing for AAP classes at middle and high school levels cost the tax payer $75 per test, per student. Hmm....

Funny how you all seem to think the center is the answer. Maybe it is if you have a child lucky enough to get in but what about all of the other children. Don't any of you give a damn about others?

[Anonymous]

I think it's unfair to say people with children in AAP don't care about others. What about the parents of special education students. FCPS provides an enormous amount of resources to this group. Are you saying those parents don't care about everyone else because they qualify their children for those programs. My child is in AAP in a class of 30 kids. I have seen 3 and 4 aids plus a teacher all work on educating 1 or 2 children classified as special education in our ES. They also have the right for special testing, evaluations, special transportation etc. VA law requires FCPS and all school districts to provide services for special ed and for a gifted program.

[Anonymous]

I'm for keeping the AAP program. It is great, but instead of centers, could they do something halfway inbetween by splitting the centers up and having local level IV centers that feed possibly 2 or 3 elementary schools if each base school does not have enough children on their own? This would keep the neighborhoods more intact and they could eliminate bussing more easily. And yes, I think children should be able to test into or test out of AAP although I think they can still test in now at any time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In addition to the transportation costs the testing for AAP classes at middle and high school levels cost the tax payer $75 per test, per student.

There are no AAP classes at high school in FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In addition to the transportation costs the testing for AAP classes at middle and high school levels cost the tax payer $75 per test, per student.

There are no AAP classes at high school in FCPS.

[list]Wrong!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's unfair to say people with children in AAP don't care about others. What about the parents of special education students. FCPS provides an enormous amount of resources to this group. Are you saying those parents don't care about everyone else because they qualify their children for those programs. My child is in AAP in a class of 30 kids. I have seen 3 and 4 aids plus a teacher all work on educating 1 or 2 children classified as special education in our ES. They also have the right for special testing, evaluations, special transportation etc. VA law requires FCPS and all school districts to provide services for special ed and for a gifted program.

Agree that all deserve services. But special ed is in the gen ed schools. FCPS should not provide a separate center for the AAP program. If it were in the base schools it could be offered to more children.

[Anonymous]

And yes, I think children should be able to test into or test out of AAP although I think they can still test in now at any time.

[Yes. However, very few children get in past 3rd grade (2nd grade screening pool). Not that they can't but it rarely happens. If AAP were in all base schools the process of moving children in, or out for that matter, would be much less cumbersome. And, if you think about, it would be much less stigmatized to! IMO, the center needs to go! It is just plain wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In addition to the transportation costs the testing for AAP classes at middle and high school levels cost the tax payer $75 per test, per student.

There are no AAP classes at high school in FCPS.

[list]Wrong!

Yes, you are. (Isn't this a fun way to play, troll?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMO, the center needs to go! It is just plain wrong.

So glad it is very much a minority opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO, the center needs to go! It is just plain wrong.

So glad it is very much a minority opinion.

Said the mother whose child was lucky enough to test well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The way I understand it is AAP is the opposite side of the coin of special education - it is a differentiated program for children that have been found by the FCPS standards to need the additional academic depth and challenge to achieve their potential.

Like one of the PPs, our DD had very high test scores but at time struggles with the underpinnings, such as attention and organization. DD learns in a different way from her peers. She does much better with hands-on learning than "accelerated gen. ed.", which I think for the most part the AAP is. I actually think such kids need a differentiated curriculum even more so than those who are bright (but not necessarily highly gifted) and are fortunate enough to possess strong attention and organizational skills. However, since there seems to be a relatively small number of gifted kids with issues, the school system is not likely to create a curriculum just for them. The public school choices seem to be (i) stay in AAP and try to work on the issues at home or with tutors (and get accommodtions if eligible), or (ii) return to gen. ed. and supplement/remediate at home.

[list]YYes all children learn differently and I do believe there is a need for the "special need" smart children to be met where they learn best. But I am not convinced the AAP center is the platform for these kids. I believe there are more "gifted kids with issues" than I think you realize. These children are being pushed into an advanced achademic program then straight into AAP in middle and high school. (Not sure they are going to make it there)

Why should these children be in a program, in a special center, with the "off the charts" academic children?

Why can't FCPS provide services to them just like "special ed" kids, and, in their base school, so that all “smart kids” can get this advanced curriculum?

If the center were what FCPS touts it as "for children who need to learn differently" then I would not have an argument. But it is not. It is an “advanced academic” center who funnels those who go through the program, through an advanced curriculum, and then automatically funnels them into an advanced middle and high school curriculum. Or a program for "off the charts" academic children.

FYI, if you want your child to succeed in school, most children have to be supplemented/remediated at home. 30 kids per class, center and no center, is way more than one teacher can effectivly differenciate for. Choice, you do it or hire a tutor.