School Boundaries and "One Fairfax"

[Anonymous]

My priority is my kids going to school in the community they live in which they do. If boundaries were redrawn and they went somewhere else it would not feel like our community anymore (would be across a major highway). I'm not really worried about because it would be completely nonsensical.

I don't think they'll really shake things up, but if they do, they better do it to every school, not just a few that don't have as vocal parents as others.

Also, the "under-enrolled" schools like Mt. Vernon and Lee are underenrolled for a reason. Many of the more wealthy families that are zoned for those schools just do private. Fairfax will lose the students it wants to keep to private schools if they shake things up too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Look, the vast majority of us with little kids in the system just want them to be in a school that is not overcrowded. Funny enough where I leave the schools that are not overcrowded are the majority-white schools. I pay taxes too, why shouldn't my [minority] child have access to a school that doesn't have an entire grade and almost all of the "specials" in trailers when your school has extra space??

??The only "majority white" school I can think of that is not overcrowded is Langley.

DP here. There are elementary and middle schools that may fall in this category.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My priority is my kids going to school in the community they live in which they do. If boundaries were redrawn and they went somewhere else it would not feel like our community anymore (would be across a major highway). I'm not really worried about because it would be completely nonsensical.

I don't think they'll really shake things up, but if they do, they better do it to every school, not just a few that don't have as vocal parents as others.

Also, the "under-enrolled" schools like Mt. Vernon and Lee are underenrolled for a reason. Many of the more wealthy families that are zoned for those schools just do private. Fairfax will lose the students it wants to keep to private schools if they shake things up too much.

Have you asked yourself why those parents don't send their kids to Lee or Mt. Vernon - the real root cause to all of the boundary issues?

And it isn't just private schools, lots of parents in those areas take full advantage of the pupil placement policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My priority is my kids going to school in the community they live in which they do. If boundaries were redrawn and they went somewhere else it would not feel like our community anymore (would be across a major highway). I'm not really worried about because it would be completely nonsensical.

I don't think they'll really shake things up, but if they do, they better do it to every school, not just a few that don't have as vocal parents as others.

Also, the "under-enrolled" schools like Mt. Vernon and Lee are underenrolled for a reason. Many of the more wealthy families that are zoned for those schools just do private. Fairfax will lose the students it wants to keep to private schools if they shake things up too much.

There's probably more kids in the Langley pyramid in privates than any other pyramid in FCPS. My guess is that, if they got rid of IB at Lee and moved 400 kids into the school from LB, WS and/or SC, they'd retain most families and there'd be a significant improvement in the school's reputation. The situation at Mount Vernon might be different, because the Waynewood/Fort Hunt areas are wealthier, and there would be more trepidation and racism at play in sending kids to MV, which until recently always had the highest percentage of black kids in the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My priority is my kids going to school in the community they live in which they do. If boundaries were redrawn and they went somewhere else it would not feel like our community anymore (would be across a major highway). I'm not really worried about because it would be completely nonsensical.

I don't think they'll really shake things up, but if they do, they better do it to every school, not just a few that don't have as vocal parents as others.

Also, the "under-enrolled" schools like Mt. Vernon and Lee are underenrolled for a reason. Many of the more wealthy families that are zoned for those schools just do private. Fairfax will lose the students it wants to keep to private schools if they shake things up too much.

There's probably more kids in the Langley pyramid in privates than any other pyramid in FCPS. My guess is that, if they got rid of IB at Lee and moved 400 kids into the school from LB, WS and/or SC, they'd retain most families and there'd be a significant improvement in the school's reputation. The situation at Mount Vernon might be different, because the Waynewood/Fort Hunt areas are wealthier, and there would be more trepidation and racism at play in sending kids to MV, which until recently always had the highest percentage of black kids in the county.

We're slated for WSHS and I think you're partially right. If a very large chunk (like our whole elementary school) was moved to Lee we would probably send our kids there and work to improve the school with the many close friends and families we've gotten to know. If, however, it was just our small neighborhood we would do private at Immanuel Christian which is not that far, not that expensive, and starting a high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Look, the vast majority of us with little kids in the system just want them to be in a school that is not overcrowded. Funny enough where I leave the schools that are not overcrowded are the majority-white schools. I pay taxes too, why shouldn't my [minority] child have access to a school that doesn't have an entire grade and almost all of the "specials" in trailers when your school has extra space??

??The only "majority white" school I can think of that is not overcrowded is Langley.

DP here. There are elementary and middle schools that may fall in this category.

Yes, exactly, I said "little kids".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My priority is my kids going to school in the community they live in which they do. If boundaries were redrawn and they went somewhere else it would not feel like our community anymore (would be across a major highway). I'm not really worried about because it would be completely nonsensical.

I don't think they'll really shake things up, but if they do, they better do it to every school, not just a few that don't have as vocal parents as others.

Also, the "under-enrolled" schools like Mt. Vernon and Lee are underenrolled for a reason. Many of the more wealthy families that are zoned for those schools just do private. Fairfax will lose the students it wants to keep to private schools if they shake things up too much.

There's probably more kids in the Langley pyramid in privates than any other pyramid in FCPS. My guess is that, if they got rid of IB at Lee and moved 400 kids into the school from LB, WS and/or SC, they'd retain most families and there'd be a significant improvement in the school's reputation. The situation at Mount Vernon might be different, because the Waynewood/Fort Hunt areas are wealthier, and there would be more trepidation and racism at play in sending kids to MV, which until recently always had the highest percentage of black kids in the county.

We live in Langley pyramid and I would estimate that more than 50% of our neighbors send their kids to private. That is probably why Langley is under enrolled. They would rather send kids to St. Albans or Potomac.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ is long overdue for the use of creative mechanisms other than quotas for bringing in a more diverse population. It has to happen. No reasonable person could support the status quo.

FCPS re-ups the designation of TJ as a Governor's School every year with the least amount of discussion possible. The last thing they want to do is get into a big debate over TJ admissions like happened recently in NYC over admissions to Stuyvesant.

Adjusting boundaries in the name of "equity" is for the little people. TJ is about excellence.

Hopefully adjusting boundaries will ultimately, indirectly lead to a more diverse and excellent TJ.

TJ is majority Minority now.

I guess you don't like the "type" of minority. Social engineering is kinda hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TJ is long overdue for the use of creative mechanisms other than quotas for bringing in a more diverse population. It has to happen. No reasonable person could support the status quo.

I think TJ would be glad to hear specific ideas from you. TJ and TJ students and TJPF and FCPS is moving heaven and Earth to diversify TJ. Including community outreach and working with the JK Cook foundation to mentor promising low SES kids and instituting Young Scholars as a pipeline to AAP, which is a pipeline to TJ. But they can’t seem to move the needle. Here’s reality— it takes years of living in a home environment that is highly supportive of education and provides a lot of enrichment to get into TJ, and the whole family has to sacrifice and support the kid to make it work once the kid is there. With pure merit based admissions, it has proven impossible to overcome a kid living in a family that isn’t focused on academic success from a young age. And even then, 15% to 20% of a class won’t make it through. TJ is an unforgiving and kids who aren’t qualified won’t make it very far.

So, in all seriousness, if you have a suggestion to get lower SES kids in the door, please share it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ is long overdue for the use of creative mechanisms other than quotas for bringing in a more diverse population. It has to happen. No reasonable person could support the status quo.

FCPS re-ups the designation of TJ as a Governor's School every year with the least amount of discussion possible. The last thing they want to do is get into a big debate over TJ admissions like happened recently in NYC over admissions to Stuyvesant.

Adjusting boundaries in the name of "equity" is for the little people. TJ is about excellence.

Hopefully adjusting boundaries will ultimately, indirectly lead to a more diverse and excellent TJ.

Really the only thing they need to do is stop sending such a high percentage of the AAP kids in western Fairfax to a single AAP center - Carson. Let the AAP kids stay at their base schools and over time you'd see some additional diversity at TJ.

You really won’t. Most kids would revert to Franklin, which is an excellent school with LLiV. It is also already overcrowded. And then Carson would send half as many kids to TJ. And the other half would come from Franklin. They probably do need to break Carson up. They haven’t because there isn’t room to take the students back at Franklin (the Oakton and Chantilly HS kids). A few SLHS kids might go to Hughes but estimates are half the Carson AAP kids are Franklin base. So, you would need to redraw MS boundaries or expand Franklin. And the next closest MS is RRMS, itself a megacenter. So, that’s no help. Fact if, it’s a very, very AAP dense, education focused part of the county.

[Anonymous]

Not PP, but FCPS could have slots for each middle school, which at a minimum would create greater geographic diversity. A very large percentage of TJ kids now come from four pyramids: McLean, Oakton, Langley, and Chantilly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ is long overdue for the use of creative mechanisms other than quotas for bringing in a more diverse population. It has to happen. No reasonable person could support the status quo.

FCPS re-ups the designation of TJ as a Governor's School every year with the least amount of discussion possible. The last thing they want to do is get into a big debate over TJ admissions like happened recently in NYC over admissions to Stuyvesant.

Adjusting boundaries in the name of "equity" is for the little people. TJ is about excellence.

Hopefully adjusting boundaries will ultimately, indirectly lead to a more diverse and excellent TJ.

Really the only thing they need to do is stop sending such a high percentage of the AAP kids in western Fairfax to a single AAP center - Carson. Let the AAP kids stay at their base schools and over time you'd see some additional diversity at TJ.

Why? Going to their base schools isn't going to stop them from passing the test.

Then there’s no reason to bus them to Carson, is there? Let’s see if you’re right.

As said— there is. Their base school is Franklin, which doesn’t have capacity to take them all back. Most Carson parents are okay of they move half of AAP to Franklin. They aren’t opting in now because there is only one or two LLIV classes and there “critical mass” concerns. Franklin’s base students are actually more affluent than Carson’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not PP, but FCPS could have slots for each middle school, which at a minimum would create greater geographic diversity. A very large percentage of TJ kids now come from four pyramids: McLean, Oakton, Langley, and Chantilly.

So, you are suggesting geography rather than academic merit? You might as well close TJ or make it gened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not PP, but FCPS could have slots for each middle school, which at a minimum would create greater geographic diversity. A very large percentage of TJ kids now come from four pyramids: McLean, Oakton, Langley, and Chantilly.

This keeps getting proposed. But many middle schools don’t meet the 7 kid limit to pass the initial screener test right now. And only 1/2-1/3 of the kids who pass the screener get in. The screener is considered the bare minimum to succeed at TJ. I think more than it helps to admit kids who aren’t qualified and have to drop back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ is long overdue for the use of creative mechanisms other than quotas for bringing in a more diverse population. It has to happen. No reasonable person could support the status quo.

FCPS re-ups the designation of TJ as a Governor's School every year with the least amount of discussion possible. The last thing they want to do is get into a big debate over TJ admissions like happened recently in NYC over admissions to Stuyvesant.

Adjusting boundaries in the name of "equity" is for the little people. TJ is about excellence.

Hopefully adjusting boundaries will ultimately, indirectly lead to a more diverse and excellent TJ.

Really the only thing they need to do is stop sending such a high percentage of the AAP kids in western Fairfax to a single AAP center - Carson. Let the AAP kids stay at their base schools and over time you'd see some additional diversity at TJ.

Why? Going to their base schools isn't going to stop them from passing the test.

Then there’s no reason to bus them to Carson, is there? Let’s see if you’re right.

That doesn't answer the question of how not sending them to Carson is going to increase diversity at TJ.

There's no need to answer your question. You've said it makes no difference if AAP kids attend Carson or another middle school. In that case, we can save money and send those kids to their base schools. Game over.

Base school. Franklin. Which— DOES NOT HAVE CAPACITY. And is a GS 9, without an AAP Center. You aren’t punishing anyone.