FCPS decline

[Anonymous]

MCPS resident here. Just have to say we could substitute the letters and offer the exact same critique. Something larger about the decline is going on - lack of structured reading program, lack of grammar, lack of spelling, lack of logical math program in elementary. Writ large: failure to direct instruct. My view the cognitive science has advanced yet schools are stuck in a ‘facilitator’ role. They just introduce ‘topics’. To your credit VA schools are 4th kin Nation on NAEP. (Maryland is in the thirties). Also FCPS at least has inspector general - our 3 billion has no accountability. Both systems are criminally negligent to spec Ed students - with probably exception for autistic kids. Dyslexics though are shunned at both.

[Anonymous]

I wish y’all had to send your kids to a truly bad school system for a month. You’re so entitled and whiny and out of touch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved here because we thought the schools were the best in the country. I have friends all across the country, our schools are NOT even close to the personalized, thoughtful, child-centered education their kids are getting in smaller school districts. It's a size issue.

You could move anywhere in the country and picked FCPS for the schools? Did you talk to all your “friends” about their schools first or waited until after you moved?

Of course smaller school systems with same or more resources are better. Everyone knows that.

[Anonymous]

I am 50 years old and went to FCPS as a child. I was in the GT program and went to top college and masters degree. My kids are in the school system now. I received a good education and so are my kids.

The schools have not declined. Parents just want more than any large public school system is capable of providing. If you want all the special stuff and attention you will need to pay for private. This is not rocket science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 50 years old and went to FCPS as a child. I was in the GT program and went to top college and masters degree. My kids are in the school system now. I received a good education and so are my kids.

The schools have not declined. Parents just want more than any large public school system is capable of providing. If you want all the special stuff and attention you will need to pay for private. This is not rocket science.

Your GT program no longer exists in FCPS. So that's one thing, right off the top that has changed. And there are many other things that have changed since you are a child (Not only in FCPS but in many other school systems).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 50 years old and went to FCPS as a child. I was in the GT program and went to top college and masters degree. My kids are in the school system now. I received a good education and so are my kids.

The schools have not declined. Parents just want more than any large public school system is capable of providing. If you want all the special stuff and attention you will need to pay for private. This is not rocket science.

If by "special stuff" you mean spelling, grammar, geography, real content for science & social studies, plus direct writing instruction in every school, not just the "good" ones, then yes, you're correct. I personally feel I'm asking them to teach the basics and I'm getting everything else instead. The basics are assumed away so I feel responsible for supplementing outside of school even though they're all things that were taught in public schools until recently. Even here in FCPS back in the 1980s-90s.

[Anonymous]

^^ Special needs students are in regular classrooms now.

[Anonymous]

^^ And, nowadays, nobody fails like they did when we went to school. In lower performing schools, there is a huge range of abilities in each class. I had one teacher tell me she had 2nd to 7th grade levelled students in her 5th grade class. My own DD had 5 mentally challenged students in her class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ And, nowadays, nobody fails like they did when we went to school. In lower performing schools, there is a huge range of abilities in each class. I had one teacher tell me she had 2nd to 7th grade levelled students in her 5th grade class. My own DD had 5 mentally challenged students in her class.

This is public education now. If parents don't like it they should go to private. It won't change. We don't institutionalize mentally or intellectually challenged students anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ And, nowadays, nobody fails like they did when we went to school. In lower performing schools, there is a huge range of abilities in each class. I had one teacher tell me she had 2nd to 7th grade levelled students in her 5th grade class. My own DD had 5 mentally challenged students in her class.

This is true. I teach 6th. I have had kids not knowing how to read English all the way to an 8th grade reading level. It is impossible. I personally think Level 1-2 should be in self contained classes like in middle school. Middle School ESOL get a lot more support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you had ever experienced schools in other states, you would be begging to return to FCPS. Yes, there are problems, especially at the elementary school levels. Class sizes are too big in many schools, but principals could stop hiring instructional coaches and put the money into classroom staff. There is a shortage of special ed teachers, who quit because they are so overworked. There are a lot of students with serious behavior problems who are not moved to appropriate programs. There is a lack of discipline at many schools, because principals don’t want to have to submit discipline data to the district or state, so kids are not managed effectively. And, we need freaking textbooks! Kids need to read for information and have a resource for reviewing their learning or working ahead.

I went to school in NY. Schools are waaay better there. My husband went to FCPS. Our secondary school offerings were night/day.

I had the opposite experience with my lower income, large city high school in NY. I’m comparing it with one of the higher ranked FCPS pyramids. My children have access to more more classes and more opportunities than I ever did, even in a virtual setting. You can find great and not so great schools in every state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish y’all had to send your kids to a truly bad school system for a month. You’re so entitled and whiny and out of touch.

Ah yes, by all means let’s set our minimal standards to the lowest. Since there are worse schools out there, we should be grateful for this subpar education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish y’all had to send your kids to a truly bad school system for a month. You’re so entitled and whiny and out of touch.

Ah yes, by all means let’s set our minimal standards to the lowest. Since there are worse schools out there, we should be grateful for this subpar education.

Yep. It's a would you rather. Would you rather receive the worst level of education for you children OR would you rather receive a less than perfect, but definitely "ok" education for you children?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If we're adding to the wish list of things we'd like FCPS to do better in ES, could we please add spelling to the list? They don't teach it, which absolutely floored me when I finally realized that this year. My 2nd grader has never had a spelling test. I'd have to hire a reading tutor because my kid is behind and the tutor is helping her with spelling. It's insane.

+1
I was surprised to see my child was on her own with spelling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved here because we thought the schools were the best in the country. I have friends all across the country, our schools are NOT even close to the personalized, thoughtful, child-centered education their kids are getting in smaller school districts. It's a size issue.

+1