Did ACPS remove entire classrooms at your school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Again, you chose poorly. Have an APS fifth grader with 22 in the class.

But you have to deal with Arlington parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Textbooks would be a great start. I cannot believe my kid doesn't have a math textbook and has NEVER had a math textbook.

We left last year and are now in year 2 of actual hardback math textbooks. It makes a difference, esp if you have a student who struggles with math.

I don't believe my child opened a text book last year in 5th grade at LCTA. I honestly have very little idea of what he did all year, except what he ate for lunch. I don't know if the teachers forgot all of their pre-covid lesson plans, but there was no way we were continuing that sh*t show into middle school.

[Anonymous]

Yes, 28 students for one teacher in elementary school is way too many. Make some more noise. Contact everyone. Start a petition. If this is a new trend this is something we should ask be worried about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, 28 students for one teacher in elementary school is way too many. Make some more noise. Contact everyone. Start a petition. If this is a new trend this is something we should ask be worried about.

I agree that 28 is too much for one teacher.

You go first on that noise, contact (I think the OP said they have done that but haven't gotten a response), petition. The Alexandria establishment doesn't look too kindly on those kinds of activities. This is the city where no one cares or is too scared to speak up (and rightfully so).

[Anonymous]

I am learning that people do care and do speak up the problem is that it is all falling on deaf ears. City leadership is the one who doesn't care, but we are getting a new superintendent so maybe that will change.

[Anonymous]

Umm no at the last school board meeting. The interim superintendent was basically like well we're under the state cap of 29 students in kindergarten so 28 kids in a kindergarten classroom

[Anonymous]

Six or seven years ago then school board member Bill Campbell told me that the ACPS consultants said there wouldn't be an increase in students. A very nice man but the statement was foolish and defied all logic, but he kept citing the consultants.

Wonder how much those consultants got paid and if they are still being paid.

[Anonymous]

Anyone think that ACP$ is purposely trying to fail so that people pull thier kids out and send them to private schools? That way the city doesn't have to build enough schools to accommodate everyone.

If my child's kindergarten class has 28 students, 4 over the own city's cap I would be searching for other options. It's crazy, with the amount we are paying in property taxes so we should be able to send our children to decent schools.

[Anonymous]

I sometimes wonder if they are...I was so disappointed in the interim superintendent's response to the PTA presidents from Tucker and Patrick Henry. I really commend those PTA presidents from west end schools for speaking up. What are our school board members doing about it though? I see nothing from ACPS or the board.

[Anonymous]

You may be right. It's easy to believe when so many senior people at ACPS don't send their their kids to ACPS schools (Hutchings didn't, Alderton doesn't, the TAG director doesn't).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone think that ACP$ is purposely trying to fail so that people pull thier kids out and send them to private schools? That way the city doesn't have to build enough schools to accommodate everyone.

[b]If my child's kindergarten class has 28 students, 4 over the own city's cap I would be searching for other options. It's crazy, with the amount we are paying in property taxes so we should be able to send our children to decent schools.

The issue isn’t JUST the large class sizes. It’s the difference in class sizes from school to school. Some K classes have 27 or 28 kids where another school has 17 or 18. That’s a major discrepancy in class sizes and puts those in the larger classes at a disadvantage. Even more so when those larger classrooms have many ELL students.

Keep pushing if you are outraged and disappointed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone think that ACP$ is purposely trying to fail so that people pull thier kids out and send them to private schools? That way the city doesn't have to build enough schools to accommodate everyone.

[b]If my child's kindergarten class has 28 students, 4 over the own city's cap I would be searching for other options. It's crazy, with the amount we are paying in property taxes so we should be able to send our children to decent schools.

The issue isn’t JUST the large class sizes. It’s the difference in class sizes from school to school. Some K classes have 27 or 28 kids where another school has 17 or 18. That’s a major discrepancy in class sizes and puts those in the larger classes at a disadvantage. Even more so when those larger classrooms have many ELL students.

Keep pushing if you are outraged and disappointed.

If you are in one of the schools that have 27 or 28 kids in a class, be prepared to be told to transfer to one of the schools that have 17 or 18. That will be the first solution. The very last solution would be to add a classroom at your assigned school.

Still not sure where the 54 million in COVID funds went. With two years of learning down the drain, it would make sense to keep class sizes small and spend the money on actual teachers instead of blowing it at central office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I sometimes wonder if they are...I was so disappointed in the interim superintendent's response to the PTA presidents from Tucker and Patrick Henry. I really commend those PTA presidents from west end schools for speaking up. What are our school board members doing about it though? I see nothing from ACPS or the board.

Good for them! Where are the other PTA's? Or is this just a west side issue so the east side schools are just keeping their heads down?

As the PTA's ask for donations, parents should ask PTA leadership when was the last time you spoke before the school board on behalf of our parents and teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone think that ACP$ is purposely trying to fail so that people pull thier kids out and send them to private schools? That way the city doesn't have to build enough schools to accommodate everyone.

[b]If my child's kindergarten class has 28 students, 4 over the own city's cap I would be searching for other options. It's crazy, with the amount we are paying in property taxes so we should be able to send our children to decent schools.

The issue isn’t JUST the large class sizes. It’s the difference in class sizes from school to school. Some K classes have 27 or 28 kids where another school has 17 or 18. That’s a major discrepancy in class sizes and puts those in the larger classes at a disadvantage. Even more so when those larger classrooms have many ELL students.

Keep pushing if you are outraged and disappointed.

If you are in one of the schools that have 27 or 28 kids in a class, be prepared to be told to transfer to one of the schools that have 17 or 18. That will be the first solution. The very last solution would be to add a classroom at your assigned school.

Still not sure where the 54 million in COVID funds went. With two years of learning down the drain, it would make sense to keep class sizes small and spend the money on actual teachers instead of blowing it at central office.

The money has gone to budget shortfalls for intentionally underestimating the influx of English Language Learners into the public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone think that ACP$ is purposely trying to fail so that people pull thier kids out and send them to private schools? That way the city doesn't have to build enough schools to accommodate everyone.

[b]If my child's kindergarten class has 28 students, 4 over the own city's cap I would be searching for other options. It's crazy, with the amount we are paying in property taxes so we should be able to send our children to decent schools.

The issue isn’t JUST the large class sizes. It’s the difference in class sizes from school to school. Some K classes have 27 or 28 kids where another school has 17 or 18. That’s a major discrepancy in class sizes and puts those in the larger classes at a disadvantage. Even more so when those larger classrooms have many ELL students.

Keep pushing if you are outraged and disappointed.

If you are in one of the schools that have 27 or 28 kids in a class, be prepared to be told to transfer to one of the schools that have 17 or 18. That will be the first solution. The very last solution would be to add a classroom at your assigned school.

Still not sure where the 54 million in COVID funds went. With two years of learning down the drain, it would make sense to keep class sizes small and spend the money on actual teachers instead of blowing it at central office.

The money has gone to budget shortfalls for intentionally underestimating the influx of English Language Learners into the public schools.

Can you elaborate or share some data? ACPS is such a small school district and overall the enrollment numbers didn't change much. Student loss was greatest at elementary schools, for example George Mason lost a third of its students from pre to post COVID, but district wide the number wasn't that different.