APS Duran School Performance Email - Is Long Branch a Failing School?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, Long Branch is the result of prolonged Duran-led policies?

No, it’s a widespread systemic problem in American schools.

[Anonymous]

I was a teacher at a failing NYC public middle school that did a turnaround once put on a list (which came with extra resources, of which I was a part of).

We turned it around by (1) differentiated lessons within the same classroom for each lesson (3 levels - under, middle, and above) and (2) each subject/classroom had 2 teachers - one focused on the middle / above kids and one focused on the below kids (me).

We also really leaned into the “growth mindset” teaching approach via Carol Dweck and incorporated some of China’s teaching methods (they teach to mistakes which sounds crazy but google it, it works - I’m a BIG believer in it).

Within a year we exceeded all NYC AND NY state achievement benchmarks based on standardized test scores. These kids were cooking academically.

So all that said - if we’re serious about turning this problem around, it’s not hard, but the county has to want to put in the work. 99% of my students were super poor like wear the same outfit to school every day poor (we ended up giving them school polos to help) and something like 25% had IEPs so that’s not an excuse either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, Long Branch is the result of prolonged Duran-led policies?

Of course not. Duran hasn’t even been here that long. And he’s much better than the one before.

[Anonymous]

The change in ratings was Youngkin’s way of putting down public schools. It was a rotten thing to do. It’s not based on how individuals do in schools, but how many different types of students are in each school. Using words like “Distinguished” verses “on track” only based on how privileged to students are when they walk through the door is meant to give false impressions. Well, mission accomplished, Glenn, and good riddance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The change in ratings was Youngkin’s way of putting down public schools. It was a rotten thing to do. It’s not based on how individuals do in schools, but how many different types of students are in each school. Using words like “Distinguished” verses “on track” only based on how privileged to students are when they walk through the door is meant to give false impressions. Well, mission accomplished, Glenn, and good riddance.

I think if you speak with people working in these schools (I am one) you would find that many of them agree with the assessment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The change in ratings was Youngkin’s way of putting down public schools. It was a rotten thing to do. It’s not based on how individuals do in schools, but how many different types of students are in each school. Using words like “Distinguished” verses “on track” only based on how privileged to students are when they walk through the door is meant to give false impressions. Well, mission accomplished, Glenn, and good riddance.

ATS is “distinguished” and also Title 1. So try again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The change in ratings was Youngkin’s way of putting down public schools. It was a rotten thing to do. It’s not based on how individuals do in schools, but how many different types of students are in each school. Using words like “Distinguished” verses “on track” only based on how privileged to students are when they walk through the door is meant to give false impressions. Well, mission accomplished, Glenn, and good riddance.

ATS is “distinguished” and also Title 1. So try again.

Also, two-thirds of schools are distinguished or on track so if this system is designed to put public schools down, it is doing a terrible job.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I’m too tired to do this now, but I hope someone will explain subgroup size, the subgroup reporting requirements, and how that skews the data in — if I may say so — stupid systems like this.

Someone? Anyone?

It is based on federal designation. Basically, they look at the scores of the 5th percentile of Title 1 schools in the state, and then look at designated demographic subgroups. If any subgroup has scores that are worse than this 5th percentile threshold across all of math, reading, and science (if applicable, not all groups have science scores), then they get designated as a Targeted Support and Improvement school and they are docked a level on the accountability rating.

Yes, but there’s a reporting threshold for group size. It used to be 30, which I believe is still in effect.
So your lower-SES school which exceeds the minimum group size in every category? Every subgroup gets reported. A N.A. school with fewer than 30 kids in, say, the 5th grade low-income science test score group? Not reported, thereby artificially raising the scores.

They lowered the threshold to 15, so this is less of an issue now.

Ah, good to know. Still an issue but yes, less so.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I work at another school that is on the list and IMO it’s justified. I am neither a fan or huge critic of Duran though I feel he is partially responsible for some of what is happening. When I talk to friends across the county they have similar concerns. The way we are educating special education students and ELs is not supportive in many cases. At the same time there have been huge cultural shifts in parenting that are impacting achievement.

THIS. This is the problem, and there’s nothing Duran can do to fix it.

Fix it entirely? No. But there is a huge amount schools can do to boost performance and outcomes.

Like WHAT? Seriously, what — specifically — would you do?

Better, content-rich curriculum.
Phonics-based reading.
Teaching facts and knowledge rather than nebulous skills.
More days in school.
Fewer screens, more textbooks.
Smaller classes in some cases.
More differentiation.
Don’t pass on kids that need to repeat.
Schedules that provide routine that make kids feel secure.
Deal with and eventually separate out discipline cases.

Or you can just throw in the towel on achievement, like Jonathan Chait talks about here: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/12/school-reform-progressives/685179/?gift=rGeOi84Cw86O5rDyk0k6nh1ypn4wQDUwI8-VeiN1kyg&fbclid=IwdGRjcAOqMqlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe1XUEPi21nipkFi3vEY1fW_ZqBGzT1cECCwbAJGeijqqTA7Tsud4XXmc2qGU_aem_mkd5L1BfI3YuOJqVmhPTeQ

APS is improving in the first three that you listed but there needs to be a lot more focus on writing. With math, we basically don’t have a curriculum and it’s all IXL and forgot the name of the other app. We also need more teacher led instructions which leads to better results in public schools especially I really like Natalie Wexler, Doug Lemov (his website is called Teach Like A Champion), and Karen Vaites who has a substack. They all have excellent suggestions on how schools can be improved. Unfortunately Dr Duran is more concerned with his image and less concerned with actually improving schools.

[Anonymous]

Yes. We need an actual math curriculum. A well fought out one, and one that they don’t switch out every three years. You have to learn a new curriculum a little bit more each year to get really good at it.

[Anonymous]

*thought out. A well thought-out math curriculum. But if somebody leads the good fight in order to get it all the better.

[Anonymous]

MAGA attack on public ed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MAGA attack on public ed

No it isn’t. 2/3 of the schools are on track. If this is an attack why are t there more failing schools? The reality is that these schools are pretty bad and Arlington does have a two tier educational system. Hopefully this puts an end to the myth that all Arlington public schools are the same. This is why there is such a long waitlist for ATS. Parents know how bad these schools are and want an out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MAGA attack on public ed

No it isn’t. 2/3 of the schools are on track. If this is an attack why are t there more failing schools? The reality is that these schools are pretty bad and Arlington does have a two tier educational system. Hopefully this puts an end to the myth that all Arlington public schools are the same. This is why there is such a long waitlist for ATS. Parents know how bad these schools are and want an out.

It’s a maga move to vouchers which maybe you support

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MAGA attack on public ed

No it isn’t. 2/3 of the schools are on track. If this is an attack why are t there more failing schools? The reality is that these schools are pretty bad and Arlington does have a two tier educational system. Hopefully this puts an end to the myth that all Arlington public schools are the same. This is why there is such a long waitlist for ATS. Parents know how bad these schools are and want an out.

It’s a maga move to vouchers which maybe you support

The confidence with which people state baseless conspiracy theories.