fairfax county spanish immersion being shut down

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been hearing the threat of cutting immersion for the past 15 years or so. In the end, they never cut it. They always resort to saving money by freezing teachers' salaries, increasing class sizes or both.

Has it ever been this dire? I don't think so. I think this the "real deal" and some programs will be cut. Perhaps not immersion, but I wouldn't be shocked. The back is breaking here. It was inevitable at some point. You can't keep threatening to cut things due to the financial meltdown we're having and it never comes to fruition ever. The writing was on the wall. And the time has come.

Part of me wishes they would just go ahead and make the big cuts. Otherwise, they dig deeper into the "they cry wolf" hole.

Same here. FCPS needs to realize it's a public school system and can't be all things to all people. Go back to the basics and become an excellent school system again by focusing on core subjects and instruction for every child.

100% agree.

I think FCPS should just serve the basics -- no more TJ, AAP, AP, IB, immersion, academy classes, band, strings, sports. Just stuck with the core classes only, everyone in the same level courses. Then, if there is available money, add things back to improve the experience for all students.

The problem is those pesky state rules that would not let this happen.

[Anonymous]

I think FCPS should just serve the basics -- no more TJ, AAP, AP, IB, immersion, academy classes, band, strings, sports. Just stuck with the core classes only, everyone in the same level courses. Then, if there is available money, add things back to improve the experience for all students.


The problem is those pesky state rules that would not let this happen.

There is nothing in state rules that requires AAP centers. And, a lack of AAP centers does not mean that everyone is in the same level courses.

[Anonymous]

I think FCPS should just serve the basics -- no more TJ, AAP, AP, IB, immersion, academy classes, band, strings, sports. Just stuck with the core classes only, everyone in the same level courses. Then, if there is available money, add things back to improve the experience for all students.


The problem is those pesky state rules that would not let this happen.

Please post the state rule that requires immersion programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It really doesn't save that much per student.

1.9 million, serving 4,000 students is $475 a year - or 48 cents per instructional hour (since FCPS doesn't measure in days anymore, but hours).

Also, since there will be a new pupil placement fee of $300 per student needing pupil placement it's closer to $175 per year, or 17 cents an instructional hour.

I think at 17 cents an hour it is a good deal.

I posted earlier that we love the program. I would happily pay $500/year. We already drive our kids, so we are also saving the county transportation costs if we attended our base school. Add fees, don't remove successful programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think FCPS should just serve the basics -- no more TJ, AAP, AP, IB, immersion, academy classes, band, strings, sports. Just stuck with the core classes only, everyone in the same level courses. Then, if there is available money, add things back to improve the experience for all students.


The problem is those pesky state rules that would not let this happen.

Please post the state rule that requires immersion programs.

+1

And honors programs, and AP, and IB, and academy classes, and band, and orchestra, and theatre, and dual enrollment, and sports ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think FCPS should just serve the basics -- no more TJ, AAP, AP, IB, immersion, academy classes, band, strings, sports. Just stuck with the core classes only, everyone in the same level courses. Then, if there is available money, add things back to improve the experience for all students.


The problem is those pesky state rules that would not let this happen.

Please post the state rule that requires immersion programs.

There are no rules for immersion per say there are state & federal rules on ESOL services. Schools are needing more ESOL trained teachers as the ESOL population expands.

Immersion teachers cause savings on ESOL teacher costs. All immersion teachers need to be ESOL certified in addition to their other credentials. So the school gets to "double dip" when they employ an immersion teacher instead of having a classroom teacher and an ESOL teacher.

[Anonymous]

Who are these "back to basics" people that want to scrap it all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who are these "back to basics" people that want to scrap it all?

Parents shut out of immersion and AAP.

[Anonymous]

^if they can't have it, it's useless and no one should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who are these "back to basics" people that want to scrap it all?

Fans of zero-based budgeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who are these "back to basics" people that want to scrap it all?

Fans of zero-based budgeting.

Zero-based budgeting article:

http://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=17472

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think FCPS should just serve the basics -- no more TJ, AAP, AP, IB, immersion, academy classes, band, strings, sports. Just stuck with the core classes only, everyone in the same level courses. Then, if there is available money, add things back to improve the experience for all students.


The problem is those pesky state rules that would not let this happen.

There is nothing in state rules that requires AAP centers. And, a lack of AAP centers does not mean that everyone is in the same level courses.

there would have to be some form of gifted instruction, not everyone could take the same level core classes. There would have to be PE classes through mid high school, some fine arts, foreign language and an economics class as those are part of the requirements for the two HS diplomas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think FCPS should just serve the basics -- no more TJ, AAP, AP, IB, immersion, academy classes, band, strings, sports. Just stuck with the core classes only, everyone in the same level courses. Then, if there is available money, add things back to improve the experience for all students.


The problem is those pesky state rules that would not let this happen.

Please post the state rule that requires immersion programs.

There are no rules for immersion per say there are state & federal rules on ESOL services. Schools are needing more ESOL trained teachers as the ESOL population expands.

Immersion teachers cause savings on ESOL teacher costs. All immersion teachers need to be ESOL certified in addition to their other credentials. So the school gets to "double dip" when they employ an immersion teacher instead of having a classroom teacher and an ESOL teacher.

This is perhaps true at dual language immersion schools. At our immersion school, teachers do not need dual certification.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^if they can't have it, it's useless and no one should.

I am the one that posed the question... I guess I can't figure out why we can't all work to get these options available to all children. I am an immersion parent. I actually believe it should be in every school!

[Anonymous]

there would have to be some form of gifted instruction, not everyone could take the same level core classes. There would have to be PE classes through mid high school, some fine arts, foreign language and an economics class as those are part of the requirements for the two HS diplomas.

There can easily be some form of gifted education without AAP centers. We "include" students at the other end of the spectrum with the general ed population. It is ridiculous to think that we cannot accommodate the gifted in the classroom. As far as the middle school and high schools, options were offered long before AAP centers.