FCPS Poverty Rates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since none of the liberals on this board seem to think there is a burden on the poor FCPS schools, then none of them should be against a massive realignment of the FCPS boundaries.

Simple fact is that the schools in FCPS are very far apart now. Spending a few extra tax dollars on a very poor school with a large number of non-English speakers who had very little if any formal schooling in their native countries does not make these schools comparable. The poor schools are sending out "attendance matters" e-mails/phone calls and trying to teach the unaccompanied minors English. The wealthy schools are wondering how many kids will take AP Calculus and if the robotics team will be competitive.

Liberal policies will continue to import more poverty and they will continue to be concentrated in particular schools. The people at the effected schools would like this to stop. At the very least this burden should be shared in a more equitable fashion.

And I don't blame the immigrants at all - I can see why they want to be here.

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to rearrange boundaries here in Herndon where Carson and all its glory is only about 4 miles from Herndon Middle where only 59% of students are passing math. If you look at 7th grade only 28% are passing. There are 2 elementaries within 2-3 miles of another one with 85% poverty and the other with 15%. Blows my mind as to why this is okay.

Because reality. Carson has its reputation because it is a mega AAP center. Most of the kids there are AAP. And high level AAP, TJ finalist caliber at that. It is also way overcrowded. Not sure how throwing ESL into an overcrowded AAP,Center helps anything. It’s not like ESL or underperforming kids are going into the Center or into classes with the AAP majority, which is the exceptional piece of Carson, and come out as TJ students 2 years later.

Second. Carson feeds over 80 kids each to 5 HSs (SLHS, Oakton, Chantilly, Westfield and TJ). It’s feeder pattern is a disaster— probably the worst feeder pattern in the county. You cannot throw another HS or 2 into the mix until you clean up the existing feeders. And there doesn’t seem to be capacity at another MS to take a significant piece of the Carson AAP program. Or the political will on the school board to do so. I personally see nothing wrong with moving Franklin zoned Carson AAP kids back to Franklin. And my kids are Franklin based Carson AAP. But my understanding is that Franklin lacks capacity to take them. So to make that happen, they would have to push some non-AAP Franklin kids elsewhere And that would not go over well either.

The fact is, they need a new Western County SS- MS and HS, with AAP capacity. And then they need to start from scratch and completely re-zone. We have a great feeder pattern (Oak Hill/ Franklin w. Carson AAP/ Chantilly), and I still think this needs to happen. But in the meantime, pushing kids every which way to balance without re-zoning and adding on to Western County schools is no longer a solution. The feeders are too screwed up. Adding Herndon to the mix would be a nightmare. In DD’s group of 8 MS friends, they went to 5 high schools, and no one went with more than one other kid. That isn’t good for anyone.

Western County needs a new HS and rezoning badly. But the school board wants nothing to do with that, and are expanding the schools, rather than building a new HS and rezoning. Until this happens, they need to stop making a bad feeder situation worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Right. But the zoning that resulted in the concentration of affordable market-rate housing in your school district (which you apparently find so upsetting) is a legacy of decisions made by the BOS when it was controlled by conservative Republicans. Don’t blame liberals because you can’t afford to be with your people in Clifton or Great Falls.

And, it is not the BOS who decides where to build schools or makes boundary decisions. And, it has been a looooong time since our BOS was controlled by conservative Republicans. And, our SB has never been controlled by the GOP since it went to elected positions.

Look no further than the hypocrisy of former SB member Kathy Smith on this issue. She sent the trailer park to her neighborhood school in order to get full day K for the neighborhood school. As soon as all schools got full day K, she moved the trailer park out. Fact.

As opposed to Tessie Wilson, a Republican SB member who orchestrated a number of the boundary changes that concentrated poverty at Poe MS and Annandale HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Somewhere between 15-21 % of children in the US are living in poverty.
I’m not certain if those numbers are stable or not, but it would appear the DC is over burdened.

You are not using the same figures. FARMS eligibility is not the same as "living in poverty."

There are many states poorer than Virginia, and many parts of Virginia with higher FARMS rates that FCPS and APS (which is higher than FCPS). But I'm guessing poor whites in Lee and Wise County don't push your button like poor Hispanics in Fairfax.

Stfu. I made zero mention of race.

The only thing the DC area is over-burdened with are the number of the nation’s wealthiest jurisdictions. You are a moron.

DP. There are plenty of both extremes in FCPS. They aren't mutually exclusive. Eastern Fairfax, for example, is overburdened with FARMS. That is not an anti-FARMS judgment, it's just a statement of fact.

+1

It's a statement of fact that parts of eastern Fairfax have high FARMS rates. It's an expression of opinion as to whether they are "overburdened." Other suburban, urban and rural areas have FARMS rates that are just as high, or higher. Included in the suburban areas with higher FARMS rates are parts of Prince William County.

So because other areas are also overburdened, no school is overburdened? I don't think the solution is denying it. I'm not sure what your agenda is, but I have kids in a Title 1 school in easten Fairfax, and the school is definitely overburdened. There is a high correlation between high FARMS rates and lower parental involvement, which places a high burden on teachers. I'm not sure what the solution is, but denying it definitely isn't the best course of action.

You haven't offered a clear definition of what it means for a school to be "overburdened." Title I schools get extra funds and have smaller classes and more teaching assistants than other schools. In FCPS and other area jurisdictions, many of the best principals and other administrators are assigned to those schools. And FCPS is building more new schools in eastern Fairfax than just about anywhere else in the county (new building at Glasgow, Mason Crest, Bailey's Upper, plans to expand Stuart/Justice, etc.).

The smaller class sizes end after third grade. Also, as I said, there is a high correlation between FARMS and low parent involvement in academics. When over half of a the kids in a classroom come to school behind/unprepared, it makes it hard for the teacher to actually teach on grade level. New buildings have no impact on this. Concentrating low income housing in certain areas of the county is a huge part of this. You clearly have had no hands on experience with a high FARMS school if you don't understand the impact. You also mention the best principals and administrators being assigned to those schools. Doesn't say something that even with the best principals and administrators, and new buildings, the schools still underperform? That's because it's unrealistic to expect teachers to be able to handle such a high concentration of unprepared kids. Farms concentrations above 35 or 40 percent start to negate the other positive resources being pumped into a school. I'm not sure what is confusing about why high poverty concentrations have significant negative impact on schools. Feel free, as I'm sure you will, to post back about overburdened being subjective and you have no clue why I would make such an uninformed assertion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since none of the liberals on this board seem to think there is a burden on the poor FCPS schools, then none of them should be against a massive realignment of the FCPS boundaries.

Simple fact is that the schools in FCPS are very far apart now. Spending a few extra tax dollars on a very poor school with a large number of non-English speakers who had very little if any formal schooling in their native countries does not make these schools comparable. The poor schools are sending out "attendance matters" e-mails/phone calls and trying to teach the unaccompanied minors English. The wealthy schools are wondering how many kids will take AP Calculus and if the robotics team will be competitive.

Liberal policies will continue to import more poverty and they will continue to be concentrated in particular schools. The people at the effected schools would like this to stop. At the very least this burden should be shared in a more equitable fashion.

And I don't blame the immigrants at all - I can see why they want to be here.

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to rearrange boundaries here in Herndon where Carson and all its glory is only about 4 miles from Herndon Middle where only 59% of students are passing math. If you look at 7th grade only 28% are passing. There are 2 elementaries within 2-3 miles of another one with 85% poverty and the other with 15%. Blows my mind as to why this is okay.

Yes.

They should start rezoning with Carson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since none of the liberals on this board seem to think there is a burden on the poor FCPS schools, then none of them should be against a massive realignment of the FCPS boundaries.

Simple fact is that the schools in FCPS are very far apart now. Spending a few extra tax dollars on a very poor school with a large number of non-English speakers who had very little if any formal schooling in their native countries does not make these schools comparable. The poor schools are sending out "attendance matters" e-mails/phone calls and trying to teach the unaccompanied minors English. The wealthy schools are wondering how many kids will take AP Calculus and if the robotics team will be competitive.

Liberal policies will continue to import more poverty and they will continue to be concentrated in particular schools. The people at the effected schools would like this to stop. At the very least this burden should be shared in a more equitable fashion.

And I don't blame the immigrants at all - I can see why they want to be here.

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to rearrange boundaries here in Herndon where Carson and all its glory is only about 4 miles from Herndon Middle where only 59% of students are passing math. If you look at 7th grade only 28% are passing. There are 2 elementaries within 2-3 miles of another one with 85% poverty and the other with 15%. Blows my mind as to why this is okay.

Because reality. Carson has its reputation because it is a mega AAP center. Most of the kids there are AAP. And high level AAP, TJ finalist caliber at that. It is also way overcrowded. Not sure how throwing ESL into an overcrowded AAP,Center helps anything. It’s not like ESL or underperforming kids are going into the Center or into classes with the AAP majority, which is the exceptional piece of Carson, and come out as TJ students 2 years later.

Second. Carson feeds over 80 kids each to 5 HSs (SLHS, Oakton, Chantilly, Westfield and TJ). It’s feeder pattern is a disaster— probably the worst feeder pattern in the county. You cannot throw another HS or 2 into the mix until you clean up the existing feeders. And there doesn’t seem to be capacity at another MS to take a significant piece of the Carson AAP program. Or the political will on the school board to do so. I personally see nothing wrong with moving Franklin zoned Carson AAP kids back to Franklin. And my kids are Franklin based Carson AAP. But my understanding is that Franklin lacks capacity to take them. So to make that happen, they would have to push some non-AAP Franklin kids elsewhere And that would not go over well either.

The fact is, they need a new Western County SS- MS and HS, with AAP capacity. And then they need to start from scratch and completely re-zone. We have a great feeder pattern (Oak Hill/ Franklin w. Carson AAP/ Chantilly), and I still think this needs to happen. But in the meantime, pushing kids every which way to balance without re-zoning and adding on to Western County schools is no longer a solution. The feeders are too screwed up. Adding Herndon to the mix would be a nightmare. In DD’s group of 8 MS friends, they went to 5 high schools, and no one went with more than one other kid. That isn’t good for anyone.

Western County needs a new HS and rezoning badly. But the school board wants nothing to do with that, and are expanding the schools, rather than building a new HS and rezoning. Until this happens, they need to stop making a bad feeder situation worse.

Rezone half of those AAP kids to Herndon and make it a center too.

Rezone a large portion (30% ?) Of the FARMS kids from Herndon to Carson. Balance the 2 schools.

Put your money where your mouth is, liberal school board.

Start with those two schools. Since Carson is a magnet, it should be easy to rezone the AAP kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since none of the liberals on this board seem to think there is a burden on the poor FCPS schools, then none of them should be against a massive realignment of the FCPS boundaries.

Simple fact is that the schools in FCPS are very far apart now. Spending a few extra tax dollars on a very poor school with a large number of non-English speakers who had very little if any formal schooling in their native countries does not make these schools comparable. The poor schools are sending out "attendance matters" e-mails/phone calls and trying to teach the unaccompanied minors English. The wealthy schools are wondering how many kids will take AP Calculus and if the robotics team will be competitive.

Liberal policies will continue to import more poverty and they will continue to be concentrated in particular schools. The people at the effected schools would like this to stop. At the very least this burden should be shared in a more equitable fashion.

And I don't blame the immigrants at all - I can see why they want to be here.

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to rearrange boundaries here in Herndon where Carson and all its glory is only about 4 miles from Herndon Middle where only 59% of students are passing math. If you look at 7th grade only 28% are passing. There are 2 elementaries within 2-3 miles of another one with 85% poverty and the other with 15%. Blows my mind as to why this is okay.

Because reality. Carson has its reputation because it is a mega AAP center. Most of the kids there are AAP. And high level AAP, TJ finalist caliber at that. It is also way overcrowded. Not sure how throwing ESL into an overcrowded AAP,Center helps anything. It’s not like ESL or underperforming kids are going into the Center or into classes with the AAP majority, which is the exceptional piece of Carson, and come out as TJ students 2 years later.

Second. Carson feeds over 80 kids each to 5 HSs (SLHS, Oakton, Chantilly, Westfield and TJ). It’s feeder pattern is a disaster— probably the worst feeder pattern in the county. You cannot throw another HS or 2 into the mix until you clean up the existing feeders. And there doesn’t seem to be capacity at another MS to take a significant piece of the Carson AAP program. Or the political will on the school board to do so. I personally see nothing wrong with moving Franklin zoned Carson AAP kids back to Franklin. And my kids are Franklin based Carson AAP. But my understanding is that Franklin lacks capacity to take them. So to make that happen, they would have to push some non-AAP Franklin kids elsewhere And that would not go over well either.

The fact is, they need a new Western County SS- MS and HS, with AAP capacity. And then they need to start from scratch and completely re-zone. We have a great feeder pattern (Oak Hill/ Franklin w. Carson AAP/ Chantilly), and I still think this needs to happen. But in the meantime, pushing kids every which way to balance without re-zoning and adding on to Western County schools is no longer a solution. The feeders are too screwed up. Adding Herndon to the mix would be a nightmare. In DD’s group of 8 MS friends, they went to 5 high schools, and no one went with more than one other kid. That isn’t good for anyone.

Western County needs a new HS and rezoning badly. But the school board wants nothing to do with that, and are expanding the schools, rather than building a new HS and rezoning. Until this happens, they need to stop making a bad feeder situation worse.

Honestly, the school board needs to quit zoning kids out of pyramid and go to straight feeder patterns whenever possible.

There is zero reason to have an elementary feed into 2 or 3 middle schools, and a middle school feed into 4 or 5 high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It's an investment in our future. Your griping is no different from the Protestants who didn't want the Irish, the Italians, and the Jews coming into the county decades ago, or the whites who passed the Chinese Exclusion Act.

That is quite a stretch. And, you do understand that every community in the nation is not absorbing the large increase of needs. FCPS received far more than most places in the US.

It's not a stretch at all. And Fairfax County is large and wealthy enough to absorb more people fleeing poverty and violence. Did you want to send them to Appalachia or Baltimore instead?

No. Send them back to their hometowns in Central America or Mexico

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since none of the liberals on this board seem to think there is a burden on the poor FCPS schools, then none of them should be against a massive realignment of the FCPS boundaries.

Simple fact is that the schools in FCPS are very far apart now. Spending a few extra tax dollars on a very poor school with a large number of non-English speakers who had very little if any formal schooling in their native countries does not make these schools comparable. The poor schools are sending out "attendance matters" e-mails/phone calls and trying to teach the unaccompanied minors English. The wealthy schools are wondering how many kids will take AP Calculus and if the robotics team will be competitive.

Liberal policies will continue to import more poverty and they will continue to be concentrated in particular schools. The people at the effected schools would like this to stop. At the very least this burden should be shared in a more equitable fashion.

And I don't blame the immigrants at all - I can see why they want to be here.

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to rearrange boundaries here in Herndon where Carson and all its glory is only about 4 miles from Herndon Middle where only 59% of students are passing math. If you look at 7th grade only 28% are passing. There are 2 elementaries within 2-3 miles of another one with 85% poverty and the other with 15%. Blows my mind as to why this is okay.

Because reality. Carson has its reputation because it is a mega AAP center. Most of the kids there are AAP. And high level AAP, TJ finalist caliber at that. It is also way overcrowded. Not sure how throwing ESL into an overcrowded AAP,Center helps anything. It’s not like ESL or underperforming kids are going into the Center or into classes with the AAP majority, which is the exceptional piece of Carson, and come out as TJ students 2 years later.

Second. Carson feeds over 80 kids each to 5 HSs (SLHS, Oakton, Chantilly, Westfield and TJ). It’s feeder pattern is a disaster— probably the worst feeder pattern in the county. You cannot throw another HS or 2 into the mix until you clean up the existing feeders. And there doesn’t seem to be capacity at another MS to take a significant piece of the Carson AAP program. Or the political will on the school board to do so. I personally see nothing wrong with moving Franklin zoned Carson AAP kids back to Franklin. And my kids are Franklin based Carson AAP. But my understanding is that Franklin lacks capacity to take them. So to make that happen, they would have to push some non-AAP Franklin kids elsewhere And that would not go over well either.

The fact is, they need a new Western County SS- MS and HS, with AAP capacity. And then they need to start from scratch and completely re-zone. We have a great feeder pattern (Oak Hill/ Franklin w. Carson AAP/ Chantilly), and I still think this needs to happen. But in the meantime, pushing kids every which way to balance without re-zoning and adding on to Western County schools is no longer a solution. The feeders are too screwed up. Adding Herndon to the mix would be a nightmare. In DD’s group of 8 MS friends, they went to 5 high schools, and no one went with more than one other kid. That isn’t good for anyone.

Western County needs a new HS and rezoning badly. But the school board wants nothing to do with that, and are expanding the schools, rather than building a new HS and rezoning. Until this happens, they need to stop making a bad feeder situation worse.

The School Board is only concerned with getting re-elected and maintaining their power base. As a result, they are not willing to make tough decisions on redistricting, even though it’s badly needed County-wide. Until we get people on the School Board who care more about education than making the Board a stepping stone to a political career, nothing will change. We will continue to have a system of rich schools vs poor schools - often within a few miles of each other. The Board as it currently exists is fine with the status quo and concentrating poverty at certain high schools in a mistaken effort to “concentrate services” to serve the poor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to rearrange boundaries here in Herndon where Carson and all its glory is only about 4 miles from Herndon Middle where only 59% of students are passing math. If you look at 7th grade only 28% are passing. There are 2 elementaries within 2-3 miles of another one with 85% poverty and the other with 15%. Blows my mind as to why this is okay.

Because reality. Carson has its reputation because it is a mega AAP center. Most of the kids there are AAP. And high level AAP, TJ finalist caliber at that. It is also way overcrowded. Not sure how throwing ESL into an overcrowded AAP,Center helps anything. It’s not like ESL or underperforming kids are going into the Center or into classes with the AAP majority, which is the exceptional piece of Carson, and come out as TJ students 2 years later.

Second. Carson feeds over 80 kids each to 5 HSs (SLHS, Oakton, Chantilly, Westfield and TJ). It’s feeder pattern is a disaster— probably the worst feeder pattern in the county. You cannot throw another HS or 2 into the mix until you clean up the existing feeders. And there doesn’t seem to be capacity at another MS to take a significant piece of the Carson AAP program. Or the political will on the school board to do so. I personally see nothing wrong with moving Franklin zoned Carson AAP kids back to Franklin. And my kids are Franklin based Carson AAP. But my understanding is that Franklin lacks capacity to take them. So to make that happen, they would have to push some non-AAP Franklin kids elsewhere And that would not go over well either.

The fact is, they need a new Western County SS- MS and HS, with AAP capacity. And then they need to start from scratch and completely re-zone. We have a great feeder pattern (Oak Hill/ Franklin w. Carson AAP/ Chantilly), and I still think this needs to happen. But in the meantime, pushing kids every which way to balance without re-zoning and adding on to Western County schools is no longer a solution. The feeders are too screwed up. Adding Herndon to the mix would be a nightmare. In DD’s group of 8 MS friends, they went to 5 high schools, and no one went with more than one other kid. That isn’t good for anyone.

Western County needs a new HS and rezoning badly. But the school board wants nothing to do with that, and are expanding the schools, rather than building a new HS and rezoning. Until this happens, they need to stop making a bad feeder situation worse.

Honestly, the school board needs to quit zoning kids out of pyramid and go to straight feeder patterns whenever possible.

There is zero reason to have an elementary feed into 2 or 3 middle schools, and a middle school feed into 4 or 5 high schools.

You don't want to lose Carson's reputation? So, zone all impoverished to Herndon? That's unacceptable. Franklin AAP can stay at Franklin and Herndon neighborhoods just north of the Toll road can go to Carson. It's time to help!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since none of the liberals on this board seem to think there is a burden on the poor FCPS schools, then none of them should be against a massive realignment of the FCPS boundaries.

Simple fact is that the schools in FCPS are very far apart now. Spending a few extra tax dollars on a very poor school with a large number of non-English speakers who had very little if any formal schooling in their native countries does not make these schools comparable. The poor schools are sending out "attendance matters" e-mails/phone calls and trying to teach the unaccompanied minors English. The wealthy schools are wondering how many kids will take AP Calculus and if the robotics team will be competitive.

Liberal policies will continue to import more poverty and they will continue to be concentrated in particular schools. The people at the effected schools would like this to stop. At the very least this burden should be shared in a more equitable fashion.

And I don't blame the immigrants at all - I can see why they want to be here.

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to rearrange boundaries here in Herndon where Carson and all its glory is only about 4 miles from Herndon Middle where only 59% of students are passing math. If you look at 7th grade only 28% are passing. There are 2 elementaries within 2-3 miles of another one with 85% poverty and the other with 15%. Blows my mind as to why this is okay.

Because reality. Carson has its reputation because it is a mega AAP center. Most of the kids there are AAP. And high level AAP, TJ finalist caliber at that. It is also way overcrowded. Not sure how throwing ESL into an overcrowded AAP,Center helps anything. It’s not like ESL or underperforming kids are going into the Center or into classes with the AAP majority, which is the exceptional piece of Carson, and come out as TJ students 2 years later.

Second. Carson feeds over 80 kids each to 5 HSs (SLHS, Oakton, Chantilly, Westfield and TJ). It’s feeder pattern is a disaster— probably the worst feeder pattern in the county. You cannot throw another HS or 2 into the mix until you clean up the existing feeders. And there doesn’t seem to be capacity at another MS to take a significant piece of the Carson AAP program. Or the political will on the school board to do so. I personally see nothing wrong with moving Franklin zoned Carson AAP kids back to Franklin. And my kids are Franklin based Carson AAP. But my understanding is that Franklin lacks capacity to take them. So to make that happen, they would have to push some non-AAP Franklin kids elsewhere And that would not go over well either.

The fact is, they need a new Western County SS- MS and HS, with AAP capacity. And then they need to start from scratch and completely re-zone. We have a great feeder pattern (Oak Hill/ Franklin w. Carson AAP/ Chantilly), and I still think this needs to happen. But in the meantime, pushing kids every which way to balance without re-zoning and adding on to Western County schools is no longer a solution. The feeders are too screwed up. Adding Herndon to the mix would be a nightmare. In DD’s group of 8 MS friends, they went to 5 high schools, and no one went with more than one other kid. That isn’t good for anyone.

Western County needs a new HS and rezoning badly. But the school board wants nothing to do with that, and are expanding the schools, rather than building a new HS and rezoning. Until this happens, they need to stop making a bad feeder situation worse.

Rezone half of those AAP kids to Herndon and make it a center too.

Rezone a large portion (30% ?) Of the FARMS kids from Herndon to Carson. Balance the 2 schools.

Put your money where your mouth is, liberal school board.

Start with those two schools. Since Carson is a magnet, it should be easy to rezone the AAP kids.

And sent Carson kids to 6-8 different HSs? That’s crazy. The feeder pattern is already a disaster. They need to move Oakton kids to Jackson and SLHS to their feeder MS, which is also AAP. Chantilly kids to Franklin. Keep Westfield, then look at moving Herndon. But you can’t just shove more HS in. It’s already a mess.

Or just rezone Western County and clean up all the feeders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to rearrange boundaries here in Herndon where Carson and all its glory is only about 4 miles from Herndon Middle where only 59% of students are passing math. If you look at 7th grade only 28% are passing. There are 2 elementaries within 2-3 miles of another one with 85% poverty and the other with 15%. Blows my mind as to why this is okay.

Because reality. Carson has its reputation because it is a mega AAP center. Most of the kids there are AAP. And high level AAP, TJ finalist caliber at that. It is also way overcrowded. Not sure how throwing ESL into an overcrowded AAP,Center helps anything. It’s not like ESL or underperforming kids are going into the Center or into classes with the AAP majority, which is the exceptional piece of Carson, and come out as TJ students 2 years later.

Second. Carson feeds over 80 kids each to 5 HSs (SLHS, Oakton, Chantilly, Westfield and TJ). It’s feeder pattern is a disaster— probably the worst feeder pattern in the county. You cannot throw another HS or 2 into the mix until you clean up the existing feeders. And there doesn’t seem to be capacity at another MS to take a significant piece of the Carson AAP program. Or the political will on the school board to do so. I personally see nothing wrong with moving Franklin zoned Carson AAP kids back to Franklin. And my kids are Franklin based Carson AAP. But my understanding is that Franklin lacks capacity to take them. So to make that happen, they would have to push some non-AAP Franklin kids elsewhere And that would not go over well either.

The fact is, they need a new Western County SS- MS and HS, with AAP capacity. And then they need to start from scratch and completely re-zone. We have a great feeder pattern (Oak Hill/ Franklin w. Carson AAP/ Chantilly), and I still think this needs to happen. But in the meantime, pushing kids every which way to balance without re-zoning and adding on to Western County schools is no longer a solution. The feeders are too screwed up. Adding Herndon to the mix would be a nightmare. In DD’s group of 8 MS friends, they went to 5 high schools, and no one went with more than one other kid. That isn’t good for anyone.

Western County needs a new HS and rezoning badly. But the school board wants nothing to do with that, and are expanding the schools, rather than building a new HS and rezoning. Until this happens, they need to stop making a bad feeder situation worse.

Honestly, the school board needs to quit zoning kids out of pyramid and go to straight feeder patterns whenever possible.

There is zero reason to have an elementary feed into 2 or 3 middle schools, and a middle school feed into 4 or 5 high schools.

You don't want to lose Carson's reputation? So, zone all impoverished to Herndon? That's unacceptable. Franklin AAP can stay at Franklin and Herndon neighborhoods just north of the Toll road can go to Carson. It's time to help!

The problem isn’t the Carson reputation. It’s the 12+ ESs feeding in and 5 HSs feeding out. They can’t add more ESs and more HSs. They need to rezone so Carson goes to no more than 2 HSs. If one is Herndon, fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to rearrange boundaries here in Herndon where Carson and all its glory is only about 4 miles from Herndon Middle where only 59% of students are passing math. If you look at 7th grade only 28% are passing. There are 2 elementaries within 2-3 miles of another one with 85% poverty and the other with 15%. Blows my mind as to why this is okay.

Because reality. Carson has its reputation because it is a mega AAP center. Most of the kids there are AAP. And high level AAP, TJ finalist caliber at that. It is also way overcrowded. Not sure how throwing ESL into an overcrowded AAP,Center helps anything. It’s not like ESL or underperforming kids are going into the Center or into classes with the AAP majority, which is the exceptional piece of Carson, and come out as TJ students 2 years later.

Second. Carson feeds over 80 kids each to 5 HSs (SLHS, Oakton, Chantilly, Westfield and TJ). It’s feeder pattern is a disaster— probably the worst feeder pattern in the county. You cannot throw another HS or 2 into the mix until you clean up the existing feeders. And there doesn’t seem to be capacity at another MS to take a significant piece of the Carson AAP program. Or the political will on the school board to do so. I personally see nothing wrong with moving Franklin zoned Carson AAP kids back to Franklin. And my kids are Franklin based Carson AAP. But my understanding is that Franklin lacks capacity to take them. So to make that happen, they would have to push some non-AAP Franklin kids elsewhere And that would not go over well either.

The fact is, they need a new Western County SS- MS and HS, with AAP capacity. And then they need to start from scratch and completely re-zone. We have a great feeder pattern (Oak Hill/ Franklin w. Carson AAP/ Chantilly), and I still think this needs to happen. But in the meantime, pushing kids every which way to balance without re-zoning and adding on to Western County schools is no longer a solution. The feeders are too screwed up. Adding Herndon to the mix would be a nightmare. In DD’s group of 8 MS friends, they went to 5 high schools, and no one went with more than one other kid. That isn’t good for anyone.

Western County needs a new HS and rezoning badly. But the school board wants nothing to do with that, and are expanding the schools, rather than building a new HS and rezoning. Until this happens, they need to stop making a bad feeder situation worse.

Honestly, the school board needs to quit zoning kids out of pyramid and go to straight feeder patterns whenever possible.

There is zero reason to have an elementary feed into 2 or 3 middle schools, and a middle school feed into 4 or 5 high schools.

You don't want to lose Carson's reputation? So, zone all impoverished to Herndon? That's unacceptable. Franklin AAP can stay at Franklin and Herndon neighborhoods just north of the Toll road can go to Carson. It's time to help!

Franklin isn’t an AAP Center.

[Anonymous]

Franklin can become an AAP center. It's already a local level IV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since none of the liberals on this board seem to think there is a burden on the poor FCPS schools, then none of them should be against a massive realignment of the FCPS boundaries.

Simple fact is that the schools in FCPS are very far apart now. Spending a few extra tax dollars on a very poor school with a large number of non-English speakers who had very little if any formal schooling in their native countries does not make these schools comparable. The poor schools are sending out "attendance matters" e-mails/phone calls and trying to teach the unaccompanied minors English. The wealthy schools are wondering how many kids will take AP Calculus and if the robotics team will be competitive.

Liberal policies will continue to import more poverty and they will continue to be concentrated in particular schools. The people at the effected schools would like this to stop. At the very least this burden should be shared in a more equitable fashion.

And I don't blame the immigrants at all - I can see why they want to be here.

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to rearrange boundaries here in Herndon where Carson and all its glory is only about 4 miles from Herndon Middle where only 59% of students are passing math. If you look at 7th grade only 28% are passing. There are 2 elementaries within 2-3 miles of another one with 85% poverty and the other with 15%. Blows my mind as to why this is okay.

Because reality. Carson has its reputation because it is a mega AAP center. Most of the kids there are AAP. And high level AAP, TJ finalist caliber at that. It is also way overcrowded. Not sure how throwing ESL into an overcrowded AAP,Center helps anything. It’s not like ESL or underperforming kids are going into the Center or into classes with the AAP majority, which is the exceptional piece of Carson, and come out as TJ students 2 years later.

Second. Carson feeds over 80 kids each to 5 HSs (SLHS, Oakton, Chantilly, Westfield and TJ). It’s feeder pattern is a disaster— probably the worst feeder pattern in the county. You cannot throw another HS or 2 into the mix until you clean up the existing feeders. And there doesn’t seem to be capacity at another MS to take a significant piece of the Carson AAP program. Or the political will on the school board to do so. I personally see nothing wrong with moving Franklin zoned Carson AAP kids back to Franklin. And my kids are Franklin based Carson AAP. But my understanding is that Franklin lacks capacity to take them. So to make that happen, they would have to push some non-AAP Franklin kids elsewhere And that would not go over well either.

The fact is, they need a new Western County SS- MS and HS, with AAP capacity. And then they need to start from scratch and completely re-zone. We have a great feeder pattern (Oak Hill/ Franklin w. Carson AAP/ Chantilly), and I still think this needs to happen. But in the meantime, pushing kids every which way to balance without re-zoning and adding on to Western County schools is no longer a solution. The feeders are too screwed up. Adding Herndon to the mix would be a nightmare. In DD’s group of 8 MS friends, they went to 5 high schools, and no one went with more than one other kid. That isn’t good for anyone.

Western County needs a new HS and rezoning badly. But the school board wants nothing to do with that, and are expanding the schools, rather than building a new HS and rezoning. Until this happens, they need to stop making a bad feeder situation worse.

Rezone half of those AAP kids to Herndon and make it a center too.

Rezone a large portion (30% ?) Of the FARMS kids from Herndon to Carson. Balance the 2 schools.

Put your money where your mouth is, liberal school board.

Start with those two schools. Since Carson is a magnet, it should be easy to rezone the AAP kids.

And sent Carson kids to 6-8 different HSs? That’s crazy. The feeder pattern is already a disaster. They need to move Oakton kids to Jackson and SLHS to their feeder MS, which is also AAP. Chantilly kids to Franklin. Keep Westfield, then look at moving Herndon. But you can’t just shove more HS in. It’s already a mess.

Or just rezone Western County and clean up all the feeders.

There is no reason why every high school pyramid should not have a middle school AAP level IV program.

There is no reason why any middle school student should go out of their high school feeder pattern for AAP.

That should be the first step, putting AAP level IV in every last middle school in the county. Yes, AAP teachers will need to transfer schools to achieve this, but it makes the most sense in terms of zoning and school overcrowding.

Then, and only then, they should look at rezoning to balance overcrowding, with an emphasis on spreading out the wealthiest and poorest kids, especially in the western portion of the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since none of the liberals on this board seem to think there is a burden on the poor FCPS schools, then none of them should be against a massive realignment of the FCPS boundaries.

Simple fact is that the schools in FCPS are very far apart now. Spending a few extra tax dollars on a very poor school with a large number of non-English speakers who had very little if any formal schooling in their native countries does not make these schools comparable. The poor schools are sending out "attendance matters" e-mails/phone calls and trying to teach the unaccompanied minors English. The wealthy schools are wondering how many kids will take AP Calculus and if the robotics team will be competitive.

Liberal policies will continue to import more poverty and they will continue to be concentrated in particular schools. The people at the effected schools would like this to stop. At the very least this burden should be shared in a more equitable fashion.

And I don't blame the immigrants at all - I can see why they want to be here.

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to rearrange boundaries here in Herndon where Carson and all its glory is only about 4 miles from Herndon Middle where only 59% of students are passing math. If you look at 7th grade only 28% are passing. There are 2 elementaries within 2-3 miles of another one with 85% poverty and the other with 15%. Blows my mind as to why this is okay.

Because reality. Carson has its reputation because it is a mega AAP center. Most of the kids there are AAP. And high level AAP, TJ finalist caliber at that. It is also way overcrowded. Not sure how throwing ESL into an overcrowded AAP,Center helps anything. It’s not like ESL or underperforming kids are going into the Center or into classes with the AAP majority, which is the exceptional piece of Carson, and come out as TJ students 2 years later.

Second. Carson feeds over 80 kids each to 5 HSs (SLHS, Oakton, Chantilly, Westfield and TJ). It’s feeder pattern is a disaster— probably the worst feeder pattern in the county. You cannot throw another HS or 2 into the mix until you clean up the existing feeders. And there doesn’t seem to be capacity at another MS to take a significant piece of the Carson AAP program. Or the political will on the school board to do so. I personally see nothing wrong with moving Franklin zoned Carson AAP kids back to Franklin. And my kids are Franklin based Carson AAP. But my understanding is that Franklin lacks capacity to take them. So to make that happen, they would have to push some non-AAP Franklin kids elsewhere And that would not go over well either.

The fact is, they need a new Western County SS- MS and HS, with AAP capacity. And then they need to start from scratch and completely re-zone. We have a great feeder pattern (Oak Hill/ Franklin w. Carson AAP/ Chantilly), and I still think this needs to happen. But in the meantime, pushing kids every which way to balance without re-zoning and adding on to Western County schools is no longer a solution. The feeders are too screwed up. Adding Herndon to the mix would be a nightmare. In DD’s group of 8 MS friends, they went to 5 high schools, and no one went with more than one other kid. That isn’t good for anyone.

Western County needs a new HS and rezoning badly. But the school board wants nothing to do with that, and are expanding the schools, rather than building a new HS and rezoning. Until this happens, they need to stop making a bad feeder situation worse.

Rezone half of those AAP kids to Herndon and make it a center too.

Rezone a large portion (30% ?) Of the FARMS kids from Herndon to Carson. Balance the 2 schools.

Put your money where your mouth is, liberal school board.

Start with those two schools. Since Carson is a magnet, it should be easy to rezone the AAP kids.

And sent Carson kids to 6-8 different HSs? That’s crazy. The feeder pattern is already a disaster. They need to move Oakton kids to Jackson and SLHS to their feeder MS, which is also AAP. Chantilly kids to Franklin. Keep Westfield, then look at moving Herndon. But you can’t just shove more HS in. It’s already a mess.

Or just rezone Western County and clean up all the feeders.

There is no reason why every high school pyramid should not have a middle school AAP level IV program.

There is no reason why any middle school student should go out of their high school feeder pattern for AAP.

That should be the first step, putting AAP level IV in every last middle school in the county. Yes, AAP teachers will need to transfer schools to achieve this, but it makes the most sense in terms of zoning and school overcrowding.

Then, and only then, they should look at rezoning to balance overcrowding, with an emphasis on spreading out the wealthiest and poorest kids, especially in the western portion of the county.

Unfortunately some areas areas are so unequal that that isn't possible, but the majority of areas can accommodate this. We need a new high school as well.