Thinking of moving to Fairfax County and you're totally lost me on this forum...

[Anonymous]

I can't make heads or tails of all this talk of base centers and Level V programs and everything that is being discussed here. Can someone please give me a quick overview on what this means? DD would be going in to 4th next year, DS in to 3rd. Is it too late for them to get in to the program?

[Anonymous]

Meant to type you've totally lost me...

[Anonymous]

Are they in gifted programs in their current state?

If not, don't worry about AAP. Find a decent pyramid with an 8-9 ranked elementary school with a reasonable commute in a house you can afford.

Avoid the "top" pyramids.

Get settled into your schools. The schools will test your kids, usually the first month if they start in the fall. You can cross the AAP bridge if you need to then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they in gifted programs in their current state?

If not, don't worry about AAP. Find a decent pyramid with an 8-9 ranked elementary school with a reasonable commute in a house you can afford.

Avoid the "top" pyramids.

Get settled into your schools. The schools will test your kids, usually the first month if they start in the fall. You can cross the AAP bridge if you need to then.

This is terrible advice. Especially if you don't buy into a Center school. Why would you move kids to a new town, start them in a new school, and then move them to a second school a few months later, or even the next year?

OP-- you can apply out of cycle for AAP if you move into FCPS. But only after you move. You get a quick decision. But you have to supply and pay for your own testing.

Lingo in brief. You base school is you local ES or MS that every kid on your street is zoned to go. Kids can qualify for FT gifted placement starting in 3rd and continuinguntil 8t. About 15% qualify, but that's deceptive. Fairfax County is one of wealthiest counties in the country, and the most educated. If your kid qualifies for AAP, the bus to the nearest ES that offers FT gifted services (as well as standard classes for their base school kids who are not AAP. So there may be 3 AAP and 3 Gen Ed classes per grade, starting in 3rd). That is an AAP Center. Some schools in wealthy or Asian areas have a large number of kids at the base school program, and can offer a full AAP classroom, or close. Those schools can apply to become Local Level IV programs, and offer FT services their AAP kids. Kids who qualify for AAP in LLIV schools can choose whether to go to an AAP Center or stay in the LLIV programs.

There are also varying degrees off gifted support offered for kids who do not qualify for level IV (full time services). That's levels I, II, and III, and happens at the child's base school.

That's the program in a nutshell. Caveat: the simplified version-- before people chime in about the exception to the exception.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they in gifted programs in their current state?

If not, don't worry about AAP. Find a decent pyramid with an 8-9 ranked elementary school with a reasonable commute in a house you can afford.

Avoid the "top" pyramids.

Get settled into your schools. The schools will test your kids, usually the first month if they start in the fall. You can cross the AAP bridge if you need to then.

This is terrible advice. Especially if you don't buy into a Center school. Why would you move kids to a new town, start them in a new school, and then move them to a second school a few months later, or even the next year?

OP-- you can apply out of cycle for AAP if you move into FCPS. But only after you move. You get a quick decision. But you have to supply and pay for your own testing.

Lingo in brief. You base school is you local ES or MS that every kid on your street is zoned to go. Kids can qualify for FT gifted placement starting in 3rd and continuinguntil 8t. About 15% qualify, but that's deceptive. Fairfax County is one of wealthiest counties in the country, and the most educated. If your kid qualifies for AAP, the bus to the nearest ES that offers FT gifted services (as well as standard classes for their base school kids who are not AAP. So there may be 3 AAP and 3 Gen Ed classes per grade, starting in 3rd). That is an AAP Center. Some schools in wealthy or Asian areas have a large number of kids at the base school program, and can offer a full AAP classroom, or close. Those schools can apply to become Local Level IV programs, and offer FT services their AAP kids. Kids who qualify for AAP in LLIV schools can choose whether to go to an AAP Center or stay in the LLIV programs.

There are also varying degrees off gifted support offered for kids who do not qualify for level IV (full time services). That's levels I, II, and III, and happens at the child's base school.

That's the program in a nutshell. Caveat: the simplified version-- before people chime in about the exception to the exception.

No.

It is very good advice if OPs kids are not already GT qualified in another state.

If they are average or bright kids, OP has many wonderful options available to her that do not involve AAP.

Moving to a center is not a big deal. Kids do it all the time. Or OP may find her kids love their neighborhood school: walking home with their neighbor friends, enriching and dedicated teachers, having the neighborhood community being a part of the school community.

OP, there are many exceptional elementary schools that are not AAP centers, and so many things to consider in this area besides AAP when house hunting.

For example, all of the elementary schools in our pyramid do advanced math (same as center) and have enriching level III pull out services.

If OPs kids are not already in a gifted program, they have so many great non center options for school.

Where are you commuting to OP? Are your kid already in gifted programs?

If they are in gifted programs my answer would be different. But if they are not, don't worry about AAP when searching for a home. Look at commute, then schools (8-9 is a good measuring stick to start your search), community (are you hard chargers? Military? Laid back? Suburban people?) and budget.

Commute is most important.

[Anonymous]

Clearly OP is interested in AAP, or she wouldn't be asking. I moved a 5th grader. I would not have moved her again less than a year later. And kids do move to Centers all the time-- but almost always at the beginning of third. If you don't want or value or have kids who qualify for AAP, fine. And a valid POV. But then, maybe don't tell other parents how the program does or does not work. Or is or is not valuable. Lots of people think it is very valuable. And OP clearly thinks her kids might qualify and it is worth considering, or she wouldn't ask.

And having a kid start two new schools in less than a year is crazy if it can be avoided. FCPS knows this. Which is why they allowed expedited placement in OP's situation and make a quick decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clearly OP is interested in AAP, or she wouldn't be asking. I moved a 5th grader. I would not have moved her again less than a year later. And kids do move to Centers all the time-- but almost always at the beginning of third. If you don't want or value or have kids who qualify for AAP, fine. And a valid POV. But then, maybe don't tell other parents how the program does or does not work. Or is or is not valuable. Lots of people think it is very valuable. And OP clearly thinks her kids might qualify and it is worth considering, or she wouldn't ask.

And having a kid start two new schools in less than a year is crazy if it can be avoided. FCPS knows this. Which is why they allowed expedited placement in OP's situation and make a quick decision.

I actually have kids in AAP who have been through the center, LLIV, base school level III/advanced math services, and a kid who is solidly gen ed. And I have moved kids ito and out of the system/state, including older elementary who were qualified as gifted in other states (military)

This board incorrectly makes it sound as if The Only schools worth attending are level IV centers, especially the TJ feeders, and that is simply not true.

OP has not returned to say whether or not her kids are gifted qualified in another state. She only posted their grades, and that she is confused by this crazy forum.


Her kids might be GT already. In which case she might want to go in one direction.

Or, OP might be just what she says, a mom with bright or average kids who happens to be very confused by this forum into thinking the only way her kids will get a decent educationaway from the undesireables is to get them into AAP, particularly at a Langley pyramid TJ mania school, because according to this forum AAP is comprised of almost halfof fcps students, including mostly decidedly average kids, and any kid not in AAP is either a dolt, ESL/farms, or a kid who is brighter than all those average kids in AAP who got robbed by thesystem.

[Anonymous]

Stay away from the TJ Mania zones.

[Anonymous]

Haha! Jeff needs to make that map a sticky at the top of the AAP forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't make heads or tails of all this talk of base centers and Level V programs and everything that is being discussed here. Can someone please give me a quick overview on what this means? DD would be going in to 4th next year, DS in to 3rd. Is it too late for them to get in to the program?

https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-school-academics-k-6/advanced-academics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't make heads or tails of all this talk of base centers and Level V programs and everything that is being discussed here. Can someone please give me a quick overview on what this means? DD would be going in to 4th next year, DS in to 3rd. Is it too late for them to get in to the program?

https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-school-academics-k-6/advanced-academics

Sorry, hit enter too fast. This site explains all of the terminology around AAP in FCPS and provides deadlines and information about the application process.

[Anonymous]

When do you plan to move OP? The summer? If so, FCPS has a really easy process where you submit the package of materials once you are moved and they decide if you qualify. You need to have certain scores though on a specific test - look at the FCPS link above for details.

We specifically picked a non-center school zone after reading about some of the insanely divisive center schools on here. I personally would only have moved DC twice in a year if the normal program was a horrible fit for her. I realize military people move all the time so think it's no big deal but as a kid that moved several times growing up, I hated it and wanted to have my kids do just one move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Haha! Jeff needs to make that map a sticky at the top of the AAP forum.

It would be the first and only time the Robinson/West Springfield/Lake Braddock crowd wanted to be characterized the same as those zoned for schools in the poorer parts of the county (as "normal people"). When the topic isn't TJ, they spend the rest of their time telling others to avoid Hayfield, Lee, West Potomac, Annandale, etc.

The map is for hypocrites by hypocrites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haha! Jeff needs to make that map a sticky at the top of the AAP forum.

It would be the first and only time the Robinson/West Springfield/Lake Braddock crowd wanted to be characterized the same as those zoned for schools in the poorer parts of the county (as "normal people"). When the topic isn't TJ, they spend the rest of their time telling others to avoid Hayfield, Lee, West Potomac, Annandale, etc.

The map is for hypocrites by hypocrites.

Robinson/West Springfield/Lake Braddock are the best pyramids in FCPS.

They have academic excellence balanced with a normal life for the kids plus really fun and friendly families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haha! Jeff needs to make that map a sticky at the top of the AAP forum.

It would be the first and only time the Robinson/West Springfield/Lake Braddock crowd wanted to be characterized the same as those zoned for schools in the poorer parts of the county (as "normal people"). When the topic isn't TJ, they spend the rest of their time telling others to avoid Hayfield, Lee, West Potomac, Annandale, etc.

The map is for hypocrites by hypocrites.

Robinson/West Springfield/Lake Braddock are the best pyramids in FCPS.

They have academic excellence balanced with a normal life for the kids plus really fun and friendly families.