FCPS comprehensive boundary review

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the Forestville to Herndon thing separate from the general redistricting? Everyone seems to talk about that as a given, but is it? Or is it one possibility being discussed in relation to this whole thing?

It’s one possibility, but the school board member who represents the area, Robyn Lady, is pretty hostile to families in the Forestville area and seems content to let Sandy Anderson and school board minions steamroll the school, even though there is no compelling need at this point.

So, the best way to describe it would be “probably will move” because of the 12-0 democratic school board’s dislike of great falls.

[Anonymous]

Where are some of you getting the rumors or how it work?

I checked the FCPS website on redistricting - most of what's presented on this thread is not mentioned.

The rules of redistricting for example someone mentioned: Rising Seniors are exempt - how would buses work?

Stating Language exceptions - they are using Virtual if your school doesn't offer not only the language but almost any other class not offered in the HS.

Trying to fact-check to prepare for the future - is there a source of truth?

[Anonymous]

Double buses for a year.

As far as the language--no guarantee you can stay at your current school. Get transferred to an IB school--no guarantee you can stay at your AP school. It may not be "open to transfers" and you may have to go to a different AP school that is further away.

I'm pretty sure that when they did the South Lakes boundary study that the former Westfield students could not do AP at Westfield, but had to go to Herndon. Not 100percent on that, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are some of you getting the rumors or how it work?

I checked the FCPS website on redistricting - most of what's presented on this thread is not mentioned.

The rules of redistricting for example someone mentioned: Rising Seniors are exempt - how would buses work?

Stating Language exceptions - they are using Virtual if your school doesn't offer not only the language but almost any other class not offered in the HS.

Trying to fact-check to prepare for the future - is there a source of truth?

FCPS has hosted numerous meetings, in-person and virtual - I believe they are all done for now until the updates are released and then they will have more. People have also directly met with representatives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are some of you getting the rumors or how it work?

I checked the FCPS website on redistricting - most of what's presented on this thread is not mentioned.

The rules of redistricting for example someone mentioned: Rising Seniors are exempt - how would buses work?

Stating Language exceptions - they are using Virtual if your school doesn't offer not only the language but almost any other class not offered in the HS.

Trying to fact-check to prepare for the future - is there a source of truth?

FCPS has hosted numerous meetings, in-person and virtual - I believe they are all done for now until the updates are released and then they will have more. People have also directly met with representatives.

FCPS hosted a meeting within each region between Nov-Jan, where attendees overwhelmingly voiced concern and disagreement with changing boundaries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are some of you getting the rumors or how it work?

I checked the FCPS website on redistricting - most of what's presented on this thread is not mentioned.

The rules of redistricting for example someone mentioned: Rising Seniors are exempt - how would buses work?

Stating Language exceptions - they are using Virtual if your school doesn't offer not only the language but almost any other class not offered in the HS.

Trying to fact-check to prepare for the future - is there a source of truth?

FCPS has hosted numerous meetings, in-person and virtual - I believe they are all done for now until the updates are released and then they will have more. People have also directly met with representatives.

FCPS hosted a meeting within each region between Nov-Jan, where attendees overwhelmingly voiced concern and disagreement with changing boundaries.

The virtual meetings were open to any region and rooms were hosted by FCPS staff with ability for direct answers from them.

They’ve also posted all the notes from the meetings. Plus the consulting firms recaps.

Some of it’s hard to find because it’s links within links/pdfs within links vs just an easy Google.

And agreed with above! Overall theme is very against the boundary changes. Which is wild that they are still moving forward…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All this turmoil because 14 people, SB and Reid, can’t effectively use $4B to have 170,000 kids reach their full potential.

Yet somehow a smattering of those 170,000 kids will spread out over the county and make every school a success.

Am I missing something here?

Only that the lip service they give to "equity" is based on optics, not reality.
If they wanted to really help the students and schools, they would work on improving instruction to meet the needs of the kids--instead of importing kids to "fix" the school.

+100
Can you imagine how far $4B would go to improve issues at individual schools?
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder why they don’t offer FARMs kids at the lower performing schools the choice, 100% choice, to be bussed to a better school with room. Those schools get first priority for open seats before principal placement out of other schools. If the goal is finding a way to improve opportunities for poor kids who want a better education, then target those kids and give them the chance to move.

Don’t require it. Provide late busses so kids can participate in after school activities. Provide some tutoring programs at the HS so the kids have a chance to get help with catching up.

And yes, limit it to FARMs kids. MC/UMC parents who bought in the area for a bigger house that cost less knew the schools they were moving into. They can try to principal place if there is space available and can take the bus if they are able to principal place. The goal is to target the poor kids who have fewer housing options but want a better school experience and to have better options.

This would be inequitable. It's one of the arguments used against vouchers. You can't take the bright, motivated kids out of a poorly performing school and send them elsewhere. It's not fair to the kids left behind and makes the school's average performance even worse. It reflects badly on the school and hurts feelings.

Yet that’s exactly what they do every damn day with AAP Centers and IB/AP transfers. It’s a brain drain from the poor performing schools.

Not to mention the language immersion programs without transportation. De facto segregation.

+100 to both PPs - but especially re: AAP centers which are redundant and unnecessary at this point, when the vast majority of schools already have AAP. There is no need for separate schools and the free busing that goes along with it.

[Anonymous]

I would love to know more about the $$$being spent on the boundary review.

$500K for a contractor to draw lines. I'd like to know a lot more about that contract. Is there a "costplus"? Overrun charges?? etc.
and, this doesn't cover the cost of all the meetings at night--custodians, staffers, etc. working overtime. How much was put aside for that?
Someone has to run the remote meetings, too.

The input at the meetings are clear: the community does not want this. They want to stay where they are.

Here is a fact: school systems were formed to educate our children. Drawing boundary lines does not do that.

And, while there may be a school here and there that benefits from this, the overall outcome will scare people away from FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know more about the $$$being spent on the boundary review.

$500K for a contractor to draw lines. I'd like to know a lot more about that contract. Is there a "costplus"? Overrun charges?? etc.
and, this doesn't cover the cost of all the meetings at night--custodians, staffers, etc. working overtime. How much was put aside for that?
Someone has to run the remote meetings, too.

The input at the meetings are clear: the community does not want this. They want to stay where they are.

Here is a fact: school systems were formed to educate our children. Drawing boundary lines does not do that.

And, while there may be a school here and there that benefits from this, the overall outcome will scare people away from FCPS.

The consultant was a no bid contract. Well technically a bid contract for an open-ended Texas contract from a couple of years ago, for which the consultant said they could do work on broadband logistics and career coaching among others. So super-duper qualified to make decisions impacting 180,000 students. 🧐

[Anonymous]

Any more info on Oakton neighborhoods going to Fairfax or even Chantilly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any more info on Oakton neighborhoods going to Fairfax or even Chantilly.

That will only happen if there is a major fruitbasket turnover. While some of those neighborhoods are very close to Chantilly, all of the current Chantilly neighborhoods are also very close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know more about the $$$being spent on the boundary review.

$500K for a contractor to draw lines. I'd like to know a lot more about that contract. Is there a "costplus"? Overrun charges?? etc.
and, this doesn't cover the cost of all the meetings at night--custodians, staffers, etc. working overtime. How much was put aside for that?
Someone has to run the remote meetings, too.

The input at the meetings are clear: the community does not want this. They want to stay where they are.

Here is a fact: school systems were formed to educate our children. Drawing boundary lines does not do that.

And, while there may be a school here and there that benefits from this, the overall outcome will scare people away from FCPS.

They have a whole facilities planning department. Full-time employees with benefits who can and have done boundary changes in the past. Smaller school systems do not have this and can make a much better case for hiring outside consultants. Wasteful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know more about the $$$being spent on the boundary review.

$500K for a contractor to draw lines. I'd like to know a lot more about that contract. Is there a "costplus"? Overrun charges?? etc.
and, this doesn't cover the cost of all the meetings at night--custodians, staffers, etc. working overtime. How much was put aside for that?
Someone has to run the remote meetings, too.

The input at the meetings are clear: the community does not want this. They want to stay where they are.

Here is a fact: school systems were formed to educate our children. Drawing boundary lines does not do that.

And, while there may be a school here and there that benefits from this, the overall outcome will scare people away from FCPS.

They have a whole facilities planning department. Full-time employees with benefits who can and have done boundary changes in the past. Smaller school systems do not have this and can make a much better case for hiring outside consultants. Wasteful.

To be fair, the facilities staff totally screwed up a number of its recent boundary changes. Not that outside consultants with no real familiarity with the county will do better. They just add a layer of deniability for the results. For politicians like Karl Frisch that’s easily worth at least $500K of someone else’s money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know more about the $$$being spent on the boundary review.

$500K for a contractor to draw lines. I'd like to know a lot more about that contract. Is there a "costplus"? Overrun charges?? etc.
and, this doesn't cover the cost of all the meetings at night--custodians, staffers, etc. working overtime. How much was put aside for that?
Someone has to run the remote meetings, too.

The input at the meetings are clear: the community does not want this. They want to stay where they are.

Here is a fact: school systems were formed to educate our children. Drawing boundary lines does not do that.

And, while there may be a school here and there that benefits from this, the overall outcome will scare people away from FCPS.

They have a whole facilities planning department. Full-time employees with benefits who can and have done boundary changes in the past. Smaller school systems do not have this and can make a much better case for hiring outside consultants. Wasteful.

To be fair, the facilities staff totally screwed up a number of its recent boundary changes. Not that outside consultants with no real familiarity with the county will do better. They just add a layer of deniability for the results. For politicians like Karl Frisch that’s easily worth at least $500K of someone else’s money.

I have never seen a boundary study (and I have been involved in at least three) that did not come down to what the SB members had predetermined. A few adjustments here and there, but pretty much predetermined by politics. In other words, V's neighborhood will get what she demands.