TJ admissions now verifying free and reduced price meal status for successful 2026 applicants

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An official FOIA Request was sent out to get info on applicants who checked the ED boxes, and this request coincides with FCPS sudden decision to verify eligibility:

“We are writing as a group of concerned parents, many of whom suffer true economic disadvantages. We are seeing a troubling pattern with the admissions process at a well known school.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) is often regarded as the #1 high school in the country. Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the TJ Admissions Committee has been publicly claiming their desire to serve marginalized and economically disadvantaged students better. But are they really benefiting the marginalized or merely manipulating the system?

The application process does not seek any verification of economic need. As a result, a shockingly high number of applicants claimed economic disadvantage in the 2022 applications based on a loophole that allows ANY public school students to claim the status, regardless of actual financial need.

We are asking for help to shine a light on this situation.

Proposed Solution: The solution to this problem is simple. We suggest that the TJ Admissions Committee of 2022 immediately ask applicants to show proof of financial need via FARMS forms (free and reduced meals), Medicaid eligibility, TANF eligibility (temporary assistance for needy families), or other similar means.

By seeking some verification from applicants claiming an economic disadvantage, we can ensure that the genuinely marginalized receive consideration, in line with the spirit of what diversity, equity, and inclusion are really about.

Our letter to you is attached. Thank you!”

do they request to post those student’s name?

[Anonymous]

The whole situation is deeply embarrassing for FCPS. Maybe at some point we can elect School Board members with some common sense who’ll keep FCPS leadership from just constantly making one blunder after another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An official FOIA Request was sent out to get info on applicants who checked the ED boxes, and this request coincides with FCPS sudden decision to verify eligibility:

“We are writing as a group of concerned parents, many of whom suffer true economic disadvantages. We are seeing a troubling pattern with the admissions process at a well known school.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) is often regarded as the #1 high school in the country. Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the TJ Admissions Committee has been publicly claiming their desire to serve marginalized and economically disadvantaged students better. But are they really benefiting the marginalized or merely manipulating the system?

The application process does not seek any verification of economic need. As a result, a shockingly high number of applicants claimed economic disadvantage in the 2022 applications based on a loophole that allows ANY public school students to claim the status, regardless of actual financial need.

We are asking for help to shine a light on this situation.

Proposed Solution: The solution to this problem is simple. We suggest that the TJ Admissions Committee of 2022 immediately ask applicants to show proof of financial need via FARMS forms (free and reduced meals), Medicaid eligibility, TANF eligibility (temporary assistance for needy families), or other similar means.

By seeking some verification from applicants claiming an economic disadvantage, we can ensure that the genuinely marginalized receive consideration, in line with the spirit of what diversity, equity, and inclusion are really about.

Our letter to you is attached. Thank you!”

Source?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An official FOIA Request was sent out to get info on applicants who checked the ED boxes, and this request coincides with FCPS sudden decision to verify eligibility:

“We are writing as a group of concerned parents, many of whom suffer true economic disadvantages. We are seeing a troubling pattern with the admissions process at a well known school.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) is often regarded as the #1 high school in the country. Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the TJ Admissions Committee has been publicly claiming their desire to serve marginalized and economically disadvantaged students better. But are they really benefiting the marginalized or merely manipulating the system?

The application process does not seek any verification of economic need. As a result, a shockingly high number of applicants claimed economic disadvantage in the 2022 applications based on a loophole that allows ANY public school students to claim the status, regardless of actual financial need.

We are asking for help to shine a light on this situation.

Proposed Solution: The solution to this problem is simple. We suggest that the TJ Admissions Committee of 2022 immediately ask applicants to show proof of financial need via FARMS forms (free and reduced meals), Medicaid eligibility, TANF eligibility (temporary assistance for needy families), or other similar means.

By seeking some verification from applicants claiming an economic disadvantage, we can ensure that the genuinely marginalized receive consideration, in line with the spirit of what diversity, equity, and inclusion are really about.

Our letter to you is attached. Thank you!”

Source?

The 'source' person is back! May be you will get your source or not, but apparently fcps did send emails to all those who claimed ED and some copy/pasted the email into this thread. Its fair to assume fcps did this all of a sudden due to someone digging into it and FOIA does make sense. Do you need the physical copy of this request or screenshot of the email FCPS sent etc?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An official FOIA Request was sent out to get info on applicants who checked the ED boxes, and this request coincides with FCPS sudden decision to verify eligibility:

“We are writing as a group of concerned parents, many of whom suffer true economic disadvantages. We are seeing a troubling pattern with the admissions process at a well known school.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) is often regarded as the #1 high school in the country. Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the TJ Admissions Committee has been publicly claiming their desire to serve marginalized and economically disadvantaged students better. But are they really benefiting the marginalized or merely manipulating the system?

The application process does not seek any verification of economic need. As a result, a shockingly high number of applicants claimed economic disadvantage in the 2022 applications based on a loophole that allows ANY public school students to claim the status, regardless of actual financial need.

We are asking for help to shine a light on this situation.

Proposed Solution: The solution to this problem is simple. We suggest that the TJ Admissions Committee of 2022 immediately ask applicants to show proof of financial need via FARMS forms (free and reduced meals), Medicaid eligibility, TANF eligibility (temporary assistance for needy families), or other similar means.

By seeking some verification from applicants claiming an economic disadvantage, we can ensure that the genuinely marginalized receive consideration, in line with the spirit of what diversity, equity, and inclusion are really about.

Our letter to you is attached. Thank you!”

Source?

The 'source' person is back! May be you will get your source or not, but apparently fcps did send emails to all those who claimed ED and some copy/pasted the email into this thread. Its fair to assume fcps did this all of a sudden due to someone digging into it and FOIA does make sense. Do you need the physical copy of this request or screenshot of the email FCPS sent etc?

Is this FOIA request accessible online?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An official FOIA Request was sent out to get info on applicants who checked the ED boxes, and this request coincides with FCPS sudden decision to verify eligibility:

“We are writing as a group of concerned parents, many of whom suffer true economic disadvantages. We are seeing a troubling pattern with the admissions process at a well known school.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) is often regarded as the #1 high school in the country. Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the TJ Admissions Committee has been publicly claiming their desire to serve marginalized and economically disadvantaged students better. But are they really benefiting the marginalized or merely manipulating the system?

The application process does not seek any verification of economic need. As a result, a shockingly high number of applicants claimed economic disadvantage in the 2022 applications based on a loophole that allows ANY public school students to claim the status, regardless of actual financial need.

We are asking for help to shine a light on this situation.

Proposed Solution: The solution to this problem is simple. We suggest that the TJ Admissions Committee of 2022 immediately ask applicants to show proof of financial need via FARMS forms (free and reduced meals), Medicaid eligibility, TANF eligibility (temporary assistance for needy families), or other similar means.

By seeking some verification from applicants claiming an economic disadvantage, we can ensure that the genuinely marginalized receive consideration, in line with the spirit of what diversity, equity, and inclusion are really about.

Our letter to you is attached. Thank you!”

Source?

The 'source' person is back! May be you will get your source or not, but apparently fcps did send emails to all those who claimed ED and some copy/pasted the email into this thread. Its fair to assume fcps did this all of a sudden due to someone digging into it and FOIA does make sense. Do you need the physical copy of this request or screenshot of the email FCPS sent etc?

Is this FOIA request accessible online?

As a poster who kept highlighting this issue on this Forum, I am delighted. This was despite the efforts of a poster - an abject apologist for the school board - who kept claiming that the School Board has IRS data to validate income eligibility.

Justice is served in spite of this school board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An official FOIA Request was sent out to get info on applicants who checked the ED boxes, and this request coincides with FCPS sudden decision to verify eligibility:

“We are writing as a group of concerned parents, many of whom suffer true economic disadvantages. We are seeing a troubling pattern with the admissions process at a well known school.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) is often regarded as the #1 high school in the country. Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the TJ Admissions Committee has been publicly claiming their desire to serve marginalized and economically disadvantaged students better. But are they really benefiting the marginalized or merely manipulating the system?

The application process does not seek any verification of economic need. As a result, a shockingly high number of applicants claimed economic disadvantage in the 2022 applications based on a loophole that allows ANY public school students to claim the status, regardless of actual financial need.

We are asking for help to shine a light on this situation.

Proposed Solution: The solution to this problem is simple. We suggest that the TJ Admissions Committee of 2022 immediately ask applicants to show proof of financial need via FARMS forms (free and reduced meals), Medicaid eligibility, TANF eligibility (temporary assistance for needy families), or other similar means.

By seeking some verification from applicants claiming an economic disadvantage, we can ensure that the genuinely marginalized receive consideration, in line with the spirit of what diversity, equity, and inclusion are really about.

Our letter to you is attached. Thank you!”

Source?

The 'source' person is back! May be you will get your source or not, but apparently fcps did send emails to all those who claimed ED and some copy/pasted the email into this thread. Its fair to assume fcps did this all of a sudden due to someone digging into it and FOIA does make sense. Do you need the physical copy of this request or screenshot of the email FCPS sent etc?

I was asking for the source of the FOIA letter. That’s not public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see much evidence that Asian kids flooded into "under-represented" middle schools like Whitman and Holmes this past year to "game" the new process.

It seems more likely to me that Asian families will just anchor in the top pyramids so they can hedge their bets (still have their kids apply to TJ, but rest assured that the alternative is Langley/McLean/Oakton/Chantilly/Woodson). And, as TJ becomes seen primarily as an alternative to lower-performing high schools, fewer of their kids will apply, just like Asian families in MoCo send their kids to Wootton with only some considering the Blair magnet.

Correct. Asian will stay in top school zones.

Some will have a small house in a lower ranked area and a larger house in the top zone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An official FOIA Request was sent out to get info on applicants who checked the ED boxes, and this request coincides with FCPS sudden decision to verify eligibility:

“We are writing as a group of concerned parents, many of whom suffer true economic disadvantages. We are seeing a troubling pattern with the admissions process at a well known school.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) is often regarded as the #1 high school in the country. Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the TJ Admissions Committee has been publicly claiming their desire to serve marginalized and economically disadvantaged students better. But are they really benefiting the marginalized or merely manipulating the system?

The application process does not seek any verification of economic need. As a result, a shockingly high number of applicants claimed economic disadvantage in the 2022 applications based on a loophole that allows ANY public school students to claim the status, regardless of actual financial need.

We are asking for help to shine a light on this situation.

Proposed Solution: The solution to this problem is simple. We suggest that the TJ Admissions Committee of 2022 immediately ask applicants to show proof of financial need via FARMS forms (free and reduced meals), Medicaid eligibility, TANF eligibility (temporary assistance for needy families), or other similar means.

By seeking some verification from applicants claiming an economic disadvantage, we can ensure that the genuinely marginalized receive consideration, in line with the spirit of what diversity, equity, and inclusion are really about.

Our letter to you is attached. Thank you!”

Source?

The 'source' person is back! May be you will get your source or not, but apparently fcps did send emails to all those who claimed ED and some copy/pasted the email into this thread. Its fair to assume fcps did this all of a sudden due to someone digging into it and FOIA does make sense. Do you need the physical copy of this request or screenshot of the email FCPS sent etc?

40 page thread and still “apparently” ?? Obviously this is a hoax to fire up the opponents of the new process

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An official FOIA Request was sent out to get info on applicants who checked the ED boxes, and this request coincides with FCPS sudden decision to verify eligibility:

“We are writing as a group of concerned parents, many of whom suffer true economic disadvantages. We are seeing a troubling pattern with the admissions process at a well known school.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) is often regarded as the #1 high school in the country. Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the TJ Admissions Committee has been publicly claiming their desire to serve marginalized and economically disadvantaged students better. But are they really benefiting the marginalized or merely manipulating the system?

The application process does not seek any verification of economic need. As a result, a shockingly high number of applicants claimed economic disadvantage in the 2022 applications based on a loophole that allows ANY public school students to claim the status, regardless of actual financial need.

We are asking for help to shine a light on this situation.

Proposed Solution: The solution to this problem is simple. We suggest that the TJ Admissions Committee of 2022 immediately ask applicants to show proof of financial need via FARMS forms (free and reduced meals), Medicaid eligibility, TANF eligibility (temporary assistance for needy families), or other similar means.

By seeking some verification from applicants claiming an economic disadvantage, we can ensure that the genuinely marginalized receive consideration, in line with the spirit of what diversity, equity, and inclusion are really about.

Our letter to you is attached. Thank you!”

Source?

The 'source' person is back! May be you will get your source or not, but apparently fcps did send emails to all those who claimed ED and some copy/pasted the email into this thread. Its fair to assume fcps did this all of a sudden due to someone digging into it and FOIA does make sense. Do you need the physical copy of this request or screenshot of the email FCPS sent etc?

40 page thread and still “apparently” ?? Obviously this is a hoax to fire up the opponents of the new process

If you read upthread you will find the email. Save your conspiracy theories for later

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An official FOIA Request was sent out to get info on applicants who checked the ED boxes, and this request coincides with FCPS sudden decision to verify eligibility:

“We are writing as a group of concerned parents, many of whom suffer true economic disadvantages. We are seeing a troubling pattern with the admissions process at a well known school.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) is often regarded as the #1 high school in the country. Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the TJ Admissions Committee has been publicly claiming their desire to serve marginalized and economically disadvantaged students better. But are they really benefiting the marginalized or merely manipulating the system?

The application process does not seek any verification of economic need. As a result, a shockingly high number of applicants claimed economic disadvantage in the 2022 applications based on a loophole that allows ANY public school students to claim the status, regardless of actual financial need.

We are asking for help to shine a light on this situation.

Proposed Solution: The solution to this problem is simple. We suggest that the TJ Admissions Committee of 2022 immediately ask applicants to show proof of financial need via FARMS forms (free and reduced meals), Medicaid eligibility, TANF eligibility (temporary assistance for needy families), or other similar means.

By seeking some verification from applicants claiming an economic disadvantage, we can ensure that the genuinely marginalized receive consideration, in line with the spirit of what diversity, equity, and inclusion are really about.

Our letter to you is attached. Thank you!”

Source?

The 'source' person is back! May be you will get your source or not, but apparently fcps did send emails to all those who claimed ED and some copy/pasted the email into this thread. Its fair to assume fcps did this all of a sudden due to someone digging into it and FOIA does make sense. Do you need the physical copy of this request or screenshot of the email FCPS sent etc?

Is this FOIA request accessible online?

As a poster who kept highlighting this issue on this Forum, I am delighted. This was despite the efforts of a poster - an abject apologist for the school board - who kept claiming that the School Board has IRS data to validate income eligibility.

Justice is served in spite of this school board.

They claimed the school knew which student IDs were eligible for FARMS. I don't think anyone claimed they had IRS data since FCPS isn't the IRS.

[Anonymous]

Someone absolutely said they had access to an IRS database.

Clearly they had no idea and didn’t ask anyone to verify when they applied or they wouldn’t have sent out letters to people after admissions decisions were made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone absolutely said they had access to an IRS database.

Clearly they had no idea and didn’t ask anyone to verify when they applied or they wouldn’t have sent out letters to people after admissions decisions were made.

+1

Every time anyone introduced the notions that FARMS may have been manipulated, this poster would come in with a categorical "this has been refuted. FCPS has IRS data to validate eligibility"

This poster likes to speak from a position of authority and spouts BS and spin. She is still on these boards now trying to spin things in the School Board's favor.

Absolute egg on the face with the FARMS eligibility about-turn from FCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see much evidence that Asian kids flooded into "under-represented" middle schools like Whitman and Holmes this past year to "game" the new process.

It seems more likely to me that Asian families will just anchor in the top pyramids so they can hedge their bets (still have their kids apply to TJ, but rest assured that the alternative is Langley/McLean/Oakton/Chantilly/Woodson). And, as TJ becomes seen primarily as an alternative to lower-performing high schools, fewer of their kids will apply, just like Asian families in MoCo send their kids to Wootton with only some considering the Blair magnet.

Correct. Asian will stay in top school zones.

Some will have a small house in a lower ranked area and a larger house in the top zone.

Seems so overkill for high school. TJ is just a high school in the end. No one cares if you went to TJ later in life and college outcomes aren’t really better because it’s so competitive. If you read their confessional page, cheating is rampant and kids are totally unhappy. It’s crazy to me that folks are this desperate for TJ. Get a life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see much evidence that Asian kids flooded into "under-represented" middle schools like Whitman and Holmes this past year to "game" the new process.

It seems more likely to me that Asian families will just anchor in the top pyramids so they can hedge their bets (still have their kids apply to TJ, but rest assured that the alternative is Langley/McLean/Oakton/Chantilly/Woodson). And, as TJ becomes seen primarily as an alternative to lower-performing high schools, fewer of their kids will apply, just like Asian families in MoCo send their kids to Wootton with only some considering the Blair magnet.

Correct. Asian will stay in top school zones.

Some will have a small house in a lower ranked area and a larger house in the top zone.

Seems so overkill for high school. TJ is just a high school in the end. No one cares if you went to TJ later in life and college outcomes aren’t really better because it’s so competitive. If you read their confessional page, cheating is rampant and kids are totally unhappy. It’s crazy to me that folks are this desperate for TJ. Get a life.

TJ is soooo shiny.