Can you explain sequential electives requirement

[Anonymous]

FCPS should publish all elective combinations that count.
What about CTE and/or Art requirements? What courses count towards these?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

FWIW, my kid's counselor in APS said she was fine in satisfying the elective requirement with being in the top band all 4 years. Really, the 'advanced" vs "regular" diploma designation is pretty meaningless, more about encouraging kids to take what they should for college prep.

My FCPS kids weren't in orchestra, but my good friend's child made the top orchestra freshman year, and received the same advice from their FCPS counselor. So it seems like at least the requirement is NOT unfair to those kids.

Still a dumb requirement, IMO, but at least not penalizing the kids who make top band and orchestra as 9th graders.

Do those kids still qualify for advanced diplomas?

[Anonymous]

Why wouldn't band or orchestra count?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't band or orchestra count?

I think it does.

[Anonymous]

Are counselors really on top of this? My 9th grader has never mentioned this and I haven’t heard it either. To plan for consecutive electives, you almost need to know before 9th grade. If it’s as strict as it seems, there is going to be mass chaos as these grades get closer to graduation.

The kids already only get 7 classes a year. We got 8 but didn’t have standard study hall, which these kids have. It’s really sad that they can’t just choose their electives as they please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't band or orchestra count?

I think it does.

It counts if you start in the lower orchestra and then move to a higher one. But if you are always in the highest level orchestra, there isn’t any sequence to it.

[Anonymous]

Well, there's something that wasn't even on my radar, and looks to be a PITA. Exactly how many slots do kids have to take electives in the first place? Is foreign language considered an elective?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, there's something that wasn't even on my radar, and looks to be a PITA. Exactly how many slots do kids have to take electives in the first place? Is foreign language considered an elective?

Foreign Language is an elective but doesn't count in this sequential calculation.

So my kid could have taken AP CS A in 9th but did programming in 9th and then AP CS A in 10th to meet this requirement. Was it a waste of time? Yes. Did it satisfy the requirement? Also, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, there's something that wasn't even on my radar, and looks to be a PITA. Exactly how many slots do kids have to take electives in the first place? Is foreign language considered an elective?

Foreign Language is an elective but doesn't count in this sequential calculation.

So my kid could have taken AP CS A in 9th but did programming in 9th and then AP CS A in 10th to meet this requirement. Was it a waste of time? Yes. Did it satisfy the requirement? Also, yes.

Wait, what? Foreign language is not a core class. DS is in Spanish 3; definitely looks sequential to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are counselors really on top of this? My 9th grader has never mentioned this and I haven’t heard it either. To plan for consecutive electives, you almost need to know before 9th grade. If it’s as strict as it seems, there is going to be mass chaos as these grades get closer to graduation.

The kids already only get 7 classes a year. We got 8 but didn’t have standard study hall, which these kids have. It’s really sad that they can’t just choose their electives as they please.

I don't understand why they'd even care. An advanced diploma is a thing at graduation and for about 5 minutes afterwards. I'd rather my kid choose courses with an eye towards balancing college and their interests. If that leads to an advanced diploma great, if they decided to double up on math or science instead, that's fine too. No college is going to tell a kid that they should have taken art 2 instead of multivariable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, there's something that wasn't even on my radar, and looks to be a PITA. Exactly how many slots do kids have to take electives in the first place? Is foreign language considered an elective?

Foreign Language is an elective but doesn't count in this sequential calculation.

So my kid could have taken AP CS A in 9th but did programming in 9th and then AP CS A in 10th to meet this requirement. Was it a waste of time? Yes. Did it satisfy the requirement? Also, yes.

Wait, what? Foreign language is not a core class. DS is in Spanish 3; definitely looks sequential to me.

Languages are listed as a separate requirement "Courses completed to satisfy this requirement shall include three years of one language or two years of two languages. "


https://www.doe.virginia.gov/parents-students/for-students/graduation/diploma-options/advanced-studies-diploma-graduation-requirements

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, there's something that wasn't even on my radar, and looks to be a PITA. Exactly how many slots do kids have to take electives in the first place? Is foreign language considered an elective?

Foreign Language is an elective but doesn't count in this sequential calculation.

So my kid could have taken AP CS A in 9th but did programming in 9th and then AP CS A in 10th to meet this requirement. Was it a waste of time? Yes. Did it satisfy the requirement? Also, yes.

Your kid didn't have to do that. My kid took AP CS as a sophomore and then Adv Data Structures as a senior. That satisfies the requirement. My other kid took CS Programming and then Game Design. That worked too.

Our counselor was very clear that core classes and foreign languages do not count. But band/choir/orchestra count... even if they start at the highest level in 9th grade. They are still taking sequential years of band/choir/orchestra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, there's something that wasn't even on my radar, and looks to be a PITA. Exactly how many slots do kids have to take electives in the first place? Is foreign language considered an elective?

Foreign Language is an elective but doesn't count in this sequential calculation.

So my kid could have taken AP CS A in 9th but did programming in 9th and then AP CS A in 10th to meet this requirement. Was it a waste of time? Yes. Did it satisfy the requirement? Also, yes.

Your kid didn't have to do that. My kid took AP CS as a sophomore and then Adv Data Structures as a senior. That satisfies the requirement. My other kid took CS Programming and then Game Design. That worked too.

Our counselor was very clear that core classes and foreign languages do not count. But band/choir/orchestra count... even if they start at the highest level in 9th grade. They are still taking sequential years of band/choir/orchestra.

This is good to know.

There are 4 core courses, plus a world language, so that leaves 3 slots open for electives?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are counselors really on top of this? My 9th grader has never mentioned this and I haven’t heard it either. To plan for consecutive electives, you almost need to know before 9th grade. If it’s as strict as it seems, there is going to be mass chaos as these grades get closer to graduation.

The kids already only get 7 classes a year. We got 8 but didn’t have standard study hall, which these kids have. It’s really sad that they can’t just choose their electives as they please.

I don't understand why they'd even care. An advanced diploma is a thing at graduation and for about 5 minutes afterwards. I'd rather my kid choose courses with an eye towards balancing college and their interests. If that leads to an advanced diploma great, if they decided to double up on math or science instead, that's fine too. No college is going to tell a kid that they should have taken art 2 instead of multivariable

As I’m reading the FCPS website, the sequential electives are required for a standard diploma as well. I agree with you that colleges may not care. Is an advanced diploma even on their radar?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, there's something that wasn't even on my radar, and looks to be a PITA. Exactly how many slots do kids have to take electives in the first place? Is foreign language considered an elective?

Foreign Language is an elective but doesn't count in this sequential calculation.

So my kid could have taken AP CS A in 9th but did programming in 9th and then AP CS A in 10th to meet this requirement. Was it a waste of time? Yes. Did it satisfy the requirement? Also, yes.

Your kid didn't have to do that. My kid took AP CS as a sophomore and then Adv Data Structures as a senior. That satisfies the requirement. My other kid took CS Programming and then Game Design. That worked too.

Our counselor was very clear that core classes and foreign languages do not count. But band/choir/orchestra count... even if they start at the highest level in 9th grade. They are still taking sequential years of band/choir/orchestra.

Our schools doesn't have Game Design or Adv data Structures so yes he did.