ACPS High School Academies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has there ever been any meaningful effort to push ACPS into allowing students to attend TJHSST? That seems like any obvious solution to some issues. They really should consider it with the launch of these academies.

I read in the paper (back when I was in college) that the city many years ago blocked efforts to consider allowing ACPS students to attend TJHSST. The city wanted to retain the talent within the school system.

I agree that this should be an option for kids in the City.

They may want to retain the talent but they are not offering the high-level classes across the board anymore.

During that debate years ago, a then-school board member had an awful quote about ACPS kids.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-schools-consider-sending-students-to-fairfaxs-thomas-jefferson-high/2013/06/12/48e1068e-d37a-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html

Terrible. And interesting to see that Carmichael Booz, who is back on the school board now, was so vocally supportive of the idea of sending ACPS kids to TJ back then. Would be curious to hear her current position on the topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a mess, for sure.

If only there was something the voters could do!?

Who has run for school board in recent years that would have fixed this? None come to mind from my recent memory.

If none come to mind over the last decade...you're part of the problem.

Who were they? We’ve had pretty weak candidates in District B.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has there ever been any meaningful effort to push ACPS into allowing students to attend TJHSST? That seems like any obvious solution to some issues. They really should consider it with the launch of these academies.

I read in the paper (back when I was in college) that the city many years ago blocked efforts to consider allowing ACPS students to attend TJHSST. The city wanted to retain the talent within the school system.

I agree that this should be an option for kids in the City.

They may want to retain the talent but they are not offering the high-level classes across the board anymore.

During that debate years ago, a then-school board member had an awful quote about ACPS kids.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-schools-consider-sending-students-to-fairfaxs-thomas-jefferson-high/2013/06/12/48e1068e-d37a-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html

Why should another district's school be an option? Alexandrians made this mess. Fix it yourself.

It certainly would not fix every problem, but I do think that Alexandria kids should have the same opportunities for TJ as Arlington or Falls Church kids. My kids are too old now but I think it’s a real shame that even a handful of kids can’t even try for admission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has there ever been any meaningful effort to push ACPS into allowing students to attend TJHSST? That seems like any obvious solution to some issues. They really should consider it with the launch of these academies.

I read in the paper (back when I was in college) that the city many years ago blocked efforts to consider allowing ACPS students to attend TJHSST. The city wanted to retain the talent within the school system.

I agree that this should be an option for kids in the City.

They may want to retain the talent but they are not offering the high-level classes across the board anymore.

During that debate years ago, a then-school board member had an awful quote about ACPS kids.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-schools-consider-sending-students-to-fairfaxs-thomas-jefferson-high/2013/06/12/48e1068e-d37a-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html

Why should another district's school be an option? Alexandrians made this mess. Fix it yourself.

It certainly would not fix every problem, but I do think that Alexandria kids should have the same opportunities for TJ as Arlington or Falls Church kids. My kids are too old now but I think it’s a real shame that even a handful of kids can’t even try for admission.

Yes! Because UMC kids need more opportunities to succeed. Especially if taxpayers in another city pay for it. How about instead of trying to steal what isn't yours, you advocate for the same high quality educational opportunities in ACPS? I know it's too much to ask of Alexandria to provide a decent education for poor kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has there ever been any meaningful effort to push ACPS into allowing students to attend TJHSST? That seems like any obvious solution to some issues. They really should consider it with the launch of these academies.

I read in the paper (back when I was in college) that the city many years ago blocked efforts to consider allowing ACPS students to attend TJHSST. The city wanted to retain the talent within the school system.

I agree that this should be an option for kids in the City.

They may want to retain the talent but they are not offering the high-level classes across the board anymore.

During that debate years ago, a then-school board member had an awful quote about ACPS kids.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-schools-consider-sending-students-to-fairfaxs-thomas-jefferson-high/2013/06/12/48e1068e-d37a-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html

Terrible. And interesting to see that Carmichael Booz, who is back on the school board now, was so vocally supportive of the idea of sending ACPS kids to TJ back then. Would be curious to hear her current position on the topic.

Her opinion is whatever Randi tells her it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has there ever been any meaningful effort to push ACPS into allowing students to attend TJHSST? That seems like any obvious solution to some issues. They really should consider it with the launch of these academies.

I read in the paper (back when I was in college) that the city many years ago blocked efforts to consider allowing ACPS students to attend TJHSST. The city wanted to retain the talent within the school system.

I agree that this should be an option for kids in the City.

They may want to retain the talent but they are not offering the high-level classes across the board anymore.

During that debate years ago, a then-school board member had an awful quote about ACPS kids.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-schools-consider-sending-students-to-fairfaxs-thomas-jefferson-high/2013/06/12/48e1068e-d37a-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html

Why should another district's school be an option? Alexandrians made this mess. Fix it yourself.

It certainly would not fix every problem, but I do think that Alexandria kids should have the same opportunities for TJ as Arlington or Falls Church kids. My kids are too old now but I think it’s a real shame that even a handful of kids can’t even try for admission.

Yes! Because UMC kids need more opportunities to succeed. Especially if taxpayers in another city pay for it. How about instead of trying to steal what isn't yours, you advocate for the same high quality educational opportunities in ACPS? I know it's too much to ask of Alexandria to provide a decent education for poor kids.

This is a stupid take, since students attend TJ from outside FCPS already. You do know that students from other jurisdictions go there, right? Is it really too hard for you to educate yourself before flying off the handle, Karen?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has there ever been any meaningful effort to push ACPS into allowing students to attend TJHSST? That seems like any obvious solution to some issues. They really should consider it with the launch of these academies.

I read in the paper (back when I was in college) that the city many years ago blocked efforts to consider allowing ACPS students to attend TJHSST. The city wanted to retain the talent within the school system.

I agree that this should be an option for kids in the City.

They may want to retain the talent but they are not offering the high-level classes across the board anymore.

During that debate years ago, a then-school board member had an awful quote about ACPS kids.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-schools-consider-sending-students-to-fairfaxs-thomas-jefferson-high/2013/06/12/48e1068e-d37a-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html

Why should another district's school be an option? Alexandrians made this mess. Fix it yourself.

It certainly would not fix every problem, but I do think that Alexandria kids should have the same opportunities for TJ as Arlington or Falls Church kids. My kids are too old now but I think it’s a real shame that even a handful of kids can’t even try for admission.

Yes! Because UMC kids need more opportunities to succeed. Especially if taxpayers in another city pay for it. How about instead of trying to steal what isn't yours, you advocate for the same high quality educational opportunities in ACPS? I know it's too much to ask of Alexandria to provide a decent education for poor kids.

This is a stupid take, since students attend TJ from outside FCPS already. You do know that students from other jurisdictions go there, right? Is it really too hard for you to educate yourself before flying off the handle, Karen?

And those jurisdictions pay FCPS per pupil, as would Alexandria City. I’m no ACPS cheerleader but your rhetoric is uncalled for. We are trying to advocate for other options for local Alexandria students, who are just as deserving as others of educational opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has there ever been any meaningful effort to push ACPS into allowing students to attend TJHSST? That seems like any obvious solution to some issues. They really should consider it with the launch of these academies.

I read in the paper (back when I was in college) that the city many years ago blocked efforts to consider allowing ACPS students to attend TJHSST. The city wanted to retain the talent within the school system.

I agree that this should be an option for kids in the City.

They may want to retain the talent but they are not offering the high-level classes across the board anymore.

During that debate years ago, a then-school board member had an awful quote about ACPS kids.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-schools-consider-sending-students-to-fairfaxs-thomas-jefferson-high/2013/06/12/48e1068e-d37a-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html

Why should another district's school be an option? Alexandrians made this mess. Fix it yourself.

It certainly would not fix every problem, but I do think that Alexandria kids should have the same opportunities for TJ as Arlington or Falls Church kids. My kids are too old now but I think it’s a real shame that even a handful of kids can’t even try for admission.

Yes! Because UMC kids need more opportunities to succeed. Especially if taxpayers in another city pay for it. How about instead of trying to steal what isn't yours, you advocate for the same high quality educational opportunities in ACPS? I know it's too much to ask of Alexandria to provide a decent education for poor kids.

I’m not getting this at all. ACPS would pay for the slots. No one has said free slots so you aren’t making any sense.

[Anonymous]

How would this differ from a charter school?

And why the concern for high performing students but nothing for the students at the bottom? I hear all the time from ACHS parents that everything is great and their kids don't see the violence and drug overdoses.

A better place to focus on would be the former TAG program. The head of it is quite vocal to her friends about her belief that it should be dismantled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How would this differ from a charter school?

And why the concern for high performing students but nothing for the students at the bottom? I hear all the time from ACHS parents that everything is great and their kids don't see the violence and drug overdoses.

A better place to focus on would be the former TAG program. The head of it is quite vocal to her friends about her belief that it should be dismantled.

What a joke. You must not have kids in the schools or be from here. Have you heard of equity? ACPS is all about kids from the bottom. TAG has already been dismantled. ACPS should absolutely allow students to attend TJ just like every other Northern Virginia School District.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How would this differ from a charter school?

And why the concern for high performing students but nothing for the students at the bottom? I hear all the time from ACHS parents that everything is great and their kids don't see the violence and drug overdoses.

A better place to focus on would be the former TAG program. The head of it is quite vocal to her friends about her belief that it should be dismantled.

Blah blah blah. We can care about more than one population. TAG is not relevant in high school (nor middle school). What a random way to deflect from the subject of ACPS participating in TJ. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

TAG (or whatever it's called now) is completely relevent to middle and high school.

Alexandrians may "care" about different populations but they never bother to try to change anything for those populations, do they?

Because they benefit from a system that fails those populations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TAG (or whatever it's called now) is completely relevent to middle and high school.

Alexandrians may "care" about different populations but they never bother to try to change anything for those populations, do they?

Because they benefit from a system that fails those populations.

What do you suggest we do for the underperforming populations? Money is not the fix, look at Baltimore and Chicago versus Miami-Dade Public schools. Miami-Dade has a per pupil spend of $12k. But want to know what they do have - school choice, charter schools, and impressive magnet schools. Talking about helping the underserved in Alexandria without any suggestions to truly and innovatively change the system is just wasted chatter. After all, what is the definition of insanity?

[Anonymous]

One former ACPS admin said that to many who are from the DMV area, there is a lot of prestige that comes from being a graduate of TCW and it would be unfair to graduates of any new school to not be able to benefit from the brand. Not sure how much this holds after the renaming.

As far as TJHSST, isn’t it a governor’s school thad receives partial funding directly from the Commonwealth? Guessing the school’s charter doesn’t prohibit participation from nearby districts, especially ones that do not have access to a governor’s school. Not that it matters. Not sure the Alexandria SB will really deviate from its past position on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TAG (or whatever it's called now) is completely relevent to middle and high school.

Alexandrians may "care" about different populations but they never bother to try to change anything for those populations, do they?

Because they benefit from a system that fails those populations.

What do you suggest we do for the underperforming populations? Money is not the fix, look at Baltimore and Chicago versus Miami-Dade Public schools. Miami-Dade has a per pupil spend of $12k. But want to know what they do have - school choice, charter schools, and impressive magnet schools. Talking about helping the underserved in Alexandria without any suggestions to truly and innovatively change the system is just wasted chatter. After all, what is the definition of insanity?

Those aren't fixes. They increase interschool disparities and mask the underlying problems.