APS budget is unacceptable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet that if these weren't the first two goals in APS's strategic plan, teachers would be slightly less likely to mind the COL increase:

~ Disproportionally in suspension rates by race/ethnicity, students identified with a disability, and English Learners will be annually reduced and overall suspensions will not increase. (PO-SWB-1)

~ By 2024, at least 80% of students with disabilities will spend 80% or more of their school day in a general education setting. (PO-SWB-2)

Teachers are not only underpaid, but general ed teachers also are responsible for meeting the needs of many special education kids. They have limited recourse for poor behavior since APS wants low suspension numbers. APS's retention strategy seems to be hoping teachers will keep going out of the goodness of their hearts.

A student can be 100% in a general Ed setting and still receive support and services from special Ed teachers. And I sincerely hope the people educating our children aren’t aiming for MORE suspensions of children with disabilities and minorities.

I would like to see more suspensions of minorities. Also kids with disabilities. Also whites. And girls. A little restoration of regular order is… in order.

I’d also like them to light every single iPad in the county on fire.

Textbooks, chalkboards, kids in detention. That’s how you save money AND raise kids proper.

Do you really think suspensions are going to fix the behavior problems? They don't.

DP. Maybe not fix but at least get those problems out of the classrooms where they are disruptive and sometimes dangerous to teachers and students who actually want to learn.

You must be kidding. They remove the kid for 1 maybe 2 days, then they are right back. Same problem. Suspensions don't fix a thing.

Suspend them again.
Seriously, if behavior can’t meet minimum standards of decency they shouldn’t be there.

Ultimately it's public school. Something has to be sorted so they can get an education. Teachers shouldn't be left to deal with it on their own, but you can't just keep suspending the kid without addressing the issue.

--Parent whose 4 yo was sent to the principal's office every day for the first three weeks of kindergarten. My kid had no idea what that meant or why she was there, so it had no impact except getting her out of the classroom. Things improved a lot once another adult observed and coached my kid and the teacher.

Your 4 yo was not ready for kindergarten and should have waited a year.

+100

Your kid should have spent another year in pre-k.

Nah, it's been almost a decade and my kid is in the right grade. We just had a teacher who wasn't experienced with kindergarten and who got a class that was full of kids with serious undiagnosed issues. My kid was the least of the problems in that classroom once they got settled in.

So it was fine for your kid to not be ready and to be a disrupting problem; but not for others. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Outdoor lab deserves consideration for further budget cuts. If budget needs to be tightened that’s a good source.

[Anonymous]

"Also keep in mind only 20% of Arlington households have school-aged children"
Yes, but how many HAD children or Will have children/grandchildren in schools. They want good schools at the ready when THEY want it.

[Anonymous]

"Because Durán was chief of DEI in Fairfax and that’s [ALL] he knows. The mandatory training for teachers is a joke and waste of time. As is the SEL curriculum taking up more instructional time."

Agreed with the small edit.

[Anonymous]

Suspend them again.
Seriously, if behavior can’t meet minimum standards of decency they shouldn’t be there.
Ultimately it's public school. Something has to be sorted so they can get an education. Teachers shouldn't be left to deal with it on their own, but you can't just keep suspending the kid without addressing the issue.

--Parent whose 4 yo was sent to the principal's office every day for the first three weeks of kindergarten. My kid had no idea what that meant or why she was there, so it had no impact except getting her out of the classroom. Things improved a lot once another adult observed and coached my kid and the teacher.

Your 4 yo was not ready for kindergarten and should have waited a year.

+100

Your kid should have spent another year in pre-k.

Nah, it's been almost a decade and my kid is in the right grade. We just had a teacher who wasn't experienced with kindergarten and who got a class that was full of kids with serious undiagnosed issues. My kid was the least of the problems in that classroom once they got settled in.
PP, I'm sure that there were kids in that classroom who had more significant issues than your's. But, you admit that your kid needed to be "coached" in order to be able to participate effectively... can you see how having every classroom with kids who need "coaching" is unsustainable? Perhaps both students and teachers would be better served if resources could be concentrated to help these kids rather than spreading it all around the schools, overwhelming the teachers and disrupting the other students.

Kids don't belong in kindergarden when they're 4. Maybe you think they've caught up, but you do them no favors rushing them and having them finish younger than their school peers. Things I've seen...

[Anonymous]

This is a no-brainer. Cut Duran and his entire cabinet. Can't see what any of them are doing. Probably need to reach down and cut some assistant superintendents, executive directors and directors. But APS could probably claw back $2-3 million just with Duran and his 'cabinet' of do-nothings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Also keep in mind only 20% of Arlington households have school-aged children"
Yes, but how many HAD children or Will have children/grandchildren in schools. They want good schools at the ready when THEY want it.

they either don't think that far ahead, or figure they'll just live somewhere else when the time comes. incredibly short-sighted, but that's what we're dealing with

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Also keep in mind only 20% of Arlington households have school-aged children"
Yes, but how many HAD children or Will have children/grandchildren in schools. They want good schools at the ready when THEY want it.

they either don't think that far ahead, or figure they'll just live somewhere else when the time comes. incredibly short-sighted, but that's what we're dealing with

I don’t buy this at all. Everyone knows that top quality schools translate directly into higher home prices. Unlike, say, increasing homeless shelter capacity or pumping more money into Langston and Columbia Pike projects, which make Arlington less desirable and reduce real estate prices.

I think most homeowners, even the childless, understand this and want to be in an area with top public schools.

The problem is that Arlington is a single-party echo chamber politically, so the Ds that are active at Board level and below (ie the loons at the far left with nothing better to do than be semi-pro activists) get to operate with zero accountability and a blank check.

Not only do they not care about having elite public schools; they are actively against it, because it isn’t “equitable”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Suspend them again.
Seriously, if behavior can’t meet minimum standards of decency they shouldn’t be there.

Ultimately it's public school. Something has to be sorted so they can get an education. Teachers shouldn't be left to deal with it on their own, but you can't just keep suspending the kid without addressing the issue.

--Parent whose 4 yo was sent to the principal's office every day for the first three weeks of kindergarten. My kid had no idea what that meant or why she was there, so it had no impact except getting her out of the classroom. Things improved a lot once another adult observed and coached my kid and the teacher.

Your 4 yo was not ready for kindergarten and should have waited a year.

+100

Your kid should have spent another year in pre-k.

Nah, it's been almost a decade and my kid is in the right grade. We just had a teacher who wasn't experienced with kindergarten and who got a class that was full of kids with serious undiagnosed issues. My kid was the least of the problems in that classroom once they got settled in.
PP, I'm sure that there were kids in that classroom who had more significant issues than your's. But, you admit that your kid needed to be "coached" in order to be able to participate effectively... can you see how having every classroom with kids who need "coaching" is unsustainable? Perhaps both students and teachers would be better served if resources could be concentrated to help these kids rather than spreading it all around the schools, overwhelming the teachers and disrupting the other students.

Kids don't belong in kindergarden when they're 4. Maybe you think they've caught up, but you do them no favors rushing them and having them finish younger than their school peers. Things I've seen...
Of course new kindergarten kids need to be taught. What do you think the first month of kindergarten is about? My kid met the cutoff (September birthday) and when I asked the kindergarten teachers at the open house they said to send her. The preschool said to said her. I'm not going to tell you it was the world's easiest transition, but this teacher was really struggling and that wasn't good for my kid. The teacher very much expected new kindergarteners to act like 4th graders, which is what she'd previously taught.

If I'd redshirted I'd have a million people accusing me of gaming the system. My kid is doing great. Sometimes you just can't win.

But to get back to the topic, sometimes classroom teachers need extra supports. Removing kids from class isn't a real solution, but a bandaid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Also keep in mind only 20% of Arlington households have school-aged children"
Yes, but how many HAD children or Will have children/grandchildren in schools. They want good schools at the ready when THEY want it.

they either don't think that far ahead, or figure they'll just live somewhere else when the time comes. incredibly short-sighted, but that's what we're dealing with

I don’t buy this at all. Everyone knows that top quality schools translate directly into higher home prices. Unlike, say, increasing homeless shelter capacity or pumping more money into Langston and Columbia Pike projects, which make Arlington less desirable and reduce real estate prices.

I think most homeowners, even the childless, understand this and want to be in an area with top public schools.

The problem is that Arlington is a single-party echo chamber politically, so the Ds that are active at Board level and below (ie the loons at the far left with nothing better to do than be semi-pro activists) get to operate with zero accountability and a blank check.

Not only do they not care about having elite public schools; they are actively against it, because it isn’t “equitable”

And that’s why they hired someone to make the system equitable. It’s going well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about this more. Getting rid of outdoor lab and moving the employees to Arlington might make a ton of sense. You could sell the property and make a lot of cash. There’s nothing they teach there that couldn’t be done at an Arlington nature center. And since the overnights are now in jeopardy anyway due to the Oakridge thing. Why not get rid of it?

Ignorant. Thankfully, APS doesn’t own the outdoor lab or Murphy would have probably sold it back in 2010. It’s owned by a separate nonprofit. APS just pays for staffing.

With so many central office staff who do next-to-nothing for students…. cutting people who actually teach kids should not be the priority, ever.

Staff at the Outdoor Lab should be cut. The recent events and complaints are enough to have the non-profit owners hire qualified outdoor educators similar to other nonprofits.

Outdoor Lab staff was not the problem in "recent events and complaints."

Staffing is the #1 problem. The Science Director was removed from the oversight of the outdoor lab after many years of mismanagement. That's why there's now an onsite principal. Programs, including overnights originally had 3-4 staff on site at all times. It was only after the Science Director advised leaving one staff on site for overnights and not to be involved during overnight hours that the child molestation incident happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I bet that if these weren't the first two goals in APS's strategic plan, teachers would be slightly less likely to mind the COL increase:

~ Disproportionally in suspension rates by race/ethnicity, students identified with a disability, and English Learners will be annually reduced and overall suspensions will not increase. (PO-SWB-1)

~ By 2024, at least 80% of students with disabilities will spend 80% or more of their school day in a general education setting. (PO-SWB-2)

Teachers are not only underpaid, but general ed teachers also are responsible for meeting the needs of many special education kids. They have limited recourse for poor behavior since APS wants low suspension numbers. APS's retention strategy seems to be hoping teachers will keep going out of the goodness of their hearts.

Where do you see this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Also keep in mind only 20% of Arlington households have school-aged children"
Yes, but how many HAD children or Will have children/grandchildren in schools. They want good schools at the ready when THEY want it.

they either don't think that far ahead, or figure they'll just live somewhere else when the time comes. incredibly short-sighted, but that's what we're dealing with

I don’t buy this at all. Everyone knows that top quality schools translate directly into higher home prices. Unlike, say, increasing homeless shelter capacity or pumping more money into Langston and Columbia Pike projects, which make Arlington less desirable and reduce real estate prices.

I think most homeowners, even the childless, understand this and want to be in an area with top public schools.

The problem is that Arlington is a single-party echo chamber politically, so the Ds that are active at Board level and below (ie the loons at the far left with nothing better to do than be semi-pro activists) get to operate with zero accountability and a blank check.

Not only do they not care about having elite public schools; they are actively against it, because it isn’t “equitable”

Agree with this 100%, and the way the pandemic was handled showed all their cards.
They pushed people to a point of desperation where families fled the public school system--to private schools or an entirely different geographical area.
Once they re-opened they absolutely squandered pandemic money on a failed virtual program.
Further, they have been extremely recalcitrant to even acknowledge the learning loss created by the pandemic let alone do anything to address it. Which also places the burden on the backs of teachers who shouldn't hold the responsibility for the Sup keeping the schools closed for so long.
So, now, in conjunction with this budget debacle, you have the mid year tests coming out highlighting how many kids are behind or falling behind and even less funding to deal with it.
The county board should be in arms and all over this and acting with urgency, because, good schools = good home values. Arlington may be on its own fast track to becoming Alexandria Public Schools if everyone in a position of authority solely intends to continue to wring their hands and point the finger instead of taking any meaningful action.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about this more. Getting rid of outdoor lab and moving the employees to Arlington might make a ton of sense. You could sell the property and make a lot of cash. There’s nothing they teach there that couldn’t be done at an Arlington nature center. And since the overnights are now in jeopardy anyway due to the Oakridge thing. Why not get rid of it?

Ignorant. Thankfully, APS doesn’t own the outdoor lab or Murphy would have probably sold it back in 2010. It’s owned by a separate nonprofit. APS just pays for staffing.

With so many central office staff who do next-to-nothing for students…. cutting people who actually teach kids should not be the priority, ever.

Staff at the Outdoor Lab should be cut. The recent events and complaints are enough to have the non-profit owners hire qualified outdoor educators similar to other nonprofits.

Outdoor Lab staff was not the problem in "recent events and complaints."

Staffing is the #1 problem. The Science Director was removed from the oversight of the outdoor lab after many years of mismanagement. That's why there's now an onsite principal. Programs, including overnights originally had 3-4 staff on site at all times. It was only after the Science Director advised leaving one staff on site for overnights and not to be involved during overnight hours that the child molestation incident happened.

So, MORE staffing is needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Also keep in mind only 20% of Arlington households have school-aged children"
Yes, but how many HAD children or Will have children/grandchildren in schools. They want good schools at the ready when THEY want it.

they either don't think that far ahead, or figure they'll just live somewhere else when the time comes. incredibly short-sighted, but that's what we're dealing with

I don’t buy this at all. Everyone knows that top quality schools translate directly into higher home prices. Unlike, say, increasing homeless shelter capacity or pumping more money into Langston and Columbia Pike projects, which make Arlington less desirable and reduce real estate prices.

I think most homeowners, even the childless, understand this and want to be in an area with top public schools.

The problem is that Arlington is a single-party echo chamber politically, so the Ds that are active at Board level and below (ie the loons at the far left with nothing better to do than be semi-pro activists) get to operate with zero accountability and a blank check.

Not only do they not care about having elite public schools; they are actively against it, because it isn’t “equitable”

Agree with this 100%, and the way the pandemic was handled showed all their cards.
They pushed people to a point of desperation where families fled the public school system--to private schools or an entirely different geographical area.
Once they re-opened they absolutely squandered pandemic money on a failed virtual program.
Further, they have been extremely recalcitrant to even acknowledge the learning loss created by the pandemic let alone do anything to address it. Which also places the burden on the backs of teachers who shouldn't hold the responsibility for the Sup keeping the schools closed for so long.
So, now, in conjunction with this budget debacle, you have the mid year tests coming out highlighting how many kids are behind or falling behind and even less funding to deal with it.
The county board should be in arms and all over this and acting with urgency, because, good schools = good home values. Arlington may be on its own fast track to becoming Alexandria Public Schools if everyone in a position of authority solely intends to continue to wring their hands and point the finger instead of taking any meaningful action.

Are you serious? All I hear from APS is COVID learning loss and mental health. The exacerbated learning loss is precisely why they are misguidedly focused on "equity" and the subsequent poor policy decisions.