Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade

[Anonymous]

But the highest level students have by and large tested out from AP coursework at state universities.

I actually think all courses should have tracking and work myself in STEM. But I don’t think parents will be successful in arguing that the equity issues (the reason to do AP for all) are so so different for math.

Other local counties are making that very decision for math.

[Anonymous]

Back to the original topic - the school confirmed that this is universal AP for all - ALL JUNIORS will be forced to take AP US History and AP Language next year. No other option. There is some lip service to how they will use differentiation to address the needs of all students, but really, this seems like a very significant change to impose on students right now.

I do not see how you can implement this change without both (a) hindering the experience of those who are truly ready for these classes, and (b) increasing the stress and burden on students who are not. Obviously it will increase the number of students of color in AP classes because they will have no choice. They are forcing the student body to achieve this goal of equal representation in AP classes across all socio economic backgrounds, but they sure are willing to incur alot of innocent casualties along the way.

[Anonymous]

That is mindblowingly stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back to the original topic - the school confirmed that this is universal AP for all - ALL JUNIORS will be forced to take AP US History and AP Language next year. No other option. There is some lip service to how they will use differentiation to address the needs of all students, but really, this seems like a very significant change to impose on students right now.

I do not see how you can implement this change without both (a) hindering the experience of those who are truly ready for these classes, and (b) increasing the stress and burden on students who are not. Obviously it will increase the number of students of color in AP classes because they will have no choice. They are forcing the student body to achieve this goal of equal representation in AP classes across all socio economic backgrounds, but they sure are willing to incur alot of innocent casualties along the way.

I'm guessing--based on my experience with Wilson students--that they feel very differently than the people posting here. So I doubt the "the student body" is "being forced to achieve this goal of equal representation." They, unlike their parents, actually care about equity as opposed to just giving lip service to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back to the original topic - the school confirmed that this is universal AP for all - ALL JUNIORS will be forced to take AP US History and AP Language next year. No other option. There is some lip service to how they will use differentiation to address the needs of all students, but really, this seems like a very significant change to impose on students right now.

I do not see how you can implement this change without both (a) hindering the experience of those who are truly ready for these classes, and (b) increasing the stress and burden on students who are not. Obviously it will increase the number of students of color in AP classes because they will have no choice. They are forcing the student body to achieve this goal of equal representation in AP classes across all socio economic backgrounds, but they sure are willing to incur alot of innocent casualties along the way.

If accurate, that is idiotic.

[Anonymous]

Basically the classes will be self-study for those who want to actually take the test because in-class instruction can't be presented at a high enough level to score well.

Separately, it is remarkable to try to step into the mind of one who thinks "AP for All" is a good idea: you have to first believe that every student has equal (academic) potential, and then fit the classes to prove the truth of the premise to anyone watching from the outside. The actual test scores will not be considered relevant, as the premise itself is the goal and the outside observer is the only audience considered to be meaningful.

[Anonymous]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potemkin_village

[Anonymous]

To review:

Wilson has had little to no in person learning for a year.

Wilson is a school with multiple ranges of students.

Throw everyone in an AP course without regard to the aforementioned points.

Sounds like DCPS!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Basically the classes will be self-study for those who want to actually take the test because in-class instruction can't be presented at a high enough level to score well.

Separately, it is remarkable to try to step into the mind of one who thinks "AP for All" is a good idea: you have to first believe that every student has equal (academic) potential, and then fit the classes to prove the truth of the premise to anyone watching from the outside. The actual test scores will not be considered relevant, as the premise itself is the goal and the outside observer is the only audience considered to be meaningful.

Any discrepancies is test scores is because the test are unreliable and not an accurate measure of achievement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no internally consistent argument to keep math tracking if you make every kid take AP classes.

I think they should keep leveled coursework but I would expect if they remove it for humanities you can make the exact same case for math. And that they will makes these changes at Deal as well.

If you put a kid in a math class that's several years ahead of where they are, they're not going to get anything from it. Similarly if you make a kid repeat material they know very well. In more reading and writing-based courses, there's more ability for kids at different levels to still benefit. You can have a kid reading at a 9th-grade level and a kid reading at a 12th grade level both reading Romeo and Juliet and writing a paper about it, and they're both at least potentially going to get something out of it in a way that's going to be much tougher with that kind of discrepancy in a math class.

Fairfax county and Montgomery county school leaders would disagree with you. They are both eliminating any meaningful math tracking.

I think eliminating math tracking and forcing all kids to take AP Calculus senior year are two different things. Try teaching AP Calculus to students who don’t know Algebra- it’s a complete waste of time and incredibly frustrating and demoralizing for those kids.

[Anonymous]

They may not require AP math but it sounds like they will stop tracking for math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They may not require AP math but it sounds like they will stop tracking for math.

Did the school say this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They may not require AP math but it sounds like they will stop tracking for math.

Did the school say this?

NO...Wilson has said nothing about math. The fearmongers on this site are taking something that is going on in Fairfax and MoCo regarding math tracking (not sure what those counties are doing) and conflating it with Wilson's piloting of AP History and AP English for all juniors. Deal--it's largest feeder school--has four levels of math by 8th grade and there is zero talk of ending tracking there...I know because I have kids at both schools...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back to the original topic - the school confirmed that this is universal AP for all - ALL JUNIORS will be forced to take AP US History and AP Language next year. No other option. There is some lip service to how they will use differentiation to address the needs of all students, but really, this seems like a very significant change to impose on students right now.

I do not see how you can implement this change without both (a) hindering the experience of those who are truly ready for these classes, and (b) increasing the stress and burden on students who are not. Obviously it will increase the number of students of color in AP classes because they will have no choice. They are forcing the student body to achieve this goal of equal representation in AP classes across all socio economic backgrounds, but they sure are willing to incur alot of innocent casualties along the way.

I'm guessing--based on my experience with Wilson students--that they feel very differently than the people posting here. So I doubt the "the student body" is "being forced to achieve this goal of equal representation." They, unlike their parents, actually care about equity as opposed to just giving lip service to it.

This is BS. parents care about equity. having AP classes open to any kids who want to take them (no need for teacher reference) may remove unfair obstacles for kids who are not white (see the thread about research showing white teachers grading same assignments lower if they think the student was black). forcing all kids, including those who are not at grade level, to take an AP class is idiotic. this shows that the school does not give a damn about the kids, it's al about making the school look good. "see, we closed the achievement gap in a handful of years, now all kids are taking AP classes". it's like when 100% of the Ballou class graduated and went to college, the then chancellor trumpeted that success left and right, and then it came out that the majority of kids should not have even graduated.

[Anonymous]

It actually looks like there's research on this...

https://nepc.colorado.edu/newsletter/2013/05/options-tracking