FCPS Boundary Review Updates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Online AP classes for kids forced to attend IB is not equitable. Online is an inferior option and should not be the option offered kids who have no say in what their school offers.

I agree with AP online. I’m saying if they made all AP available at ALL schools, that would decrease the transfer loophole.

The language could be online for those with smaller interest groups vs again, using that as an excuse to transfer out of an undesirable school.

Bring valued base education to all schools, offer online options for niche languages.

This is a problem. Giving families a little flexibility should not be seen as a de facto provision of an "escape route."

If FCPS shuts down this flexibility out of a desire to "trap" children in their zoned schools/pyramids, perhaps they should ask themselves why a kid would want to "escape."

This flexibility is what has caused an exodus at lower performing schools. Bring equitable programming to all. Besides, staying at your home base helps “keep communities together”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh! Where’s the Reddit threat about this?

Interesting it would be Monday, haven’t they been Friday’s historically?

Based on the dates they have been all over the place. Two Mondays, one Wednesday, Two Fridays

https://www.reddit.com/r/nova/comments/1i4kriu/new_fcps_boundaries_2025/

“ As a member of the BRAC, we have not looked at any boundary changes yet. No decisions have been made. We will begin looking at scenarios at either our next meeting on Feb 21st or March 10th.”

Alright, get ready for FCPS to publicly post these scenarios as they should or FairFACTS will be ready to submit a FOIA.

Correct, the agenda and slides from all of the other boundary review meetings have been posted. This one should be no different.

Next week could get veryyyyy interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh! Where’s the Reddit threat about this?

Interesting it would be Monday, haven’t they been Friday’s historically?

Based on the dates they have been all over the place. Two Mondays, one Wednesday, Two Fridays

https://www.reddit.com/r/nova/comments/1i4kriu/new_fcps_boundaries_2025/

“ As a member of the BRAC, we have not looked at any boundary changes yet. No decisions have been made. We will begin looking at scenarios at either our next meeting on Feb 21st or March 10th.”

Alright, get ready for FCPS to publicly post these scenarios as they should or FairFACTS will be ready to submit a FOIA.

BRAC will be making suggestions headed on CURRENT and past FCPS enrollment, but:

- large numbers of parents in FCPS are federal employees or federal-adjacent;

- a sizable percentage of parents in FCPS are unlawfully present in the United States;

The likely effects of President Trump’s policies enacted since his inauguration in January weigh heavily in favor of postponing any boundary changes for at least one full year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Online AP classes for kids forced to attend IB is not equitable. Online is an inferior option and should not be the option offered kids who have no say in what their school offers.

I agree with AP online. I’m saying if they made all AP available at ALL schools, that would decrease the transfer loophole.

The language could be online for those with smaller interest groups vs again, using that as an excuse to transfer out of an undesirable school.

Bring valued base education to all schools, offer online options for niche languages.

This is a problem. Giving families a little flexibility should not be seen as a de facto provision of an "escape route."

If FCPS shuts down this flexibility out of a desire to "trap" children in their zoned schools/pyramids, perhaps they should ask themselves why a kid would want to "escape."

This flexibility is what has caused an exodus at lower performing schools. Bring equitable programming to all. Besides, staying at your home base helps “keep communities together”

FCPS could certainly standardize offerings across all schools. No schools with more AP classes than the others, different languages etc.

Make each school exactly the same as the others.

We don't want any school to be "better," "worse," or at all different from any other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh! Where’s the Reddit threat about this?

Interesting it would be Monday, haven’t they been Friday’s historically?

Based on the dates they have been all over the place. Two Mondays, one Wednesday, Two Fridays

https://www.reddit.com/r/nova/comments/1i4kriu/new_fcps_boundaries_2025/

“ As a member of the BRAC, we have not looked at any boundary changes yet. No decisions have been made. We will begin looking at scenarios at either our next meeting on Feb 21st or March 10th.”

Alright, get ready for FCPS to publicly post these scenarios as they should or FairFACTS will be ready to submit a FOIA.

Correct, the agenda and slides from all of the other boundary review meetings have been posted. This one should be no different.

Next week could get veryyyyy interesting.

If you say so. Sounds like it is still going to be more about continuing to demonstrate the modeling tools than discussing a real scenario.

If you model based on 6-8 middle schools, you show a lot more under-enrolled ES and acutely overcrowded MS.

If you model based on everyone attending their base schools, it’s somewhat interesting for the ES and MS, but meaningless for many HS since some high school pyramids send a lot of kids to TJ and it’s not like they are planning to get rid of TJ.

They could use these demonstrations to get friendly BRAC members to suggest refinements they likely already have in mind and then share that information at a later session.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh! Where’s the Reddit threat about this?

Interesting it would be Monday, haven’t they been Friday’s historically?

Based on the dates they have been all over the place. Two Mondays, one Wednesday, Two Fridays

https://www.reddit.com/r/nova/comments/1i4kriu/new_fcps_boundaries_2025/

“ As a member of the BRAC, we have not looked at any boundary changes yet. No decisions have been made. We will begin looking at scenarios at either our next meeting on Feb 21st or March 10th.”

Alright, get ready for FCPS to publicly post these scenarios as they should or FairFACTS will be ready to submit a FOIA.

BRAC will be making suggestions headed on CURRENT and past FCPS enrollment, but:

- large numbers of parents in FCPS are federal employees or federal-adjacent;

- a sizable percentage of parents in FCPS are unlawfully present in the United States;

The likely effects of President Trump’s policies enacted since his inauguration in January weigh heavily in favor of postponing any boundary changes for at least one full year.

You are probably right, since future enrollments may be in flux, but this comes across as if the biggest MAGA supporters are now urging the all-Democratic School Board to slow down because of Trump’s policies. That is going to produce the exact opposite effect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Online doesn't work for all children. A child whose parents can arrange transportation for them to learn in person should not be blocked by the school board. ...

So the privileged few should be allowed transfers when it suits them? I would think getting rid of that type of inequity would be one of the first action items of the review process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Online AP classes for kids forced to attend IB is not equitable. Online is an inferior option and should not be the option offered kids who have no say in what their school offers.

I agree with AP online. I’m saying if they made all AP available at ALL schools, that would decrease the transfer loophole.

The language could be online for those with smaller interest groups vs again, using that as an excuse to transfer out of an undesirable school.

Bring valued base education to all schools, offer online options for niche languages.

This is a problem. Giving families a little flexibility should not be seen as a de facto provision of an "escape route."

If FCPS shuts down this flexibility out of a desire to "trap" children in their zoned schools/pyramids, perhaps they should ask themselves why a kid would want to "escape."

This flexibility is what has caused an exodus at lower performing schools. Bring equitable programming to all. Besides, staying at your home base helps “keep communities together”

FCPS could certainly standardize offerings across all schools. No schools with more AP classes than the others, different languages etc.

Make each school exactly the same as the others.

We don't want any school to be "better," "worse," or at all different from any other.

I agree. And we are at an 8/10 school. I would like to see standardization across the board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Online AP classes for kids forced to attend IB is not equitable. Online is an inferior option and should not be the option offered kids who have no say in what their school offers.

I agree with AP online. I’m saying if they made all AP available at ALL schools, that would decrease the transfer loophole.

The language could be online for those with smaller interest groups vs again, using that as an excuse to transfer out of an undesirable school.

Bring valued base education to all schools, offer online options for niche languages.

This is a problem. Giving families a little flexibility should not be seen as a de facto provision of an "escape route."

If FCPS shuts down this flexibility out of a desire to "trap" children in their zoned schools/pyramids, perhaps they should ask themselves why a kid would want to "escape."

This flexibility is what has caused an exodus at lower performing schools. Bring equitable programming to all. Besides, staying at your home base helps “keep communities together”

FCPS could certainly standardize offerings across all schools. No schools with more AP classes than the others, different languages etc.

Make each school exactly the same as the others.

We don't want any school to be "better," "worse," or at all different from any other.

Yes. All drama departments can perform the same plays. All concerts the same music. And, all marching bands can perform the same routines!

Just a little add-on. DD took a number of AP classes. Two of them she selected were offered at the same time--with just the one session. She had to choose which one to take. So, just because a school offers a class does not necessarily mean you can take it. And, AP classes have a size limit, as well.

And, another issue with the language instruction is staffing. Sometimes, teachers are hard to find.

And, I agree: get rid of IB. And, no transfers for language. Online, while not ideal, can be an option. And, FWIW, there was one language teacher at my children's high school who had a terrible reputation. I think those kids would have preferred "online."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh! Where’s the Reddit threat about this?

Interesting it would be Monday, haven’t they been Friday’s historically?

Based on the dates they have been all over the place. Two Mondays, one Wednesday, Two Fridays

https://www.reddit.com/r/nova/comments/1i4kriu/new_fcps_boundaries_2025/

“ As a member of the BRAC, we have not looked at any boundary changes yet. No decisions have been made. We will begin looking at scenarios at either our next meeting on Feb 21st or March 10th.”

Alright, get ready for FCPS to publicly post these scenarios as they should or FairFACTS will be ready to submit a FOIA.

Correct, the agenda and slides from all of the other boundary review meetings have been posted. This one should be no different.

Next week could get veryyyyy interesting.

If you say so. Sounds like it is still going to be more about continuing to demonstrate the modeling tools than discussing a real scenario.

If you model based on 6-8 middle schools, you show a lot more under-enrolled ES and acutely overcrowded MS.

If you model based on everyone attending their base schools, it’s somewhat interesting for the ES and MS, but meaningless for many HS since some high school pyramids send a lot of kids to TJ and it’s not like they are planning to get rid of TJ.

They could use these demonstrations to get friendly BRAC members to suggest refinements they likely already have in mind and then share that information at a later session.

Agreed! However, showing any type of proposal is going to get people panicked. Look at what the hearsay leaked map did.

TJ may be one they don’t touch since it doesn’t have direct feeders. But moving back all transfers will be very telling to actual capacities and border adjustments needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Online doesn't work for all children. A child whose parents can arrange transportation for them to learn in person should not be blocked by the school board. ...

So the privileged few should be allowed transfers when it suits them? I would think getting rid of that type of inequity would be one of the first action items of the review process.

Absolutely what the board is targeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Online AP classes for kids forced to attend IB is not equitable. Online is an inferior option and should not be the option offered kids who have no say in what their school offers.

I agree with AP online. I’m saying if they made all AP available at ALL schools, that would decrease the transfer loophole.

The language could be online for those with smaller interest groups vs again, using that as an excuse to transfer out of an undesirable school.

Bring valued base education to all schools, offer online options for niche languages.

This is a problem. Giving families a little flexibility should not be seen as a de facto provision of an "escape route."

If FCPS shuts down this flexibility out of a desire to "trap" children in their zoned schools/pyramids, perhaps they should ask themselves why a kid would want to "escape."

This flexibility is what has caused an exodus at lower performing schools. Bring equitable programming to all. Besides, staying at your home base helps “keep communities together”

FCPS could certainly standardize offerings across all schools. No schools with more AP classes than the others, different languages etc.

Make each school exactly the same as the others.

We don't want any school to be "better," "worse," or at all different from any other.

I agree. And we are at an 8/10 school. I would like to see standardization across the board.

I think it should be standardized as much as possible, especially in the history, language arts, and math.
However, you are always going to have better teachers in some classes than others--even the same curriculum. And, you are going to have some schools where you have kids more interested in one subject than another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh! Where’s the Reddit threat about this?

Interesting it would be Monday, haven’t they been Friday’s historically?

Based on the dates they have been all over the place. Two Mondays, one Wednesday, Two Fridays

https://www.reddit.com/r/nova/comments/1i4kriu/new_fcps_boundaries_2025/

“ As a member of the BRAC, we have not looked at any boundary changes yet. No decisions have been made. We will begin looking at scenarios at either our next meeting on Feb 21st or March 10th.”

Alright, get ready for FCPS to publicly post these scenarios as they should or FairFACTS will be ready to submit a FOIA.

Correct, the agenda and slides from all of the other boundary review meetings have been posted. This one should be no different.

Next week could get veryyyyy interesting.

If you say so. Sounds like it is still going to be more about continuing to demonstrate the modeling tools than discussing a real scenario.

If you model based on 6-8 middle schools, you show a lot more under-enrolled ES and acutely overcrowded MS.

If you model based on everyone attending their base schools, it’s somewhat interesting for the ES and MS, but meaningless for many HS since some high school pyramids send a lot of kids to TJ and it’s not like they are planning to get rid of TJ.

They could use these demonstrations to get friendly BRAC members to suggest refinements they likely already have in mind and then share that information at a later session.

Agreed! However, showing any type of proposal is going to get people panicked. Look at what the hearsay leaked map did.

TJ may be one they don’t touch since it doesn’t have direct feeders. But moving back all transfers will be very telling to actual capacities and border adjustments needed.

For reporting purposes on its dashboard FCPS treats TJ kids the same as pupil placements. That’s why I assume that, absent a specific instruction or request, Thru will model high school enrollments, at least in the first instance, as if all TJ kids were attending their base schools rather than TJ. If they do that the results will be meaningless, at least for the pyramids that send the most kids to TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Online AP classes for kids forced to attend IB is not equitable. Online is an inferior option and should not be the option offered kids who have no say in what their school offers.

I agree with AP online. I’m saying if they made all AP available at ALL schools, that would decrease the transfer loophole.

The language could be online for those with smaller interest groups vs again, using that as an excuse to transfer out of an undesirable school.

Bring valued base education to all schools, offer online options for niche languages.

This is a problem. Giving families a little flexibility should not be seen as a de facto provision of an "escape route."

If FCPS shuts down this flexibility out of a desire to "trap" children in their zoned schools/pyramids, perhaps they should ask themselves why a kid would want to "escape."

This flexibility is what has caused an exodus at lower performing schools. Bring equitable programming to all. Besides, staying at your home base helps “keep communities together”

FCPS could certainly standardize offerings across all schools. No schools with more AP classes than the others, different languages etc.

Make each school exactly the same as the others.

We don't want any school to be "better," "worse," or at all different from any other.

I agree. And we are at an 8/10 school. I would like to see standardization across the board.

I think it should be standardized as much as possible, especially in the history, language arts, and math.
However, you are always going to have better teachers in some classes than others--even the same curriculum. And, you are going to have some schools where you have kids more interested in one subject than another.

It’s hard to say in many cases whether enrollments in some of these courses is demand-driven or supply-driven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh! Where’s the Reddit threat about this?

Interesting it would be Monday, haven’t they been Friday’s historically?

Based on the dates they have been all over the place. Two Mondays, one Wednesday, Two Fridays

https://www.reddit.com/r/nova/comments/1i4kriu/new_fcps_boundaries_2025/

“ As a member of the BRAC, we have not looked at any boundary changes yet. No decisions have been made. We will begin looking at scenarios at either our next meeting on Feb 21st or March 10th.”

Alright, get ready for FCPS to publicly post these scenarios as they should or FairFACTS will be ready to submit a FOIA.

Correct, the agenda and slides from all of the other boundary review meetings have been posted. This one should be no different.

Next week could get veryyyyy interesting.

If you say so. Sounds like it is still going to be more about continuing to demonstrate the modeling tools than discussing a real scenario.

If you model based on 6-8 middle schools, you show a lot more under-enrolled ES and acutely overcrowded MS.

If you model based on everyone attending their base schools, it’s somewhat interesting for the ES and MS, but meaningless for many HS since some high school pyramids send a lot of kids to TJ and it’s not like they are planning to get rid of TJ.

They could use these demonstrations to get friendly BRAC members to suggest refinements they likely already have in mind and then share that information at a later session.

Agreed! However, showing any type of proposal is going to get people panicked. Look at what the hearsay leaked map did.

TJ may be one they don’t touch since it doesn’t have direct feeders. But moving back all transfers will be very telling to actual capacities and border adjustments needed.

It does not tell tge truth, unless FCPS does a residency check first.