WAPO article about sever FFX school budget cuts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here it is the elephant in the room that no one will address. Over 50% of students can't speak english and the majority are NOT from families that are educated (Asians)

"The number of Fairfax County students who speak a foreign language at home is likely to surpass 50 percent of the school population for the first time this month, reflecting a surge of immigrant families in Northern Virginia, school officials said. As total enrollment reached an all-time high of 181,500 students when school began Tuesday, Fairfax also saw a major increase in those who will need English language lessons. This year, about 31,500 students are projected to enroll in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), representing 17 percent of the total county student population and an increase of nearly one-third from last year."

http://www.fairfaxeducationcoalition.org/content/fairfax-schools-system-faces-growing-budget-challenge-more-students-need-esol-classes

Sounds like we need Preschool to start at age three- five so the kids are up and ready in K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here it is the elephant in the room that no one will address. Over 50% of students can't speak english and the majority are NOT from families that are educated (Asians)

"The number of Fairfax County students who speak a foreign language at home is likely to surpass 50 percent of the school population for the first time this month, reflecting a surge of immigrant families in Northern Virginia, school officials said. As total enrollment reached an all-time high of 181,500 students when school began Tuesday, Fairfax also saw a major increase in those who will need English language lessons. This year, about 31,500 students are projected to enroll in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), representing 17 percent of the total county student population and an increase of nearly one-third from last year."

http://www.fairfaxeducationcoalition.org/content/fairfax-schools-system-faces-growing-budget-challenge-more-students-need-esol-classes

Well there's your problem righ there.

So how should they address this problem? it isn't going to go away.

right. the feds control (well, are supposed to) the borders. Maybe ask the federal DOE for a grant?

Are you saying all the non-english speakers are undocumented? I doubt that's true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here it is the elephant in the room that no one will address. Over 50% of students can't speak english and the majority are NOT from families that are educated (Asians)

"The number of Fairfax County students who speak a foreign language at home is likely to surpass 50 percent of the school population for the first time this month, reflecting a surge of immigrant families in Northern Virginia, school officials said. As total enrollment reached an all-time high of 181,500 students when school began Tuesday, Fairfax also saw a major increase in those who will need English language lessons. This year, about 31,500 students are projected to enroll in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), representing 17 percent of the total county student population and an increase of nearly one-third from last year."

http://www.fairfaxeducationcoalition.org/content/fairfax-schools-system-faces-growing-budget-challenge-more-students-need-esol-classes

Well there's your problem righ there.

So how should they address this problem? it isn't going to go away.

Create an in-school or after-school language exchange program where native English-speaking kids learn from kids who speak other languages, and vice versa. Two problems solved at once -- ESOL students learn English, and native English speakers learn foreign languages. We have the diversity to do this.

This is a great idea. And the native speaking students can get some community service hours for doing it.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like we need Preschool to start at age three- five so the kids are up and ready in K.
[Report Post]

This sounds good BUT reality is that most of these kids are not born here. Many do not come until they are school age. Some have never been in school speaking ANY language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here it is the elephant in the room that no one will address. Over 50% of students can't speak english and the majority are NOT from families that are educated (Asians)

"The number of Fairfax County students who speak a foreign language at home is likely to surpass 50 percent of the school population for the first time this month, reflecting a surge of immigrant families in Northern Virginia, school officials said. As total enrollment reached an all-time high of 181,500 students when school began Tuesday, Fairfax also saw a major increase in those who will need English language lessons. This year, about 31,500 students are projected to enroll in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), representing 17 percent of the total county student population and an increase of nearly one-third from last year."

http://www.fairfaxeducationcoalition.org/content/fairfax-schools-system-faces-growing-budget-challenge-more-students-need-esol-classes

Well there's your problem righ there.

So how should they address this problem? it isn't going to go away.

right. the feds control (well, are supposed to) the borders. Maybe ask the federal DOE for a grant?

Are you saying all the non-english speakers are undocumented? I doubt that's true.

I have heard that schools are not allowed to ask about children's documentation status and must teach all who come.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

my kid is bussed to a center. Eliminate AAP and he/she gets bussed to the local school. So what's the difference?

Your kid is AAP, and you can't figure out that it means additional buses? Buses are already in your neighborhood for neighborhood school and there is probably already room on the bus for your kid.

probably probably - sound like a huge cost savings . The only way to answer this is to know how many additional busses are needed because of the existence of Centers? Those centers have neighborhood kids who get bussed there as well. really, there are 184,000 students and they all have to get bussed somewhere. I seriously doubt AAP adds more than a neglibible cost.

Our neighborhood had 3 elementary school bus routes at one time-base school, old center, new center. Garza's list doesn't seem to address the issue nor that of AAP middle school. Flex is like music or strings-it's extra staff for a subject. Immersion gets extra staff for instruction plus principals use staff from the regular ed allocation. I'd remove immersion extra staffing before I'd take away flex which is a equitable program.

IB is a huge expense. Each school has extra staff and pays overhead to IB.

From a program budget:
http://www.fcps.edu/fs/budget/documents/approved/FY13/FY2013ProgramBudget.pdf
AP at 17 high schools =$3.43m including 2.7m of test fees and non-school based positions. Cost if you add in the non-school based is $210 per pupil.

IB middle years was at 5 middle schools and 4 high schools and was about 870,000.
IB at 8 high schools = $2.61m including 1.2m test fees, .1 accreditation, .2 prof dev/instructional supplies. No non-school based positions is odd. $900 per student.

AP/IB are listed under Advanced Academic Programs [Dr Carol Horn - this includes AAP].

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here it is the elephant in the room that no one will address. Over 50% of students can't speak english and the majority are NOT from families that are educated (Asians)

"The number of Fairfax County students who speak a foreign language at home is likely to surpass 50 percent of the school population for the first time this month, reflecting a surge of immigrant families in Northern Virginia, school officials said. As total enrollment reached an all-time high of 181,500 students when school began Tuesday, Fairfax also saw a major increase in those who will need English language lessons. This year, about 31,500 students are projected to enroll in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), representing 17 percent of the total county student population and an increase of nearly one-third from last year."

http://www.fairfaxeducationcoalition.org/content/fairfax-schools-system-faces-growing-budget-challenge-more-students-need-esol-classes

Well there's your problem righ there.

So how should they address this problem? it isn't going to go away.

right. the feds control (well, are supposed to) the borders. Maybe ask the federal DOE for a grant?

Are you saying all the non-english speakers are undocumented? I doubt that's true.

I have heard that schools are not allowed to ask about children's documentation status and must teach all who come.

Yes I believe that is true. but I don't think every child who is a non-native speaker is undocumented.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here it is the elephant in the room that no one will address. Over 50% of students can't speak english and the majority are NOT from families that are educated (Asians)

"The number of Fairfax County students who speak a foreign language at home is likely to surpass 50 percent of the school population for the first time this month, reflecting a surge of immigrant families in Northern Virginia, school officials said. As total enrollment reached an all-time high of 181,500 students when school began Tuesday, Fairfax also saw a major increase in those who will need English language lessons. This year, about 31,500 students are projected to enroll in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), representing 17 percent of the total county student population and an increase of nearly one-third from last year."

http://www.fairfaxeducationcoalition.org/content/fairfax-schools-system-faces-growing-budget-challenge-more-students-need-esol-classes

Well there's your problem righ there.

So how should they address this problem? it isn't going to go away.

right. the feds control (well, are supposed to) the borders. Maybe ask the federal DOE for a grant?

Are you saying all the non-english speakers are undocumented? I doubt that's true.

I have heard that schools are not allowed to ask about children's documentation status and must teach all who come.

Yes I believe that is true. but I don't think every child who is a non-native speaker is undocumented.

well if they were born here wouldnt they speak English?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Putting all the students back at their base schools would save little or nothing.

Wrong. That is an incredibly naïve statement. Costs: buses; bus drivers; gas; maintenance; etc.etc.

my kid is bussed to a center. Eliminate AAP and he/she gets bussed to the local school. So what's the difference?

Hopefully your AAP kid will be able to explain the difference to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here it is the elephant in the room that no one will address. Over 50% of students can't speak english and the majority are NOT from families that are educated (Asians)

"The number of Fairfax County students who speak a foreign language at home is likely to surpass 50 percent of the school population for the first time this month, reflecting a surge of immigrant families in Northern Virginia, school officials said. As total enrollment reached an all-time high of 181,500 students when school began Tuesday, Fairfax also saw a major increase in those who will need English language lessons. This year, about 31,500 students are projected to enroll in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), representing 17 percent of the total county student population and an increase of nearly one-third from last year."

http://www.fairfaxeducationcoalition.org/content/fairfax-schools-system-faces-growing-budget-challenge-more-students-need-esol-classes

Well there's your problem righ there.

So how should they address this problem? it isn't going to go away.

right. the feds control (well, are supposed to) the borders. Maybe ask the federal DOE for a grant?

Are you saying all the non-english speakers are undocumented? I doubt that's true.

I have heard that schools are not allowed to ask about children's documentation status and must teach all who come.

Yes I believe that is true. but I don't think every child who is a non-native speaker is undocumented.

well if they were born here wouldnt they speak English?

Who said they were all born here? Many foreign families live in this area legally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here it is the elephant in the room that no one will address. Over 50% of students can't speak english and the majority are NOT from families that are educated (Asians)

"The number of Fairfax County students who speak a foreign language at home is likely to surpass 50 percent of the school population for the first time this month, reflecting a surge of immigrant families in Northern Virginia, school officials said. As total enrollment reached an all-time high of 181,500 students when school began Tuesday, Fairfax also saw a major increase in those who will need English language lessons. This year, about 31,500 students are projected to enroll in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), representing 17 percent of the total county student population and an increase of nearly one-third from last year."

http://www.fairfaxeducationcoalition.org/content/fairfax-schools-system-faces-growing-budget-challenge-more-students-need-esol-classes

Well there's your problem righ there.

So how should they address this problem? it isn't going to go away.

right. the feds control (well, are supposed to) the borders. Maybe ask the federal DOE for a grant?

Are you saying all the non-english speakers are undocumented? I doubt that's true.

I have heard that schools are not allowed to ask about children's documentation status and must teach all who come.

Yes I believe that is true. but I don't think every child who is a non-native speaker is undocumented.

I agree with you. (I posted about schools not being allowed to ask about documentation status, but I was not the poster who suggested asking the federal DOE for a grant.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Putting all the students back at their base schools would save little or nothing.

Wrong. That is an incredibly naïve statement. Costs: buses; bus drivers; gas; maintenance; etc.etc.

my kid is bussed to a center. Eliminate AAP and he/she gets bussed to the local school. So what's the difference?

Hopefully your AAP kid will be able to explain the difference to you.

or maybe you could just go ahead and do it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here it is the elephant in the room that no one will address. Over 50% of students can't speak english and the majority are NOT from families that are educated (Asians)

"The number of Fairfax County students who speak a foreign language at home is likely to surpass 50 percent of the school population for the first time this month, reflecting a surge of immigrant families in Northern Virginia, school officials said. As total enrollment reached an all-time high of 181,500 students when school began Tuesday, Fairfax also saw a major increase in those who will need English language lessons. This year, about 31,500 students are projected to enroll in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), representing 17 percent of the total county student population and an increase of nearly one-third from last year."

http://www.fairfaxeducationcoalition.org/content/fairfax-schools-system-faces-growing-budget-challenge-more-students-need-esol-classes

Well there's your problem righ there.

So how should they address this problem? it isn't going to go away.

right. the feds control (well, are supposed to) the borders. Maybe ask the federal DOE for a grant?

Are you saying all the non-english speakers are undocumented? I doubt that's true.

I have heard that schools are not allowed to ask about children's documentation status and must teach all who come.

Yes I believe that is true. but I don't think every child who is a non-native speaker is undocumented.

well if they were born here wouldnt they speak English?

Who said they were all born here? Many foreign families live in this area legally.

but FCPS doesn't hand out the green cards the feds do. So there are consequences to their decisions and maybe they should help pay is what I was thinking.

[Anonymous]

well if they were born here wouldnt they speak English?

No. Why do you think Fairfax county is required to have Spanish speaking election officers at every polling place?

[Anonymous]

Why can't some of the ESOL students go away? What makes this area so popular for them? People are moving here not speaking English because of the needs based staff ratio for ESOL students verses other students and because of TJ. Reduce the importance of TJ, crack down on illegals, and up the ESOL needs based staff ratio and less will come. I'm tired of paying for South Koreans to come here to learn English so they can then go onto TJ and then college and then go back to their home country.