Why shouldn't AAP be self selected?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It means that some schools have after school enrichment programs available to all students, whether or not they are in AAP. Actually, that is one of the things our family is looking forward to next year. The AAP center school has many interesting learning opportunities after school, whereas our base school has almost none.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It means that some schools have after school enrichment programs available to all students, whether or not they are in AAP. Actually, that is one of the things our family is looking forward to next year. The AAP center school has many interesting learning opportunities after school, whereas our base school has almost none.

So, that is probably a function of the PTA. When my kids went to school our base school had tons of opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It means that some schools have after school enrichment programs available to all students, whether or not they are in AAP. Actually, that is one of the things our family is looking forward to next year. The AAP center school has many interesting learning opportunities after school, whereas our base school has almost none.

So, that is probably a function of the PTA. When my kids went to school our base school had tons of opportunities.

It also depends on the parents stepping up to volunteer to run things. If no one steps up then the activities can't be run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of AAP. Those who want an advanced education can pay an advanced rate (i.e. tuition at a private school). There will still be plenty of smart kids in FCPS and teachers will still be able to group kids and work with them at their level. Saves money --- not b/c of the busing -- but b/c we'll have fewer kids in FCPS.

that'd cause a "brain drain" and all the system will be left with are the poorer kids and lower test results - causing even more criticism of the system. See the disenchantment over this very issue on the Montgomery County school threads.

Not a significant "brain drain" b/c the majority of people in FCPS don't want to pay $30K/year/kid to go to private and they simply won't. But there maybe a small percentage who will go private b/c a public education without AAP would be to plebian for them. Even if 5% of kids leave for private, that's a significant savings to the entire school district. The rest of the (former) AAP crowd will bitch and complain, but they won't leave. There is no chance that FCPS will be left with the poor and low-achievers.... none.

Some people just want what they want, when they want it and how they want it.... but this is PUBLIC education... so you're not really entitled to private-school or specialized-school quality. You're just entitled to some kind of education -- and our regular curriculum is supposedly quite good. So, take it or leave it. I'm sure schools like Archer and Haycock and Wolftrap and Vienna and Oakton and Sangster will still have PLENTY of high-achieving kids in their student body if AAP was removed from the district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of AAP. Those who want an advanced education can pay an advanced rate (i.e. tuition at a private school). There will still be plenty of smart kids in FCPS and teachers will still be able to group kids and work with them at their level. Saves money --- not b/c of the busing -- but b/c we'll have fewer kids in FCPS.

that'd cause a "brain drain" and all the system will be left with are the poorer kids and lower test results - causing even more criticism of the system. See the disenchantment over this very issue on the Montgomery County school threads.

Not a significant "brain drain" b/c the majority of people in FCPS don't want to pay $30K/year/kid to go to private and they simply won't. But there maybe a small percentage who will go private b/c a public education without AAP would be to plebian for them. Even if 5% of kids leave for private, that's a significant savings to the entire school district. The rest of the (former) AAP crowd will bitch and complain, but they won't leave. There is no chance that FCPS will be left with the poor and low-achievers.... none.

Some people just want what they want, when they want it and how they want it.... but this is PUBLIC education... so you're not really entitled to private-school or specialized-school quality. You're just entitled to some kind of education -- and our regular curriculum is supposedly quite good. So, take it or leave it. I'm sure schools like Archer and Haycock and Wolftrap and Vienna and Oakton and Sangster will still have PLENTY of high-achieving kids in their student body if AAP was removed from the district.

Is there anyone in the DMV that isn't like this? Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of AAP. Those who want an advanced education can pay an advanced rate (i.e. tuition at a private school). There will still be plenty of smart kids in FCPS and teachers will still be able to group kids and work with them at their level. Saves money --- not b/c of the busing -- but b/c we'll have fewer kids in FCPS.

that'd cause a "brain drain" and all the system will be left with are the poorer kids and lower test results - causing even more criticism of the system. See the disenchantment over this very issue on the Montgomery County school threads.

Not a significant "brain drain" b/c the majority of people in FCPS don't want to pay $30K/year/kid to go to private and they simply won't. But there maybe a small percentage who will go private b/c a public education without AAP would be to plebian for them. Even if 5% of kids leave for private, that's a significant savings to the entire school district. The rest of the (former) AAP crowd will bitch and complain, but they won't leave. There is no chance that FCPS will be left with the poor and low-achievers.... none.

Some people just want what they want, when they want it and how they want it.... but this is PUBLIC education... so you're not really entitled to private-school or specialized-school quality. You're just entitled to some kind of education -- and our regular curriculum is supposedly quite good. So, take it or leave it. I'm sure schools like Archer and Haycock and Wolftrap and Vienna and Oakton and Sangster will still have PLENTY of high-achieving kids in their student body if AAP was removed from the district.

Isn't that exactly what the legislature has mandated by law: the requirement the schools meet all the students needs from the very smartest (AAP) to special ed?
How can they do that by just giving them "some kind of education"? Sorry, but that won't do around here, that won't do at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of AAP. Those who want an advanced education can pay an advanced rate (i.e. tuition at a private school). There will still be plenty of smart kids in FCPS and teachers will still be able to group kids and work with them at their level. Saves money --- not b/c of the busing -- but b/c we'll have fewer kids in FCPS.

that'd cause a "brain drain" and all the system will be left with are the poorer kids and lower test results - causing even more criticism of the system. See the disenchantment over this very issue on the Montgomery County school threads.

You're kidding, right? A brain drain because some families would choose to send their kids to private? Please. AAP kids certainly don't have the lock on intelligence. Getting rid of AAP would be a huge step in the right direction for FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It means that some schools have after school enrichment programs available to all students, whether or not they are in AAP. Actually, that is one of the things our family is looking forward to next year. The AAP center school has many interesting learning opportunities after school, whereas our base school has almost none.

So, that is probably a function of the PTA. When my kids went to school our base school had tons of opportunities.

+1 Our base school is wonderful and full of enrichment programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of AAP. Those who want an advanced education can pay an advanced rate (i.e. tuition at a private school). There will still be plenty of smart kids in FCPS and teachers will still be able to group kids and work with them at their level. Saves money --- not b/c of the busing -- but b/c we'll have fewer kids in FCPS.

that'd cause a "brain drain" and all the system will be left with are the poorer kids and lower test results - causing even more criticism of the system. See the disenchantment over this very issue on the Montgomery County school threads.

Not a significant "brain drain" b/c the majority of people in FCPS don't want to pay $30K/year/kid to go to private and they simply won't. But there maybe a small percentage who will go private b/c a public education without AAP would be to plebian for them. Even if 5% of kids leave for private, that's a significant savings to the entire school district. The rest of the (former) AAP crowd will bitch and complain, but they won't leave. There is no chance that FCPS will be left with the poor and low-achievers.... none.

Some people just want what they want, when they want it and how they want it.... but this is PUBLIC education... so you're not really entitled to private-school or specialized-school quality. You're just entitled to some kind of education -- and our regular curriculum is supposedly quite good. So, take it or leave it. I'm sure schools like Archer and Haycock and Wolftrap and Vienna and Oakton and Sangster will still have PLENTY of high-achieving kids in their student body if AAP was removed from the district.

APPLAUSE. The demands of the AAP contingent make it seem like FCPS is running a boutique school system. It's so completely over-the-top, yet no one seems to have the backbone to step up and make serious changes.

[Anonymous]

The reason center schools tend to have more enrichment is because there are more children attending the school so more students to fill the classes. Centers also tend to have a lot of involved parents and parents interested in enrichment for their kids. Some of the larger non-center schools have tons of enrichment because they are large in size too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason center schools tend to have more enrichment is because there are more children attending the school so more students to fill the classes. Centers also tend to have a lot of involved parents and parents interested in enrichment for their kids. Some of the larger non-center schools have tons of enrichment because they are large in size too.

Our base school had hardly any enrichment programs.