December 17 - TJ decision?

[Anonymous]

Is the Board finally voting on the TJ admissions process on December 17?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the Board finally voting on the TJ admissions process on December 17?

Yes, the vote is this Thursday. Action items start at 8pm.

[Anonymous]

Is there a link to watch/listen to the Board Meeting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a link to watch/listen to the Board Meeting?

There will be links and live streams when the meeting is taking place: https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/school-board-meetings

The sheer amount of time they have chewed up obsessing about the admissions policy to a single high school - TJ - is obscene. It would be outrageous under any circumstances for a school district with 198 schools and centers; it is particularly egregious when kids are not even able to attend schools in-person. And most of their discussions have been about how students should be selected for TJ. Almost no time has been spent evaluating the impact of a change in TJ admissions policy on other schools.

One has to ask whether this nonsense only occurred because Scott Brabrand fears for his job and decided his best shot at getting his contract renewed was to suck up to the School Board members who dislike TJ, but don't have the guts to discontinue the Governor's School program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a link to watch/listen to the Board Meeting?

There will be links and live streams when the meeting is taking place: https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/school-board-meetings

The sheer amount of time they have chewed up obsessing about the admissions policy to a single high school - TJ - is obscene. It would be outrageous under any circumstances for a school district with 198 schools and centers; it is particularly egregious when kids are not even able to attend schools in-person. And most of their discussions have been about how students should be selected for TJ. Almost no time has been spent evaluating the impact of a change in TJ admissions policy on other schools.

One has to ask whether this nonsense only occurred because Scott Brabrand fears for his job and decided his best shot at getting his contract renewed was to suck up to the School Board members who dislike TJ, but don't have the guts to discontinue the Governor's School program.

If it ain't woke, it's broke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a link to watch/listen to the Board Meeting?

There will be links and live streams when the meeting is taking place: https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/school-board-meetings

The sheer amount of time they have chewed up obsessing about the admissions policy to a single high school - TJ - is obscene. It would be outrageous under any circumstances for a school district with 198 schools and centers; it is particularly egregious when kids are not even able to attend schools in-person. And most of their discussions have been about how students should be selected for TJ. Almost no time has been spent evaluating the impact of a change in TJ admissions policy on other schools.

One has to ask whether this nonsense only occurred because Scott Brabrand fears for his job and decided his best shot at getting his contract renewed was to suck up to the School Board members who dislike TJ, but don't have the guts to discontinue the Governor's School program.

I think it's insanely ridiculous as well, and I actually like TJ. The amount of wasted time and resources spent on changing the admissions (yet again) vs putting in hold, keeping it as is for this year, and instead focusing on all the other important issues during this pandemic is absolutely silly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a link to watch/listen to the Board Meeting?

There will be links and live streams when the meeting is taking place: https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/school-board-meetings

The sheer amount of time they have chewed up obsessing about the admissions policy to a single high school - TJ - is obscene. It would be outrageous under any circumstances for a school district with 198 schools and centers; it is particularly egregious when kids are not even able to attend schools in-person. And most of their discussions have been about how students should be selected for TJ. Almost no time has been spent evaluating the impact of a change in TJ admissions policy on other schools.

One has to ask whether this nonsense only occurred because Scott Brabrand fears for his job and decided his best shot at getting his contract renewed was to suck up to the School Board members who dislike TJ, but don't have the guts to discontinue the Governor's School program.

I think it's insanely ridiculous as well, and I actually like TJ. The amount of wasted time and resources spent on changing the admissions (yet again) vs putting in hold, keeping it as is for this year, and instead focusing on all the other important issues during this pandemic is absolutely silly.

+10,000. Why is FCPS so stupid and cruel? What about the thousands of URMs in FCPS who actually need a basic education? Brabrand should be ashamed. And stop messing with success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a link to watch/listen to the Board Meeting?

There will be links and live streams when the meeting is taking place: https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/school-board-meetings

The sheer amount of time they have chewed up obsessing about the admissions policy to a single high school - TJ - is obscene. It would be outrageous under any circumstances for a school district with 198 schools and centers; it is particularly egregious when kids are not even able to attend schools in-person. And most of their discussions have been about how students should be selected for TJ. Almost no time has been spent evaluating the impact of a change in TJ admissions policy on other schools.

One has to ask whether this nonsense only occurred because Scott Brabrand fears for his job and decided his best shot at getting his contract renewed was to suck up to the School Board members who dislike TJ, but don't have the guts to discontinue the Governor's School program.

I think it's insanely ridiculous as well, and I actually like TJ. The amount of wasted time and resources spent on changing the admissions (yet again) vs putting in hold, keeping it as is for this year, and instead focusing on all the other important issues during this pandemic is absolutely silly.

+10,000. Why is FCPS so stupid and cruel? What about the thousands of URMs in FCPS who actually need a basic education? Brabrand should be ashamed. And stop messing with success.

Shaking up TJ admissions makes the far left happy. Most of us don’t care about the demographics at TJ. We just wish they knew how to take care of the basics for everyone else and they fall down at that miserably.

[Anonymous]

What is FCPS's plan to address additional overcrowding at high schools that will see enrollment increases if TJ switches to a lottery? The overcrowded McLean and Chantilly pyramids currently send the most kids to TJ, and will see an influx of students under a lottery, but FCPS isn't planning for an addition at either school. Conversely, West Potomac and Justice are among the pyramids that send the fewest kids to TJ, and will send more under a lottery, but FCPS is building expensive additions at both schools. FCPS planning is a mess.

2020-21 TJ students by base high school pyramid:

McLean 190
Chantilly 155
Langley 152
Oakton 140
Westfield 92
Woodson 81
Madison 70
Marshall 68
Fairfax 48
South Lakes 47
Lake Braddock 42
Centreville 40
Annandale 39
Robinson 33
Falls Church 25
West Springfield 24
Edison 21
Hayfield 21
Herndon 21
South County 21
West Potomac 19
Justice 11
Lewis 11
Mount Vernon 7

Source: https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/facilities-planning-future/facilities-and-membership-dashboards

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a link to watch/listen to the Board Meeting?

There will be links and live streams when the meeting is taking place: https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/school-board-meetings

The sheer amount of time they have chewed up obsessing about the admissions policy to a single high school - TJ - is obscene. It would be outrageous under any circumstances for a school district with 198 schools and centers; it is particularly egregious when kids are not even able to attend schools in-person. And most of their discussions have been about how students should be selected for TJ. Almost no time has been spent evaluating the impact of a change in TJ admissions policy on other schools.

One has to ask whether this nonsense only occurred because Scott Brabrand fears for his job and decided his best shot at getting his contract renewed was to suck up to the School Board members who dislike TJ, but don't have the guts to discontinue the Governor's School program.

I think it's insanely ridiculous as well, and I actually like TJ. The amount of wasted time and resources spent on changing the admissions (yet again) vs putting in hold, keeping it as is for this year, and instead focusing on all the other important issues during this pandemic is absolutely silly.

+1. Save this debate for next year. The vast majority of FCPS families could care less about TJ. Let's focus on priorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a link to watch/listen to the Board Meeting?

There will be links and live streams when the meeting is taking place: https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/school-board-meetings

The sheer amount of time they have chewed up obsessing about the admissions policy to a single high school - TJ - is obscene. It would be outrageous under any circumstances for a school district with 198 schools and centers; it is particularly egregious when kids are not even able to attend schools in-person. And most of their discussions have been about how students should be selected for TJ. Almost no time has been spent evaluating the impact of a change in TJ admissions policy on other schools.

One has to ask whether this nonsense only occurred because Scott Brabrand fears for his job and decided his best shot at getting his contract renewed was to suck up to the School Board members who dislike TJ, but don't have the guts to discontinue the Governor's School program.

I think it's insanely ridiculous as well, and I actually like TJ. The amount of wasted time and resources spent on changing the admissions (yet again) vs putting in hold, keeping it as is for this year, and instead focusing on all the other important issues during this pandemic is absolutely silly.

+1. Save this debate for next year. The vast majority of FCPS families could care less about TJ. Let's focus on priorities.

+1000. We should recall School Board members who don't call out the misguided priorities of Brabrand. As far as I know, McLaughlin may be the only one to have done so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a link to watch/listen to the Board Meeting?

There will be links and live streams when the meeting is taking place: https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/school-board-meetings

The sheer amount of time they have chewed up obsessing about the admissions policy to a single high school - TJ - is obscene. It would be outrageous under any circumstances for a school district with 198 schools and centers; it is particularly egregious when kids are not even able to attend schools in-person. And most of their discussions have been about how students should be selected for TJ. Almost no time has been spent evaluating the impact of a change in TJ admissions policy on other schools.

One has to ask whether this nonsense only occurred because Scott Brabrand fears for his job and decided his best shot at getting his contract renewed was to suck up to the School Board members who dislike TJ, but don't have the guts to discontinue the Governor's School program.

I think it's insanely ridiculous as well, and I actually like TJ. The amount of wasted time and resources spent on changing the admissions (yet again) vs putting in hold, keeping it as is for this year, and instead focusing on all the other important issues during this pandemic is absolutely silly.

+1. Save this debate for next year. The vast majority of FCPS families could care less about TJ. Let's focus on priorities.

+1000. We should recall School Board members who don't call out the misguided priorities of Brabrand. As far as I know, McLaughlin may be the only one to have done so.

Alongside the TJ decision tonight is a recommendation to extend Brabrand's contract - look at BoardDocs. The school board members who vote yes could be recall targets for sure. Right now there are recall petitions circling for Cohen, Tholen, and Omeish but I believe Open FCPS Coalation is considering others also.

[Anonymous]

A new article on Brabrand's plan: https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/17/nations-no-1-high-school-poised-to-pick-students-based-on-race-not-achievement/

What a mess white people make when they ignore problems for decades and then decide to make amends in a rush with scant concern for the consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a link to watch/listen to the Board Meeting?

There will be links and live streams when the meeting is taking place: https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/school-board-meetings

The sheer amount of time they have chewed up obsessing about the admissions policy to a single high school - TJ - is obscene. It would be outrageous under any circumstances for a school district with 198 schools and centers; it is particularly egregious when kids are not even able to attend schools in-person. And most of their discussions have been about how students should be selected for TJ. Almost no time has been spent evaluating the impact of a change in TJ admissions policy on other schools.

One has to ask whether this nonsense only occurred because Scott Brabrand fears for his job and decided his best shot at getting his contract renewed was to suck up to the School Board members who dislike TJ, but don't have the guts to discontinue the Governor's School program.

I think it's insanely ridiculous as well, and I actually like TJ. The amount of wasted time and resources spent on changing the admissions (yet again) vs putting in hold, keeping it as is for this year, and instead focusing on all the other important issues during this pandemic is absolutely silly.

+1. Save this debate for next year. The vast majority of FCPS families could care less about TJ. Let's focus on priorities.

+1000. We should recall School Board members who don't call out the misguided priorities of Brabrand. As far as I know, McLaughlin may be the only one to have done so.

Alongside the TJ decision tonight is a recommendation to extend Brabrand's contract - look at BoardDocs. The school board members who vote yes could be recall targets for sure. Right now there are recall petitions circling for Cohen, Tholen, and Omeish but I believe Open FCPS Coalation is considering others also.

I don't see how Tholen supports this and doesn't end up recalled. Lots of Asian families in Dranesville whose kids will be turned away from TJ under a lottery plus FCPS hasn't addressed the influx of more kids to Langley and McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A new article on Brabrand's plan: https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/17/nations-no-1-high-school-poised-to-pick-students-based-on-race-not-achievement/

What a mess white people make when they ignore problems for decades and then decide to make amends in a rush with scant concern for the consequences.

Well done reporting, I had no idea of how the change came about and who some of the people involved were.

I think making TJ more accessible and diverse would be good, but removing the test seems completely illogical. In fact they should move in the opposite direction and make the test harder (aka prep proof). Each year there are so many kids who cannot handle the rigors and workload and drop back to base. Imagine how much worse it will be when admissions is via a lottery, or via components, none of which test problem solving ability.

I believe if they put actual effort each year in making a high quality test which cannot easily be prepped for, they will have less problems with misplaced kids being sent back to base. Somehow the direction they're going here, suggests that academics may perhaps be impacted by this decision. Time will tell.