TJ admissions now verifying free and reduced price meal status for successful 2026 applicants

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

capable kids will stand out, no matter rich or poor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

PP who suggested improving Young Scholars and trying to lift people out of poverty, here. I honestly don't think a precious spot at TJ should be wasted on a kid who has not demonstrated any particular self motivation or execution. Admitting kids to TJ who do not have the academic capacity for TJ is just setting them up for failure. But that's precisely why I want to improve Young Scholars, improve the lower SES middle schools, and try to lift people out of poverty. At least if the funding and programming is there for the lower SES kids, they have a much more fair chance to develop the academic skills they need and demonstrate their self motivation. Whether or not any individual kids rise to the occasion is up to them, but at least we're giving them a chance.

They already do this. TJ current students already do tutoring and support specifically focused on schools/areas that are less represented

Here is what I would do

Eliminate AAP from the top 1/3 of schools. Those kids have a high enough cohort at their base to be challenged.
Have AAP be an elite program for kids in the bottom 2/3 of schools. Less than 5% of kids total ideally more like 1%

TJ Admissions would be anyone in the AAP program and then kids who have the best scores after that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

capable kids will stand out, no matter rich or poor.

This is a nice sentiment and I’m sure it makes my feel less guilty about writing these poor kids off, but the data does not bear this out. Academic achievement is highly correlated to income.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

PP who suggested improving Young Scholars and trying to lift people out of poverty, here. I honestly don't think a precious spot at TJ should be wasted on a kid who has not demonstrated any particular self motivation or execution. Admitting kids to TJ who do not have the academic capacity for TJ is just setting them up for failure. But that's precisely why I want to improve Young Scholars, improve the lower SES middle schools, and try to lift people out of poverty. At least if the funding and programming is there for the lower SES kids, they have a much more fair chance to develop the academic skills they need and demonstrate their self motivation. Whether or not any individual kids rise to the occasion is up to them, but at least we're giving them a chance.

They already do this. TJ current students already do tutoring and support specifically focused on schools/areas that are less represented

Here is what I would do

Eliminate AAP from the top 1/3 of schools. Those kids have a high enough cohort at their base to be challenged.
Have AAP be an elite program for kids in the bottom 2/3 of schools. Less than 5% of kids total ideally more like 1%

TJ Admissions would be anyone in the AAP program and then kids who have the best scores after that.

These ideas are pretty awful. I mean, I want to be polite, but they're quite frankly idiotic. I honestly can't believe that anyone thought this was reasonable and put it out there. You should feel embarrassed.

-The top 1/3 of schools may have a large cohort of 90th percentile plus kids. But they also have a sizable cohort of 99.9th percentile kids. The top 1-2% at any school will have needs that cannot be met in a general cohort. You're basically suggesting that the IQ 120 kids at low SES schools need an extra special program, but the IQ 145+ kids would be fine learning alongside the below average kids. This flies in the face of all gifted research, but hey. Who cares about the kids who are actually gifted when they ruin your political agenda, right? AAP should be reduced in size to the top 5% at each school. Those are the kids who will be outliers in regular classrooms even in the high SES schools.

-Virginia has a gifted mandate. The state requires that gifted kids be given gifted services. Your solution is in violation of the law.

-AAP is also an advanced curriculum. Are you suggesting that the top kids at the high SES schools should not have access to a curriculum appropriate to their academic level? Are you going to keep them out of advanced math or 7th grade Algebra, which are largely accessed through AAP, while you're at it?

-Making it nearly impossible for kids from high SES schools to attend TJ is idiotic, especially since the most highly gifted kids tend to come from such schools. It's also blatantly racist and unfair. Did you really think people wouldn't notice that the schools you're denying AAP and a fair shot at TJ are the ones with high concentrations of Asian kids? All kids across FCPS should have equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and access the magnet program based on those demonstrated abilities, especially when the magnet program is the only way in FCPS to access many advanced math and science classes, and especially when there are at least some gifted kids in the "TJ feeder" schools who literally cannot have their needs met without access to those advanced classes.

-Since TJ is a governor's school, it must admit certain numbers of kids from LCPS, APS, PW Schools, etc. Those schools don't have AAP and thus can't be admitted based on AAP status. In light of this, you would most likely drive educated, affluent people out of Fairfax.

-If you water down TJ the way you propose, it will soon become just like any regular high school. The advanced course offerings will disappear when there isn't a sufficient enough cohort to take them. The expensive labs will be pointless if the kids are topping out at the same Honors and AP classes that would have been available at their local schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

PP who suggested improving Young Scholars and trying to lift people out of poverty, here. I honestly don't think a precious spot at TJ should be wasted on a kid who has not demonstrated any particular self motivation or execution. Admitting kids to TJ who do not have the academic capacity for TJ is just setting them up for failure. But that's precisely why I want to improve Young Scholars, improve the lower SES middle schools, and try to lift people out of poverty. At least if the funding and programming is there for the lower SES kids, they have a much more fair chance to develop the academic skills they need and demonstrate their self motivation. Whether or not any individual kids rise to the occasion is up to them, but at least we're giving them a chance.

They already do this. TJ current students already do tutoring and support specifically focused on schools/areas that are less represented

Here is what I would do

Eliminate AAP from the top 1/3 of schools. Those kids have a high enough cohort at their base to be challenged.
Have AAP be an elite program for kids in the bottom 2/3 of schools. Less than 5% of kids total ideally more like 1%

TJ Admissions would be anyone in the AAP program and then kids who have the best scores after that.

Having people like this, ... This is why America is declining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

capable kids will stand out, no matter rich or poor.

This is a nice sentiment and I’m sure it makes my feel less guilty about writing these poor kids off, but the data does not bear this out. Academic achievement is highly correlated to income.

It's probably related to the gene behind the family income. Boy's intelligence mainly comes from mom. Girl's intelligence comes from both mom and dad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

PP who suggested improving Young Scholars and trying to lift people out of poverty, here. I honestly don't think a precious spot at TJ should be wasted on a kid who has not demonstrated any particular self motivation or execution. Admitting kids to TJ who do not have the academic capacity for TJ is just setting them up for failure. But that's precisely why I want to improve Young Scholars, improve the lower SES middle schools, and try to lift people out of poverty. At least if the funding and programming is there for the lower SES kids, they have a much more fair chance to develop the academic skills they need and demonstrate their self motivation. Whether or not any individual kids rise to the occasion is up to them, but at least we're giving them a chance.

They already do this. TJ current students already do tutoring and support specifically focused on schools/areas that are less represented

Here is what I would do

Eliminate AAP from the top 1/3 of schools. Those kids have a high enough cohort at their base to be challenged.
Have AAP be an elite program for kids in the bottom 2/3 of schools. Less than 5% of kids total ideally more like 1%

TJ Admissions would be anyone in the AAP program and then kids who have the best scores after that.

These ideas are pretty awful. I mean, I want to be polite, but they're quite frankly idiotic. I honestly can't believe that anyone thought this was reasonable and put it out there. You should feel embarrassed.

-The top 1/3 of schools may have a large cohort of 90th percentile plus kids. But they also have a sizable cohort of 99.9th percentile kids. The top 1-2% at any school will have needs that cannot be met in a general cohort. You're basically suggesting that the IQ 120 kids at low SES schools need an extra special program, but the IQ 145+ kids would be finehe face of all gifted research, but hey. Who cares about the kids who are actually gifted when they ruin your political agenda, right? AAP should be reduced in size to the top 5% at each school. Those are the kids who will be outliers in regular classrooms even in the high SES schools.

-Virginia has a gifted mandate. The state requires that gifted kids be given gifted services. Your solution is in violation of the law.

-AAP is also an advanced curriculum. Are you suggesting that the top kids at the high SES schools should not have access to a curriculum appropriate to their academic level? Are you going to keep them out of advanced math or 7th grade Algebra, which are largely accessed through AAP, while you're at it?

-Making it nearly impossible for kids from high SES schools to attend TJ is idiotic, especially since the most highly gifted kids tend to come from such schools. It's also blatantly racist and unfair. Did you really think people wouldn't notice that the schools you're denying AAP and a fair shot at TJ are the ones with high concentrations of Asian kids? All kids across FCPS should have equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and access the magnet program based on those demonstrated abilities, especially when the magnet program is the only way in FCPS to access many advanced math and science classes, and especially when there are at least some gifted kids in the "TJ feeder" schools who literally cannot have their needs met without access to those advanced classes.

-Since TJ is a governor's school, it must admit certain numbers of kids from LCPS, APS, PW Schools, etc. Those schools don't have AAP and thus can't be admitted based on AAP status. In light of this, you would most likely drive educated, affluent people out of Fairfax.

-If you water down TJ the way you propose, it will soon become just like any regular high school. The advanced course offerings will disappear when there isn't a sufficient enough cohort to take them. The expensive labs will be pointless if the kids are topping out at the same Honors and AP classes that would have been available at their local schools.

With all due respect you are a moron

Kids at the 99.9th percentile should be skipping multiple grades including going to college early. The majority of students aren't actually gifted they are just smart and will be served in a regular classroom at a top school surrounded by other smart kids. My proposal identifies gifted kids attending poor home school environments which is the best bang for the buck and society at large

The kids at the 1/3 best schools can have the AAP curriculum be the general classroom curriculum

Can you do math at all moron, I'm proposing actually gifted levels for AP for the bottom 2/3 of school. The majority of the TJ class will be filled by smart (but not gifted) kids attending the better schools while also including gifted kids from the lower 2/3 schools best of both worlds.

Try and think before you post next time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

The problem isn't capable kids but mediocre ones who have benefited from years of prep and masquerading as GT who end up takingthe spots of the truly gifted.

capable kids will stand out, no matter rich or poor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

PP who suggested improving Young Scholars and trying to lift people out of poverty, here. I honestly don't think a precious spot at TJ should be wasted on a kid who has not demonstrated any particular self motivation or execution. Admitting kids to TJ who do not have the academic capacity for TJ is just setting them up for failure. But that's precisely why I want to improve Young Scholars, improve the lower SES middle schools, and try to lift people out of poverty. At least if the funding and programming is there for the lower SES kids, they have a much more fair chance to develop the academic skills they need and demonstrate their self motivation. Whether or not any individual kids rise to the occasion is up to them, but at least we're giving them a chance.

They already do this. TJ current students already do tutoring and support specifically focused on schools/areas that are less represented

Here is what I would do

Eliminate AAP from the top 1/3 of schools. Those kids have a high enough cohort at their base to be challenged.
Have AAP be an elite program for kids in the bottom 2/3 of schools. Less than 5% of kids total ideally more like 1%

TJ Admissions would be anyone in the AAP program and then kids who have the best scores after that.

These ideas are pretty awful. I mean, I want to be polite, but they're quite frankly idiotic. I honestly can't believe that anyone thought this was reasonable and put it out there. You should feel embarrassed.

-The top 1/3 of schools may have a large cohort of 90th percentile plus kids. But they also have a sizable cohort of 99.9th percentile kids. The top 1-2% at any school will have needs that cannot be met in a general cohort. You're basically suggesting that the IQ 120 kids at low SES schools need an extra special program, but the IQ 145+ kids would be finehe face of all gifted research, but hey. Who cares about the kids who are actually gifted when they ruin your political agenda, right? AAP should be reduced in size to the top 5% at each school. Those are the kids who will be outliers in regular classrooms even in the high SES schools.

-Virginia has a gifted mandate. The state requires that gifted kids be given gifted services. Your solution is in violation of the law.

-AAP is also an advanced curriculum. Are you suggesting that the top kids at the high SES schools should not have access to a curriculum appropriate to their academic level? Are you going to keep them out of advanced math or 7th grade Algebra, which are largely accessed through AAP, while you're at it?

-Making it nearly impossible for kids from high SES schools to attend TJ is idiotic, especially since the most highly gifted kids tend to come from such schools. It's also blatantly racist and unfair. Did you really think people wouldn't notice that the schools you're denying AAP and a fair shot at TJ are the ones with high concentrations of Asian kids? All kids across FCPS should have equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and access the magnet program based on those demonstrated abilities, especially when the magnet program is the only way in FCPS to access many advanced math and science classes, and especially when there are at least some gifted kids in the "TJ feeder" schools who literally cannot have their needs met without access to those advanced classes.

-Since TJ is a governor's school, it must admit certain numbers of kids from LCPS, APS, PW Schools, etc. Those schools don't have AAP and thus can't be admitted based on AAP status. In light of this, you would most likely drive educated, affluent people out of Fairfax.

-If you water down TJ the way you propose, it will soon become just like any regular high school. The advanced course offerings will disappear when there isn't a sufficient enough cohort to take them. The expensive labs will be pointless if the kids are topping out at the same Honors and AP classes that would have been available at their local schools.

With all due respect you are a moron

Kids at the 99.9th percentile should be skipping multiple grades including going to college early. The majority of students aren't actually gifted they are just smart and will be served in a regular classroom at a top school surrounded by other smart kids. My proposal identifies gifted kids attending poor home school environments which is the best bang for the buck and society at large

The kids at the 1/3 best schools can have the AAP curriculum be the general classroom curriculum

Can you do math at all moron, I'm proposing actually gifted levels for AP for the bottom 2/3 of school. The majority of the TJ class will be filled by smart (but not gifted) kids attending the better schools while also including gifted kids from the lower 2/3 schools best of both worlds.

Try and think before you post next time

AAP isn't even GT. Anyone can buy entry with a private evaluation. It's mostly just a way to keep segregation alive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

PP who suggested improving Young Scholars and trying to lift people out of poverty, here. I honestly don't think a precious spot at TJ should be wasted on a kid who has not demonstrated any particular self motivation or execution. Admitting kids to TJ who do not have the academic capacity for TJ is just setting them up for failure. But that's precisely why I want to improve Young Scholars, improve the lower SES middle schools, and try to lift people out of poverty. At least if the funding and programming is there for the lower SES kids, they have a much more fair chance to develop the academic skills they need and demonstrate their self motivation. Whether or not any individual kids rise to the occasion is up to them, but at least we're giving them a chance.

They already do this. TJ current students already do tutoring and support specifically focused on schools/areas that are less represented

Here is what I would do

Eliminate AAP from the top 1/3 of schools. Those kids have a high enough cohort at their base to be challenged.
Have AAP be an elite program for kids in the bottom 2/3 of schools. Less than 5% of kids total ideally more like 1%

TJ Admissions would be anyone in the AAP program and then kids who have the best scores after that.

These ideas are pretty awful. I mean, I want to be polite, but they're quite frankly idiotic. I honestly can't believe that anyone thought this was reasonable and put it out there. You should feel embarrassed.

-The top 1/3 of schools may have a large cohort of 90th percentile plus kids. But they also have a sizable cohort of 99.9th percentile kids. The top 1-2% at any school will have needs that cannot be met in a general cohort. You're basically suggesting that the IQ 120 kids at low SES schools need an extra special program, but the IQ 145+ kids would be finehe face of all gifted research, but hey. Who cares about the kids who are actually gifted when they ruin your political agenda, right? AAP should be reduced in size to the top 5% at each school. Those are the kids who will be outliers in regular classrooms even in the high SES schools.

-Virginia has a gifted mandate. The state requires that gifted kids be given gifted services. Your solution is in violation of the law.

-AAP is also an advanced curriculum. Are you suggesting that the top kids at the high SES schools should not have access to a curriculum appropriate to their academic level? Are you going to keep them out of advanced math or 7th grade Algebra, which are largely accessed through AAP, while you're at it?

-Making it nearly impossible for kids from high SES schools to attend TJ is idiotic, especially since the most highly gifted kids tend to come from such schools. It's also blatantly racist and unfair. Did you really think people wouldn't notice that the schools you're denying AAP and a fair shot at TJ are the ones with high concentrations of Asian kids? All kids across FCPS should have equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and access the magnet program based on those demonstrated abilities, especially when the magnet program is the only way in FCPS to access many advanced math and science classes, and especially when there are at least some gifted kids in the "TJ feeder" schools who literally cannot have their needs met without access to those advanced classes.

-Since TJ is a governor's school, it must admit certain numbers of kids from LCPS, APS, PW Schools, etc. Those schools don't have AAP and thus can't be admitted based on AAP status. In light of this, you would most likely drive educated, affluent people out of Fairfax.

-If you water down TJ the way you propose, it will soon become just like any regular high school. The advanced course offerings will disappear when there isn't a sufficient enough cohort to take them. The expensive labs will be pointless if the kids are topping out at the same Honors and AP classes that would have been available at their local schools.

With all due respect you are a moron

Kids at the 99.9th percentile should be skipping multiple grades including going to college early. The majority of students aren't actually gifted they are just smart and will be served in a regular classroom at a top school surrounded by other smart kids. My proposal identifies gifted kids attending poor home school environments which is the best bang for the buck and society at large

The kids at the 1/3 best schools can have the AAP curriculum be the general classroom curriculum

Can you do math at all moron, I'm proposing actually gifted levels for AP for the bottom 2/3 of school. The majority of the TJ class will be filled by smart (but not gifted) kids attending the better schools while also including gifted kids from the lower 2/3 schools best of both worlds.

Try and think before you post next time

AAP isn't even GT. Anyone can buy entry with a private evaluation. It's mostly just a way to keep segregation alive.

yup it's a way for upper middle class folks to keep themselves away from the poors and undesirables

G&T should be top 1% not top 20%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

PP who suggested improving Young Scholars and trying to lift people out of poverty, here. I honestly don't think a precious spot at TJ should be wasted on a kid who has not demonstrated any particular self motivation or execution. Admitting kids to TJ who do not have the academic capacity for TJ is just setting them up for failure. But that's precisely why I want to improve Young Scholars, improve the lower SES middle schools, and try to lift people out of poverty. At least if the funding and programming is there for the lower SES kids, they have a much more fair chance to develop the academic skills they need and demonstrate their self motivation. Whether or not any individual kids rise to the occasion is up to them, but at least we're giving them a chance.

They already do this. TJ current students already do tutoring and support specifically focused on schools/areas that are less represented

Here is what I would do

Eliminate AAP from the top 1/3 of schools. Those kids have a high enough cohort at their base to be challenged.
Have AAP be an elite program for kids in the bottom 2/3 of schools. Less than 5% of kids total ideally more like 1%

TJ Admissions would be anyone in the AAP program and then kids who have the best scores after that.

These ideas are pretty awful. I mean, I want to be polite, but they're quite frankly idiotic. I honestly can't believe that anyone thought this was reasonable and put it out there. You should feel embarrassed.

-The top 1/3 of schools may have a large cohort of 90th percentile plus kids. But they also have a sizable cohort of 99.9th percentile kids. The top 1-2% at any school will have needs that cannot be met in a general cohort. You're basically suggesting that the IQ 120 kids at low SES schools need an extra special program, but the IQ 145+ kids would be finehe face of all gifted research, but hey. Who cares about the kids who are actually gifted when they ruin your political agenda, right? AAP should be reduced in size to the top 5% at each school. Those are the kids who will be outliers in regular classrooms even in the high SES schools.

-Virginia has a gifted mandate. The state requires that gifted kids be given gifted services. Your solution is in violation of the law.

-AAP is also an advanced curriculum. Are you suggesting that the top kids at the high SES schools should not have access to a curriculum appropriate to their academic level? Are you going to keep them out of advanced math or 7th grade Algebra, which are largely accessed through AAP, while you're at it?

-Making it nearly impossible for kids from high SES schools to attend TJ is idiotic, especially since the most highly gifted kids tend to come from such schools. It's also blatantly racist and unfair. Did you really think people wouldn't notice that the schools you're denying AAP and a fair shot at TJ are the ones with high concentrations of Asian kids? All kids across FCPS should have equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and access the magnet program based on those demonstrated abilities, especially when the magnet program is the only way in FCPS to access many advanced math and science classes, and especially when there are at least some gifted kids in the "TJ feeder" schools who literally cannot have their needs met without access to those advanced classes.

-Since TJ is a governor's school, it must admit certain numbers of kids from LCPS, APS, PW Schools, etc. Those schools don't have AAP and thus can't be admitted based on AAP status. In light of this, you would most likely drive educated, affluent people out of Fairfax.

-If you water down TJ the way you propose, it will soon become just like any regular high school. The advanced course offerings will disappear when there isn't a sufficient enough cohort to take them. The expensive labs will be pointless if the kids are topping out at the same Honors and AP classes that would have been available at their local schools.

With all due respect you are a moron

Kids at the 99.9th percentile should be skipping multiple grades including going to college early. The majority of students aren't actually gifted they are just smart and will be served in a regular classroom at a top school surrounded by other smart kids. My proposal identifies gifted kids attending poor home school environments which is the best bang for the buck and society at large

The kids at the 1/3 best schools can have the AAP curriculum be the general classroom curriculum

Can you do math at all moron, I'm proposing actually gifted levels for AP for the bottom 2/3 of school. The majority of the TJ class will be filled by smart (but not gifted) kids attending the better schools while also including gifted kids from the lower 2/3 schools best of both worlds.

Try and think before you post next time

AAP isn't even GT. Anyone can buy entry with a private evaluation. It's mostly just a way to keep segregation alive.

If somebody bought the AAP entry with a private evaluation and can maintain straight A with all AAP/HN courses, plus continuously getting STEM EC awards, that's still good.
private evaluation is not fake evaluation.
In this country, as long the students are doing good, they'll be seen.

[Anonymous]

I'm happy to see TJ downgraded and thrown into turmoil, as has been the case over the past two years. Even better for our already very good high school. We'll just get even more strong students.

The TJ crowd or what's left of it, can still refer disparagingly to "base" high schools. We know it's their school that has been debased.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

PP who suggested improving Young Scholars and trying to lift people out of poverty, here. I honestly don't think a precious spot at TJ should be wasted on a kid who has not demonstrated any particular self motivation or execution. Admitting kids to TJ who do not have the academic capacity for TJ is just setting them up for failure. But that's precisely why I want to improve Young Scholars, improve the lower SES middle schools, and try to lift people out of poverty. At least if the funding and programming is there for the lower SES kids, they have a much more fair chance to develop the academic skills they need and demonstrate their self motivation. Whether or not any individual kids rise to the occasion is up to them, but at least we're giving them a chance.

They already do this. TJ current students already do tutoring and support specifically focused on schools/areas that are less represented

Here is what I would do

Eliminate AAP from the top 1/3 of schools. Those kids have a high enough cohort at their base to be challenged.
Have AAP be an elite program for kids in the bottom 2/3 of schools. Less than 5% of kids total ideally more like 1%

TJ Admissions would be anyone in the AAP program and then kids who have the best scores after that.

These ideas are pretty awful. I mean, I want to be polite, but they're quite frankly idiotic. I honestly can't believe that anyone thought this was reasonable and put it out there. You should feel embarrassed.

-The top 1/3 of schools may have a large cohort of 90th percentile plus kids. But they also have a sizable cohort of 99.9th percentile kids. The top 1-2% at any school will have needs that cannot be met in a general cohort. You're basically suggesting that the IQ 120 kids at low SES schools need an extra special program, but the IQ 145+ kids would be finehe face of all gifted research, but hey. Who cares about the kids who are actually gifted when they ruin your political agenda, right? AAP should be reduced in size to the top 5% at each school. Those are the kids who will be outliers in regular classrooms even in the high SES schools.

-Virginia has a gifted mandate. The state requires that gifted kids be given gifted services. Your solution is in violation of the law.

-AAP is also an advanced curriculum. Are you suggesting that the top kids at the high SES schools should not have access to a curriculum appropriate to their academic level? Are you going to keep them out of advanced math or 7th grade Algebra, which are largely accessed through AAP, while you're at it?

-Making it nearly impossible for kids from high SES schools to attend TJ is idiotic, especially since the most highly gifted kids tend to come from such schools. It's also blatantly racist and unfair. Did you really think people wouldn't notice that the schools you're denying AAP and a fair shot at TJ are the ones with high concentrations of Asian kids? All kids across FCPS should have equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and access the magnet program based on those demonstrated abilities, especially when the magnet program is the only way in FCPS to access many advanced math and science classes, and especially when there are at least some gifted kids in the "TJ feeder" schools who literally cannot have their needs met without access to those advanced classes.

-Since TJ is a governor's school, it must admit certain numbers of kids from LCPS, APS, PW Schools, etc. Those schools don't have AAP and thus can't be admitted based on AAP status. In light of this, you would most likely drive educated, affluent people out of Fairfax.

-If you water down TJ the way you propose, it will soon become just like any regular high school. The advanced course offerings will disappear when there isn't a sufficient enough cohort to take them. The expensive labs will be pointless if the kids are topping out at the same Honors and AP classes that would have been available at their local schools.

With all due respect you are a moron

Kids at the 99.9th percentile should be skipping multiple grades including going to college early. The majority of students aren't actually gifted they are just smart and will be served in a regular classroom at a top school surrounded by other smart kids. My proposal identifies gifted kids attending poor home school environments which is the best bang for the buck and society at large

The kids at the 1/3 best schools can have the AAP curriculum be the general classroom curriculum

Can you do math at all moron, I'm proposing actually gifted levels for AP for the bottom 2/3 of school. The majority of the TJ class will be filled by smart (but not gifted) kids attending the better schools while also including gifted kids from the lower 2/3 schools best of both worlds.

Try and think before you post next time

AAP isn't even GT. Anyone can buy entry with a private evaluation. It's mostly just a way to keep segregation alive.

If somebody bought the AAP entry with a private evaluation and can maintain straight A with all AAP/HN courses, plus continuously getting STEM EC awards, that's still good.
private evaluation is not fake evaluation.
In this country, as long the students are doing good, they'll be seen.

The reality is that AAP itself is not that hard (TJ is a different story) and above average kids can do very well in AAP without being “gifted.” People “buying” their way into AAP perpetuates the structural inequities and creates issues such as the lack of diversity at TJ. Wealthier folks can buy their 120iq kid into AAP, where as a 129iq URM may not get in AAP through the process and can’t afford to “buy” their way in. So the 120 kid gets better instruction and acceleration and is more prepared when it is time to get into TJ. Not more intelligent or more appropriate for TJ, just more prepared because the advantage of AAP that their parents bought prepared them. The 129 kid is bright but never gets accelerated because that isn’t prioritized at their school, their parents don’t know to ask/push, or the school doesn’t have enough kids to fill an accelerated class. So in 8th grade, the 129 kid, who on pure IQ alone, is more qualified does not get in because that intelligence has not been nurtured.

These are the issues FCPS is attempting to fix. I agree, the fix was a poor attempt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'd improve funding for Young Scholars and update the selection criteria to identify kids who need the help. Kids who are FARMS, are lower middle class but not FARMS, have parents who do not have college degrees, have only one parent figure in their lives, or are part of a historically repressed group (people of Native American or Native Central/South American ancestry and people of African American ancestry - not including white Hispanics or Black Immigrants) would be the kids I would target for extra programming. I'd probably include refugees in the repressed people group. Free after school tutoring, summer programs, and ECs would be a part of the program.

The only true solution, though, is to lift people out of poverty. Our country lacks the will to do so, and instead would rather slap a band-aid on this gaping wound. Letting a handful more black kids into elite magnet programs gives people the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't do anything to address the deep problems causing the achievement gap.

We can improve funding and programs all we want, but the schools that these kids attend will continue to be the schools that everyone else is desperate to avoid. And as history has shown in these kinds of schools, like the case of DCPS, no amount of funding seems to be enough to lift those kids out of their poverty when they continue to be isolated into highly concentrated, very low-performing schools.

Financial support can help them but cannot change their life if they don’t have the self motivation and execution. Sending them to TJ also cannot change their life. Staying at the bottom of TJ is nothing good for them.

So glad you know what’s best for them. Yes, don’t waste a precious spot at TJ on them since you in all of your almighty knowledge say they don’t have the “self motivation and execution”. How would you know this for each individual child??? Hmmm. A stereotype. Kind of like the Asian parenting stereotypes. Interesting . . .

PP who suggested improving Young Scholars and trying to lift people out of poverty, here. I honestly don't think a precious spot at TJ should be wasted on a kid who has not demonstrated any particular self motivation or execution. Admitting kids to TJ who do not have the academic capacity for TJ is just setting them up for failure. But that's precisely why I want to improve Young Scholars, improve the lower SES middle schools, and try to lift people out of poverty. At least if the funding and programming is there for the lower SES kids, they have a much more fair chance to develop the academic skills they need and demonstrate their self motivation. Whether or not any individual kids rise to the occasion is up to them, but at least we're giving them a chance.

They already do this. TJ current students already do tutoring and support specifically focused on schools/areas that are less represented

Here is what I would do

Eliminate AAP from the top 1/3 of schools. Those kids have a high enough cohort at their base to be challenged.
Have AAP be an elite program for kids in the bottom 2/3 of schools. Less than 5% of kids total ideally more like 1%

TJ Admissions would be anyone in the AAP program and then kids who have the best scores after that.

These ideas are pretty awful. I mean, I want to be polite, but they're quite frankly idiotic. I honestly can't believe that anyone thought this was reasonable and put it out there. You should feel embarrassed.

-The top 1/3 of schools may have a large cohort of 90th percentile plus kids. But they also have a sizable cohort of 99.9th percentile kids. The top 1-2% at any school will have needs that cannot be met in a general cohort. You're basically suggesting that the IQ 120 kids at low SES schools need an extra special program, but the IQ 145+ kids would be finehe face of all gifted research, but hey. Who cares about the kids who are actually gifted when they ruin your political agenda, right? AAP should be reduced in size to the top 5% at each school. Those are the kids who will be outliers in regular classrooms even in the high SES schools.

-Virginia has a gifted mandate. The state requires that gifted kids be given gifted services. Your solution is in violation of the law.

-AAP is also an advanced curriculum. Are you suggesting that the top kids at the high SES schools should not have access to a curriculum appropriate to their academic level? Are you going to keep them out of advanced math or 7th grade Algebra, which are largely accessed through AAP, while you're at it?

-Making it nearly impossible for kids from high SES schools to attend TJ is idiotic, especially since the most highly gifted kids tend to come from such schools. It's also blatantly racist and unfair. Did you really think people wouldn't notice that the schools you're denying AAP and a fair shot at TJ are the ones with high concentrations of Asian kids? All kids across FCPS should have equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and access the magnet program based on those demonstrated abilities, especially when the magnet program is the only way in FCPS to access many advanced math and science classes, and especially when there are at least some gifted kids in the "TJ feeder" schools who literally cannot have their needs met without access to those advanced classes.

-Since TJ is a governor's school, it must admit certain numbers of kids from LCPS, APS, PW Schools, etc. Those schools don't have AAP and thus can't be admitted based on AAP status. In light of this, you would most likely drive educated, affluent people out of Fairfax.

-If you water down TJ the way you propose, it will soon become just like any regular high school. The advanced course offerings will disappear when there isn't a sufficient enough cohort to take them. The expensive labs will be pointless if the kids are topping out at the same Honors and AP classes that would have been available at their local schools.

With all due respect you are a moron

Kids at the 99.9th percentile should be skipping multiple grades including going to college early. The majority of students aren't actually gifted they are just smart and will be served in a regular classroom at a top school surrounded by other smart kids. My proposal identifies gifted kids attending poor home school environments which is the best bang for the buck and society at large

The kids at the 1/3 best schools can have the AAP curriculum be the general classroom curriculum

Can you do math at all moron, I'm proposing actually gifted levels for AP for the bottom 2/3 of school. The majority of the TJ class will be filled by smart (but not gifted) kids attending the better schools while also including gifted kids from the lower 2/3 schools best of both worlds.

Try and think before you post next time

AAP isn't even GT. Anyone can buy entry with a private evaluation. It's mostly just a way to keep segregation alive.

If somebody bought the AAP entry with a private evaluation and can maintain straight A with all AAP/HN courses, plus continuously getting STEM EC awards, that's still good.
private evaluation is not fake evaluation.
In this country, as long the students are doing good, they'll be seen.

The reality is that AAP itself is not that hard (TJ is a different story) and above average kids can do very well in AAP without being “gifted.” People “buying” their way into AAP perpetuates the structural inequities and creates issues such as the lack of diversity at TJ. Wealthier folks can buy their 120iq kid into AAP, where as a 129iq URM may not get in AAP through the process and can’t afford to “buy” their way in. So the 120 kid gets better instruction and acceleration and is more prepared when it is time to get into TJ. Not more intelligent or more appropriate for TJ, just more prepared because the advantage of AAP that their parents bought prepared them. The 129 kid is bright but never gets accelerated because that isn’t prioritized at their school, their parents don’t know to ask/push, or the school doesn’t have enough kids to fill an accelerated class. So in 8th grade, the 129 kid, who on pure IQ alone, is more qualified does not get in because that intelligence has not been nurtured.

These are the issues FCPS is attempting to fix. I agree, the fix was a poor attempt.

Thinking you can identify and address "structural inequities" through clumsy attempts to adjust the admissions process at a single magnet school that is only attended by 3% of FCPS students is about as stupid as it gets.

I hope this School Board gets what they deserve in the elections next fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a big disconnect between the people who try to correlate TJ admissions reforms with improvements in students' mental health.

The Asian kids whom they implicitly suggest are hyper-competitive and toxic will not have different parents or abandon their ambitions if they are attending Langley or Chantilly rather than TJ.

URMs who end up in the rigorous, demanding environment of TJ may be particularly prone to self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy if they can't keep up with the curriculum (see "imposter syndrome").

If you think TJHSST is problematic, then you should be advocating for the winding-down of the competitive magnet program. And if you think it's up to the system to take actions to reduce the pressure on students county-wide, get rid of the IB Diploma program and cap the number of AP courses kids can take.

Instead, you've somehow convinced yourself that implementing a more random admissions system at TJ will make the school a kinder and gentler place and have big ripple effects throughout FCPS. Most of us aren't buying it. The changes were a crude way to do anything other than just provide a small number of kids who'd otherwise attend low-performing schools with somewhat higher odds of attending a better school.

Would totally support that. I think all sports in college should be club.

I absolutely think we should wind down TJ! And scale AAP way back, if not eliminate it. Most kids do not “need” these programs and we spend a ton of money on a very few kids. I’d rather see us spread the money around and raise the bar for everyone.

I want to point out that it is a racists assumption that an URM will be overwhelmed and cannot survive at TJ. If that is true, what is the answer? Let them whither on the vine and not reach their potential? How do URMs ever get ahead then? How do we ever level the playing field and keep TJ? It is an argument in favor of getting rid of TJ and sending the money to the schools where kids have lower resources. Why should a bunch of relatively high income kids get all the benefits? Find a way to make it accessible to all without extensive prep and courses that sell the answers or get rid of it.

Destroy the best high school in the country because a certain group is underrepresented?

Keep it and allow only a privileged few to benefit?

How about canceling NBA since only a privileged few can get into it?

Not at all the same. The NBA is not a public school that is supposed to provide a free and appropriate education for all funded by tax dollars.

Why don’t we cancel UVA’s D-1 basketball program. Or Alabama’s football? Or D-1 athletics everywhere in public universities. There is a remarkable lack of diversity among the athletes. Much of D-1 is funded by scholarships i.e. tax dollars

D1 sports are almost 100% minority based. there are rarely whites on D1 teams - except field hockey