Reply to Why is FCPS trying to keep high performing students out of AAP?

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Reply to "Why is FCPS trying to keep high performing students out of AAP?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][b]AAP is supposed to meet the needs of kids who need more than what they can be provided at their school[/b]. High SES schools have more kids who are at a higher level and fewer kids who are massively behind. As such, the overall peer group is stronger and the top 10%, the kids who are supposed to need a different environment, looks different. There are plenty of high scoring kids to make up the upper end of the gen ed class.

AAP is not that special. We deferred DS in favor of language immersion. He stepped into AAP classes at MS with no problem. There is no indication that the AAP kids were exposed to any type of material that put them ahead of my kids who did not have that same exposure. Advanced Math is what is most important because it actually accelerates class work. The rest of it is not that exciting or different.

And yes, there are plenty of distracting kids in AAP. Most of the kids who left our ES for the Center were, to be frank, distractions in the classroom and struggling socially. The reports that we had from the parents of the kids that left was that their kid struggled socially at the Center as well.

The only schools where AAP is probably really needed are the Title 1 and near Title 1 schools where there are a lot fewer kids who on grade level, never mind ahead. The kids on grade level probably get some of the Teachers attention but the kids who are ahead get nothing. The separate class is needed in order to get those students who are ahead what they need. You don’t have that type of discrepancy at at high SES school whihc reduces the need for specialized programs. [/quote]

That's part of it.  It also provides a cohort to gifted aka high IQ students and provides specific curriculum and experienced and/or trained teachers.

By deferring, your DC missed out on those latter experiences.[/quote]

Just to piggyback on pp here: 
The AAP cohort was an absolute game-changer for my kids academically and socially, even at our high SES center/base school. It was a Completely different experience from genEd and they finally felt like they had a group where they were understood and fit in and were academically moving at a faster pace.

High scoring kids or not, Advanced math isn’t offered at the genEd level if you don’t place in AAP, so the designation matters, even if you’re in a high SES schools with high scoring kids in genEd. Your child won’t be able to take algebra 1 honors in 7th if they aren’t on the AAP track.

PP claims AAP is nothing special yet still had their child step into the AAP program in MS after deferring in elementary for language immersion (which, frankly, appeals to a similar cohort as AAP). If it’s nothing special, why not continue on genEd track? [/quote]

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