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

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]if there is no strong students at all in TJ, why parents are still waiting for being pulled off from the waiting list? A school is good because it has good students. TJ is still attractive because it still has strong students, even though it is less than before. Keeping this trend, TJ will becomes less attractive.[/quote]

Yes, TJ has lost some of its luster as a result of this process. However, at no base school do all students have a minimum 3.5, Algebra, and multiple honors courses. Even the weakest slice of eligible TJ applicants are stronger than the student body at any base school. For those who want to be among a class which is overall stronger than their base school, TJ still does offer that - and without the price tag of a private school.

You're right that it would be unfortunate if this trend continues. For those who want to be among the very top classmates, TJ may no longer offer that. For those who want to know that the student body was selected fairly, it surely no longer offers that. For those who want to avoid legal and political battles, it may never again offer that.

Parents can simultaneously (1) want a spot at TJ for their children and (2) rue the unfortunate circumstances surrounding TJ admissions and seek to rectify them. I think that's where many on this forum stand.[/quote]

It's not difficult to have a minimum 3.5 in middle school and be enrolled in Algebra (or higher) and multiple honors courses.  There are quite a few middle schools where that is the norm, if not the floor.  It doesn't matter if the weakest slice of eligible TJ applicants is stronger than the weakest slice of students at base schools. That's a given. What matters is whether TJ consistently selects the majority of the top students - which it no longer does - and whether the distinction between TJ and base schools is still sufficiently compelling to warrant the inconvenience of attending a school that's almost in Alexandria City - which may now no longer be the case and surely won't be the case in a few years if things continue down the same path.

You can check the statistics.  Carson applications went down from 286 (Class of 2024) to 245 (Class of 2025) and then 215 (Class of 2026).  At Longfellow the applications went down from 151 to 149 to 141.  At Rocky Run the applications went down from 149 to 127 to 106. These schools have been the three strongest middle schools and top feeders to TJ in the county and they are the canaries in the TJ coal mine.

And maybe that's OK, if the School Board's goal is to advance "equity" by giving selected students at Annandale, Lewis, and Mount Vernon the opportunity to attend a school that's on par with, say, Chantilly.  But if they think it's going to stay the #1 school in the country they can kiss that goodbye.   [/quote]

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