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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]

If hard choices have to get made, immersion programs that de facto benefit only a few kids should get cut in favor of programs/things that can benefit ALL kids, such as band, GT centers, and smaller class sizes.[/quote]

But you're essentially still arguing your preference for music over foreign language.  Band benefits kids who are interested in band; foreign language immersion benefits kids who are interested in learning a language.  Lots of kids have no interest in band so I'm not sure how band benefits all kids, other than by being open to all kids in their local schools.   Obviously there are enough people interested in immersion that there's a lottery and a waiting list every year, so it's not like nobody is taking advantage of the program despite having to drive their kids to another school.

Of your list, the only thing that benefits every kid is smaller class sizes. AAP Centers only benefit the kids who get in, and they arguably harm the non-Center schools and the highly talented kids in those schools who are not attending a Center, because the Centers take away the best students from the non-Center schools, kids who would be a valuable part of the peer group in the LLIV classes at those schools. There are 13 elementary schools offering immersion and 24 that house AAP Centers - out of 139 elementary schools in the County, so there's not that much of a difference, except for the fact that bussing is available for AAP but not immersion.[/quote]

Band, if offered at all schools, is AVAILABLE to all students.

Busing is available for AAP, so it is also AVAILABLE to all students (cases where there's a jackass principal who tries to keep all his smart kids in house being the notable exception.)

Immersion is only offered at a few schools, and there is no busing available. It is, therefore, de facto unavailable to 80-90% of FCPS elementary students.

As for these being spared budget cuts, come on, we all know we're going to be arguing this out again in spring 2011, and we all know the FCPS staff/School Board are going to recommend cuts to popular programs to get folks riled up. The conservatives will counter with their belief that there exist 100,000 bureaucrats at Gatehouse whose sole purpose is to fatten the school budget. [/quote]

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