Reply to Yorktown vs WL — Ranking vs word on street

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

This is important to remember: transferring into IB (supposedly) requires you to take full IB. No picky-choosey like kids zoned for WL.  This is a policy, IMO, APS needs to change.[/quote]

NP whose Yorktown-zoned child wants to apply for IB next year.  How would you change it?  Either let the YT/Wakefield kids stay even if they don't do full IB, or make it so W-L kids can't dabble in IB, they either do it or not?[/quote]

WL-zoned kids should not have access to IB classes that YHS/WHS kids do not merely because they live in the designated WL zone. If they want to do IB, they should apply and qualify for the program just like a transfer student.

APS will never do that. That would mean fewer students taking IB classes overall, which would not look good for APS stats or for the IB program. But the factor that will preclude APS from ever considering it in the first place would be the overwhelming outcry from WL-zoned families who want access to it all.  Why do you think WL is so popular? Why would anyone NOT want to have their kids at a school that offers the most opportunities and experiences?

I understand why people wouldn't want to send transfers back to their home schools, since that wouldn't happen until they are well into their high school years, friends, activities. But that's another problem with how APS does IB, not really starting the program until 11th grade. Randolph ES has IB, then some of those kids get IB at Jefferson but none of them get to continue to WL without a transfer. So students who have had automatic access to IB from Kindergarten through 8th grade suddenly don't have access for high school. Meanwhile, Jefferson kids who did not go to Randolph either get automatic access to WL's IB by virtue of geography, or have to qualify and transfer to WL from Wakefield because they live south of 50.

Eliminating the automatic geographic eligibility of the Claremont neighborhood residents to Claremont immersion was one of the best (and probably the most "equitable") decisions APS has ever made. They should apply the same to other special programs. And before anyone suggests Wakefield (and next year Yorktown) students have automatic access to AP Capstone that WL students don't:  really?! It's two classes - two classes that develop skills WL's IB students are developing in multiple classes - two classes probably already offered at WL and if not, could easily be implemented (but I find it difficult to believe WL does not have AP Seminar? or AP Research? Certainly at least one of them?). Then WL students will truly have it all. The only reason Capstone was implemented at Wakefield was an attempt to raise its profile and perception of academic rigor in order to draw/retain more middle/upper middle class students. The only reason it's being implemented at YHS is because WHS is overcrowded and APS needs to eliminate qualifying reasons for transferring to WHS.[/quote]

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