Reply to TJ Falls to 14th in the Nation Per US News

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]For a long time the number one school in the nation, US News now has TJ at #14. Not sure how much is a change in methodology, how much is the admissions policy (surprised to see WTOP call that one out below, because they usually parrot the FCPS party line on everything), and how much is other schools getting better.

[quote]Following controversial changes to its admissions policy in 2021 to boost diversity, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia remains the top ranked school in the D.C. region and 14th in the nation, slipping from the top 10. It’s also the 5th ranked STEM school in the nation.[/quote]
https://wtop.com/education/2024/04/regions-best-high-schools/[/quote]

The FCPS Board was clear that they wanted the opportunity to attend TJ to extend to more of the county's students.  They were not concerned about a slip in rankings and never said they were.  It's the crazies on this board that said things like "The admissions changes led to a much stronger student body (by weeding out test preppers, etc.)."  They were clearly wrong.  Again, they are in denial about that but the FCPS Board was OK with it because the school should serve the full county and every middle school.  I'm OK with that but let's not pretend it results in the best and brightest.  A trade off that I for one and OK with but I freely admit that Asian students are denied seats they would otherwise have in a true merit-based system in order to further a different, and apparently legal, purpose.  [/quote]

Equity warriors throwing in the towel so soon? Essay Admissions was supposed to uncover the Einsteins from the bottom schools, who apparently are much more  advanced in STEM than the prepped Asians with years of enrichment.   Now that the silly Essay admissions is doing nothing more than simply letting in 150 Algebra 1 kids each year straight into remedial, it's time to explain away the decline?

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The school Board never claimed that was the case.  It was opening the door to more of the county's students.  They never claimed what the equity warriors wished the case would be.  The Board knew, and prepared for, a student body that was not at the academic math level of prior years.  They were transparent in this process.[/quote]
How is admitting 150 algebra1 students to TJ class bottom to struggle with remedial math considered anything but opening door to fail? [/quote]

Why do some posters keep labeling the Algebra 1 students (taking geometry at TJ) as remedial. Algebra in 8th is still 1 year ahead of normal pacing. [/quote]

No one is assigning labels here. The information is based on facts regarding the remedial math assignments that freshmen are receiving. A significant number of the admitted "9th grade students (are) scoring below proficient on the initial Math Inventory," as reported by the TJ Principal. It doesn't seem like the TJ Principal is labeling anyone either; rather, they are addressing the "below proficient" algebra skills within the admitted class right upfront. If anything, the TJ Principal is clearly indicating that since the School Board removed the entrance math test, TJ Math teachers are now compelled to conduct basic math evaluation as soon as students enter into TJ.[/quote]

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