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][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?

[/quote]

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]

I'm not that poster, but they have a point in the context of TJ.  TJ only accepts a small fraction of the FCPS kids, and it has a mission statement of providing an appropriate education for kids with needs well above their peers.  It's hard to justify placing kids on a track that's barely above average into an elite magnet school where they will be comparatively behind the other kids.

I'm not even opposed to Algebra I kids being admitted to TJ, providing that they demonstrate high aptitude in some other STEM arena.  The current application process leaves no room for any kid to demonstrate any level of excellence.  It instead assumes that kids who are somewhat above average in math and kids who are elite in math from the same SES level and at the same school are indistinguishable and equally in need of TJ.  [/quote]

Well said.

The current admissions scheme includes consideration of “experience factors” - which are not clearly defined and are subjective.

The switch from objective criteria in the past to “experience factors” currently, is my main concern.

A secondary concern is the Algebra I Honors in 8th grade requirement; except here there is an exception:

- if Algebra I Honors is not offered at the applicant’s school, then regular Algebra I will be allowed.

However, aren’t those students being set-up for failure, since they are entering at a disadvantage?

The current downward ranking trend, combined with lower test scores, suggests the prior school board has done everyone - and especially these students - a disservice, no matter what the board’s motive might have actually been.[/quote]

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