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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote][i]You are correct, it's not fair. If some kids are given the option to switch schools, then all kids should be given this same option. Either everyone should benefit, or no one. And that's the reality of a public school system.[/i][/quote]

Actually, it is fair.  Every child is given the same opportunity to qualify for center-based Level IV services based on one of two different test scores.  That's a fact.  The whole purpose of the process is to identify some range of the top scorers.  It's also a fact that that means the majority of children will not meet the threshold for identification and will not be selected for Level IV services.  That doesn't make it unfair.  It's just the nature of the process, which is to identify the top range of students.  The process then goes even further by allowing parents or teachers to refer children who they believe should be considered even though they didn't make the test score cut-offs.  Level IV AAP students are not given the option to switch schools just because they don't like the color of the walls or the playground equipment at their base school; [b]they're given the opportunity to go to a center to an AAP center because that is how FCPS meets the rmandates of Virginia law that requires each school system to identify some top range of gifted students and to provide services that help them reach their potential.[/b]  Given the size and diversity of the school system, I think FCPS does a pretty good job meeting that legal obligation.[/quote]

Regarding the bolded, above - yes, FCPS is mandated by the state to provide gifted services.  They are not, in any way, shape, or form, mandated to provide special center schools for identified students.  Arlington Co. - also mandated by the state to provide gifted services - does so within the walls of each assigned school.  LLIV should be provided at every base school and centers should be a thing of the past.[/quote]

The problem here is logistics. This only works if a base school has 25-30 AAP qualified kids. What about the schools where only 3-4 kids qualify each year?  Or even 12-15?  I can imagine the griping about AAP kids using all the resources if there is an AAP class of 9 kids, which would result in 4 very overcrowded Gen Ed Classrooms. Or if there are (as happened in our LLIV school) 38 qualified kids. You end up with 2 classrooms of 16 kids and 4 Gen Ed classrooms of 35 under the VA staffing policy.  And while some kids can principal place, I have never seen anything uglier or  more divisive for the school community than  our LLIV school had to principal place 16 kids into said classroom and parents were pitted against each other to have their child chosen.  You can imagine the "Larla was only chosen because her mom is the PTA principal" comments.  And 3 years later there are still some formerly best buddies whose parents will not talk to each other.

So, before you say LLIV everywhere, be honest, are you okay with you child being in a huge class because the AAP class is very small?  Do you really want the politics of principal placement! (Because it's a lot more personal than having an unseen committee make selections and when someone else's child is chosen by an administrator you know over yours.

Believe it or not, AAP Centers exist for a reason. And a huge one is trying to even out class size. [/quote]

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