Reply to Show me the law that says school boards cannot change boundaries.

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/to-some-opposition-fcps-considers-boundary-policy-overhaul/article_d3dacdfa-afd9-11e9-b2fa-9f370ff28b07.html

"Providence District Representative Dalia Palchik says that the cost currently makes it infeasible to implement in-demand services like the International Baccalaureate programs in every school, noting that enrollment in IB programs is sometimes closed due to a lack of capacity."

This is not my impression at all.  I'm pretty sure that more want AP.  Someone posted a list of AP/IB PP, but I cannot find it.  Which is getting more?  And, of course, it is difficult to tell about demand because some schools close their placements.  [/quote]

Very few tears would be shed across Fairfax County if IB was eliminated or severely cut back. IB Diplomas make up under 4% of all Fairfax County high school diplomas despite being available to approximately 30% of students. IB rates at some schools are terribly low. The School Board has been negligent in not addressing the obvious issues with IB in Fairfax. None of the AP schools are lobbying to become an IB school.[/quote]

Here are the impediments to getting rid of or cutting back on IB:

1.  It eliminates the fiction that FCPS is "doing more" for the poorer schools.

2.  It means some people wouldn't have pupil placement options to better schools.

3.  Some School Board members love IB because it talks about producing "global citizens" who are "life-long learners," etc.

4.  The parents/students who like IB have an outsized influence, and tend to be at schools where other parents/students are less vocal about things.

5.  FCPS is never willing to admit its past mistakes, such as overloading certain parts of the county with under-subscribed IB programs.

But here are the advantages:

1.  It would save money.

2.  The AP curriculum is better suited to most students in FCPS, especially those with a lower degree of English fluency.

3.  AP is less prescriptive and allows students to take more courses in areas that interest them, including STEM-related courses.

4.  It would eliminate pupil placement options (the AP/IB arbitrage) that have gutted some of the lowest-performing high schools in the county.

5.  It would make facilities planning and forecasting easier, leading to additional savings.

Are there any school board members or candidates willing to take a hard look at this?  Or do we just keep doing the same things over and over again?

[/quote]

None of the impediments for getting rid of IB seem to be real concerns, just School Board stubbornness to change. Unfortunately pupil placement would probably not stop because of the language curriculum option and parents who push the social/emotional option to get out of certain schools. They need to tighten the pupil placement regulation otherwise this problem will continue. FCPS seems fine with having a group of schools that are to be avoided.[/quote]

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