Reply to Fairfax County: McLean Citizens Association demands smaller class sizes

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]In 3rd grade, very few failed the reading test. In 6th, almost half the class failed[/quote]

This is where the mobility rate can come in.  Did those sixth graders pass the test when they were in third grade?  Were they even at the school then?[/quote]

I don't think the mobility rate is a huge factor. This year it's showing one child increase in 6th grade. There could be more changes with someone dropping and someone adding, but the change isn't high. I'm noticing a lot of schools have low language arts pass rates, even ones that aren't title 1. Perhaps the standards have just been raised above what most bilingual children can handle or there just isn't enough emphasis on this subject within FCPS or this particular school. If FCPS can figure out how to teach to a low title one population school like this one, then they can probably have better success in the larger schools like Hybla Valley.[/quote]

Do you understand what those numbers mean? The 24% mobility rate from a previous year means that 24% of the makeup of the student body changed throughout the year. That same year, according to the "Membership History" figures on the FCPS website shows a net increase of 6 kids. That means they had 6 kids more than they did at the beginning of the school year. That does not mean that only 6 kids changed during the school year. The mobility rate is twice as high as the FCPS average. It is indeed high. And is likely a factor. Based on the schools population, the mobility rate means that about 69 kids out of 290 total changed throughout the school year - that's an enormous change. And chances are, the kids moving in have not been coming from the high performing schools like those in McLean.

Just remember, FCPS doesn't want failing schools, so they spend more money and reduce the class sizes in schools that aren't meeting the standards as one tool. Stop and think about what would happen if they didn't and the schools fail and are taken over by the state. Is that what you want? For kids to be in schools that are performing at even lower standards? And for the teachers at these schools to have an even harder challenge than they do now?

If you can't think about the kids in these areas that have a tougher life than your kids do or the teachers who teach them, then maybe think of it another way: Wouldn't schools being taken over by the state hurt FCPS's reputation? And, in turn, wouldn't that hurt your kid's school's reputation, too?[/quote]

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