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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote][quote]But if it's a public school like TJ, using public tax dollars, then it seems it should at least potentially be available to everyone. And while anyone can take the admissions test, it seems pretty apparent from the numbers that one of TJ's goals is to allow parents to avoid black and Hispanic students.[/quote]

FCPS bends over backwards to promote blacks and Hispanics to apply and be admitted to TJ with special programs such as Young Scholars, outreach programs etc. Previous TJ Admissions Director was black and they have a black outreach officer in the admissions office. FCPS/TJ's goal regarding blacks/Hispanics is actually opposite of what the PP states.

Furthermore, FCPS seeks to reduce Asian Americans by changing admissions criteria on several occasions, heavily weighing essays, keeping math portion of the admissions test relatively easy, applying "holistic" admissions process for the finalists that is not transparent and totally subjective etc.[/quote]

Well, whatever FCPS and TJ are doing to promote black/Hispanic applications doesn't seem to be working.

2003-04
Black/Hispanic students make up 11% of applicants 
Black/Hispanic students make up 4.7% of admittees
http://www.fcag.org/tjadmits2004.html

2004-05
Black/Hispanic students make up 14% of applicants 
Black/Hispanic students make up 6.3% of admittees
http://www.fcag.org/tjadmits2005.html

[fast forward 10 years]

2013-14
Black/Hispanic students make up 13.5% of applicants 
Black/Hispanic students make up 3.7% of admittees
http://www.fcag.org/documents/tjadmissions0414.pdf

2014-15
Black/Hispanic students make up 14.4% of applicants 
Black/Hispanic students make up 4% of admittees
http://www.fcag.org/documents/tjadmissions0415.pdf

Seems like FCPS and TJ are stuck in neutral at best, and perhaps going in reverse.  Maybe they should create a class at TJ where all those smart kids and teachers can try to solve this problem.  It might be more valuable a contribution to society than yet another robot that shoots tennis balls.[/quote]

TJ is trying-- hard. The problems are two fold. One, that AAP, which is the primary TJ feeder, is very underrepresented in terms of blacks and Hispanics. And that black and Hispanic SES In the DMV is often lower that white and Asian. So kids who are black and Hispanic and apply are often less prepared, both by FCPS (they aren't in AAP or they are, but live in areas where the AAP programs are not as strong) and because their families may not have money to throw at STEM extras, like STEM summer camps and after school programs.

But, the TJ community wants more diversity.  And they are pushing.  There is a ton of outreach, especially in current TJ students.  Here are a few of the programs:

https://www.tjhsst.edu/~emglazer/stembassadors/index-2.html  (And STEMbassadors is huge at TJ)

https://www.tjhsst.edu/research-academics/summer-school/index.html (TJ Summer Institute for MS-- and BTW, registration opens Monday)

http://techstravaganza.org/ (techstravaganza)

http://tjhsstbsu.wixsite.com/tjhsstbsu/outreach (TJ Inspire mentoring by the Black Student Union)

http://blog.jkcf.org/welcome-to-the-jack-kent-cooke-foundation-blog/one-selective-high-school-lifts-students-up-with-enrichment-program (The LIFT program, which provides mentoring, TJ test prep and funds kids who want to attend the TJ Summer Institute)

Check some of these programs out.  TJ kids, teachers, admin and parents are very involved in minority outreach. The problem is NOT that TJ does not want more non-white, non-Asian kids. It is also NOT that they are apathetic about these and not trying. But, their efforts still don't seems to be increasing the yield, because for whatever reason (not in AAP, not doing the outof school STEM extras, etc) they can't seem to find well qualified kids. For example-- I can't find the numbers now, but blacks and Hispanics disproportionately do not make it to the semifinalist round.  Yes-8% of the applicant pool was black. But many did not advance to the semfinalist round. So the semifinalist pool was much, much less than than 8% black.

Yes, TJ needs more minorities. But this may not be a problem that TJ can solve. You have to look at the 9 years in FCPS leading up to TJ, and make sure minority kids get the same advantages and breaks there.  Then, maybe, they will be able to compete for admission on equal footing.  If a kid doesn't have a strong background, you do them no favors by admitting them, because they will probably not succeed. So-- start in K and make sure they get the background.

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