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[quote=Anonymous][quote=ChenLing][quote=Anonymous]Appreciate you answering each question specifically - and in this forum, rather than just referring to your website.[/quote]

You're welcome!

[quote=Anonymous]
I hope you will consider the idea that the APS boundary policy itself is a problem and consider, if starting from a blank slate with no policy, how APS can most effectively balance enrollment across schools and provide classroom environments and experiences as comparable as possible across the system. 
[/quote]

Yes -- we haven't had a full realignment of boundaries for a while. Apparently there was one in the 70's and another in the 90's, and we've been making only small adjustments since. I can't speak to whether there has been evaluations that were not public, or if a larger realignment would produce something better.  It needs a careful look though -- if nothing else because we're currently on a financially unsustainable path, and a one time realignment may provide structural savings.

[quote=Anonymous]
Similarly, if our schools are not going to be comparable across the system (ie demographics and level of student needs), please think about what planning factors would actually give the schools in most need the teacher resources they need to serve their students and most effectively close (narrow as much as possible) gaps.
[/quote]

Yes -- planning factors should be more based on need (this school has a reading gap, so should be allocated more reading coaches/interventionalists). That being said, I understand why planning factors exist but the concept is so crazy. If we were to give a school 0.5 more reading coaches, then unless they can find someone good who's willing to work as a 0.5 FTE it just doesn't work. What principals do is "oh I happen to have a teacher who's willing to go from working 0.8 to 0.5, and I get beg for another 0.2 from contingency funds, so I can actually hire a reading coach which I really need".

Instead, I think APS has been using planning factors so slowly reduce staff ("you get 2.2 PE/Art/Music teachers now instead of 2.7"), and making each school scramble to figure it out.

I would also encourage everyone to contact countyboard@arlingtonva.us to ask for more funding for APS -- one that's more aligned with actual need.[/quote]

You can’t speak to whether there were evaluations that “weren’t public”? Dude, you just keep showing your total ignorance about how school boards work and what they do.[/quote]

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