Reply to Thomas Jefferson TJHSST - why not Honors Algebra I/Honors Geometry for TJ admissions?

Forum Index » Advanced Academic Programs (AAP)

Reply to "Thomas Jefferson TJHSST - why not Honors Algebra I/Honors Geometry for TJ admissions?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Families who send their kids to outside enrichment, including test prep, with the goal of gaining admission to TJ are “gaming” the system. 
[/quote]

Not really, at least not all of us. DS loves math and loves his math competition class. Does that mean he has a bit of a leg up in his math class? Sure, he has been exposed to many of the concepts before and he has probably had more math practice than kids who don’t do math outside of school. Are we gaming the system? Not intentionally. He dropped the grade level math class he initially took in favor of math competition and we were fine with that. Would he have a leg up on the Quant test if they still had it? Probably, but that is not the reason why he is taking the class.

So it is “ok” for him to participate in enrichment because he loves math vs a kid who is strong at math and whose parents are interested in TJ?

I don’t have a problem with them dropping the Quant test as it was, that test was being specifically prepped for and did provide an advantage to students who could afford prep.

I like seats for each MS. We know that those seats are not all used by kids from those schools and I appreciate them making sure that there is space for kids who are interested in STEM at schools where the kids are less likely to have the outside support to imp[rove or strengthen academic skills.

I like that the criteria is now focused on STEM measures that are available at all schools, so classes. I wouldn’t have a problem if there was a way to weight participation in Mathcounts, Science Olympiad and the like if they are available at all MS. I do think that those clubs show additional interest/investment in STEM but they need to be available to all the kids and not just the ones with AAP Centers.

I would not have a problem if the applications were weighted based on the highest level of math available at each MS. The MS with Algebra II can add a weight to those kids scores to choose their top 1.5%. The schools that only have a few kids in Geometry and more kids in Algebra can still send those kids. But punishing kids who come from families that don’t know about AAP or math paths or that their kid is really good at math shouldn’t be denied access to a great cohort of kids and some amazing opportunities. The AAP Centers with Algebra 2 kids and Geometry kids should be sending those kids. The schools with smaller cohorts send kids with Algebra 1 H and TJ is in a position to support those kids and their interest in STEM in a unique way. But the Algebra 1 only kids would be a smaller group of kids who are interested in STEM and need some supports that the Carson, Cooper, Longfellow, Rocky Run kids don’t need.[/quote]

I specifically said “with the goal of gaining admission to TJ”. If it’s your kid’s sincere interest, sure. But if your kid shows a mild interest and you push it because you want them to go to TJ then it is “gaming” the system. 
[/quote]

That is the dumbest definition of "gaming" the system I have ever heard.
If you don't want to push your kid to study and strive for academic excellence unless they have a natural interest in studying then that's up to you but what you call "gaming" the system is usually better known as good parenting.
[/quote]

Pushing your kid into certain activities just because you want them to go to TJ is not “academic excellence”, it’s gaming the system. And it’s how we ended up with a school full of over-pushed kids instead of true STEM-loving kids.

That is what ruined TJ for everyone. 
[/quote]

Studying is not "certain activities" it is the primary method of education.
Studying ruined TJ for the kids that didn't study.[/quote]

If by studying you mean buying the test answers, then sure![/quote]

Nobody bought test answers.

If you have to lie to make your point then maybe you don't have much of a point.[/quote]

DP. Reposting what we do know about the TJ test prep scandal...

There was enough concern in the community about test prep companies "cracking the test" that they changed the test/process multiple times over the years. Affluent families who could afford these programs were buying their kids an unfair advantage in admissions.

In fact, back in 2017 the SB switched to quant-q, which intentionally didn’t share prep, in an effort to reduce this unfair advantage.

https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/04/26/is-t...rfax-discrimination/
“ “Is it gonna once again advantage those kids whose parents can pay to sign them up for special prep camps to now be prepping for science testing as well?” Megan McLaughlin [FCPS School Board] asked when presented with the new plan.

Admissions director Jeremy Shughart doesn’t think so. The firm that markets the math portion of the test, Quant-Q, doesn’t release materials to the public, a practice that should make them harder for test-prep schools to crack.”

TJ students and others have publicly acknowledged the unfair advantage that money can buy and that test prep companies have a "cache of previous and example prompts".

https://www.tjtoday.org/23143/showcase/the-children-left-behind/
“ Families with more money can afford to give children that extra edge by signing them up for whatever prep classes they can find. They can pay money to tutoring organizations to teach their children test-taking skills, “skills learned outside of school,” and to access a cache of previous and example prompts, as I witnessed when I took TJ prep; even if prompts become outdated by test changes, even access to old prompts enables private tutoring pupils to gain an upper edge over others: pupils become accustomed to the format of the writing sections and gain an approximate idea of what to expect.”

TJ students admitted that they shared quant-q test questions with a test prep company or they saw nearly identical questions on the test.
https://www.facebook.com/tjvents/posts/pfbid0jKy4hotXF8AxKwfHm2MAVi7e2yYoCqtrTTXPYsszAdQg6uMoTmReMidqyM1mpu9Bl

Examples of various test prep companies harvesting test questions and sharing with others.
https://katedalby.com/get-tj-update/
The math required for the test is basic math, algebra, and geometry. In the past, we have used old SAT tests from 30 years ago augmented with select problems to mimic the Quant Q. In order to adapt to the changes, we will increase the number of permutation and combination problems in response to students’ observations about the math last fall.

https://www.optimaltjprep.com/
““M. said that the  math questions were very similar to the challenge problems she did with you in classes.” - C.R. (Mother, after 2018-19 test)
“E. said that the  math questions were very close to what she did with you during the last 2 sessions. To quote her exactly: 'Dr, Tripathi's math problems were dead on point.'  We really appreciate your help with her preparation for the test!” - L.R. (Father, after 2017-18 test)”

Many videos showing how to solve actual SIS math questions on TJ admissions tests:
https://www.youtube.com/@katedalbysinspiringtestpre864/videos
https://www.youtube.com/@EduAvenuesTJTestPrep
https://www.youtube.com/@principiatutorsconsultants4395/videos

Kids from affluent families who attend these test prep programs have an unfair advantage. The test prep companies are constantly trying to "crack the test". They ask students to share details/questions about the tests and then share that info with other students.[/quote]

So...nobody bought the test answers.  Nobody cheated.

Some kids studied more than others.
Kids who study are always going to have an advantage over kids that do not study.

Trying to hide the test like they did with quant q only makes the test less available to those without resources.  
Just use the PSAT.
It is widely understood and has a lot of free support online.
[/quote]

#fakenews - Cheating was so widespread they had to change the entire process.[/quote]

They changed the process because they wanted to "promote greater diversity that reflected the students in the district"
IOW, they were embarrassed by the low number of URM kids getting into TJ.
It's crazy that you think people forgot the circumstances surrounding the change in the admissions process.

https://virginiamercury.com/2024/02/20/supreme-court-wont-hear-thomas-jefferson-admissions-case/[/quote]

Having a pay-to-play admissions process greatly exacerbated the issue. The school board changed the admissions process multiple times over the years in an effort to increase representation from underrepresented groups **and** to make it more difficult for test prep companies to “crack the test”.

[/quote]

But the reason for the change was race.
Nobody thinks studying is cheating.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics