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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous] School board has been clear that there's no land to build another comprehensive high school. [/quote]

That's what eminent domain is for.  Just take over some lobbyists' office spaces, even if lobbying is protected by the first amendment.[/quote]

Taking over an office building isn't going to give you near enough space for a 4th comprehensive high school.  that's the whole problem.  You need space for all the fields and pools or whatever, or the kids at that school are just going to have to share the facilities at some preexisting high schools that already has too many kids fighting for use of the facilities.  That's why the discussion of doing the 4th comprehensive 10 (or whatever) years ago was key and the county just couldn't find a way to make it happen.  If they couldn't do it then, they won't do it now, or 5 years from now, or 10 -- because there is just not the land to do it.  I think washington country club should donate their golf course -- that might be enough space (though it's basically right in between WL and Yorktown so...).  Or maybe we could turn a park into a high school.

Meanwhile, if you don't do something drastic like that, it's flex scheduling or virtual schools on the table and I don't think anyone really wants that.  Or just keep crowding kids into WL?  County just keeps sitting on its hands thinking bonus density being used by developers is a good idea and teachers keep quitting so ... not really sure what's going to happen here.[/quote]

Let this go.  It's not happening and there is a compelling case for why it's not necessary and worth the enormous expense.  Siphon off kids who will self-select into high-quality specialty programs...STEM, performing arts, other.  There will be plenty of fields left for the kids who prioritize this kind of experience.[/quote]

WHAT high quality specialty programs are you talking about, besides Arlington Tech?  Nothing like this currently exists.  How long do you think it would take the county to budget and create something like that when currently NOTHING LIKE THAT is on their TO DO list or even running wild in their imaginations?[/quote]

DP.  And they still need space for these programs.[/quote]

Even if they just make Arlington Tech into a high quality math/science/engineering/CS program, they would clearly get lots of students to do it.   People fall all over themselves to get into HB.  Why would this be any different if marketed well.  I'm telling you they've already started doing this.  They have middle school kids thinking Arlington Tech is the dream.  Over subscribed and lottery in place.  A new building and expanded student body with more class offerings as a result means they will have plenty of takers and Chad and Ethan can be assured of their access to the lacrosse fields.[/quote]

Other than the Chad and Ethan comment, +1
APS, per usual, sucked at rolling out and promoting the AT program. Parents didn't understand the program and then the whole extracurriculars and no music classes thing. But now that students are graduating from the program with a year or two's worth of college credits due to all the dual enrollment classes and parents are seeing the schools graduates are applying to and going to, along with the long-delayed investment in new facilities, they're suddenly going to be clamoring to get their STEM kids in - even though it still is, and never will be, TJ Science and Technology. Of course, it was never intended to be, either.[/quote]

[b]Basically AT is going to be viewed as vocational plus[/b], with DE credit that only applies in-state schools more or less. With its co-location with actual vocational programs like hair styling, cooking, and HVAC repair at Career Center, it will never have the wide appeal of HB.

But there still may be enough interest to fill the schools and have a waitlist; and I’m sure eventually they will expand the campus with trailers and expand the AT program. It won’t have the protected capped population of HB lofted off in The Heights. [/quote]

This is not true and already not true. [b] It is billed as a rigorous STEM program (the word rigorous is used by APS) and many high achieving, college-bound kids are choosing it and excited about it.[/b]  I have a middle school kid and know parents of 8th graders.  Kids were clamoring to get in and feeling good about getting a spot following the lottery.

Just because it's in the same building as vocational programs, it's not tainted as you are suggesting (which yes is kind of gross for you to say).  It's specific to APS that  programs are not more often co-located.  In many districts, vocational programs and college-track courses are in the same facilities and the students are all together.[/quote]

+1 They publish a list of where students were accepted: https://careercenter.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2022/11/Brag-Sheets.pdf

Yes, lots of in-state schools (just like all the other APS HS's) but also places like Harvard, Duke, U of Chicago, GA Tech are on the list.[/quote]

I suspect those kids may be URMs. [/quote]

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