Wrong. Springfield Estates. roughly 45%-50% FARMS AND ESOL. Yes, it's a center, but it's not just the center kids who are passing the SOLs.

That's not what the profile says. FARMS is a good bit less. And, your ESOL and FARMS cannot be combined that way. Center is over 50%.

Anonymous wrote:I was discussing this with various sources and everyone concluded that the best quality education is from schools with farms is 10 to 35%. This keeps class sizes smaller with the additional funding and the children in need are not the majority so the overall efforts of the school is balanced. This comes on the heels of thr McLean Civic compliant that the low farm schools in McLean are over crowded and must raise 100s of thousands in pta finds to be on the same funding levels as the other schools.

McLean HS's FARMS rate is 9.58%, are you saying that .5% more FARMS students would allow for McLean to have lower class sizes? If so, then they would have to get even more trailers. I am not sure that would add to the quality of the experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our neighborhood school has about 35% FARMs and a fairly high ELL population. We also have field trips, after school enrichment, small classes and great test scores. (It's a 9 on greatschools). 35% is truly the perfect balance. You get the diversity and the small class sizes, along with a strong PTA.

Just wait to MS and HS. You aren't going to find schools in NoVa with 35% or higher FARMS getting 9s on GS.

Wrong. Springfield Estates. roughly 45%-50% FARMS AND ESOL. Yes, it's a center, but it's not just the center kids who are passing the SOLs.

Read the post again. Springfield Estates is not a MS or HS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our neighborhood school has about 35% FARMs and a fairly high ELL population. We also have field trips, after school enrichment, small classes and great test scores. (It's a 9 on greatschools). 35% is truly the perfect balance. You get the diversity and the small class sizes, along with a strong PTA.

Just wait to MS and HS. You aren't going to find schools in NoVa with 35% or higher FARMS getting 9s on GS.

Wrong. Springfield Estates. roughly 45%-50% FARMS AND ESOL. Yes, it's a center, but it's not just the center kids who are passing the SOLs.

Anonymous wrote:Our neighborhood school has about 35% FARMs and a fairly high ELL population. We also have field trips, after school enrichment, small classes and great test scores. (It's a 9 on greatschools). 35% is truly the perfect balance. You get the diversity and the small class sizes, along with a strong PTA.

Just wait to MS and HS. You aren't going to find schools in NoVa with 35% or higher FARMS getting 9s on GS.

Our neighborhood school has about 35% FARMs and a fairly high ELL population. We also have field trips, after school enrichment, small classes and great test scores. (It's a 9 on greatschools). 35% is truly the perfect balance. You get the diversity and the small class sizes, along with a strong PTA.

Frankly, from what I have seen, the quality of the experience is inversely related to the amount of FARMS. It is because the PTA's have been called on to do a lot for schools. The biggest issue here is that the PTA's pay for field trips for those that can't afford it. In a high FARM school, the PTA does not have the money. That is one example.

Also, there will be other things missing: after school enrichment, etc.

The reality is the smaller class sizes are a benefit, but the missing money is a detriment.

Anonymous wrote:I was discussing this with various sources and everyone concluded that the best quality education is from schools with farms is 10 to 35%. This keeps class sizes smaller with the additional funding and the children in need are not the majority so the overall efforts of the school is balanced. This comes on the heels of thr McLean Civic compliant that the low farm schools in McLean are over crowded and must raise 100s of thousands in pta finds to be on the same funding levels as the other schools.

If you have FARMS rates between 10 to 35%, you're not Title I and don't get additional funding, and the the MCA resolution didn't say anything about the use of funds raised by PTAs in low-FARMS schools in McLean.

Who are these "various sources" and what evidence is there that these schools are the "best schools?"

Anonymous wrote:You are correct that schools with lower FARMS rates offer a better education to all the kids in the school.

But those schools with low FARMs rates are not "Title 1" and don't get the benefits from that program including the smaller class size.

In Virginia schools with any farms get extra funding and teachers in relation to the percentage. It doesn't need to be title 1.

Anonymous wrote:You are correct that schools with lower FARMS rates offer a better education to all the kids in the school.

But those schools with low FARMs rates are not "Title 1" and don't get the benefits from that program including the smaller class size.

Is this smaller class size for Title One school a VA thing? I teach in a MD school with appr. 95% FARMS and there is no cap on class sizes. One 2nd grade class currently has 32 students.

Define "best quality education." I'm sure if you're looking at average test scores in a given school, there is generally a correlation between poverty and test scores. I think that's a pretty indisputable fact. But, does that mean those schools are necessarily providing the "best" education or are they merely riding on he coat tails of a privileged student population that would perform well no matter what school you put them in them? I imagine the truth is somewhere in between. I think categorical statments about the percentage of FARMs and/or ESL in a school and the quality of the school are over generalizations and stupid.

You are correct that schools with lower FARMS rates offer a better education to all the kids in the school.

But those schools with low FARMs rates are not "Title 1" and don't get the benefits from that program including the smaller class size.

Sorry for the typos obviously my highly rated fairfax county school failed me

I was discussing this with various sources and everyone concluded that the best quality education is from schools with farms is 10 to 35%. This keeps class sizes smaller with the additional funding and the children in need are not the majority so the overall efforts of the school is balanced. This comes on the heels of thr McLean Civic compliant that the low farm schools in McLean are over crowded and must raise 100s of thousands in pta finds to be on the same funding levels as the other schools.