No idea why these IB boosters keep saying those who strongly prefer AP must not be familiar with IB. A lot of us either have first-hand experience with IB or did our homework. IB is a niche program not tailored to the needs of American students.

And it’s obvious from the fact that the top schools in FCPS are AP and that FCPS ceased converting AP schools to IB over a decade ago that the IB implementation in FCPS has been a failure. It would be far more sensible to convert the IB schools back to AP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP here. One of my kids just graduated in 24 with the IB diploma from Robinson. Having read this entire discussion, I can only believe that most of you in favor of IB know very little about IB. The program is rigorous and comprehensive.

Look, I was an AP student in school years and years ago. I don't claim it is the same program now, but I think both AP and IB get kids to the same destination, but with different paths, and possibly differing strengths. I can't figure out why anyone is so afraid of being rezoned to an IB school. The program is incredible. Even if you don't think your kid is a "writer" they can be successful. I would encourage you to take the time to learn and understand it before screaming no to the school board. The hysteria is completely unwarranted. A kid that will be successful in AP will very likely be successful in IB.

- Signed, bought in the Robinson pyramid before I had kids and had even heard of IB, and I don't regret it one bit.

(Oops - I meant those of you in favor of AP know very little about IB. I know I didn't!)

Freudian slip.

Keep your IB. We moved to avoid it for our younger kids. We will move again if dumped into any IB school.

Anonymous wrote:DP here. One of my kids just graduated in 24 with the IB diploma from Robinson. Having read this entire discussion, I can only believe that most of you in favor of IB know very little about IB. The program is rigorous and comprehensive.

Look, I was an AP student in school years and years ago. I don't claim it is the same program now, but I think both AP and IB get kids to the same destination, but with different paths, and possibly differing strengths. I can't figure out why anyone is so afraid of being rezoned to an IB school. The program is incredible. Even if you don't think your kid is a "writer" they can be successful. I would encourage you to take the time to learn and understand it before screaming no to the school board. The hysteria is completely unwarranted. A kid that will be successful in AP will very likely be successful in IB.

- Signed, bought in the Robinson pyramid before I had kids and had even heard of IB, and I don't regret it one bit.

(Oops - I meant those of you in favor of AP know very little about IB. I know I didn't!)

DP here. One of my kids just graduated in 24 with the IB diploma from Robinson. Having read this entire discussion, I can only believe that most of you in favor of IB know very little about IB. The program is rigorous and comprehensive.

Look, I was an AP student in school years and years ago. I don't claim it is the same program now, but I think both AP and IB get kids to the same destination, but with different paths, and possibly differing strengths. I can't figure out why anyone is so afraid of being rezoned to an IB school. The program is incredible. Even if you don't think your kid is a "writer" they can be successful. I would encourage you to take the time to learn and understand it before screaming no to the school board. The hysteria is completely unwarranted. A kid that will be successful in AP will very likely be successful in IB.

- Signed, bought in the Robinson pyramid before I had kids and had even heard of IB, and I don't regret it one bit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they think there are no assessments in AP classes?

Yes.

No assessments, no writing, no critical thinking, only a narrow viewpoint.



The anti AP/pro IB posts are kinda funny

So are the pro AP/anti-IB. Every time an IB parent posts something positive about the program-it’s you are a fake/you were part of the IBO org or you are ignorant and don’t know any better. I feel like the pro-AP parents are a lot more antagonistic than the other way around in this forum. It’s weird bc in other places, there isn’t such a strong anti-IB sentiment. And re-read some of responses; just because parents are saying IB is/was a good program for their kids, they are not saying AP is bad.

That’s the same vibe I see here.

The anti-IB crowd seems angry and resentful, calling to cut a program that has been great for many.

I don’t actually see an anti-AP crowd here at all. Pro-IB posters have simply argued for the program.

But IB has not been great for "many". Just a small percentage that are holding schools hostage. Or the parents who are using the existence of two different curriculums to flee poorer schools.

Well, it has been great for many. I posted above (the IB teacher for 15 years).

If you are stuck on the diploma as your only measure of achievement, then perhaps you don’t see that. But some of us see the value of the individual courses and have personally witnessed hundreds of students succeed.

You have an ax to grind. Fine. But your perception doesn’t erase my reality.

If IB created better learners, then the IB schools would be the top of FCPS.

High socioeconomic status of the students make the top schools. Putting AP courses at the wealthiest schools and then declaring AP better is silly. Robinson, Edison and South Lakes were ranked higher than a lot of the AP schools in VDOE's last ranking.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, let me get this right:

164 students transfer out of base school from an AP to an IB school. I wonder how many of those 164 are FARMS? Probably not many since they have to provide their own transportation.
Yet, the SB thinks the base school is losing enrollment and must redistribute other neighborhoods there to make up for the loss in enrollment.

Does this make sense?

I think there is only one IB school that has a very large number transferring from one other school.

Am I the only one who thinks something smells?

We are at Robinson, an IB school that does not have a large FARMS population. I don't know the statistics, but I have some friends who transferred their kids in because they just didn't like their neighborhood school, and since Robinson is IB and almost always open to transfers, it was the only good option. Their kids aren't even doing the diploma. Their schools weren't "bad," (Fairfax, Woodson, LB) they just didn't like them for whatever reason. I think one probably transferred for sports.

If we had wanted an IP school, we would have bought a home zoned for Robinson.

We would not have bought a home zoned for the low performing IB school that FCPS wants to rezone high performing students into.

Where are you being rezoned from and to? And how do you know? I can't seem to find any specifics about rezoning.

This PP is probably in West Springfield and worried about a shift to Lewis.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, let me get this right:

164 students transfer out of base school from an AP to an IB school. I wonder how many of those 164 are FARMS? Probably not many since they have to provide their own transportation.
Yet, the SB thinks the base school is losing enrollment and must redistribute other neighborhoods there to make up for the loss in enrollment.

Does this make sense?

I think there is only one IB school that has a very large number transferring from one other school.

Am I the only one who thinks something smells?

We are at Robinson, an IB school that does not have a large FARMS population. I don't know the statistics, but I have some friends who transferred their kids in because they just didn't like their neighborhood school, and since Robinson is IB and almost always open to transfers, it was the only good option. Their kids aren't even doing the diploma. Their schools weren't "bad," (Fairfax, Woodson, LB) they just didn't like them for whatever reason. I think one probably transferred for sports.

If we had wanted an IP school, we would have bought a home zoned for Robinson.

We would not have bought a home zoned for the low performing IB school that FCPS wants to rezone high performing students into.

Where are you being rezoned from and to? And how do you know? I can't seem to find any specifics about rezoning.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, let me get this right:

164 students transfer out of base school from an AP to an IB school. I wonder how many of those 164 are FARMS? Probably not many since they have to provide their own transportation.
Yet, the SB thinks the base school is losing enrollment and must redistribute other neighborhoods there to make up for the loss in enrollment.

Does this make sense?

I think there is only one IB school that has a very large number transferring from one other school.

Am I the only one who thinks something smells?

We are at Robinson, an IB school that does not have a large FARMS population. I don't know the statistics, but I have some friends who transferred their kids in because they just didn't like their neighborhood school, and since Robinson is IB and almost always open to transfers, it was the only good option. Their kids aren't even doing the diploma. Their schools weren't "bad," (Fairfax, Woodson, LB) they just didn't like them for whatever reason. I think one probably transferred for sports.

If we had wanted an IP school, we would have bought a home zoned for Robinson.

We would not have bought a home zoned for the low performing IB school that FCPS wants to rezone high performing students into.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, let me get this right:

164 students transfer out of base school from an AP to an IB school. I wonder how many of those 164 are FARMS? Probably not many since they have to provide their own transportation.
Yet, the SB thinks the base school is losing enrollment and must redistribute other neighborhoods there to make up for the loss in enrollment.

Does this make sense?

I think there is only one IB school that has a very large number transferring from one other school.

Am I the only one who thinks something smells?

We are at Robinson, an IB school that does not have a large FARMS population. I don't know the statistics, but I have some friends who transferred their kids in because they just didn't like their neighborhood school, and since Robinson is IB and almost always open to transfers, it was the only good option. Their kids aren't even doing the diploma. Their schools weren't "bad," (Fairfax, Woodson, LB) they just didn't like them for whatever reason. I think one probably transferred for sports.

I looked at the transfer information and, excluding placements to TJ, nine of the 10 schools with the fewest transfers out were AP schools (Edison was #10, behind Langley, McLean, Madison, Woodson, Chantilly, West Springfield, Oakton, Lake Braddock, and South County). Of the five with the most transfers out, three were IB (Annandale, Lewis, and Mount Vernon) and two were AP (Herndon and Westfield).

Anonymous wrote:So, let me get this right:

164 students transfer out of base school from an AP to an IB school. I wonder how many of those 164 are FARMS? Probably not many since they have to provide their own transportation.
Yet, the SB thinks the base school is losing enrollment and must redistribute other neighborhoods there to make up for the loss in enrollment.

Does this make sense?

I think there is only one IB school that has a very large number transferring from one other school.

Am I the only one who thinks something smells?

We are at Robinson, an IB school that does not have a large FARMS population. I don't know the statistics, but I have some friends who transferred their kids in because they just didn't like their neighborhood school, and since Robinson is IB and almost always open to transfers, it was the only good option. Their kids aren't even doing the diploma. Their schools weren't "bad," (Fairfax, Woodson, LB) they just didn't like them for whatever reason. I think one probably transferred for sports.

The weird thing was Sizemore Heizer telling people they could be redistricted to an IB school contrary to their wishes, but could pupil place to an AP school if they didn’t like it.

How that aligns with any equity goal escapes me, since it’s wealthier families that tend to be able to swing that.

The sensible thing is to replace IB with AP and have more kids attend their base schools.

So, let me get this right:

164 students transfer out of base school from an AP to an IB school. I wonder how many of those 164 are FARMS? Probably not many since they have to provide their own transportation.
Yet, the SB thinks the base school is losing enrollment and must redistribute other neighborhoods there to make up for the loss in enrollment.

Does this make sense?

I think there is only one IB school that has a very large number transferring from one other school.

Am I the only one who thinks something smells?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they think there are no assessments in AP classes?

Yes.

No assessments, no writing, no critical thinking, only a narrow viewpoint.



The anti AP/pro IB posts are kinda funny

So are the pro AP/anti-IB. Every time an IB parent posts something positive about the program-it’s you are a fake/you were part of the IBO org or you are ignorant and don’t know any better. I feel like the pro-AP parents are a lot more antagonistic than the other way around in this forum. It’s weird bc in other places, there isn’t such a strong anti-IB sentiment. And re-read some of responses; just because parents are saying IB is/was a good program for their kids, they are not saying AP is bad.

That’s the same vibe I see here.

The anti-IB crowd seems angry and resentful, calling to cut a program that has been great for many.

I don’t actually see an anti-AP crowd here at all. Pro-IB posters have simply argued for the program.

But IB has not been great for "many". Just a small percentage that are holding schools hostage. Or the parents who are using the existence of two different curriculums to flee poorer schools.

Well, it has been great for many. I posted above (the IB teacher for 15 years).

If you are stuck on the diploma as your only measure of achievement, then perhaps you don’t see that. But some of us see the value of the individual courses and have personally witnessed hundreds of students succeed.

You have an ax to grind. Fine. But your perception doesn’t erase my reality.

The reality is how many students transfer to other schools because of IB. The reality IS the low number of IB diplomas when AP, less expensive, could do the a la carte job better. The reality is that you are in denial.

I don’t agree AP does the a la carte job better, and I say that with very long-term, direct experience with both courses.

But I’m not campaigning to take away something from you. You, however, are clearly campaigning to take away a program that has benefited many.

And since the only metric you care about (the diploma) means you are blind to the many other benefits of the program, then I suspect we are done here.

The only reason why we want to get rid of IB is because FCPS is planning to rezone our high school students from the AP schools we selected when we purchased our homes, to prop up the failing IB schools. If our kids are going to be forced to change high schools, we don't want them at a failing IB school doing the IB program.

We voted against IB and for AP when we purchased our homes.

If we wanted our kids in IB, we would have purchased a house zoned for an IB school.

We made that decision to the tune of hundreds of thousands more dollars in house payments.

Now FCPS wants to override our education choices for our kids to save the IB schools that are unable to maintain accreditation.

We don't want IP.

If our kids are going to be forced to change high schools, we don't want it to be to an IB school.

If FCPS wasn't looking at rezoning our kids to IB, we would not give one thought to your IB utopia.

We don't want to control your choices, unless the school board is going to override our parenting decisions for our kids and our financial decisions for our families, just so the IB schools can be propped up by our kids so the tiny group of IB parents can get what they want.

There are far more parents who prefer AP over IB, tens of thousands more across all schools and grades. If FCPS is going to force unwanted rezoning away from AP schools, then IB needs to be eliminated and switched to AP, which the majority of FCPS overwhelmingly prefer.

If we can't succeed with preventing our kids from being rezoned to IB schools, then we are going to fight like crazy to get IB removed and switched to AP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they think there are no assessments in AP classes?

Yes.

No assessments, no writing, no critical thinking, only a narrow viewpoint.



The anti AP/pro IB posts are kinda funny

So are the pro AP/anti-IB. Every time an IB parent posts something positive about the program-it’s you are a fake/you were part of the IBO org or you are ignorant and don’t know any better. I feel like the pro-AP parents are a lot more antagonistic than the other way around in this forum. It’s weird bc in other places, there isn’t such a strong anti-IB sentiment. And re-read some of responses; just because parents are saying IB is/was a good program for their kids, they are not saying AP is bad.

That’s the same vibe I see here.

The anti-IB crowd seems angry and resentful, calling to cut a program that has been great for many.

I don’t actually see an anti-AP crowd here at all. Pro-IB posters have simply argued for the program.

But IB has not been great for "many". Just a small percentage that are holding schools hostage. Or the parents who are using the existence of two different curriculums to flee poorer schools.

Well, it has been great for many. I posted above (the IB teacher for 15 years).

If you are stuck on the diploma as your only measure of achievement, then perhaps you don’t see that. But some of us see the value of the individual courses and have personally witnessed hundreds of students succeed.

You have an ax to grind. Fine. But your perception doesn’t erase my reality.

If IB created better learners, then the IB schools would be the top of FCPS.

Bingo!

As far as I can tell the only reason FCPS keeps IB around is that it’s an easy way to make clear they spend more money on high poverty schools. It’s not like they are getting much in terms of academic returns. Those IB diploma rates are a joke.