Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s an interesting article and reflects the discussions in my district as well (DCPS). The goal is to make things equal, but the result is students with means are taking advanced math as an extracurricular and the kids without means lose their path to advanced math. It’s creating a larger disparity.

And that is what bugs me the most about these elected school board members, in many localities, who talk incessantly about Equity, but then either (a) do nothing or (b) cut the pathways that enable students from lower-income households to advance academically, always done in the name of Equity. Well, either a or b are the least equitable things a school board could possibly choose.

Anonymous wrote:That’s an interesting article and reflects the discussions in my district as well (DCPS). The goal is to make things equal, but the result is students with means are taking advanced math as an extracurricular and the kids without means lose their path to advanced math. It’s creating a larger disparity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current AAP parent (2 kids in the program, 1 2nd grader accepted) who is switching to a Protestant private that is probably more similar to a parochial school than an independent or a church-based school: it depends.

When my kids moved from the gen ed classroom to AAP, we saw a substantial decrease in behavior issues. Even kids who had caused those issues before ceased to cause them as much - whether because of peer group, teachers, or expectations I don't know. The accelerated math pace helped keep my kids engaged. While not perfect, my kids definitely found peers.

What's causing us to move?

1. Biggest: we, including both parents and the kids, want the religious aspect in the education. That's not going to happen/shouldn't happen in public. We can finally afford it at a private that we think will provide a decent academic education to go with.

2. Language arts even in AAP is significantly lacking.

3. Tired of so many screens. New school still uses screens, but much more sparingly in the lower grades.

What do we feel we are missing out on?

1. Math. Our private doesn't offer the same math opportunities that FCPS does for late high school (BC calc and dual enrollment courses with GMU). We may be able to advocate for those or set our kids' own path if they are that advanced in math, but our school doesn't have that track. We go in knowing that.

2. All the money we would have been able to use for other things. We will miss it.

Catholic schools are not better for Math or Science. That is absurd.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:During our tour of St. Louis we were astonished at how orderly and attentive the kids were. They were quietly learning together, interacting in a respectful manner and working hard at their lessons. A huge difference from the crazy FCPS elementary school we came from where there are a ton of dysregulated kids shoved together in the same classroom with little help from trained professionals. I don’t begrudge the teachers at FCPS. They are doing their best. But most of them are not trained at being special ed teachers full time, which is what they have become.

We are moving schools in the fall.

This is pretty offensive to parents of kids with SN. I hope you are keeping this attitude to yourself.

Pp - why is this offensive? There are kids who have special needs and they need teachers who are equipped and trained to teach them. General education teachers generally are not those teachers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AAP isn't what it used to be. Public school systems nowadays are often somewhat ideologically hostile to the notion that some students are smarter and/or more advanced than others and deserve an advanced curriculum.

"Helping the smartest students reach their full potential" is no longer on the list of the top 10 goals of public education systems. If your DC is smart, AAP is certainly better for him or her than general education, but it's not nearly "as much better" as it would have been 25 years ago.

For one example of a kind of anti-advanced-placement attitude, public school leaders in Cambridge MA have fought to prevent students from having exposure to Algebra 1 in middle school, because they don't want any students getting too far ahead of other students.
https://www.boston.com/news/the-boston-globe/2023/07/18/cambridge-schools-are-divided-over-middle-school-algebra/

Using an article from Cambridge to reflect FCPS trends is not helping the conversation. FCPS is not stopping kids from taking Algebra in MS. About 15% of the 7th grade students take Algebra 1 H and a good chunk of kids take Algebra 1 in 8th grade. I believe that about 25% of the students will take Algebra 1 in 9th grade and most of those students are coming out of pyramids with lower SES families. FCPS is promoting finding ways to increase the number of kids taking Algebra 1 in 8th grade in order to close the gap.

Anonymous wrote:AAP isn't what it used to be. Public school systems nowadays are often somewhat ideologically hostile to the notion that some students are smarter and/or more advanced than others and deserve an advanced curriculum.

"Helping the smartest students reach their full potential" is no longer on the list of the top 10 goals of public education systems. If your DC is smart, AAP is certainly better for him or her than general education, but it's not nearly "as much better" as it would have been 25 years ago.

For one example of a kind of anti-advanced-placement attitude, public school leaders in Cambridge MA have fought to prevent students from having exposure to Algebra 1 in middle school, because they don't want any students getting too far ahead of other students.
https://www.boston.com/news/the-boston-globe/2023/07/18/cambridge-schools-are-divided-over-middle-school-algebra/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:During our tour of St. Louis we were astonished at how orderly and attentive the kids were. They were quietly learning together, interacting in a respectful manner and working hard at their lessons. A huge difference from the crazy FCPS elementary school we came from where there are a ton of dysregulated kids shoved together in the same classroom with little help from trained professionals. I don’t begrudge the teachers at FCPS. They are doing their best. But most of them are not trained at being special ed teachers full time, which is what they have become.

We are moving schools in the fall.

This is pretty offensive to parents of kids with SN. I hope you are keeping this attitude to yourself.

Anonymous wrote:During our tour of St. Louis we were astonished at how orderly and attentive the kids were. They were quietly learning together, interacting in a respectful manner and working hard at their lessons. A huge difference from the crazy FCPS elementary school we came from where there are a ton of dysregulated kids shoved together in the same classroom with little help from trained professionals. I don’t begrudge the teachers at FCPS. They are doing their best. But most of them are not trained at being special ed teachers full time, which is what they have become.

We are moving schools in the fall.

Anonymous wrote:AAP isn't what it used to be. Public school systems nowadays are often somewhat ideologically hostile to the notion that some students are smarter and/or more advanced than others and deserve an advanced curriculum.

"Helping the smartest students reach their full potential" is no longer on the list of the top 10 goals of public education systems. If your DC is smart, AAP is certainly better for him or her than general education, but it's not nearly "as much better" as it would have been 25 years ago.

For one example of a kind of anti-advanced-placement attitude, public school leaders in Cambridge MA have fought to prevent students from having exposure to Algebra 1 in middle school, because they don't want any students getting too far ahead of other students.
https://www.boston.com/news/the-boston-globe/2023/07/18/cambridge-schools-are-divided-over-middle-school-algebra/

Anonymous wrote:During our tour of St. Louis we were astonished at how orderly and attentive the kids were. They were quietly learning together, interacting in a respectful manner and working hard at their lessons. A huge difference from the crazy FCPS elementary school we came from where there are a ton of dysregulated kids shoved together in the same classroom with little help from trained professionals. I don’t begrudge the teachers at FCPS. They are doing their best. But most of them are not trained at being special ed teachers full time, which is what they have become.

We are moving schools in the fall.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current AAP parent (2 kids in the program, 1 2nd grader accepted) who is switching to a Protestant private that is probably more similar to a parochial school than an independent or a church-based school: it depends.

When my kids moved from the gen ed classroom to AAP, we saw a substantial decrease in behavior issues. Even kids who had caused those issues before ceased to cause them as much - whether because of peer group, teachers, or expectations I don't know. The accelerated math pace helped keep my kids engaged. While not perfect, my kids definitely found peers.

What's causing us to move?

1. Biggest: we, including both parents and the kids, want the religious aspect in the education. That's not going to happen/shouldn't happen in public. We can finally afford it at a private that we think will provide a decent academic education to go with.

2. Language arts even in AAP is significantly lacking.

3. Tired of so many screens. New school still uses screens, but much more sparingly in the lower grades.

What do we feel we are missing out on?

1. Math. Our private doesn't offer the same math opportunities that FCPS does for late high school (BC calc and dual enrollment courses with GMU). We may be able to advocate for those or set our kids' own path if they are that advanced in math, but our school doesn't have that track. We go in knowing that.

2. All the money we would have been able to use for other things. We will miss it.

Catholic schools are not better for Math or Science. That is absurd.