Anonymous
04/13/2021 21:34
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Is this the final decision?
Anonymous
04/13/2021 11:54
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Anonymous wrote:Why not require at least a B in the prior year's class in order to get into AP? Want to take AP English? Then you need a B in the prior year's English class. Same with math, sciences, etc. This is not unreasonable.
Yeah, but that's not what they are doing. Just shoehorn that 6th-grade-reading-level kid into a college level AP class, and see how it goes.
Anonymous
04/13/2021 11:45
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Anonymous wrote:Why not require at least a B in the prior year's class in order to get into AP? Want to take AP English? Then you need a B in the prior year's English class. Same with math, sciences, etc. This is not unreasonable.
Isn't everyone getting a B this year? DCPS isn't giving any grades lower than a B.
Anonymous
04/13/2021 11:39
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Why not require at least a B in the prior year's class in order to get into AP? Want to take AP English? Then you need a B in the prior year's English class. Same with math, sciences, etc. This is not unreasonable.
Anonymous
04/13/2021 11:12
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Why is "AP for all" mandated only at Wilson? If it's good policy, then shouldn't ALL students across DCPS be placed in AP classes as the mainstream courses of study? If not, what's so special about Wilson that it is being singled out?
Anonymous
04/12/2021 22:45
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Wondering what folks think about this decision and will it impact what your junior decides to take?
If you think it means that they are going to somehow "dumb down" the class in ways that seem to perturb the wealthy parents of the neighborhood - remember that APs are a set curriculum. It's a good thing they are trying to make it more accessible. Nothing really to see here.
Isn't the majority of Wilson filled with students coming from wealthy white families with resources? Everyone in NW seems to have gifted kids. Why would anything need to be dumbed down. 95% of the student body should be able to fulfill honors/AP requirements easily.
https://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Woodrow+Wilson+High+School
(2019 - 2020) 39% white
(2018 - 2019) 32% met/exceeded expectations in math
(2018 - 2019) 38% met/exceeded expectations in english language arts
A HUGE number of kids boycotted PARCC in 2019...
Same poster. How in the heck are only 3% of students exceeding expectations in maths?
because there are a lot of students at Wilson who get to HS significantly behind in math and cannot do work at grade level. there are a bunch of kids who are not at grade level in English. the school should work to bring these students at grade level so they can do well. instead, they will be thrown into an AP class requiring extensive reading and writing assignments and be told to swim.
But 39% of Wilson is white, and most white people in DC come from well resourced families who can provide. How can only 3% of the student body be exceeding expectations in math?
First, the Wilson Boundary is huge, and, in addition, 32% of the students live outside of its boundary, so your guess about who goes there, while irrelevant, is also wrong. Second, those numbers do not capture all students. In addition to the PARCC boycott PP noted, the most advanced math kids don't take the math PARCC in HS (only Alg. I, Alg. II and Geometry, so if taken in MS, no test in HS); there was some confusion and a lot of mess ups in who and whether math PARCC would be taken so essentially you can't read anything into the PARCC math from those years. Many kids took no test, some kids unexpectedly sat for a test for a class they had taken years earlier, with no time to review and prep, and so on. I recall that it was a big mess, which is another reason why some kids just skipped it (plus the AP tests were at the same time so taking the PARCC meant missing critical AP review).
Thank you, that all explains the low number.
Anonymous
04/12/2021 18:10
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Anonymous wrote:I must be missing something, but why is AP the end all be all? Many people might not want to take a class so focused on a single text and a curriculum that teaches to the test. It sounds awful not to have other choices.
As several PP teachers noted in this thread, there are many ways to teach an AP class (same with IB, in fact). Ask anyone who tutors students from more than one school in the same AP classes: they are not using identical course descriptions or teaching methods. Some schools may "teach to the test" and you might as well just buy the Princeton Review, but that is a pretty rare (and lazy) approach.
Anonymous
04/12/2021 17:07
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Wondering what folks think about this decision and will it impact what your junior decides to take?
If you think it means that they are going to somehow "dumb down" the class in ways that seem to perturb the wealthy parents of the neighborhood - remember that APs are a set curriculum. It's a good thing they are trying to make it more accessible. Nothing really to see here.
Isn't the majority of Wilson filled with students coming from wealthy white families with resources? Everyone in NW seems to have gifted kids. Why would anything need to be dumbed down. 95% of the student body should be able to fulfill honors/AP requirements easily.
https://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Woodrow+Wilson+High+School
(2019 - 2020) 39% white
(2018 - 2019) 32% met/exceeded expectations in math
(2018 - 2019) 38% met/exceeded expectations in english language arts
A HUGE number of kids boycotted PARCC in 2019...
Same poster. How in the heck are only 3% of students exceeding expectations in maths?
because there are a lot of students at Wilson who get to HS significantly behind in math and cannot do work at grade level. there are a bunch of kids who are not at grade level in English. the school should work to bring these students at grade level so they can do well. instead, they will be thrown into an AP class requiring extensive reading and writing assignments and be told to swim.
But 39% of Wilson is white, and most white people in DC come from well resourced families who can provide. How can only 3% of the student body be exceeding expectations in math?
First, the Wilson Boundary is huge, and, in addition, 32% of the students live outside of its boundary, so your guess about who goes there, while irrelevant, is also wrong. Second, those numbers do not capture all students. In addition to the PARCC boycott PP noted, the most advanced math kids don't take the math PARCC in HS (only Alg. I, Alg. II and Geometry, so if taken in MS, no test in HS); there was some confusion and a lot of mess ups in who and whether math PARCC would be taken so essentially you can't read anything into the PARCC math from those years. Many kids took no test, some kids unexpectedly sat for a test for a class they had taken years earlier, with no time to review and prep, and so on. I recall that it was a big mess, which is another reason why some kids just skipped it (plus the AP tests were at the same time so taking the PARCC meant missing critical AP review).
Anonymous
04/12/2021 16:17
Subject: Re:Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Anonymous wrote:I think this policy should have been more broad- so say that all juniors must take at least two AP classes. Then kids can choose classes in their strong subject areas or interests. A student is more likely to succeed in a challenging class if they have interest in the subject matter. That policy ensures all students are taking AP classes but gives some choice. And a bunch of kids might choose AP Physics or Bio over AP US History which is a TON of reading. This would meet the needs of more students.
I think this is the best argument. That to graduate a student must have taken 2 AP classes.
The argument that any student can sign up for AP classes without permission is weak. How many kids are playing small? This encourages them to push higher.
Also, to the PP who posted white demographics and proficiency. I know many white kids, mainly boys because that's who I know, who are struggling there. White ≠ proficient.
Anonymous
04/12/2021 11:56
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Anonymous wrote:I must be missing something, but why is AP the end all be all? Many people might not want to take a class so focused on a single text and a curriculum that teaches to the test. It sounds awful not to have other choices.
Because DCPS has useless and boring curriculums for regular and honors classes
Anonymous
04/11/2021 23:50
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Pushing AP in a 4x4 schedule does seem like a lot.
Anonymous
04/11/2021 23:40
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
I must be missing something, but why is AP the end all be all? Many people might not want to take a class so focused on a single text and a curriculum that teaches to the test. It sounds awful not to have other choices.
Anonymous
04/11/2021 23:35
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Anonymous wrote:I think the decision was centered on the disadvantaged students.
humm, no. students who are behind, are not good readers or writers will be pushed to AP classes requiring extensive reading and writing, even more pronounced in fast paced 4X4 schedule. they will struggle and fail. if a student is below grade in English the solution is not putting the student in an AP class.
the decision was centered on the school, not on the kids. they are dismantling this racist and patriarchal society, everybody is now an AP student at Wilson, best school in the area. who cares about the kids
Anonymous
04/11/2021 08:34
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The WAPOs challenge index devised by Jay Mathews awards points based on the number of ap tests taken not receiving a 3 on those tests. Pushing every student into ap is a joke.
Will the index be changed to reflect, or actually deflect, that schools are cheating by pushing all students into APs?
It hasn’t been changed thus far so why would he change it now? Although I think (or at least I hope) most people who know the criteria for this ranking realize it’s total nonsense.
Anonymous
04/11/2021 07:06
Subject: Universal AP English & History at Wilson next year for 11th grade
Anonymous wrote:The WAPOs challenge index devised by Jay Mathews awards points based on the number of ap tests taken not receiving a 3 on those tests. Pushing every student into ap is a joke.
Will the index be changed to reflect, or actually deflect, that schools are cheating by pushing all students into APs?