But no, we can’t use any solid program because — again — we’ve got too many ability levels in a single classroom. So they stick them on shtty IXL instead.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So… upon review of VA’s math standards (elementary anyway), it’s pretty obvious that they just… aren’t that rigorous.

Purchase ANY decent math curriculum and consistently use it. Many of them surpass VA’s standards!

Then complain to the state. Get VA to align to common core. This isn’t an APS issue.

Huh? No need to complain to the state when many math programs DO cover (and exceed!) current standards. APS just needs to pick one and teachers need to actually use it.

Envision is crap, but there are many good options.

Anonymous wrote:So… upon review of VA’s math standards (elementary anyway), it’s pretty obvious that they just… aren’t that rigorous.

Purchase ANY decent math curriculum and consistently use it. Many of them surpass VA’s standards!

Then complain to the state. Get VA to align to common core. This isn’t an APS issue.

So… upon review of VA’s math standards (elementary anyway), it’s pretty obvious that they just… aren’t that rigorous.

Purchase ANY decent math curriculum and consistently use it. Many of them surpass VA’s standards!

I don't know whether that curriculum is any good, but you also need to consider APS' budget timeline and process. APS generally adopts a new curriculum every 5-7 years, or at least they are supposed to. Sometimes they don't because of budget restraints.

Virginia adopted new standards in 2023, affecting curriculum for 2024-25. Virginia did this without regard for when and whether individual school districts already had purchased curriculum going beyond that school year.

There are plenty of things I think APS can and should do differently, but it helps nobody to blame APS for things beyond their control, like the standards set by Virginia state government and whether any curriculum available (let alone a good curriculum) aligns with those standards.

Contact the APS math department and the school board. Ask when APS is due for a new math curriculum. If it isn't soon, ask why not given the new VA standards. Ask what APS has done to align with VA standards. Ask what APS needs to get a better curriculum. is it for the board to prioritize this in the budget? Is it for parents to contact APS? Ask how you can contribute to the process of finding an excellent math curriculum.

Anonymous wrote:It is APS fault that they chose envision knowing it doesn’t align to SOLs and then not aligning our curriculum to at least the general order it follows. It renders the program completely unusable on the whole and is a massive waste. There are programs aligned to the SOLs such as FCPS uses.

Read the prior posts, no curriculum aligns to state standards. Complain to your guy Youngkin, the one with his own kids in private.

It is APS fault that they chose envision knowing it doesn’t align to SOLs and then not aligning our curriculum to at least the general order it follows. It renders the program completely unusable on the whole and is a massive waste. There are programs aligned to the SOLs such as FCPS uses.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fifteen pages of fighting and DCUM can't even agree that APS absolutely needs to purchase a quality evidence-based math curriculum instead of having teachers cobble together random materials from unvetted websites and with lots of gaps.

Here's to another 10 years of purchasing the Envision workbooks that go unused and are just recycled.

APS has a math curriculum. If you don’t like it, attend the vendor fair next time and give input. If I understand correctly, a problem with any curriculum is that Virginia’s standards don’t match Common Core so there aren’t a lot (maybe aren’t any) curriculum developed just for Virginia’s unique standards. That isn’t an APS problem, that is a Richmond problem. Contact your elected representatives.

No there isn't. I recycle a stack of unused Envision books each year. Meanwhile my kids are sent to watch random YouYube math videos and to do worksheet from free Internet sites.

Anonymous wrote:Fifteen pages of fighting and DCUM can't even agree that APS absolutely needs to purchase a quality evidence-based math curriculum instead of having teachers cobble together random materials from unvetted websites and with lots of gaps.

Here's to another 10 years of purchasing the Envision workbooks that go unused and are just recycled.

APS has a math curriculum. If you don’t like it, attend the vendor fair next time and give input. If I understand correctly, a problem with any curriculum is that Virginia’s standards don’t match Common Core so there aren’t a lot (maybe aren’t any) curriculum developed just for Virginia’s unique standards. That isn’t an APS problem, that is a Richmond problem. Contact your elected representatives.

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Anonymous wrote:Then what happens when your student is put in special ed setting but starts to fall behind due to slower pacing. Are you okay with that? When is that time going to be made up?

PP suggested increased funding and resources for higher-need classrooms. Smaller class sizes, more tutoring, summer school, etc.

But the fact remains, slow forward progress is better than no progress at all. It certainly beats sitting in a classroom and having to move on to the next topic despite not understanding the material that’s already been presented.

Increased funding and resources from where?

You’re very combative for someone who has no ideas of their own!


I know you think I’m MAGA, but you’re wrong. I’ve always supported fully funded schools. In addition to increased government funding, we can shift things around in our budget. Slash certain central office positions to start. I’d also — gasp — get rid of option programs if I could. Completely eliminate Montessori, Spanish immersion, HB, and whatever Campbell is. Keep Arlington Tech for the trade school route (because there is no shame in trade work!), but eliminate the fluff programs they’ve added (Vet, PT… these aren’t real programs unless you go to an actual college). Get rid of ATS but use their model at all of our elementary schools.

We would find a ton of money just by shifting things around.

Take a breath PP.
How is it combative to ask a question?

Outside of bussing eliminating option schools doesn’t save money. Dropping IB would likely save more money

Options are actually more efficient because every seat in every classroom is used. Unlike neighborhood schools where capacity utilization is much harder.

No

Especially for elementary, every school should follow the ATS model. It’s the only one that produces good results regardless of income level.

And doing it everywhere minimizes bussing.

They can’t, because parental participation is necessary for the ATS model and not all parents want that.

While I agree that it won’t produce successful outcomes for EVERY student, using the ATS model in all schools makes the most sense. Especially when used in classrooms grouped by ability, it will benefit more kids than any other method.

Ability grouping is very unlikely to happen in Arlington.

Then educational outcomes will continue to worsen. Yay Arlington.

Maybe but only because the kids on grade level and slightly ahead of grade level will get more attention from teachers and their scores and grades will improve. The kids who are behind might even get smaller classes and more attention and they might improve. Or they might not but it's not like things are going to get better with the classroom set up the way it is now.

Kids who are 2-3 grades behind are not going to do worse if they are in a different class. The kids who are on track might do better. Why are we holding them back?

I love how all the people who want to group by ability are confident their kids will be in the high ability group. If you want this model, consider moving to Fairfax.

Go back and read. One parent is frustrated her kids keep getting further behind in Gen Ed.

News flash - that is NOT going to get better if they are not in gen ed. Without the same standards, they will just fall further and further behind.

Some material must be mastered before moving forward.

Anonymous wrote:Fifteen pages of fighting and DCUM can't even agree that APS absolutely needs to purchase a quality evidence-based math curriculum instead of having teachers cobble together random materials from unvetted websites and with lots of gaps.

Here's to another 10 years of purchasing the Envision workbooks that go unused and are just recycled.

I didn't see any disagreement about this. I did see people pointing out that a new math curriculum is just one thing and is not going to get all kids/schools up to meeting these new state metrics.

Anonymous wrote:Fifteen pages of fighting and DCUM can't even agree that APS absolutely needs to purchase a quality evidence-based math curriculum instead of having teachers cobble together random materials from unvetted websites and with lots of gaps.

Here's to another 10 years of purchasing the Envision workbooks that go unused and are just recycled.

Amen.
-APS teacher

Fifteen pages of fighting and DCUM can't even agree that APS absolutely needs to purchase a quality evidence-based math curriculum instead of having teachers cobble together random materials from unvetted websites and with lots of gaps.

Here's to another 10 years of purchasing the Envision workbooks that go unused and are just recycled.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then what happens when your student is put in special ed setting but starts to fall behind due to slower pacing. Are you okay with that? When is that time going to be made up?

PP suggested increased funding and resources for higher-need classrooms. Smaller class sizes, more tutoring, summer school, etc.

But the fact remains, slow forward progress is better than no progress at all. It certainly beats sitting in a classroom and having to move on to the next topic despite not understanding the material that’s already been presented.

Increased funding and resources from where?

You’re very combative for someone who has no ideas of their own!


I know you think I’m MAGA, but you’re wrong. I’ve always supported fully funded schools. In addition to increased government funding, we can shift things around in our budget. Slash certain central office positions to start. I’d also — gasp — get rid of option programs if I could. Completely eliminate Montessori, Spanish immersion, HB, and whatever Campbell is. Keep Arlington Tech for the trade school route (because there is no shame in trade work!), but eliminate the fluff programs they’ve added (Vet, PT… these aren’t real programs unless you go to an actual college). Get rid of ATS but use their model at all of our elementary schools.

We would find a ton of money just by shifting things around.

Take a breath PP.
How is it combative to ask a question?

Outside of bussing eliminating option schools doesn’t save money. Dropping IB would likely save more money

Options are actually more efficient because every seat in every classroom is used. Unlike neighborhood schools where capacity utilization is much harder.

No

Especially for elementary, every school should follow the ATS model. It’s the only one that produces good results regardless of income level.

And doing it everywhere minimizes bussing.

They can’t, because parental participation is necessary for the ATS model and not all parents want that.

While I agree that it won’t produce successful outcomes for EVERY student, using the ATS model in all schools makes the most sense. Especially when used in classrooms grouped by ability, it will benefit more kids than any other method.

Ability grouping is very unlikely to happen in Arlington.

Then educational outcomes will continue to worsen. Yay Arlington.

Maybe but only because the kids on grade level and slightly ahead of grade level will get more attention from teachers and their scores and grades will improve. The kids who are behind might even get smaller classes and more attention and they might improve. Or they might not but it's not like things are going to get better with the classroom set up the way it is now.

Kids who are 2-3 grades behind are not going to do worse if they are in a different class. The kids who are on track might do better. Why are we holding them back?

I love how all the people who want to group by ability are confident their kids will be in the high ability group. If you want this model, consider moving to Fairfax.

Go back and read. One parent is frustrated her kids keep getting further behind in Gen Ed.

News flash - that is NOT going to get better if they are not in gen ed. Without the same standards, they will just fall further and further behind.