Anonymous wrote:If Lee, Mount Vernon, and Annandale were the only high schools in FCPS, people would bash FCPS on a daily basis like they bash ACPS. But, of course, there's also rich and lily-white Langley & McLean high schools to keep people warm and fuzzy. Keep up the good work, FCPS!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

These numbers may not help things,

Ya think?

but the notion that ACPS's failings are entirely/mostly because of its student body makeup is ridiculous.

I think 80% of the problem being demographics is reasonable. 20% mismanagement?

If the working environment was such that they could attract AND RETAIN talented educators, it wouldn't matter if they were 50% ELL and 100% Free/reduced lunch. The one advantage ACPS had was that its pay was so much higher than FCPS, but that gap has narrowed considerably, so now there's no true incentive for a talented teacher to stay and deal with the backwards fustercluck that is ACPS (The above post calling it a banana republic was spot on).

My sense is that the experience of just about every other jurisdiction in the country, certainly all in this region, suggests that is not not the case.

Funny- there's an administrator at TC who openly wants to MAGA who also seems to think that the only challenge TC faces is the proliferation of ELL students. So I guess if we Build The Wall, ACPS will flourish!

Anonymous wrote:

These numbers may not help things,

Ya think?

but the notion that ACPS's failings are entirely/mostly because of its student body makeup is ridiculous.

I think 80% of the problem being demographics is reasonable. 20% mismanagement?

If the working environment was such that they could attract AND RETAIN talented educators, it wouldn't matter if they were 50% ELL and 100% Free/reduced lunch. The one advantage ACPS had was that its pay was so much higher than FCPS, but that gap has narrowed considerably, so now there's no true incentive for a talented teacher to stay and deal with the backwards fustercluck that is ACPS (The above post calling it a banana republic was spot on).

My sense is that the experience of just about every other jurisdiction in the country, certainly all in this region, suggests that is not not the case.

These numbers may not help things,

but the notion that ACPS's failings are entirely/mostly because of its student body makeup is ridiculous.

If the working environment was such that they could attract AND RETAIN talented educators, it wouldn't matter if they were 50% ELL and 100% Free/reduced lunch. The one advantage ACPS had was that its pay was so much higher than FCPS, but that gap has narrowed considerably, so now there's no true incentive for a talented teacher to stay and deal with the backwards fustercluck that is ACPS (The above post calling it a banana republic was spot on).

We probably already have that info by looking at SOL pass rates broken down by subgroup.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was just told of another quality veteran teacher who was run off by TC administration because of petty power tripping. This teacher was fantastic and will be probably be better off wherever they end up but it's a big loss for TC. This crap happens ALL. THE. TIME. here and it's ridiculous. I see a lot of talk here about "dumbing down" curriculum and non-native speakers and such but lack of achievement in ACPS in general and TC specifically is down to the people in charge. Arlington and Fairfax aren't any less diverse yet they seem to do a pretty good job educating everyone. The difference is that they're not overrun with administrative hangers-on who are allowed to run schools and departments like a banana republic with no consequences.

I don't know if this ultimately is down to school board or superintendent or a little or each but until someone cleans house TC is going to struggle, regardless of student body makeup.

Here is actual data on FARMs, ESOL, AA and hispanic percentages. I would say it shows the challlenges ACPS faces.

Student body demographics

% African American

Alexandria - 27%
Arlington - 10%
Fairfax - 10%

%Hispanic

Alexandria - 36%
Arlington - 28%
Fairfax - 25%

FARMS

Alexandria - 63%
Arlington - 31%
Fairfax - 29%

ESOL
Alexandria - 30%
Arlington - 19%
Fairfax - 29%

Anonymous wrote:

Dramatically simplify the 4-scale, 24 step pay system for teachers, which extends top pay so far out that teachers never see it. The scale is a fraud. No step above 12 is even budgeted for the average position, 13 for special ed.

Quit the new building projects - all of them except for the ones that are almost finished. First, maintain and build out existing facilities. At least four schools are condemnation-level right now and the school board has known it for ears. Why weren’t there summer construction bids taken in the most critical work?

For performance measurement, look at TC and find out where the failing students are coming from. Quit the constant measurement in elementaries and middles. Pay attention to those elementaries whose graduates are flunking at TC. That’s where the weakness starts.

Right now, today, declare a 20% cut in the total number of CO personnel. Require consolidations of positions and elimination of multi-layer reporting structures. Implement by September 30. If a job is not necessary but the person is useful, transfer the person. The CO never educated anybody.

Eliminate the school board salary and go to an expenses-only system for all members.

As someone working in ACPS at the boots-on-the-ground level, I don't see instructional recommendations from you that would significantly improve our educational results. All I see is "pay attention to those elementaries whose graduates are flunking at TC." I like that idea, but I want specifics. I'm happy to rally support for ideas that will work. What are your ideas? What should a new board do?

Anonymous wrote:I was just told of another quality veteran teacher who was run off by TC administration because of petty power tripping. This teacher was fantastic and will be probably be better off wherever they end up but it's a big loss for TC. This crap happens ALL. THE. TIME. here and it's ridiculous. I see a lot of talk here about "dumbing down" curriculum and non-native speakers and such but lack of achievement in ACPS in general and TC specifically is down to the people in charge. Arlington and Fairfax aren't any less diverse yet they seem to do a pretty good job educating everyone. The difference is that they're not overrun with administrative hangers-on who are allowed to run schools and departments like a banana republic with no consequences.

I don't know if this ultimately is down to school board or superintendent or a little or each but until someone cleans house TC is going to struggle, regardless of student body makeup.

Anonymous wrote:I was just told of another quality veteran teacher who was run off by TC administration because of petty power tripping. This teacher was fantastic and will be probably be better off wherever they end up but it's a big loss for TC. This crap happens ALL. THE. TIME. here and it's ridiculous. I see a lot of talk here about "dumbing down" curriculum and non-native speakers and such but lack of achievement in ACPS in general and TC specifically is down to the people in charge. Arlington and Fairfax aren't any less diverse yet they seem to do a pretty good job educating everyone. The difference is that they're not overrun with administrative hangers-on who are allowed to run schools and departments like a banana republic with no consequences.

I don't know if this ultimately is down to school board or superintendent or a little or each but until someone cleans house TC is going to struggle, regardless of student body makeup.