The more I learn about the decision making on this at Wilson the more frustrated I am. If students are voicing a concern that they do not feel safe in classes, the first response should be to look at the teaching staff. It is the teacher’s obligation to ensure that all students feel safe in their classrooms. If that is not happening at any level - grade level or AP - the administration should be taking a hard core look at how it is evaluating its teachers. What kind of discussions are the teachers having in class? How are they handling differences of opinion? How are they assigning students to small group work? What kind of feedback are they giving students? Is that feedback racially biased? The knee jerk reaction should not be “lets solve this problem by forcing all students to take this class.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The MAP student views this as purely a race problem and an inequities-in-schools problem. If she were correct, putting everyone in the same classes would solve the inequities.

But the real problem is about socioeconomics. The kids with highly-educated parents have been benefitting educationally from that since birth. You can’t solve that at the high-school level just by putting everyone in the same classes.

Are you talking about this quote?

I don’t want them to just say ‘no’ to one solution and not do anything about the problem. I want something to be done to address the actual issue: inequalities within schools and across the District.

If so, I’m not sure you’ve diagnosed her concern correctly, especially given this near the end of the article:

When conducting a survey from a large number of students, Burgoyne says that they received “overwhelming anecdotal evidence that students were not signing up for AP classes because they did not feel safe in those classes.”

Did the survey also ask students if they would feel safe if they were forced to sign up for AP classes? It’s an honest question because kids might not feel safe regardless.

Anonymous wrote:The MAP student views this as purely a race problem and an inequities-in-schools problem. If she were correct, putting everyone in the same classes would solve the inequities.

But the real problem is about socioeconomics. The kids with highly-educated parents have been benefitting educationally from that since birth. You can’t solve that at the high-school level just by putting everyone in the same classes.

Are you talking about this quote?

I don’t want them to just say ‘no’ to one solution and not do anything about the problem. I want something to be done to address the actual issue: inequalities within schools and across the District.

If so, I’m not sure you’ve diagnosed her concern correctly, especially given this near the end of the article:

When conducting a survey from a large number of students, Burgoyne says that they received “overwhelming anecdotal evidence that students were not signing up for AP classes because they did not feel safe in those classes.”

The MAP student views this as purely a race problem and an inequities-in-schools problem. If she were correct, putting everyone in the same classes would solve the inequities.

But the real problem is about socioeconomics. The kids with highly-educated parents have been benefitting educationally from that since birth. You can’t solve that at the high-school level just by putting everyone in the same classes.

Anonymous wrote:AP for all isn't happening because DCPS rejected it. Wilson Beacon story:
https://thewilsonbeacon.com/18364/news/wilson-rejects-ap-for-all-initiative/

Rarely do I thank central office for making a good decision, but here they brought a little bit of sanity to the situation.

I totally agree with Dr. Bey. If you want to take both courses, great. They are VERY heavy in reading and writing and it is inappropriate for that Wilson teacher quoted in the article to assign the same work to both US History and APUSH. They should not be the same courses. And not taking those classes does not mean your coursework isn’t rigorous. There are lots of kids focused on STEM who take AP Physics and AP Calculus junior year. To add on APUSH and AP Lang is a lot.

AP for all isn't happening because DCPS rejected it. Wilson Beacon story:
https://thewilsonbeacon.com/18364/news/wilson-rejects-ap-for-all-initiative/

Rarely do I thank central office for making a good decision, but here they brought a little bit of sanity to the situation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the kids all registered for classes before the AP announcement was originally made...so (presumably) if they didn't opt in for those AP classes to begin with they will not be assigned to them.

Ok so it might not be happening next year because of logistics above. That doesn’t mean the school is not going to implement it the following year.

Unless there is the official word from the school that they are scrapping it, it’s going to happen. I mean as someone said, it’s a progression of honors for all in 9th, then happened to 10th, and now AP for all in 11th.

This is not why AP for all won’t happen this year. PP was simply saying that if they don’t pull the trigger next school year that administrators will know what the students’ preferences were and can place them accordingly. If they want to do it, they can just override the requests and schedule all juniors for AP English and History (which I imagine is much easier for scheduling purposes).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's no such thing as a set curriculum for AP and grades mean nothing in American high schools. You can call the class anything you'd like but that's the truth.

I have experience with both public and private schools in DC.

My DC's work in 7th grade at a private in pre-algebra was equivalent to 11th/12th grade Algebra in public. Sorry those are the facts.

so a private school class in 7th is equivalent to a remedial math class in public (that's what it is if it's Algebra for seniors)- strange thing to be proud of

Just for another take on this: we left private school because the math and science was not rigorous. Found the public schools to be much better, and have more opportunities for acceleration.

Anonymous wrote:I think the kids all registered for classes before the AP announcement was originally made...so (presumably) if they didn't opt in for those AP classes to begin with they will not be assigned to them.

Ok so it might not be happening next year because of logistics above. That doesn’t mean the school is not going to implement it the following year.

Unless there is the official word from the school that they are scrapping it, it’s going to happen. I mean as someone said, it’s a progression of honors for all in 9th, then happened to 10th, and now AP for all in 11th.

I think the kids all registered for classes before the AP announcement was originally made...so (presumably) if they didn't opt in for those AP classes to begin with they will not be assigned to them.

But is the default to register in AP? Have they explained whether you have to opt out?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wilson is consistent, first making it Honors for All for 9th, then 10th, and now 11th. By next year, the conversion will be complete.

I had really wanted my kids to be able to go there; I didn’t think we’d ever move out of DC. But clearly the Principal is attacking perceived inequity with a blunt tool, solving one problem by shifting the burden to others. This sucks.

+1 Wilson used to provide a challenging curriculum for those who want it, but still had another curriculum for those who needed a slower pace. Not anymore.

Not true...see other folk's comment on this. AP and non-AP classes will still be available. A few kids who wanted to be in AP but weren't recommended will now be allowed to take it. All of you need to chill out.

15;:15 from today and wish I would've read more before posting. This sounds great and seems like a kid striving for a more challenging class should be encouraged.

Others people’s comments are one thing but has the school officially said they are not putting all kids in AP?

Several people's kids have been told they do not have to take these AP classes next year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wilson is consistent, first making it Honors for All for 9th, then 10th, and now 11th. By next year, the conversion will be complete.

I had really wanted my kids to be able to go there; I didn’t think we’d ever move out of DC. But clearly the Principal is attacking perceived inequity with a blunt tool, solving one problem by shifting the burden to others. This sucks.

+1 Wilson used to provide a challenging curriculum for those who want it, but still had another curriculum for those who needed a slower pace. Not anymore.

Not true...see other folk's comment on this. AP and non-AP classes will still be available. A few kids who wanted to be in AP but weren't recommended will now be allowed to take it. All of you need to chill out.

15;:15 from today and wish I would've read more before posting. This sounds great and seems like a kid striving for a more challenging class should be encouraged.

Others people’s comments are one thing but has the school officially said they are not putting all kids in AP?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wilson is consistent, first making it Honors for All for 9th, then 10th, and now 11th. By next year, the conversion will be complete.

I had really wanted my kids to be able to go there; I didn’t think we’d ever move out of DC. But clearly the Principal is attacking perceived inequity with a blunt tool, solving one problem by shifting the burden to others. This sucks.

+1 Wilson used to provide a challenging curriculum for those who want it, but still had another curriculum for those who needed a slower pace. Not anymore.

Not true...see other folk's comment on this. AP and non-AP classes will still be available. A few kids who wanted to be in AP but weren't recommended will now be allowed to take it. All of you need to chill out.

15;:15 from today and wish I would've read more before posting. This sounds great and seems like a kid striving for a more challenging class should be encouraged.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wilson is consistent, first making it Honors for All for 9th, then 10th, and now 11th. By next year, the conversion will be complete.

I had really wanted my kids to be able to go there; I didn’t think we’d ever move out of DC. But clearly the Principal is attacking perceived inequity with a blunt tool, solving one problem by shifting the burden to others. This sucks.

+1 Wilson used to provide a challenging curriculum for those who want it, but still had another curriculum for those who needed a slower pace. Not anymore.

Interesting. Even some independent schools offer multiple tracts. My older DC was enrolled in the equivalent of honors maths and science and the younger in the on level equivlaents. There were also more elementary maths and science classes for those who needed them. No APs at their school and no honors in English and History.