Anonymous wrote:

In any school especially one that draws military there will be some mobility.

Are there many military kids at this school? Somehow, even with proximity to Belvoir, I doubt it.

Anonymous wrote:

In any school especially one that draws military there will be some mobility.

Are there many military kids at this school? Somehow, even with proximity to Belvoir, I doubt it.

In any school especially one that draws military there will be some mobility.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

In 3rd grade, very few failed the reading test. In 6th, almost half the class failed

This is where the mobility rate can come in. Did those sixth graders pass the test when they were in third grade? Were they even at the school then?

I don't think the mobility rate is a huge factor. This year it's showing one child increase in 6th grade. There could be more changes with someone dropping and someone adding, but the change isn't high. I'm noticing a lot of schools have low language arts pass rates, even ones that aren't title 1. Perhaps the standards have just been raised above what most bilingual children can handle or there just isn't enough emphasis on this subject within FCPS or this particular school. If FCPS can figure out how to teach to a low title one population school like this one, then they can probably have better success in the larger schools like Hybla Valley.

Do you understand what those numbers mean? The 24% mobility rate from a previous year means that 24% of the makeup of the student body changed throughout the year. That same year, according to the "Membership History" figures on the FCPS website shows a net increase of 6 kids. That means they had 6 kids more than they did at the beginning of the school year. That does not mean that only 6 kids changed during the school year. The mobility rate is twice as high as the FCPS average. It is indeed high. And is likely a factor. Based on the schools population, the mobility rate means that about 69 kids out of 290 total changed throughout the school year - that's an enormous change. And chances are, the kids moving in have not been coming from the high performing schools like those in McLean.

Just remember, FCPS doesn't want failing schools, so they spend more money and reduce the class sizes in schools that aren't meeting the standards as one tool. Stop and think about what would happen if they didn't and the schools fail and are taken over by the state. Is that what you want? For kids to be in schools that are performing at even lower standards? And for the teachers at these schools to have an even harder challenge than they do now?

If you can't think about the kids in these areas that have a tougher life than your kids do or the teachers who teach them, then maybe think of it another way: Wouldn't schools being taken over by the state hurt FCPS's reputation? And, in turn, wouldn't that hurt your kid's school's reputation, too?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't Greg Brandon try unsuccessfully to get one of the Democratic endorsements for an at-large seat last time? He's in Dranesville.

My sense of Epstein is that she always has to be the smartest person in the room. She does know the FCPS budget very well. She also knows all there is to know about AAP and then some. But, as this thread shows, some of her crowd have no political savvy. No one would be attacking the MCA if they'd just adopted a resolution that called for caps on class size and emphasized how big some of the classes are in McLean. Instead, they went the extra mile and called for minimum class sizes as well. By focusing on the "disparity" of class sizes and the "unfairness" of the current staffing formula, they diverted attention from whether some classes are too big, and invited a larger, open-ended debate on the most privileged and neediest groups in the county.

You are far too kind. It's not that Louise Epstein's crowd has "no political savvy." They believe this stuff. They believe they are the ones who are ignored and discriminated against. These are far right-wingers, and they have no tolerance for anyone who doesn't share their views. They are engaging in class warfare. They want to rile up the base. They know exactly what they're doing. Don't let them get away with it! Nobody with these kinds of views should be elected, and if she was she would have ZERO ability to get anything done. Classic political move: "These guys are idiots. They won't deliver for you. But I will." Please. I don't care who they run against Epstein -- just vote for the other guy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

In 3rd grade, very few failed the reading test. In 6th, almost half the class failed

This is where the mobility rate can come in. Did those sixth graders pass the test when they were in third grade? Were they even at the school then?

I don't think the mobility rate is a huge factor. This year it's showing one child increase in 6th grade. There could be more changes with someone dropping and someone adding, but the change isn't high. I'm noticing a lot of schools have low language arts pass rates, even ones that aren't title 1. Perhaps the standards have just been raised above what most bilingual children can handle or there just isn't enough emphasis on this subject within FCPS or this particular school. If FCPS can figure out how to teach to a low title one population school like this one, then they can probably have better success in the larger schools like Hybla Valley.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't Greg Brandon try unsuccessfully to get one of the Democratic endorsements for an at-large seat last time? He's in Dranesville.

My sense of Epstein is that she always has to be the smartest person in the room. She does know the FCPS budget very well. She also knows all there is to know about AAP and then some. But, as this thread shows, some of her crowd have no political savvy. No one would be attacking the MCA if they'd just adopted a resolution that called for caps on class size and emphasized how big some of the classes are in McLean. Instead, they went the extra mile and called for minimum class sizes as well. By focusing on the "disparity" of class sizes and the "unfairness" of the current staffing formula, they diverted attention from whether some classes are too big, and invited a larger, open-ended debate on the most privileged and neediest groups in the county.

You are far too kind. It's not that Louise Epstein's crowd has "no political savvy." They believe this stuff. They believe they are the ones who are ignored and discriminated against. These are far right-wingers, and they have no tolerance for anyone who doesn't share their views. They are engaging in class warfare. They want to rile up the base. They know exactly what they're doing. Don't let them get away with it! Nobody with these kinds of views should be elected, and if she was she would have ZERO ability to get anything done. Classic political move: "These guys are idiots. They won't deliver for you. But I will." Please. I don't care who they run against Epstein -- just vote for the other guy.

Anonymous wrote:Didn't Greg Brandon try unsuccessfully to get one of the Democratic endorsements for an at-large seat last time? He's in Dranesville.

My sense of Epstein is that she always has to be the smartest person in the room. She does know the FCPS budget very well. She also knows all there is to know about AAP and then some. But, as this thread shows, some of her crowd have no political savvy. No one would be attacking the MCA if they'd just adopted a resolution that called for caps on class size and emphasized how big some of the classes are in McLean. Instead, they went the extra mile and called for minimum class sizes as well. By focusing on the "disparity" of class sizes and the "unfairness" of the current staffing formula, they diverted attention from whether some classes are too big, and invited a larger, open-ended debate on the most privileged and neediest groups in the county.

Anonymous wrote:

In 3rd grade, very few failed the reading test. In 6th, almost half the class failed

This is where the mobility rate can come in. Did those sixth graders pass the test when they were in third grade? Were they even at the school then?

In 3rd grade, very few failed the reading test. In 6th, almost half the class failed

Anonymous wrote:

True, but the fact that the pool and the church, and the convent is in this neighborhood of mostly duplexes and single family homes gives the aura that it's relatively safe neighborhood. There are some areas of Fairfax where you look at 50 apartment buildings in a row and wonder how those buildings were ever all approved next to each other. This area isn't like that.

Look at the free and reduced lunch stats. Not good.

True, but the fact that the pool and the church, and the convent is in this neighborhood of mostly duplexes and single family homes gives the aura that it's relatively safe neighborhood. There are some areas of Fairfax where you look at 50 apartment buildings in a row and wonder how those buildings were ever all approved next to each other. This area isn't like that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Another reason: Most of you do not realize just how little language some kids can have. I'm talking about English speaking kids. That's the main problem with the achievement gap. Early Childhood development.


Some of us grew up as poor immigrants and got over these humps after several years. I can understand why a school like Hybla Valley is failing. How can it possible not be with so many transient families living in tight quarters and a school site basically filled up with trailers. But a small school with ample resources like Bucknell should have been able to achieve success. There is a catholic school right down the street that gets very good reviews with tuition for each child between $5000-$10,000. Why is one achieving success and the other failing with over triple the resources?

The kids start WAY behind. Even the English speaking kids. Also, Bucknell has a high mobility rate--transients in and out.

Weird. The area also has a pool next door that's in division 6 for NVSL this summer along with Mantua, Mosby Woods, and Greenbriar. Mostly white kids. I guess they swim well but don't know how to talk.