Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s her qualifications?

She has never been an educator and has no degrees in education. She is a consultant who makes money off of schools. She wants more testing because she’s all about “data.” She lives in Minnesota. She is a charter school advocate.

Arid Qarni was horrible! But Youngkin made a really badly pick.

She has degrees in public policy and government, and has worked in the education field for decades, but I guess you can pretend she’d be far more qualified to lead a state-wide department if she had a degree in elementary education from Longwood. And she sent her own kids to FCPS before moving to Minnesota.

You people are so partisan and afraid that anyone will ever challenge people to do things differently or better. The fact that you’re attacking her so viciously before she even takes office is precisely why others welcome her appointment.

Oh, well how very nice and clever for you. But, the point stands. She's not an educator. Never has been. She has little control over local school board issues. And she's not really "challenging anyone to do things better or different", she's here to cater to the parents afraid of diversity and telling a truthful accounting of history. Period.

She literally has not started yet, and you think you can definitely sum up either her experience or her tenure in advance.

Thanks for underscoring just what poor losers you are and how terribly frightened you are of anyone questioning your stranglehold on public education in the state. It’s not like you’ve been doing anything remotely close to a good job lately, so best to step back and let some new voices be heard for a change.

+100
It's laughable that someone supporting the current clowns in office would dare to criticize an incoming elected official. ANYONE has got to be better than what we've been dealing with.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s her qualifications?

She has never been an educator and has no degrees in education. She is a consultant who makes money off of schools. She wants more testing because she’s all about “data.” She lives in Minnesota. She is a charter school advocate.

Arid Qarni was horrible! But Youngkin made a really badly pick.

She has degrees in public policy and government, and has worked in the education field for decades, but I guess you can pretend she’d be far more qualified to lead a state-wide department if she had a degree in elementary education from Longwood. And she sent her own kids to FCPS before moving to Minnesota.

You people are so partisan and afraid that anyone will ever challenge people to do things differently or better. The fact that you’re attacking her so viciously before she even takes office is precisely why others welcome her appointment.

Oh, well how very nice and clever for you. But, the point stands. She's not an educator. Never has been. She has little control over local school board issues. And she's not really "challenging anyone to do things better or different", she's here to cater to the parents afraid of diversity and telling a truthful accounting of history. Period.

DP. The chip on your shoulder must be visible from space. No one is "afraid of diversity and telling a truthful accounting of history." We are, however, ready to focus on actual education and not the social justice movement du jour. You lost. Deal with it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s her qualifications?

She has never been an educator and has no degrees in education. She is a consultant who makes money off of schools. She wants more testing because she’s all about “data.” She lives in Minnesota. She is a charter school advocate.

Arid Qarni was horrible! But Youngkin made a really badly pick.

She has degrees in public policy and government, and has worked in the education field for decades, but I guess you can pretend she’d be far more qualified to lead a state-wide department if she had a degree in elementary education from Longwood. And she sent her own kids to FCPS before moving to Minnesota.

You people are so partisan and afraid that anyone will ever challenge people to do things differently or better. The fact that you’re attacking her so viciously before she even takes office is precisely why others welcome her appointment.

Exactly this. She is an incredibly accomplished expert in the field of education. If a Democrat had selected her, liberals would be salivating.

Anonymous wrote:I think Youngkin is an awful human being but I hope this Sec of Ed cleans house at VDOE.

But my hopes are low- FCPS has done all sorts of things that VDOE should stop (fighting parents who try to get their kids services, terrible readng curriculum, falsifying reading test results, etc...) but VDOE doesn't do their job either.

OP here, and ending VDOE enabling of bad behavior by FCPS would be high on my wishlist.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s her qualifications?

She's never been a teacher - just a policy maker and data cruncher, which makes her the obvious pick. Wouldn't want anyone with any actual understanding of how anything really works in the classroom. Last sec of ed under republicans was just like her, which is how we teachers ended up with "accountability" policies that were so nonsensical they literally made children and teachers cry.

She's VA's Betsy DeVos.

And the answer to OP is this: she'll issue abstract goals and statements that placate the types that are currently filing for recalls and complaining about schools being renamed and clutching their pearls over theories that are not being taught in schools. On a day-to-day basis, she'll have no effect whatsoever on FCPS. At least in any way that y'all are expecting. As others pointed out, the decisions you all are complaining about happened locally (and although YOU may not have supported the decisions made, lots of people did).

So, enjoy watching . . . . nothing.

She controls VMPI and state level implementation of the literacy law, if it passes this year. I care about those.
-OP

+100
She will oversee the VA Dept of Education. Enough said.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s her qualifications?

She's never been a teacher - just a policy maker and data cruncher, which makes her the obvious pick. Wouldn't want anyone with any actual understanding of how anything really works in the classroom. Last sec of ed under republicans was just like her, which is how we teachers ended up with "accountability" policies that were so nonsensical they literally made children and teachers cry.

She's VA's Betsy DeVos.

And the answer to OP is this: she'll issue abstract goals and statements that placate the types that are currently filing for recalls and complaining about schools being renamed and clutching their pearls over theories that are not being taught in schools. On a day-to-day basis, she'll have no effect whatsoever on FCPS. At least in any way that y'all are expecting. As others pointed out, the decisions you all are complaining about happened locally (and although YOU may not have supported the decisions made, lots of people did).

So, enjoy watching . . . . nothing.

You want some "abstract goals and statements that placate the types" currently braying about "equity" rather than education? Here ya go:

"Teaching Tolerance’s Social Justice Standards are a set of anchor standards and age-appropriate learning outcomes divided into four domains—identity, diversity, justice and action (IDJA).

The standards recognize that, in today’s diverse classrooms, students need knowledge and skills related to both prejudice reduction and collective action."

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/BTFRCZ6CA62E/$file/Final%20Anti-Racism%20Anti-Bias%20Curriculum%20Work%20Session%20Sept%2014%202020.pdf

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s her qualifications?

She has never been an educator and has no degrees in education. She is a consultant who makes money off of schools. She wants more testing because she’s all about “data.” She lives in Minnesota. She is a charter school advocate.

Arid Qarni was horrible! But Youngkin made a really badly pick.

This is one of the silliest posts I've ever read. Guidera has been in educational policy from the beginning of her career - she is a noted expert in the field and has spent most of her life and career in the DC area. Which you probably know but refuse to admit. Yawn. Sour grapes are so dull.

Aimee Rogstad Guidera is the former President and CEO of the Data Quality Campaign (DQC), a national, nonprofit organization leading the effort to empower educators, students, parents, and policymakers with the information they need to make the best decisions to improve student outcomes. Aimee believes that data have the power to transform education to ensure every child in this country is prepared for success in college and careers. Since it launched in 2005, the education and policy fields have come to rely on DQC’s research and landscape analyses as the only source of information that captures the “state of the states” on effective data use—first with the 10 Essential Elements of Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, and then with the 10 State Actions to Ensure Effective Data Use. Aimee continues to advocate for better access to and use of data so that educators, parents, and policymakers will have the insights they need to inform better decisions to support student achievement. A respected thought leader in education, Aimee was named one of TIME's 12 Education Activists of 2012. She has also been cited as an expert on education policy and the value of education data by publications such as Business Week, NPR, and Education Week. Aimee is a Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow and an alumna of the Institute for Educational Leadership’s Education Policy Fellowship Program. She serves on the board of directors of the Institute for Educational Leadership and the Friends of the Hennepin County (Minnesota) Library. Before founding DQC, Aimee served as the director of the Washington, DC, office of the National Center for Educational Achievement. She previously served as vice president of programs for the National Alliance of Business (NAB), worked in the education division of the National Governors Association’s Center for Best Practices, and taught for the Japanese Ministry of Education. Aimee received her bachelor's degree from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and earned a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Aimee and her husband, Bill, are the parents of two school-age daughters. She is an active supporter of her daughters’ public schools and has served as a classroom volunteer, parentteacher organization leader, and advisory committee member. Aimee believes that parents, students, and teachers need to be equally strong legs of the stool of academic success.

https://cepr.harvard.edu/people/aimee-rogstad-guidera

More assessment more tests and on and on

Anonymous wrote:How much influence can the Sec of Ed and Governor have when the changes that have been taking place in FCPS are a result of the OneFairfax policies implemented by the county?

VDOE is responsible for promulgating regulations as to accreditation, and can pull it. That's a lot of power.

Anonymous wrote:We’ll just end up with more assessments. Sounds great when you are a parent and not a teacher. But all of that data collection and testing ends up on the teacher and takes away from classroom instruction. And we’ll have charter schools. Which doesn’t actually improve anything. They kick out the behavior problems and kick them back to the neighborhood school. Just more taxpayer money in corporate pockets.

This. A thousand times this. Charters are not a solution. And as a parent, I hate all the testing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not happy with the direction of FCPS on several fronts but this pick, the rhetoric I read on DCUM, etc...just gives me pause. Where have all the sane people gone?
FYI-this article reminded me of lots of threads on DCUM

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/far-right-extremist-moms_n_61ba330de4b0456499dcc9bf

Dcum and fcps are just so far peft that anythimg moderate or even center left sends them into a panic. It is just so hard left on this site.

Pray tell where are these moderates and center left ideas?

We’ll just end up with more assessments. Sounds great when you are a parent and not a teacher. But all of that data collection and testing ends up on the teacher and takes away from classroom instruction. And we’ll have charter schools. Which doesn’t actually improve anything. They kick out the behavior problems and kick them back to the neighborhood school. Just more taxpayer money in corporate pockets.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s her qualifications?

She's never been a teacher - just a policy maker and data cruncher, which makes her the obvious pick. Wouldn't want anyone with any actual understanding of how anything really works in the classroom. Last sec of ed under republicans was just like her, which is how we teachers ended up with "accountability" policies that were so nonsensical they literally made children and teachers cry.

She's VA's Betsy DeVos.

And the answer to OP is this: she'll issue abstract goals and statements that placate the types that are currently filing for recalls and complaining about schools being renamed and clutching their pearls over theories that are not being taught in schools. On a day-to-day basis, she'll have no effect whatsoever on FCPS. At least in any way that y'all are expecting. As others pointed out, the decisions you all are complaining about happened locally (and although YOU may not have supported the decisions made, lots of people did).

So, enjoy watching . . . . nothing.

She controls VMPI and state level implementation of the literacy law, if it passes this year. I care about those.
-OP

Everyone cares about math and literacy curriculum, even the ones you disagree with. But there will be nothing earth-shattering for FCPS. FCPS kids who go on to college overwhelmingly are successful, in the sense of their ability to keep up with curriculum (math and "literacy"). Sure, there may be small tweaks here and there, IF this comes to pass. And that's a big if.

Otherwise, you'll see a lot of posturing and pandering. And little else.

I’m confident that very little will change.

I think Youngkin is an awful human being but I hope this Sec of Ed cleans house at VDOE.

But my hopes are low- FCPS has done all sorts of things that VDOE should stop (fighting parents who try to get their kids services, terrible readng curriculum, falsifying reading test results, etc...) but VDOE doesn't do their job either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I can tell you right now the biggest difference is charters can decide who enrolls and who doesn’t.

In most states with charter schools, the schools have to hold a lottery for admissions. They are not allowed to decide who enrolls and who doesn't.

Haha. Yes, but problem children can get kicked out easily.