Anonymous wrote:
I'd question that assertion, given that W-L is over-crowded and Wakefield is under-capacity. Not redistricting when it would seem to be in the interests of both schools is close to perpetuating the segregration that has existed for many years.

My impression was that they are looking at redistricting, and that W-L is far from all high SES.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I believe this strongly about APS. I think it has strong schools in North Arlington, but if you compare South Arlington and Alexandria and they're about the same - high achieving kids in certain groups at South APS schools, but the majority are lower achieving kids. APS has a similar achievement gap as Alexandria, but since it is such a big district, it gets to segregate its kids because higher SES kids are all generally concentrated in the northern part of the district.

Except its not deliberately segregating its schools - its just that historic housing and transportation patterns have resulted in that. And there is certainly segregation among schools to some extent in ACPS, and in FCPS. Just somewhat less, and the lower performing schools are more geographically scattered.

I'd question that assertion, given that W-L is over-crowded and Wakefield is under-capacity. Not redistricting when it would seem to be in the interests of both schools is close to perpetuating the segregration that has existed for many years.

Anonymous wrote:
I believe this strongly about APS. I think it has strong schools in North Arlington, but if you compare South Arlington and Alexandria and they're about the same - high achieving kids in certain groups at South APS schools, but the majority are lower achieving kids. APS has a similar achievement gap as Alexandria, but since it is such a big district, it gets to segregate its kids because higher SES kids are all generally concentrated in the northern part of the district.

Except its not deliberately segregating its schools - its just that historic housing and transportation patterns have resulted in that. And there is certainly segregation among schools to some extent in ACPS, and in FCPS. Just somewhat less, and the lower performing schools are more geographically scattered.

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps some of the south arlington "bashing" is from current south arlington parents dismayed at the quality of resources and the focus of under performing south arlington schools. Perhaps it is parents whose kids are bored out of their mind because the teachers spend the whole day constantly trying to help the lower SES kids and the rest of the kids just sit there. Perhaps it is that resources to help the kids who are behind by far outnumber resources for kids who are not behind, but would certainly benefit from an additional push too. I am one of those parents and there are a lot of us. We would love to live in all the new development people talk about in south arlington, but many of those new places are not geared towards families, as most condos are not. The only development for families is low income housing.

People love to talk about how great APS is, but only half of the school district is great, the other half sucks. It is hard to believe it is the same school district. It reflects the segregation in arlington.

I am confused. You say you are currently a South Arlington parent, but also that you can't move to one of the new developments because they are condos? If you already livei in S Arlington, why would you want to move to get there?

BTW, the "low income housing" at the Shell and at Arlington Mill is all apartments - no more geared toward families than condos - though I would not one of the new market project is townhomes, and most of the new housing on Columbia Pike is rental apartments, not condos.

As for the problem of bored kids sitting next to low SES kids, thats just the reality of any place with a lot of low income people. Its an issue in DC and City of Alexandria. To the extent its not as big an issue in the parts of Fairfax with high low income concentrations, its because they have expanded AAP to the point where a high percent of high SES kids can get into it. Whether that is a good strategy for APS versus their current approach is debatable. But I think it does not justify the kind of bashing found here.

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps some of the south arlington "bashing" is from current south arlington parents dismayed at the quality of resources and the focus of under performing south arlington schools. Perhaps it is parents whose kids are bored out of their mind because the teachers spend the whole day constantly trying to help the lower SES kids and the rest of the kids just sit there. Perhaps it is that resources to help the kids who are behind by far outnumber resources for kids who are not behind, but would certainly benefit from an additional push too. I am one of those parents and there are a lot of us. We would love to live in all the new development people talk about in south arlington, but many of those new places are not geared towards families, as most condos are not. The only development for families is low income housing.

People love to talk about how great APS is, but only half of the school district is great, the other half sucks. It is hard to believe it is the same school district. It reflects the segregation in arlington.

I believe this strongly about APS. I think it has strong schools in North Arlington, but if you compare South Arlington and Alexandria and they're about the same - high achieving kids in certain groups at South APS schools, but the majority are lower achieving kids. APS has a similar achievement gap as Alexandria, but since it is such a big district, it gets to segregate its kids because higher SES kids are all generally concentrated in the northern part of the district.

My approach has been to study the scores for the demographic profile my child fits in. I want and expect my child to get pass ADV scores, so I am looking for what percentage of the students are succeeding at that level, not just the pass score.

I wish there were an easy way to do this. I would like to know which schools in Ffx have the highest achieving black student population -- that is, of the schools that have a black student population large enough to be measured.

(I want to know this because I am black and I have a child who will be starting school in a few years, not for any nefarious purpose.)

Perhaps some of the south arlington "bashing" is from current south arlington parents dismayed at the quality of resources and the focus of under performing south arlington schools. Perhaps it is parents whose kids are bored out of their mind because the teachers spend the whole day constantly trying to help the lower SES kids and the rest of the kids just sit there. Perhaps it is that resources to help the kids who are behind by far outnumber resources for kids who are not behind, but would certainly benefit from an additional push too. I am one of those parents and there are a lot of us. We would love to live in all the new development people talk about in south arlington, but many of those new places are not geared towards families, as most condos are not. The only development for families is low income housing.

People love to talk about how great APS is, but only half of the school district is great, the other half sucks. It is hard to believe it is the same school district. It reflects the segregation in arlington.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still, wakefield is still much lower than WL. With the exception of Henry, the south arlington schools are at best in the 80s. Many in 70s. Claremont and key in the north may get a break bc they are immersion. Unacceptable.

Why is Stuart HS' rating acceptable? I don't get why there is so much angst about S Arlington Schools, in particular Wakefield, but not about lower performing schools in Fairfax. Is it South Arlington people demanding more resources or redistricting? Is it N Arlington people with a need to diss South Arlington? Is it Fairfax people feeling a need to bash Arlington?

Who said Stuart's rating was acceptable? You sound like an Arlington poster who wants to bash Fairfax as a diversion from the Arlington posters bashing each other!

I remain unconvinced that all the South Arlington bashing comes from North Arlington people.

For all you know, some could come from someone who lived in South Arlington a decade ago and had a bad experience. Casting aspersions on people who live in other jurisdictions won't make it any better.

Thats why I gave multiple possibilities. There is someone who likes to use the word "unacceptable" for APS though, and in a previous thread they called out Arlington as a jurisdiction, not just South Arlington. OTOH maybe calling things unacceptable while bashing is just a fad.

Well, the post just preceding yours suggests someone, somewhere certainly enjoys stirring the pot.

I do wish people would grow up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still, wakefield is still much lower than WL. With the exception of Henry, the south arlington schools are at best in the 80s. Many in 70s. Claremont and key in the north may get a break bc they are immersion. Unacceptable.

Why is Stuart HS' rating acceptable? I don't get why there is so much angst about S Arlington Schools, in particular Wakefield, but not about lower performing schools in Fairfax. Is it South Arlington people demanding more resources or redistricting? Is it N Arlington people with a need to diss South Arlington? Is it Fairfax people feeling a need to bash Arlington?

Who said Stuart's rating was acceptable? You sound like an Arlington poster who wants to bash Fairfax as a diversion from the Arlington posters bashing each other!

I remain unconvinced that all the South Arlington bashing comes from North Arlington people.

Many people are turned off by south Arlington, it's often a uniting subject.

And judging by the rising RE values there, and the new developments under construction or in the pipeline from Pentagon City to Columbia Pike to Shirlington, many are turned on by South Arlington.

But if trolling is your hobby, by all means enjoy it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still, wakefield is still much lower than WL. With the exception of Henry, the south arlington schools are at best in the 80s. Many in 70s. Claremont and key in the north may get a break bc they are immersion. Unacceptable.

Why is Stuart HS' rating acceptable? I don't get why there is so much angst about S Arlington Schools, in particular Wakefield, but not about lower performing schools in Fairfax. Is it South Arlington people demanding more resources or redistricting? Is it N Arlington people with a need to diss South Arlington? Is it Fairfax people feeling a need to bash Arlington?

Who said Stuart's rating was acceptable? You sound like an Arlington poster who wants to bash Fairfax as a diversion from the Arlington posters bashing each other!

I remain unconvinced that all the South Arlington bashing comes from North Arlington people.

For all you know, some could come from someone who lived in South Arlington a decade ago and had a bad experience. Casting aspersions on people who live in other jurisdictions won't make it any better.

Thats why I gave multiple possibilities. There is someone who likes to use the word "unacceptable" for APS though, and in a previous thread they called out Arlington as a jurisdiction, not just South Arlington. OTOH maybe calling things unacceptable while bashing is just a fad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still, wakefield is still much lower than WL. With the exception of Henry, the south arlington schools are at best in the 80s. Many in 70s. Claremont and key in the north may get a break bc they are immersion. Unacceptable.

Why is Stuart HS' rating acceptable? I don't get why there is so much angst about S Arlington Schools, in particular Wakefield, but not about lower performing schools in Fairfax. Is it South Arlington people demanding more resources or redistricting? Is it N Arlington people with a need to diss South Arlington? Is it Fairfax people feeling a need to bash Arlington?

Who said Stuart's rating was acceptable? You sound like an Arlington poster who wants to bash Fairfax as a diversion from the Arlington posters bashing each other!

I remain unconvinced that all the South Arlington bashing comes from North Arlington people.

Many people are turned off by south Arlington, it's often a uniting subject.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still, wakefield is still much lower than WL. With the exception of Henry, the south arlington schools are at best in the 80s. Many in 70s. Claremont and key in the north may get a break bc they are immersion. Unacceptable.

Why is Stuart HS' rating acceptable? I don't get why there is so much angst about S Arlington Schools, in particular Wakefield, but not about lower performing schools in Fairfax. Is it South Arlington people demanding more resources or redistricting? Is it N Arlington people with a need to diss South Arlington? Is it Fairfax people feeling a need to bash Arlington?

Who said Stuart's rating was acceptable? You sound like an Arlington poster who wants to bash Fairfax as a diversion from the Arlington posters bashing each other!

I remain unconvinced that all the South Arlington bashing comes from North Arlington people.

For all you know, some could come from someone who lived in South Arlington a decade ago and had a bad experience. Casting aspersions on people who live in other jurisdictions won't make it any better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still, wakefield is still much lower than WL. With the exception of Henry, the south arlington schools are at best in the 80s. Many in 70s. Claremont and key in the north may get a break bc they are immersion. Unacceptable.

Why is Stuart HS' rating acceptable? I don't get why there is so much angst about S Arlington Schools, in particular Wakefield, but not about lower performing schools in Fairfax. Is it South Arlington people demanding more resources or redistricting? Is it N Arlington people with a need to diss South Arlington? Is it Fairfax people feeling a need to bash Arlington?

Who said Stuart's rating was acceptable? You sound like an Arlington poster who wants to bash Fairfax as a diversion from the Arlington posters bashing each other!

I remain unconvinced that all the South Arlington bashing comes from North Arlington people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please, Washington Lee may be lower "rated" but it is the only one in north arlington - nothing like the consistent low ratings of each and every south arlington school.

I really hate that the S. Arlington schools get marked as low ratings. I mean SURE they are lower than N. ARlington High Schools, that does not make them "low". I mean maybe it does for Arlington, but seriously I grew up in a state where the schools consistently scored in the 50th percentile. Somehow I went to college and law school with my "horrible" education. I am jsut trying to say that people here need to get some perspective if they think scoring in the 80s is "low" and "horrible" when it comes to education in this country.

The school that are good score in the mid 90s. Is our children learning?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still, wakefield is still much lower than WL. With the exception of Henry, the south arlington schools are at best in the 80s. Many in 70s. Claremont and key in the north may get a break bc they are immersion. Unacceptable.

Why is Stuart HS' rating acceptable? I don't get why there is so much angst about S Arlington Schools, in particular Wakefield, but not about lower performing schools in Fairfax. Is it South Arlington people demanding more resources or redistricting? Is it N Arlington people with a need to diss South Arlington? Is it Fairfax people feeling a need to bash Arlington?

Who said Stuart's rating was acceptable? You sound like an Arlington poster who wants to bash Fairfax as a diversion from the Arlington posters bashing each other!