Anonymous wrote:Q: Is APS trying to make Wakefield and Yorktown more diverse by relocating certain planning units?

A: Demographics is one of six criteria to be considered but the reason for this refinement process is to address overcrowding at Washington-Lee and balance the enrollment among the three comprehensive high schools.

I have been looking at the numbers around the planning units surrounding Wakefield and WL. Even if we select the ones that people have been pushing for, it looks like the huge numbers are in the final year 2020. I'm guessing this cohort (currently 11 years old) may be a huge population? (One of my coworkers had mentioned a cohort born before my kid 2010 required additional K classes to be added.)

Anyway, if APS means what it says about addressing overcapacity first and taking into account all 6 criteria, I am less convinced all of the western planning units by the Pike are sacrosanct. Obviously, this is not the comprehensive boundary change that will start in 2020 for the freshmen entering HS in 2022 (and I for one, support revisiting the Yorktown Island and perhaps creating a replacement one in the west), and the families with kids who will be in HS 2017-2021 will be most impacted, but it doesn't seem to make sense to have so many students will at WL with the suggestions of many on this board. It will be interesting to see which what the SB ultimately does.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So... this?

Q: Why isn’t academic excellence a factor in the refinement process?

A: All three APS high schools are equally competitive, ranking among the top public school systems in the region for the past 15 years.

Here is APS's position, but it's difficult for them to say. The teachers are all equally excellent. The curriculum is the same across all three schools. The challenge is in the demographic makeup of the student body. Wakefield's students are as a whole more economically disadvantaged, a larger percentage are ESOL and the FARMS rate is very high. The best teachers in the world can't make up for the number of strikes against the students.

This is why there is such a large push to diversity both Yorktown and Wakefield.

I want to take slight issue with this. I think great teachers CAN make up for strikes against these students, at least for some of them. As with any students facing challenges, some will rise up and some will not. But concentrating a high number of students with strikes against them, to continue the metaphor, puts strikes against the teachers. I think the success of W-L and Henry at the elementary level show that success is quite possible across the board with a real distribution of student income levels. Wakefield is already higher than both % wise.

I think we're saying the same thing, so I'll agree with you!

Just saw this on Twitter. Here's another way to provide feedback. The county is soliciting comments on some planning discussions about (among several things), use of property, and & lists the hospital parcel:

https://departments.arlingtonva.us/cmo/jfac-charter/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So... this?

Q: Why isn’t academic excellence a factor in the refinement process?

A: All three APS high schools are equally competitive, ranking among the top public school systems in the region for the past 15 years.

Here is APS's position, but it's difficult for them to say. The teachers are all equally excellent. The curriculum is the same across all three schools. The challenge is in the demographic makeup of the student body. Wakefield's students are as a whole more economically disadvantaged, a larger percentage are ESOL and the FARMS rate is very high. The best teachers in the world can't make up for the number of strikes against the students.

This is why there is such a large push to diversity both Yorktown and Wakefield.

I want to take slight issue with this. I think great teachers CAN make up for strikes against these students, at least for some of them. As with any students facing challenges, some will rise up and some will not. But concentrating a high number of students with strikes against them, to continue the metaphor, puts strikes against the teachers. I think the success of W-L and Henry at the elementary level show that success is quite possible across the board with a real distribution of student income levels. Wakefield is already higher than both % wise.

I think we're saying the same thing, so I'll agree with you!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So... this?

Q: Why isn’t academic excellence a factor in the refinement process?

A: All three APS high schools are equally competitive, ranking among the top public school systems in the region for the past 15 years.

Here is APS's position, but it's difficult for them to say. The teachers are all equally excellent. The curriculum is the same across all three schools. The challenge is in the demographic makeup of the student body. Wakefield's students are as a whole more economically disadvantaged, a larger percentage are ESOL and the FARMS rate is very high. The best teachers in the world can't make up for the number of strikes against the students.

This is why there is such a large push to diversity both Yorktown and Wakefield.

I want to take slight issue with this. I think great teachers CAN make up for strikes against these students, at least for some of them. As with any students facing challenges, some will rise up and some will not. But concentrating a high number of students with strikes against them, to continue the metaphor, puts strikes against the teachers. I think the success of W-L and Henry at the elementary level show that success is quite possible across the board with a real distribution of student income levels. Wakefield is already higher than both % wise.

Anonymous wrote:Q: Is APS trying to make Wakefield and Yorktown more diverse by relocating certain planning units?

A: Demographics is one of six criteria to be considered but the reason for this refinement process is to address overcrowding at Washington-Lee and balance the enrollment among the three comprehensive high schools.

I read this yesterday and made the following point in my comments submitted along with my boundary plan: while I can appreciate the goal of this exercise is to move incrementally, and that there are other factors to consider besides demographics, it seems irresponsible to me to even put the five Western Pike high FARMS planning units on the table, when currently (given the other goals, namely the desire to minimize impact on students) those units can only be moved to Wakefield. There are 51 units in play. Make that number 46 and there are still plenty of options for people to explore.

I tend to agree with a poster many pages ago, the Board just wants to make this exercise seem overly complex so that people appreciate what they do and feel that they have been heard. After the mess that was "friends of TJ Park," I have some sympathy for that. But again I find it very irresponsible to consider moving those Western Pike planning units at the current time, given (1) the existing FARMS % at Wakefield, (2) the myriad other ways overcrowding could be relieved while still considering other factors, such as walkability and elem/MS boundaries, and (3) the supposed eventual goal of diversifying economic demographics at Wakefield and YHS - I can't see how it would be consistent with that goal to concentrate Wakefield further, even if it would wind up being temporary.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So... this?

Q: Why isn’t academic excellence a factor in the refinement process?

A: All three APS high schools are equally competitive, ranking among the top public school systems in the region for the past 15 years.

Here is APS's position, but it's difficult for them to say. The teachers are all equally excellent. The curriculum is the same across all three schools. The challenge is in the demographic makeup of the student body. Wakefield's students are as a whole more economically disadvantaged, a larger percentage are ESOL and the FARMS rate is very high. The best teachers in the world can't make up for the number of strikes against the students.

This is why there is such a large push to diversity both Yorktown and Wakefield.

I want to know what rankings they are talking about. I'm not someone who hates on Wakefield, but I've never seen any positive ranking for the school. Anywhere. And we're in a PU that might be rezoned there, so I have done my homework on this.

Look at the demographic/test-result correlation data, which is by race but it's unfortunately the best approximator. White students score generally the same regardless of which HS they attend. Same for Hispanic and Black kids. It points to student-based performance problems not lack of access to a good education.

Not a Wakefield defender, just restating things I've heard and read over the last year or two of working capacity issues with the county.

Q: Is APS trying to make Wakefield and Yorktown more diverse by relocating certain planning units?

A: Demographics is one of six criteria to be considered but the reason for this refinement process is to address overcrowding at Washington-Lee and balance the enrollment among the three comprehensive high schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So... this?

Q: Why isn’t academic excellence a factor in the refinement process?

A: All three APS high schools are equally competitive, ranking among the top public school systems in the region for the past 15 years.

Here is APS's position, but it's difficult for them to say. The teachers are all equally excellent. The curriculum is the same across all three schools. The challenge is in the demographic makeup of the student body. Wakefield's students are as a whole more economically disadvantaged, a larger percentage are ESOL and the FARMS rate is very high. The best teachers in the world can't make up for the number of strikes against the students.

This is why there is such a large push to diversity both Yorktown and Wakefield.

I want to know what rankings they are talking about. I'm not someone who hates on Wakefield, but I've never seen any positive ranking for the school. Anywhere. And we're in a PU that might be rezoned there, so I have done my homework on this.

The wording is sneaky. "...ranking among the top public school SYSTEMS in the region..." Taken together, the schools are high ranking.

Wow, you're right. What an infuriating bs response from APS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So... this?

Q: Why isn’t academic excellence a factor in the refinement process?

A: All three APS high schools are equally competitive, ranking among the top public school systems in the region for the past 15 years.

Here is APS's position, but it's difficult for them to say. The teachers are all equally excellent. The curriculum is the same across all three schools. The challenge is in the demographic makeup of the student body. Wakefield's students are as a whole more economically disadvantaged, a larger percentage are ESOL and the FARMS rate is very high. The best teachers in the world can't make up for the number of strikes against the students.

This is why there is such a large push to diversity both Yorktown and Wakefield.

I want to know what rankings they are talking about. I'm not someone who hates on Wakefield, but I've never seen any positive ranking for the school. Anywhere. And we're in a PU that might be rezoned there, so I have done my homework on this.

The wording is sneaky. "...ranking among the top public school SYSTEMS in the region..." Taken together, the schools are high ranking.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So... this?

Q: Why isn’t academic excellence a factor in the refinement process?

A: All three APS high schools are equally competitive, ranking among the top public school systems in the region for the past 15 years.

Here is APS's position, but it's difficult for them to say. The teachers are all equally excellent. The curriculum is the same across all three schools. The challenge is in the demographic makeup of the student body. Wakefield's students are as a whole more economically disadvantaged, a larger percentage are ESOL and the FARMS rate is very high. The best teachers in the world can't make up for the number of strikes against the students.

This is why there is such a large push to diversity both Yorktown and Wakefield.

I want to know what rankings they are talking about. I'm not someone who hates on Wakefield, but I've never seen any positive ranking for the school. Anywhere. And we're in a PU that might be rezoned there, so I have done my homework on this.

Anonymous wrote:So... this?

Q: Why isn’t academic excellence a factor in the refinement process?

A: All three APS high schools are equally competitive, ranking among the top public school systems in the region for the past 15 years.

Here is APS's position, but it's difficult for them to say. The teachers are all equally excellent. The curriculum is the same across all three schools. The challenge is in the demographic makeup of the student body. Wakefield's students are as a whole more economically disadvantaged, a larger percentage are ESOL and the FARMS rate is very high. The best teachers in the world can't make up for the number of strikes against the students.

This is why there is such a large push to diversity both Yorktown and Wakefield.

So... this?

Q: Why isn’t academic excellence a factor in the refinement process?

A: All three APS high schools are equally competitive, ranking among the top public school systems in the region for the past 15 years.

FYI, they've updated the FAQ section of the website as of yesterday. I assume because all the info meetings have now taken place, this is the extent of the questions they received.

https://www.apsva.us/aps-boundaries/frequently-asked-boundary-questions/

Anonymous wrote:How about moving everyone west of GM Dr btw Lee and Col to YT but move the island to WF? Going vertically instead horizontally?

Because the is.and isn't in play. It is already at Yorktown.