I think all schools should offer AP similar to the way it's done in Arlington. If they want to have a couple of magnet programs like the academies as well, that's fine, but all local high schools should offer AP classes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I've heard from some parents that FCPS is considering scaling back IB because of the expense. Since there is demand for the program, I expect FCPS to keep two or three schools IB in different parts of the county.

That might make sense. But when you see the number of IB diplomas conferred, even that is a little much.

Why is that a bit much? 100 percent getting the diploma is no more the goal than having everyone take the 5 or 6 hardest AP courses. I think participation is key and schools like Marshall and South Lakes where it is popular draw plenty of students from other schools specifically for IB. The idea of having 1 IB school in this area is a non-starter. We've got enough busing going on anyway. We hardly need more of it.

Anonymous wrote:IB lists $2,610,237 as the cost above general ed and an enrollment of 2898. That would be $901 additional per student. For AP the cost above general ed is $3,433,013 and enrollment is 16,301 students so that would be $211 additional per student.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And you would know this how? From your work as an admissions director at which college?

Know this from experience with college friends of my children. Most colleges give less credit for IB --check it out. IB classes are frequently two years.

I don't know if that is still true today--it very well could be. But that is why parents fought plans to implement IB at two local schools, WT Woodson and W-L (Arlington), in the 90s. Woodson briefly became an IB-only school before going back to an AP-only curriculum. For W-L the school board compromised, agreeing to keep and grow the existing AP program in addition to a creating a new admissions based IB diploma program.

Many colleges these days do not award credit for either AP or IB, but instead they allow those courses to serve as prerequisites allowing the student to place into a higher course.
However, for many specialized programs, such as pre med or engineering programs, the required courses must be taken at the college, completely negating the AP or IB courses previously taken in HS.

Anonymous wrote:

I've heard from some parents that FCPS is considering scaling back IB because of the expense. Since there is demand for the program, I expect FCPS to keep two or three schools IB in different parts of the county.

That might make sense. But when you see the number of IB diplomas conferred, even that is a little much.

Anonymous wrote:

And you would know this how? From your work as an admissions director at which college?

Know this from experience with college friends of my children. Most colleges give less credit for IB --check it out. IB classes are frequently two years.

Anonymous wrote:
Personally, I'd keep IB at (1) either Marshall or South Lakes, (2) either Annandale or Stuart and (3) either Lee or Edison. I'd get rid of it at Mount Vernon, where the IB participation rate is very low, and at Robinson, where most parents would prefer to have AP like Lake Braddock. Cutting back to three IB schools would meet the demand and save money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

IB lists $2,610,237 as the cost above general ed and an enrollment of 2898. That would be $901 additional per student. For AP the cost above general ed is $3,433,013 and enrollment is 16,301 students so that would be $211 additional per student.

Time for IB to go in FCPS.

I've heard from some parents that FCPS is considering scaling back IB because of the expense. Since there is demand for the program, I expect FCPS to keep two or three schools IB in different parts of the county.

I've heard from some parents that FCPS is considering scaling back IB because of the expense. Since there is demand for the program, I expect FCPS to keep two or three schools IB in different parts of the county.

Anonymous wrote:

IB lists $2,610,237 as the cost above general ed and an enrollment of 2898. That would be $901 additional per student. For AP the cost above general ed is $3,433,013 and enrollment is 16,301 students so that would be $211 additional per student.

Time for IB to go in FCPS.

IB lists $2,610,237 as the cost above general ed and an enrollment of 2898. That would be $901 additional per student. For AP the cost above general ed is $3,433,013 and enrollment is 16,301 students so that would be $211 additional per student.