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Thursday, April 24th, was a beautiful day for a moving experience of shared trauma, survival, triumph, and advocacy. Many thanks to Lisa Sales of Virginia National Organization for Women ( Virginia NOW ) who organized a press conference  in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in front of the Federal Courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia where she gathered local experts, survivors, and legislators to advocate for strengthening laws, culture change, and better enforcement mechanisms to fight sexual harassment and assault. Ms. Sales shared her own story of assault and retaliation  by the perpetrator and her workplace to highlight how what happens too often when people are sexually assaulted–they are harassed, defeated, and silenced. Because of this, she is a fierce, tireless advocate who works alongside the rally speakers like:  Elected officials like Vice Mayor of Alexandria Amy Jackson, Virginia Delegate Mark Sickles, and 56th Virginia Speaker Eileen Filler Corn; National non-profit leaders like Christian Nunes ( National NOW ), Jonathan Yglesias ( Virginia Action Alliance ), Dae Hae Kim ( National Women's Law Center ), Ellie Smeal ( Feminist Majority Foundation ), Bobbee Cardillo ( Zonta USA ); State and Local community leaders like Kenda Sutton-El ( Birth in Color RVA ), and Joanie Hunn ( National Council of Jewish Women –Virginia); and Survivors like Myra Smith-Jones (Representative for NAACP - Virginia ), Susanna Gibson ( My Own PAC ), Galina Varchena, Lisa Bowman ( Author of “ Harasshole ; A Cautionary Tale of My Time at ‘America’s Favorite Charity’”).  These speakers spoke of the need to remember that many vulnerable communities have higher incidences of sexual assault and are less likely to receive services and legal support. They reminded us that we need to remember that the LGBTQIA community must not be forgotten in actions to curb sexual assault and empower survivors. They also spoke of critical legislation that passed in Virginia like the bipartisan HB 994 which ended child marriage in Virginia. During the press conference, Lisa Bowman announced her lawsuit against the United Way  for continued sexual harassment and retaliation in the workplace and the failure of the United Way to address her allegations before firing her . I feel fortunate to have met Ms. Bowman who has been so brave in the face of this retaliation and the failure of systems to protect and support her. I was astonished to learn that sexual assault has cost Americans over $3 trillion and afflicts more than 25 Million according to the CDC, and that sexual harassment and sexual assault victims face retaliation 75% of the time. When Ms. Sales shared these statistics, there was an audible gasp in the crowd. Too many of those that I hold near and dear have experienced sexual assault, and nearly every woman I know, including myself, has experienced sexual harassment.  As an advocate for public education, I attended this rally to learn more about what we can do to prevent sexual assault and harassment in our schools, and how to support survivors. I am looking forward to using what I learned from these brave smart people to make our schools a place that empowers students to combat the scourge of sexual harassment and assault. In Ms. Sales words: “We want to end this!” Next week, 4 Public Education will share recent revisions to Title IX which will be one more step toward ending sexual assault and harassment through regulations that should support families in K-12 schools and universities around the country.

You can’t just ignore problems away. Author's forward: I wrote this piece on a snowy day in January. Dr. Claudine Gay had just resigned, and I feared that more officials (both at the college and local levels) were next. While there are copious articles about how states and entities actively dismantling DEI programs, I wasn’t finding much on why it’s important in itself... until recently .   WHY  are we letting billionaires frame our discourse? They have benefitted from legacy admissions processes; and can and will send their children to elite schools almost effortlessly, just by writing a check or creating an endowment. Can we stop letting them co-opt our words and our movements when we become inconvenient?     Furthermore, as budget season continues through our state legislatures and local governments, DEI departments are often deemed “bloat”, easy to cut for fiduciary reasons. DEI programs should not be co-opted into other departments to die. On the front lines, school board membe rs, administrative staff and activists need messaging to counter this vitriol.   Herein lies my tiny contribution to the debate.    Because DEI is Civil Rights. Centering marginalized children and staff within your systems will only buoy the rest of us.   In light of right wing and monied actors using DEI as a wedge issue  to  destroy   K-12   public   schools  and higher   education   in   general , it may be helpful to engage with what DEI exactly is, and why it has been implemented in educational settings across the nation.    Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is a paradigm that acknowledges that every person within its community is entitled to dignity and space to exist. Within public schools, DEI departments work to maintain a civilized school and organizational culture celebrating differences among students and staff. This enables students to access learning and makes them more likely to succeed; enabling teachers to best support students while encouraging staff retention at the same time.   It is more than just implementing policies to center marginalized communities; DEI creates the capacity and opportunity where all can thrive and succeed in an increasingly intellectually interconnected global world. For a global society that is empathetic and can think critically about issues from different viewpoints and understandings will only benefit the greater good.   ...Exposure to diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives helps students develop a full understanding of and appreciation for the global community. Diverse school environments foster inclusivity and work to create and maintain a sense of belonging for all students, staff, parents, and caregivers. It is our ambition to ensure that all students see themselves represented in positive ways throughout our curriculum, among their peers, and those who support their education and social development. Additionally, we will act in ways to ensure that educational opportunities are made readily available to all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background, ethnicity, or other demographic factors.” - Arlington Public Schools What exactly is “DEI” though? In the simplest terms... Why Do We Need a DEI Department? But why do school systems need whole departments and staff to address issues of marginalization? DEI synergizes efforts between departments to foster achievement for all, not just for the majority, normative students. It would be difficult for even one person to manage all these efforts holistically. Amongst other roles, DEI departments work with (click on the arrow to expand for more information):  Human Resources and Recruitment DEI starts not just with diverse students, but also with hiring diverse staff who marginalized students can see themselves in. Representation matters and having role models that embody their own realities can foster student aspirations for their own futures. And in school, they can have a shared voice in advocacy for their communities  But marginalized peoples not only benefit: Exposure to diverse educators of all backgrounds helps EVERY student develop interpersonal skills, emotional maturity, and empathy towards others. Challenging preconceptions about others based on prejudices and thinking deeply about the actual communities they live in, and all people that encompass it builds crucial critical thinking skills as they engage with diverse peoples and perspectives.  Professional Development A central role of DEI departments is to conduct staff training to help them reflect on their own   implicit biases . Many teachers/staff do not feel comfortable talking about large systemic issues such as race and feel unequipped when they must address it in the moment to students. And it should not be incumbent on marginalized staff to always have to explain their own oppression to others.   By evaluating and implementing culturally responsive trainings, DEI departments educate staff on how to discuss marginalization with students leads to having hard conversations that can lead to societal change that benefits all social groups.  Academic Support (particularly for lower performing students) Why do mostly Black, Brown, and/or the disAbled/neurodivergent underperform in standardized testing scores relative to other students?  Traditionally called the “achievement gap,” (but it’s really a failure of   opportunity ), systems need to understand why their schools consistently fail these children and measure how these scores change over time. Many divisions have now implemented online “ dashboards ” to show accountability to their constituencies.  These students often need further academic support. Some examples include Special Education or EL programs that target specific students for additional individualized services.   Curricula/Program of Studies DEI departments work together with instructional departments to make sure the system procures and maintains   culturally responsive , unbiased curricula that reflect all lived experiences that students can see themselves in.  Information Technology also interplays with curricula development, as school systems makes sure that all students have access to the same technology in and out of schools so that everyone can learn the same platforms and complete homework outside of class. Pen and paper are important, but resource-poor schools do not have access to printers, paper, and pencils consistently.  School Climate School climate  is a wide-ranging term, which refers not only to the physical attributes of a classroom (e.g., is the classroom space inviting and uncluttered; is the ratio of children to teachers appropriate for learning), but also the emotional  space (i.e., are teachers and staff able to build relationships with students, do students “feel safe” with their adults and peers in the school setting); all of which intersect with the high quality of academic rigor  each system expects the children in their care to partake.  The school climate informs why   trauma-informed care  and   socio-emotional learning  must be   implemented in classrooms  too, as “students can’t learn if they don’t feel safe….” (Minahan, 2014) Emotional regulation, the ability to make and sustain peer-based friendships within the school setting and feeling confident in oneself enough to learn  all traverse in resulting successful academic outcomes. This reality applies to all students, not just marginalized ones.  Community-Based Learning Many school-based DEI departments develop public seminars related to marginalized people's experiences within the system; and in response to current history and events. It creates spaces for sustained discussions within and among the larger community.  Other School-Based Department Coordination/Considerations Schools, for better or for worse, are institutions that must go beyond just mere learning instruction. Everything that impacts communities finds its way into schools: substance abuse, violence, poverty, amongst other societal issues. Indeed, for many families, their local public school is their primary source of food, health and mental care. DEI works hand in hand with specialized student support staff, such as counselors, school psychologists, community outreach groups, mental health specialists and specialized Special Education Teams (e.g., physical/occupational/speech therapists) to provide appropriate, culturally and family based   wrap-around services .   Restorative justice practices  also play a role in schools, and not just in law enforcement. For example, chronic absenteeism is a real issue within school systems, mostly borne by students of color, marginalized genders and those with disAbilities. Disciplinary policies that actively promote school suspensions/expulsions often results in students falling further behind academically before dropping out of school altogether.   Students who do not feel that they belong to their school community do not have successful outcomes in school and often, in life. The   school-to-prison pipeline  is a reality for many marginalized populations.    DEI Supports Each and Every Student to Succeed For the naysayers that promote DEI programs as “bloat,” divisive and unnecessary… you just cannot ignore issues away. Differentiation between groups of students is not only academic; no  student is alike and there will always be variation between and amongst them due to race, class or other marginalization. And reverting to the same (privileged) lens to solve structural issues… where has it left us? The same groups of children who have always fallen behind ( even before the COVID-19 pandemic ) will continue to fail. And why is race (and merit) brought up when   people of color ascend to leadership positions , while for the truly privileged, even with   low test scores , it’s just assumed they are qualified... and it does not stop them from reaching the top.    I am not convinced those who want to eliminate DEI programs want all children to succeed. They only want theirs to hoard all the limited resources public schools possess. Eventually going to Ivy league schools will always and forever be reserved for the most privileged of our society.   And as for school systems who embrace DEI, it must be more than just words. Can your system unequivocally say that their DEI policies and implementation of them is truly having the effect of lifting up marginalized children you work with every day? If not, it’s just a performative exercise without action. Your students deserve better.   Anjy Cramer has a Certification in Cultural Competency, the precursor to DEI, from the University of Missouri. She has one child in Arlington Public Schools. Previously, she has written a blog entitled Look Beyond SROs for Safe Schools for 4 Public Education, which she had translated into Spanish, Los SRO no son la Solución para Tener Escuelas Seguras , to ensure that more Northern Virginians could read it. This blog was originally posted in March 2024 as "DEI is here to Stay." It has been updated to reflect to recent events, including attacks on corporate and university DEI programs. It has also been published in Dogwood   Sources and Additional Reading:  Arlington Public Schools. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion . Accessed 14 January 2023.  Clark, Jess. “ DEI efforts in Kentucky K-12 schools at risk under proposed legislation .” Louisville Public Media. 9 January 2024. Accessed 13 March 2024.  Cline, Nathaniel. Youngkin administration reviews race, DEI syllabi for VCU, George Mason courses. Virginia Mercury. 28, March 2024.  https://virginiamercury.com/2024/03/28/youngkin-administration-reviews-race-dei-syllabi-for-vcu-george-mason-courses/ . Accessed 29, March 2024.  Cohen, Rebecca. “ University of Florida Eliminates all diversity, equity and inclusion positions due to new state rule .” NBC News. 2, March 2024. Accessed 13, March 2024.  Confessore, Nicholas. “ ‘America Is Under Attack’: Inside the Anti-D.E.I. Crusade ." New York Times. 20, January 2024. Accessed 22 January 2024.  “ DEI Legislation Tracker .” The Chronicle of Higher Education. 18 January 2024.  “ Educational Equity: What does it mean? How Do We Know When We Reach It ?” Center for Public Education. January 2016. Accessed 14 January 2024.  Fronius, Trevor, et al. “ Restorative Justice in U.S. Schools: An Updated Research Review .”  WestEd Justice & Prevention Research Center. March 2019. Accessed 14 January 2024.  George W. Bush: Andover and Yale . World Biography: US Presidents. Accessed 18 January 2024.  Haye s, Lillah.   “ 'A chilling effect:' UNC community grapples with pending diversity and inclusion policy change .” The Daily Tar Heel. 19, April 2024.    https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2024/04/a-chilling-effect-unc-community-grapples-with-pending-diversity-and-inclusion-policy-change  Accessed 24, April 2024.  Henry, Alyssa, " The Impact of Teacher’s Understanding of Childhood Trauma and Trauma-Informed Classrooms on Perceived Barriers and Comfort in Implementing School-Based Trauma Informed Practice ." PCOM Psychology Dissertations. 614. 2023. Accessed 14 January 2024.   Lonetree , Anthony, “ Showdown over diversity programs threatens Anoka-Hennepin schools budget.” Star Tribune. 23, April 2024.  https://www.startribune.com/ideological-divide-threatens-anoka-hennepin-schools-budget-spurs-student-protest/600360977/ . Accessed 24, April 2024.  Malcom, Shirley. “ Strengthen the case for DEI.” Science. Vol. 383 Issue 6690. p. 1395. 28 March 2024. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp4397  Accessed 29, March 2024.  McGee,Kate & Ikram Mohamed. “ As doors close and funding fades, students worry UT-Austin is taking Texas’ new DEI ban too far .” Texas Tribune. 26, February 2024.   . Accessed 13, March 2024.  Minahan, Jessica. “The behavior code companion: Strategies, tools, and interventions for supporting students with anxiety-related or oppositional behaviors.” 2014. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.  Minahan, Jessica. “ Trauma-Informed Teaching Strategies ,” Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Vol. 77 No. 2. Oct. 2019. National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). “ Wraparound Services: Build Connections, Foster Partnerships, Educate the Whole Child. ” March/April 2020. Accessed 14 January 2024.  “ Opportunity Gap. ” Close the Gap Foundation. Accessed 14 January 2024.  Reuter, Courtney. “ Implementing Social Emotional Learning with Fidelity: A School Improvement Plan ,” Capstone Project, Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa. Summer 2023. Accessed 14 January 2024.  Ruffin, Millicent. “ Five reasons why all schools need DEI. ” LinkedIn. 4, May 2023. Accessed 14 January 2024.  “ School Climate .” SchoolSafety.Gov . Accessed 14 January 2024.  Shores, Kenneth et. al. “Categorical Inequalities Between Black and White Students are Common in US Schools – But They Don’t Have To Be .” Brookings Institution. 21, February 2020.   Accessed 14 January 2024.  Somasundaram , Praveena & Hannah Natanson . Alabama governor signs bill restricting DEI programs in public schools. Washington Post. 20, March 2024.   https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/03/20/alabama-dei-bill/ . Accessed 24, April 2024.    Staats. Cheryl. “ Understanding Implicit Bias: What Educators Should Know .” American Educator, Winter 2015-2016. Accessed 14 January 2024.  Tensley, Brandon. Claudine Gay’s Resignation: What’s at Stake for Black People . Capital B. 4, January 2024. Accessed 18 January 2024.  “ What Is the School-to-Prison Pipeline? ” ACLU. 2008 June 6. Accessed 14 January 2024.  Will, Madeline & Ileana Najarro. “ What Is Culturally Responsive Teaching? ” 18 April 2022. Education Week. Accessed 14 January 2024.

Today is May 1st. In an alternate reality where the U.S. Department of Education hadn’t completely botched the FAFSA form update, roll-out, and processing, hundreds of thousands of high school seniors would have signed on the dotted line and committed to a college. Today should be “College Day,”  but instead, many students are in limbo and hundreds of colleges have now moved deadlines twice: first to May 15th and then to June 1st.  If you don’t know the lingo: the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the “largest source of financial aid” for students in terms of scholarships, grants, work-study funds, and loans. The FAFSA process normally involves 1) filling out the FAFSA in December and January, as you fill out college applications; 2) receiving funding information from colleges after FAFSA processing in March; and 3) making a decision May 1-15, depending on the college. Essentially, due to a myriad of problems, some FAFSA forms are still in process while others require corrections. At least 2 million applications required recalculation and retransmission to colleges. Even worse is that the number of FAFSA forms submitted is way down compared to previous years, particularly among lower-income students who would most benefit from college financial aid. Many I have talked to who have received their Student Aid Index (SAI)  have found that they qualify for no aid; however, colleges and other organizations offering scholarships, etc. have been waiting for the FAFSA, so everything is delayed. If you are in this boat, check out an interesting Reddit thread  that covers many people’s experiences with FAFSA processing and corrections needed. My own child has been deliberating among three colleges, one in state and two out of state, but the lack of clarity from these colleges about fees and funding has made his decision more difficult. I can only imagine how other families are feeling, particularly those who lack financial stability and/or 529 plans. Merit and need scholarships run the lives of most families when it comes to college decisions–it is not just about where to go, but if  students can afford to go to college. Additionally, for students on the waitlist, their college opportunity has been delayed even further into the future. They have to make a difficult decision about where to put a deposit, as they wait to find out from their dream school. During this FAFSA frustration, I’ve made a new friend at my high school: Shari and I met on the PTSO page when so many of us were commiserating about the ridiculous rollout. She and I helped each other through the process, sharing tips and tricks, many of which I added to my January Frustrating Financial Aid: A Family Guide to the New FAFSA  blog. In fact, Shari was the “friendly parent” referred to in that blog.  Shari’s perspective as a parent experienced with the previous FAFSA form was immensely helpful and reassuring, something every parent needs when they are sharing their most sensitive personal information besides their weight with a stranger. Telling a faceless bureaucrat how much money is in your bank account and hidden under your mattress feels quite invasive. What this means is that many families are finding out that the do not qualify for need or merit scholarships, which makes one wonder who does qualify, particularly when estimates can range from about $40,000 (Virginia, in-state Virginia) to around 100,000 per year for elite private colleges (note: includes tuition, room and board, fees, books, and expenses). Few families have that kind of money lying around, even those who were able to invest in 529s. For many students, college financial award letters remain “in the mail” and all families feel distrust for the process and the outcome. The U.S. Department of Education has a lot to answer for, and they will need to work hard to build confidence in the form and process for next year.

In collaboration with the Virginia Grassroots Coalition , 4 Public Education initiated a letter to Governor Youngkin about the upcoming budget negotiations. That letter, provided below, requested that the Governor restore to the budget funding for high poverty schools that the General Assembly had previously approved. The letter was signed by twenty-five organizations that advocate for public education. Apparently, the Budget Conferees and the Governor have agreed on a compromise but the details will not be released until Saturday, May 11 . Even the legislators will not know the details of the agreement until they are released on Saturday, but the General Assembly is planning to vote on and finalize the 2024-2026 budget on Monday, May 13th.   Read the full letter below.

2025 FCPS Budget Public Input At the May 14, 2024 Public Hearing in front of the Fairfax County School Board on the 2025 Budget, the auditorium was nearly empty with only six speakers providing public input on the $3.8 billion Fairfax County Public School Budget. 4 Public Education's Vice President, Vanessa Hall, provided the following input : Our mission at 4 Public Education is to “champion public schools as the cornerstone of a healthy democracy and the right for every child to an exceptional education,” which is why we support fully funded schools and associated equity initiatives that ensure each student receives the support and resources they need to succeed.  Thus, we ask that greater funding be directed to those who are most vulnerable and underserved, like: Title 1 schools, lower income students, English Language Learners, and students requiring special education support. The families of the most vulnerable students often have the quietest voices, so please listen closely and respond to their needs . Another equity issue is that recent literacy initiatives in elementary, may be leaving secondary school students behind. We have so many smart, capable high school students whose poor literacy skills may make college inaccessible. Please don’t shut them out from a lifetime of opportunities. Finally, the proposed 3% pay raise still leaves Fairfax teachers behind. Being underpaid combined with the actions of a few bad actors, some of which are parent operatives and others who are administrators, will have short and long-term consequences in attracting and retaining amazing teachers. I’ve heard many complaining about taxes, especially on Next Door, and how much money is allocated for our schools, students, and educators. Their complaints fail to recognize the long-term consequences of an under-educated Fairfax County population, which means fewer and/or less-qualified doctors, nurses, medical technicians, and health aids, all of which we need in a rapidly aging population in Fairfax County. I’ve met FCPS graduates in the E.R. at INOVA innumerable times (because we are an accident prone family). They are the best they can be because they came from the best school system. I’d hate for that to change.

Pardon the inflammatory title, but that is the response I’ve heard from parents and students about current proposals to severely curtail cell phones through a reactive “crack down.” In fact, I suspect that any such “crackdown” will be a way to unite the community after four years of culture wars; however, not in the way the school board intends.  Universally, parents and students reject phone collection , particularly when they fully consider the logistics of such a plan and the impact on their student connection, privacy, and safety. The issue is that everyone feels a very personal connection to their cell phone. For example, if I walk out of the house without my cell phone, I feel unmoored and lost. It feels as if I’m missing part of my brain, which I kind of am, since I store so much information on my phone. At last Thursday’s Fairfax County School Board (FCSB) meeting, board members approved a proposal  for a pilot program involving a system-wide student cell phone storage solution, in addition to changes to the Students Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R). Their vote requires a presentation of recommendations in July from Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid. For middle school, this involves storing cell phones all day , and for high school, it would involve storing cell phones for each class. Teachers are allowed to make exceptions for in-class cell phone use. Per the proposal, students with medical conditions would be exempt. However, I bet a lot of parents would like to know what that means–is it students with IEPs, life threatening conditions, and/or something else completely? These proposals are intended to address the (somewhat) piecemeal nature of school by school, and sometimes class-by-class, cell phone policies. Of course, there are already rules regarding cell phone use , which seem to be disregarded by many students, parents, and teachers. No matter what, there are likely to be huge unintended consequences from whatever action the school board and superintendent choose. It is unlikely to make anyone happy, and it is very likely to enrage many parents and students. Parent and Student Concerns Initially, parents like the idea of curtailing cell phone use in schools, but after a few moments of thought, they get concerned. Parents fear being unable to connect with their child(ren) during school, especially in the case of an emergency. It is an unspoken truth that many parents fear gun violence in school , and want their child to be able to contact them in the case of an active shooter. Additionally, parents communicate throughout the day about logistics and other expectations, so locking up their child’s phone reduces their flexibility.  Students echo the concern about extreme violence and safety. Additionally, they feel like their rights and ability to self-advocate are being undermined by such a draconian resolution. They also worry about the safety of their phone and the privacy of the information on their phone.  For those who are unaware, FCPS Family Life Education (FLE) classes begin to cover internet and cell phone safety in elementary school . Recent suggested updates to the FLE curriculum involve cell phone safety lessons earlier in elementary school. Logistics of Cell Phone Collection I suspect that Superintendent Dr. Reid and her staff will carefully evaluate logistics, but I wanted to share some of the obvious concerns here for readers. Personally, I have huge concerns about the recommendation to mass “collect cell phones” in the front office of middle schools. This is a logistical nightmare that will involve lost (and stolen) cell phones and place an undue burden on the front office and create anxiety among students. Additionally, such an effort will take away the rights of both students and parents/guardians. For high school, I can only imagine how “excited” teachers will be when they have to take valuable class time to collect and redistribute cell phones during every class period every day of the week. Adding one more task to already overburdened teachers could never go wrong. Also I’m sure that all phones will be returned to every student and none will go missing, get stolen, or become broken. (Yes, that was my sarcastic voice.) My daughter said that some classrooms at her high school already have individual numbered cell phone cubbies, but that few people use them. Otherwise, they seem like a nice idea; however, I question the need to build such cubbies in every classroom in Fairfax County high schools when we have schools that have mold and over-crowded classrooms. Where Does That Leave Us? We all seem to agree that student cell phone use is out of control in school and that cell phones are having deleterious mental health effects on kids, but none of us really agree on solutions to these problems. Many solutions seem so unpalatable or have so many unintended consequences that this is really a hard problem to solve. Nevertheless, I have a couple of ideas: Involve a panel of respected and reasonable parent/guardian, student, teacher, and administrator representatives to ensure that decisions reflect the needs of vulnerable students, health and safety of students, logistical demands on administrators and teachers, and expectations and responsibilities of parents. Make and enforce consistent rules regarding cell phone use and how to deal with abuse. Teachers need backup when they deal with cell phone use and abuse in classrooms.  Maybe cell phone use in school should be on an opt-in basis? An opt-in would require that both parents and their student agree to rules and consequences of cell phone misuse. FCPS should look at how other districts or specific schools are successfully handling the situation, respective of all stakeholders. And…. Parents and Guardians Need to Take Responsibility for Cell Phone Use (and Abuse) Finally, I think that parents need to take responsibility for their kids’ cell phone use and abuse. They need to do a better job of regulating their child’s cell phone use in the home and at school. And, if there is a serious problem, parents can support their child into better lifelong habits. Whoever pays the bill, sets the rules. This means that before you buy your child a phone, it is a good idea to discuss the rights and responsibilities of cell phone use, including consequences for inappropriate use, particularly in school, and expectations on when, where, and how much they can use them.  When kids are younger, parents can use one of the myriad of apps to monitor and/or restrict cell phone use during certain times or for certain activities. I found these helpful to teach my kids better habits regarding cell phone use and to avoid social media pitfalls. Also, we adults need to set a better example. So many of us are are addicted to our phones. When we always are looking at our phones, we are likely teaching our kids that the phone takes precedence over everything else. Personally, I have had to make a conscious effort to put down my phone and focus my attention on my family's needs, so I suspect I'm not alone. Turn off the phone and focus on your child. You both will be glad for it, and you will be setting them up for a more fulfilling life off-line and connected to their friends and family. As a parent, I strongly recommend that you follow the FCSB discussions and tune in in July when Dr. Reid gives her presentation. Maybe you want to give your two cents to your FCSB member, as well. Update and a Student Success Story A friend told me that I was a "little too strident" in this blog. Rereading it, I have to admit she was right, and I've made some changes accordingly. I've also realized that I should share a recent success story about cell phones and students. Universally, for camping trips with my scout troop, the rule has always been " NO PHONES ." However, now they are all teenagers, I thought a discussion in advance of the trip would be useful. We had a discussion about what they wanted from the big camping trip with 100 other scouts and how phones would work in such an experience. All of them decided that cell phones could be used to augment the trip ( e.g. , by taking photos), but cell phones should not interfere with the trip (e.g., by hanging out on social media). It was a great conversation that included respect, open discussion, and a mutually agreed upon decision. The girls decided to bring along digital cameras to document the weekend and left their cell phones hidden in the minivan. Afterward, they were excited to see their phones again, but were appreciative of a weekend away from them. They had an amazing experience with direct connections with scouts of all different ages while they zip-lined, canoed, and hiked in the woods. It was a glorious phone-free weekend because they were empowered to make a good decision. Students agree that cell phone use is out of control in schools and that it is interfering with their education experience. However, we must not forget that students are stakeholders in the cell phone discussion. Discounting their concerns and eliminating their voice will directly lead to the same level of compliance (or lack thereof) to new rules, as to the current rules.

While we are celebrating that our K-12 education funding priorities are funded for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, we must remember that, rather than securing a steady funding base earmarked for K-12 education, some of the education priorities are funded with the budget surplus. What will happen to these education priorities next year when there is not a budget surplus?  This week we explain the good news, bad news, and ramifications of using surplus funds to meet our priorities.  The Good News Finally, the months-long stalemate over the state budget ended on Monday, May 13, 2024, when the Governor signed the spending plan for 2024-2026. That plan includes   $2 billion more in K-12 public education funding   than was in the last budget and also recommends 3% pay raises for teachers and state employees each year. However, many localities may not have the funds to provide such raises because most of education funding comes from local, not state sources. After the Budget passed, House Appropriations Chairman Luke Torian (D-Prince William) shared, “We were able to address and fund all of our priorities.”  This good news was that a surging state revenue  that exceeded an earlier forecast meant that this year’s spending plan had a financial buffer  enabling budget lawmakers to fund K-12 education priorities while maintaining a balanced budget. The additional revenue allowed the priorities to be funded without reliance on an expansion of taxes on digital goods and services , originally planned to help meet the serious underfunding of K-12 education . But unlike a tax on digital goods and services, the surplus is a windfall that is not a stable revenue stream (see Bad News below).  One of the priorities in the General Assembly’s Conference budget  was a major increase in at-risk add-on funding for High Poverty schools , extra money the state gives to school systems with a high proportion of economically disadvantaged students. Other priorities were additional funding for English Language Learners and an increase in teacher pay. This spending plan provides funds to increase by 3% the state’s portion of teacher pay raises over the next 2 years.  The Bad News Teacher pay. Virginia’s teacher pay rate is well below the national average  and this budget resolution does not fix that gap. The General Assembly passed a bill with the goal of getting Virginia teachers' pay-rate to the national average by 2026 , but the Governor has not yet signed the bill. (He has until May 17th to act on it.) Instead of providing a pay raise that could help to realize that goal, the compromise budget increases by 3% the Commonwealth’s portion of pay raises. This is far from an amount that will help close the gap between school employee salaries and that of the national average. In fact, it barely keeps up with inflation . Because Virginia has fallen even further behind the national teacher pay average , the Commonwealth will need to approve a pay raise of 14% the next budget cycle  to meet the goal of national teacher pay average by the 2027-28 school year. Apparently, the Governor still has the misconception  that Virginia already has closed the gap in teacher pay relative to the national average, which is far from the truth. This erroneous belief is based on a flawed analysis by his administration that claimed there were mistakes in the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission’s (JLARC) report on the teacher pipeline . However, most recognize that it was the Governor’s analysis that was flawed  and recently the Virginia Education Association elaborated on the basis of the administration’s error.    The graph above shows that when adjusted for inflation, Virginia teacher pay average is well below that of the National Average pay for teachers. The compromise state budget recommends an increase of 3% each year for the next 2 years. However, most of the burden of providing those raises will fall on local school districts. Instead of approving the bill that would provide the raise needed to meet the goal by 2026, Governor Youngkin decided we should “study” the issue rather than act on revising it. As a result, school districts are still getting funded using outdated tax policies and formulas, and school districts continue to be underfunded .    Long term funding stability. Although K-12 education priorities were partially met this funding cycle, there is concern about the long-term fiscal stability of education funding. The revenue source used to meet current needs is not stable because it is based on a temporary revenue surplus .  Originally, a change in the digital sales tax was identified as the revenue source earmarked for continued and direct K-12 education support. This was especially important in providing funding for high poverty school districts. That tax change was not approved but instead the shortfall for this priority was covered with this year’s budget surplus. What is not clear is how funding for high poverty schools or any other education priority will be funded in subsequent years when we may not have a budget surplus. There is a critical need for legislators and the Governor to identify a stable revenue source  to fund education priorities.  Governor Youngkin vetoes localities’ ability to raise funds. Governor Youngkin vetoed the bill that would have allowed localities to hold a referendum on a local sales tax to support schools. By vetoing this bill the Governor has prevented localities from accessing a stable funding source for their schools. The impact of his veto on HB 805 is potentially serious. Public school districts in Virginia receive only a fraction of their operating budget from the state. For example, Fairfax County Public Schools receive only 19% of their funding from the state.  An immediate ramification of this veto is that school districts may have to reduce planned teacher salary increases. For example, Fairfax County Public Schools may have to reduce teacher salary raises  from 6% to 3%. Other than the 1.3% contribution from the federal government, the balance of the funding comes from local sources including revenue from property and sales taxes. A recent albeit unpopular increase in property taxes  for Fairfax was intended, in part, to better fund the schools. Youngkin’s veto of HB 805 has eliminated the ability of all localities to use a referendum to potentially increase financial support for their public schools.  JLARC recommendations were barely addressed. With the $371m for high poverty schools and the $71m to better support English Language Learners, Virginia has met only 4% of the $10 billion worth of critical recommendations made in the JLARC Report . And this is in a year when we have a budget surplus! What will happen to public education when the budget tightens again? "By only meeting 4% of the JLARC funding recommendations and falling further behind the national teacher pay average in this budget, lawmakers must find sustainable ways to increase revenue to meet our critical K-12 funding needs and fulfill their promises.... Retreating from RGGI and abandoning modernization of our sales tax in this budget means lawmakers must be even bolder in the coming years to propose significant tax restructuring to address the serious challenges facing our students and staffing shortages across our public schools.” - Dr. James Fedderman , President of Virginia Education Association

Science Fair is More Than a Competition Science Fair has inspired students around the world for over 100 years , from the tiniest kindergartners to gangly teenagers in high school. Recently, my first grade neighbor excitedly described his science fair project on light waves. Then, he listened raptly about my son’s project with an autonomous humanitarian aid drone. Both science fair efforts are equal in my eyes: the budding first grade scientist exploring the physics of light and a high school senior coding an autonomous drone. Unfortunately, for some people, Science Fair has gotten a bad rap, in part because it is time-intensive, misunderstood, and often required for a grade. However, when you take the love of science and combine it with the bravery to experiment, science fair projects become something else completely.  Of course, I had to learn this the hard way. Scarred by my own childhood science fair experience, I’ve never been particularly supportive of the Science Fair; however, I now understand how participation in science fair, early and often, can bring great opportunities for students and the world. It’s unfortunate, but it took my own child’s participation (and success) to fully understand the impact and importance of the Science Fair for so many students. Last week, 1,700 students from around the world descended on Los Angeles last week for the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) . Included in those were 14 students from Fairfax County Schools  whose projects received Grand Prizes at the 69th annual Fairfax County Regional Science and Engineering Fair featuring over 300 projects. The  timeline of events  at ISEF was rigorous with hours spent in professional wear (and uncomfortable shoes).  There is money available at ISEF for scholarships ; however, the likelihood of accessing enough money to pay for college is slim. Thus, these students from around the world do this for the love of science, not expectations of grandeur. Nevertheless, there are opportunities for internships, mentors, and great advice from experts, and I suspect that many sponsors at ISEF  and at high school science fairs around the country are looking for future employees and projects. Before our kids traveled to Los Angeles for ISEF, FCPS held a required meeting for the students and parents to discuss logistics and discuss expectations. Just when I thought the meeting was over, they announced that each student team would be sharing their projects. Internally I groaned at the idea of sitting through 30 more minutes of a meeting; however, by the end, I was near to tears, overwhelmed at the incredible work, thoughtfulness, and future of these students and their projects. They found real problems and came up with real solutions that could affect hundreds, if not millions, of people. It is no big surprise that many of the Fairfax ISEF attendees  were from TJ; however, six other local high schools also had grand prize winners. During the presentations, I found that a couple of the projects were incomprehensible because they were so complex (and I lacked the background), but each showed ingenuity, problem-solving skills, and bravery. These were my favorites: Detecting and Degrading Formaldehyde using Synthetic Biology and Engineering Techniques  – Many countries, including developing ones, have no efficient or  cost-effective methods of removing formaldehyde from wastewater, so a Sophomore from McLean High School created a device that would “run autonomously, testing polluted water hourly using a motorized pump.” Improving Racial Equity in Skin Cancer Detection via Artificial Intelligence –Realizing that “massive underrepresentation of non-White skin in dermatology research contributes to significant disparities in skin cancer outcomes” a Junior at The Potomac School, developed a model to “capture, upload, and diagnose skin lesion images. The 30 dollar device consequently serves impoverished communities across the globe without access to immediate healthcare.” Robee: A Novel Autonomous Pollinator  – A rapid decline of bee populations, when bees are responsible for pollinating about one-third of the world’s food supply led a Junior and Senior from Hayfield Secondary School, to create Robee, “an autonomous, intelligent drone, designed to augment the pollination behavior of bees.” Autonomous Hybrid Humanitarian Delivery Drone  – Concern over escalating urban warfare depriving individuals of needed supplies, two Juniors and a Senior from Woodson High School created a drone and “designed and implemented an autonomous guidance program that can operate even under GPS-denied environments, allowing it to navigate through warzones without an operator.” Each of these projects had equity and human need at their core. They have the potential of improving the lives of millions of people around the world by ensuring food production (Robeez!) or supporting safety and health. These students looked beyond their world to find others to help. Interest in science fair begins in elementary school. Some schools, like Mantua Elementary, are trying to expand participation in science fair with great success. Students proudly displayed their projects in the cafeteria this spring, beginning a lifetime of brave experimentation. Without the support of parents, teachers, school, and volunteers, none of this can happen, so consider volunteering as a mentor, sponsor, or judge in Science Fair. Check out resources at FCPS here . If you would like to learn more about the ISEF projects, please visit here .

Please take five minutes to take this survey  to support comprehensive sex education in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). Currently, the FCPS School Board is reviewing recommendations  from the Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee (FLECAC), a group of parents, educators, experts, and spiritual representatives who have volunteered to help review and update the FLE materials for FCPS students.  FLECAC Recommendations Despite expected outrage by far right publications and groups, most of whom want to eliminate comprehensive sex education, the 41 recommendations by FLECAC  are, for the most part, not particularly controversial. They include:  Objective and descriptive statements updates , some of which will affect instruction and curriculum (recommendations # 1 -36), which cover: Consent and boundaries for K-12 (#1-25), including how to recognize unsafe situations, how to communicate “no,” identifying abuse and how to report it, understanding sexual harassment, bodily autonomy, respecting consent, relevant laws, etc. Reproductive systems for grades 4-7 (#26-29). Family and boundaries for Kindergarten (#30-32). Identifying and reporting abuse in grade 5 (#33) Contraception/abstinence and sexuality in grade 10 (#34-35). Modified Unit (#36). Note: Exact recommended changes for each of the above recommenda tions can be found in Appendix C of the FLECAC report. Media changes (recommendations # 37-40), which include: Ensuring equitable videos in 4th grade for boys and girls (#37). Many thanks to the parent who noticed that the girls’ 4th grade video was truncated, which meant that boys got full education on their internal and external reproductive system while girls only learned about their internal system! Providing access to both 4th videos to boys and girls (#38), which makes sure that all students are learning about what is happening to their own bodies and to others' bodies, as well. Adding a 7th grade puberty video (#39). Removing a 10th grade testicular cancer video (#40) which is inaccessible to most classrooms, since the video is on VHS and DVD, and most schools no longer have access to VHS or DVD players. Elementary curriculum recommendation to develop a more inclusive curriculum overall that reflects the needs of the current student body (recommendation # 41). How to Provide FLE Feedback to FCPS The FCPS feedback form may initially seem a little hard to understand, because they have listed numbers for all 41 recommendations; however, you can choose “ all of them ” to provide your feedback, unless you care to read each recommendation individually on this page .  As you are providing feedback, please be aware that FLE in Virginia is abstinence-based by law , which means that all sexuality education is rooted in abstinence before marriage. Few know this fact–every time I share it, people are surprised. Personally, I am dismayed by this, since studies have shown that abstinence-only sex education is less effective at preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Some also consider abstinence-based sex education heteronormative , particularly since gay marriage was illegal in Virginia until October 14, 2014, and students have told me that abstinence-based FLE feels both heteronormative and homophobic. All parents should be aware so that they can discuss their family values vis-a-vis sexuality and abstinence with their children.  Parents as Primary Educators Speaking of which, I want to emphasize that FCPS and FLECAC fully support that parents are the primary educators of their children. Of course, parents should talk to their students about sex and reproductive health; however, many do not because of discomfort with the subject. Nevertheless, decisions that affect emotional and physical health should be made in the context of a family’s values; thus, it is possible to opt out of FLE partially or entirely if the lessons do not conform to a family’s needs or values. In fact, I have done this myself with one or two lessons. FLE is a complex topic that needs to be discussed with care. The FCPS professionals who teach it take their duty to students and families seriously, as does the FLECAC who made these recommendations. The volunteers of FLECAC each have experience, interest, and a desire to support students’ well-being and decision-making, within the bounds of a student’s family values and life experiences. Consider contacting your school board representative(s)  today to be on the committee next year. For full disclosure, I would like to share that I have been a member of the FLECAC for the past three years. I support comprehensive sex education  because it makes our students safer by empowering them to make good choices, including delaying sexual activity and knowing the importance of consent.  If you would like to learn more, I suggest that you review the Fairfax County Health Department Youth Survey  to understand the state of youth today. Also this neat guide from the Centers for Disease Control  may help explain how Virginia’s FLE regulations affect the sex education in our public schools, including whether or not instruction is evidence-based. Other Relevant Resources FLE Survey  (closes at 4:30 on June 10th) Full FLECAC Report Summary of FLECAC report for the School Board power point presentation   FLECAC recommendations  for consideration 5/21/24 School Board FLECAC recommendations discussion on youtube

Best Schools Update 2024 “Above all, I believe every child, no matter their ZIP code or their parents' jobs, deserves access to a quality education.” - Betsy DeVos 2016  “A child's course in life should be determined not by the zip code she's born in” - Barack Obama “Literally nothing is evenly distributed by zip code, except having a zip code.”  - Elon Musk Part I: Rankings v. Zip Codes “All children should have a great education regardless of zip code,” is perhaps one of the most repeated mantras in education. MAGA and “Woke” policy makers, Ed leaders, and billionaires often repeat it from speech to speech, almost as a litany and as  prima facie evidence they are not racist or classist. It is that time of year.   US News annual Best Schools report is the most well known rating and ranking report on schools, meant to tell us how we are meeting the “no matter what zip code, metric.” Their 2024 Best High Schools in America came out April 23rd and winners are bragging. School critics are blaming. Those whose place dropped are rationalizing, and the real estate industry is redrawing their target markets.  The original annual rating and ranking system was “Jay Mathews’ Challenge Index" which was published by  Newsweek and the Washington Post.  It started in 1998 about the same time standardized testing was taking hold as the panacea for all problems in education. The model has become so popular, ratings have become an industry, with US News, Forbes, Scholaroo, EdWeek, Niche, Great Schools, the CATO institute, and others joining the rating game.  These ratings have come to drive company relocations, local home buying markets, and be used as political shorthand about state political administrations. But what do these rankings really tell us about our schools, and how do you get to be a “best school?” Three things you need to know to make your school a top ranking school 40 percent of the ranking is based on Advance Placement and IB (World school) test numbers (taken and/or passed)  50 percent of the ranking is based on state standards tests. In Virginia that is Standards Of Learning (SOLs) In other states it may be the PARCC or one of several commercial test options. 10 percent of the score is based on how many students graduate in 4 years.  Wait!  You mean this ranking is not based on how safe, healthy, and positive the physical plant and atmosphere is? Or how highly educated, innovative, or experienced their teachers are?  On how many electives or career courses a school offers? Or how extensive their arts programs, plays, art shows and music concerts are?  How many sports do they offer, or teams go to regionals?  Or how many of their students go on to highly successful careers? Or creative lives? Or how welcoming and supportive they are for each unique learner?  Nope. None of the above count at all. This whole national competition is based on a set of tests? Whether it be US News, or one of the other brands, they are based on national or state level tests. At the bottom is always a test. (Niche offers the added opportunity to load up the system with positive reviews, much like a yelp review for your favorite restaurant).  In US News ’ case, they are based on six categories. Two of the categories measure AP and IB tests, two are based on state assessments (SOLs) , and one category based on on-time graduation rates. The Advanced Placement tests are produced by College Boards (the SAT company which makes $1.1 billion dollars a year off their testing services). The International Baccalaureate program and tests are run by the International Baccalaureate Organization, the more internationally oriented version of Advanced Placement.  Both programs are based on the idea that students in high school can and should be doing college level work and should get credit for it when they go on to college, though students don’t always get that college credit. Both programs can cost a substantial amount of money, depending on how many AP/IB courses you offer and how many tests each student takes.  So, these rankings are basically a promotion of the idea that giving more kids harder tests is what makes a good school? Well, yes.  So more and harder tests reflect better instruction? Maybe, in some cases, but not necessarily if you are valuing skills based learning, or problem solving, or social-emotional health.  So, if we want our local school district to be ranked highly, We buy and make sure every student takes at least one AP test or IB Test, and push them to take more than one. In regular classes, we research what will be on this year’s state test and teach directly to the test.  We try to minimize the number of students who need more than 4 years to complete the graduation requirements.  Problem Solved. Right? Or do we want to create schools that measure something else? Here are the schools and areas that get penalized.  1. Schools where funding limits offering AP and IB classes. For rural schools and particularly small districts, or higher poverty districts, the cost of offering large numbers of AP or IB courses can be prohibitive or just plain irrelevant, especially for areas that are in University deserts two hours from a four year college. Every test has a fee, and every course requires different text books and equipment. Every instructor is required to have specialty training in their course philosophy and approach which often includes travel costs in addition to the training fees. If your students do not have convenient access to Universities or higher paying jobs, AP and IB courses can seem a waste of precious dollars.  2. Schools where larger percentages of English Language Learners or neurodivergent students study.  English language learners average 3 years prior to reaching fluency. Offering AP or IB courses can be just out of their time-line. Also, both ELL and Special Education students are given extra years to graduate, but in the ratings system, taking those years to graduate more prepared is penalized. Does that support make them worse schools or better schools?  As a state, Virginia has fared well in this caldron of competition, with its K-12 public schools ranking in the top 5 consistently with various publishers before the current administration, and ranking 7th through 13th this year. But what does that mean for individual schools or students? Part II: Does a Zip Code really make a difference? Back to the zip code question.  “Don’t let anyone tell you that standardized tests are not accurate measures. The truth of the matter is they offer a remarkably precise method for gauging the size of the houses near the school where the test was administered.” - Alfie Kohn Is that true? Below is a study of zip codes, median home prices, and median incomes based on 2022 prices and salaries. See Take Aways after the zip codes listings for a summary of Part II  information. The Top Schools According to WTOP  in 2022, of the top 50 schools nationwide, 25 of the top 50 were some form of magnet, gifted and talented, or specialty admission schools that recruited and accepted students from varied zip codes.  In Virginia, Fairfax has more than once occupied 7 of the top 10 state spots in US News rankings. Some of the other rating brands have mostly Loudoun County schools in the top ten. Of note, according to AI, Loudoun County is now the most affluent county in the nation with a $170,463 median household income, with Falls Church and Fairfax coming in second and third. See Part II of this article for a more detailed analysis of those zip codes.  Of the schools ranked in the top ten, Thomas Jefferson, Open High School. and Richmond Community High School are specialty schools with competitive application processes that serve a wider area than a cluster of neighborhood zip codes.  The remaining top seven are public neighborhood schools that occupy a crescent of zip codes around the western edge of Fairfax County and Falls Church in which median house prices are $625K to $2.2 million and up. See the drop down for more information about houses in these zip codes. An evaluation of Langley, McLean, Madison, Marshall, Meridian, Oakton, and West Springfield zip codes Langley, McLean, Madison, Marshall, Meridian, Oakton, and West Springfield are the seven remaining schools. The zip codes in those districts are : 22101, 22102, 22181, 22182, 20170, 20194, 22031, 22043, 22046, 22066. Those schools all provide either robust AP programs, or a long-standing well-developed International Baccalaureate Diploma program. They have student bodies of between 2,000 and 2,900.  McLean High School  1633 Davidson Rd, McLean, VA also serves  22182 The average 22182 house  price was $1.1M in April.  Marshall High School  M edian  listing home  price in 22043  was $779.5K in April 2022. The average 22182 house  price was $1.1M. Oakton High School   Median  listing home  price in 22181  was $1M. The average 20171 house  price was $755K in April 2022.  Madison High School Median  listing home  price in 22181  was $1M. West Springfield High School In April 2022, the median  listing home  price in 22152  was $627K. Pretty much all of the top seven neighborhood schools have Standards of Learning scores in the mid-90’s percentage range for Science, Math, and English Language. All have between 2,000-2,900 students. The median household income for the top seven schools ranges between $228K-$146K per year. In general the poverty rate hovers between 2.2% and 3.3%.  The Bottom Ranked Schools: 263 to 320 Of the 320 high schools that US News  ranked in Virginia, the lowest 57 schools were lumped together and listed in alphabetical order. So looking at them in firmly ranked order is not possible, but we can see their general characteristics and do some comparisons by looking at a few schools from varied parts of the state.  Alleghany High School occupies the far western edge of the state, and is about central north to south. Brunswick sits along the central southern border, and Booker T. Washington is in Norfolk on the southeastern side of the state. Two of the three are majority Black schools, but overall there are numerous majority white schools among the 57 in this tier.  See the drop down for more information about houses in zip codes associated with the bottom ranked 57 schools. An analysis of homes associated with the bottom-ranked schools' zip codes around Virginia Alleghany High School in Covington Virginia was the first of the alpha ordered “low” schools. With 619 students, Alleghany High School serves zip codes 24426, 24422, 24445, 24448, 24457, 24474 Median home price is $149,500 T hey had a 97% graduation rate, but showed no advanced academics tests (AP or IB), and their SOL state scores were below the state average, between 65-79% The area is also losing population and in summer 2022 consolidated the smallest high school in the state Covington City High School with Alleghany. In October 2021 broadband service for the county was completed. Brunswick High School is in Lawrenceville, VA and serves Brunswick County on the southern border of the state.  Is in zip code 23868, and covers 23920, 23950, 23919, 23856, 23821, 23843, 23857 The Median home price for 23868 is $131.3K The median household income for Brunswick County is $46,111 There is no IB or AP program and scores on the SOLs are between 62-75%  The graduation rate is 94% Booker T. Washington High School  in Norfolk rounds out our quick survey of the 323-266 grouping.  It is in zip code 23504  The median household income of $30,546  The median house price in 23504 is $249.9K  Booker T. Washington does have AP classes. 35% of students take courses with a pass rate of 6%  SOL scores range between 65-70% and Graduation rate is 88% The sample schools selected for the 323 -266 grouping have much in common with the other 54 schools in the cluster. They tend to be small (900-500 students) to very small (under 500 students) and most do not have AP or IB programs or have only small advanced academics programs.  Take Aways So, what do we learn when we look at the zip codes of the highest ranking and lowest ranking schools in Virginia?  Large suburban schools serving highly affluent communities tend to value college preparation courses and can afford to pay for them. Costs, like IB/AB program coordinators, instructor trainings, and registration, testing fees of $96-116 per test, though costly, are not prohibitive for them.  Smaller schools that serve large geographic areas and lower income economies are less likely to spend the dollars and curriculum emphasis to tailor their programs to advanced college preparation.  A few last data points that are seldom reported in connection to the choices:  Broadband speeds and access in Northern Virginia is substantially higher (200mb-1G) as opposed to Covington and Lawrenceville at 100-200 mbps. Norfolk is the exception with high speed access due to proximity to military installations. Among other 320-263 districts broadband is still an issue and under construction.  The under 18 years poverty levels for all three 320-263 schools are 11-31% while the poverty levels for the NoVA zips are between 2.1-3.3% Parents who make $30K a year are less likely to spend $96 on a course test fee than those making $220K a year.  The cost of the AP/IB programs US News measures is significant. They require registration fees, professional coordinator staff, and instructor professional development, all of which costs the schools money. There is a per student registration fee and unless the school picks up the tab students pay between $96-$116 per test. Support for those costs across the state are not consistent, and application for subsidies is not always easy. For a school strapped for budget, to meet the number of required tests to attain ranking can be cost prohibitive.  It seems that US News  “High School Rankings” does measure some things accurately, or as Alfie Kohn put it, “the size of the houses near the school where the test was administered.”  It is clear that the top seven Fairfax County schools are doing a magnificent job of challenging their students to perform well on high stakes tests. Besides all the advanced academics, they also provide substantial enrichment opportunities for students. Their academic quality is not in question.  However, looking at the websites of the 320-263 schools, there are some remarkable programs and efforts by the local parents and school employees across these 57 districts to provide exceptional and high quality instruction and opportunities. There are many schools that have advanced academics programs, almost all have multiple career programs, and numbers of enrichment activities; schools whose students are winning state awards and accolades. Those data points are not measured under a ranking system that looks only at test scores and graduation rates. Which brings us to the question: If as they say, we measure what we value, what are we really measuring? And what do we really value?  As Lani Guinier put it: “The increasing reliance on standardized test scores as a status placement in society has created something alien to the very values of our democratic society yet seemingly with a life of its own: a testocracy.” Additional Credits:  Photos and Median Home prices are from realtor.com Poverty and median household income statistics are from census.gov Testing percentages and rankings are from  US News .  https://apnews.com/article/1d856cd98d4c491e8443576b3a817740 https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/start-expand-ap-program/start/consider-costs