Two additional criteria were added since the earlier proposals: Students would be expected to take math and science honors courses and take an additional honors course in English or social studies or be identified as a Young Scholar. Thanks for adding your voice. Majority Leader Dick Saslaw. If they increase the class size to 550, there will be about 100 new seats in each class. Laura Jane Cohen, Springfield District Representative, Stella Pekarsky, Sully District Representative, Vice-Chair, sgpekarsky@fcps.edu. Updates. Each of the five FCPS regions would get 70 slots. TJ is in Mason District, but very few students from Annandale/Mason District middle schools apply to or are accepted to TJ. School Board Work Session 11/17/2020. If you wish to participate in the survey as a TJ PTSA member, you can sign up for membership via this link. Virginia Senator and Delegate representing the 35th district, where TJ is located Virginia Sen. The remaining 450 slots would be filled by a lottery to include highly evaluated applicants within geographic pathways. Their final proposal, however, was released and can be found here. The FCPS School Board will discuss this revised proposal at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, October 6. The FCPS School Board will discuss this revised proposal at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, October 6. Admissions Office FAX: 571-423-3777. tjadmissions@fcps.edu. TJ Comments Address set up by FCPS to receive comments on this proposal: Commonwealth of VirginiaVirginia Governor Ralph Northam. Covering Annandale, Bailey's Crossroads and Seven Corners in Fairfax County, Virginia. The new plan explained the “holistic review” will include the following requirements: Under this revised process, all applicants need to meet the basic requirements as outlined above, including 3.5 GPA, enrollment in Algebra I, the Student Information Sheet,  the Student Portrait Sheet, the Problem-Solving Essay, and the Experience Factors. The School Board is slated to decide Oct. 8 on the final TJ admissions proposal. The two options – a hybrid merit lottery and a holistic review – address concerns raised by school board members about Brabrand’s previous proposals. The top 100 students could be from anywhere and would not be counted toward the pathway caps. “The TJ Alumni Action Group” has come out in favor of the new admissions proposal. If not, then you must know how ridiculous your criticism of TJ’s admissions process is. Related story: Thomas Jefferson HS alumni demand a more equitable admissions process. In addition to changing the admissions system, FCPS would conduct student and parent engagement, focusing on outreach to groups that have been historically underrepresented at TJ. The proposal would implement the new process for the next admissions cycle. Brabrand’s proposals eliminate the requirement for teacher recommendations. The TJ admissions process as it stands is inherently race-blind. to the TJ admissions process as anything other than an attempt at racial balancing according to the demographics of Fairfax County. The lottery proposal is idiotic. November 7 Test Day. A proposal is on the table to move to a merit-based lottery system at one of Northern Virginia’s elite magnet high schools. The proposal misses the very real point that students in Fairfax – of all race races, ethnicities and the like – need better support from their very first day in the school system. The TJHSST Admissions Office is located at the FCPS Gatehouse Administrative Center: 8115 Gatehouse Rd Falls Church, VA 22042 The Fairfax County Health Department hopes to begin the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines this week or the week after. On September 15, 2020, Superintendent Brabrand released a “Merit Lottery” proposal for TJ admissions, to be implemented this year. We plan to send the raw results, without commentary, to all of the policy makers identified below. School Board Vote on the Superintendent’s Admissions Reform Proposal. The Fairfax County School Board will discuss a proposal to overhaul admissions policies for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology at its meeting tonight (Wednesday).. With the goal of improving the diversity of prestigious magnet school, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand has proposed eliminating the standardized test currently used to … Ricardy Anderson, Mason District Representative, Chair. Under the current system, about 2,500 to 3,000 students typically apply every year. These criteria would produce a pool of about 4,300 students who would be invited to apply to TJ. Melanie K. Meren, Hunter Mill District Representative. According to Coalition supporter and TJ parent Greg Miller, the Coalition formed when "a letter was sent home indicating there were renewed efforts to look at TJ's admissions process. The TJ Admission Merit Lottery plan released September 15 has been updated on October 2 by Superintendent Brabrand. Brabrand’s proposal would eliminate the admissions test, which he says “tends to reflect upon the socioeconomic background of test takers or the ability for students to obtain private test preparation instead of students’ true academic potential.” Under Proposal 2 – the holistic review approach – all 550 seats would go to the highest-evaluated students within the pathways. FCPS is negatively impacting my sons chances for success. The Fairfax County School Board is considering two revised proposals for changing the admissions process to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.. A link to a TJ PTSA survey about this plan was emailed to our members tonight. Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni. Current proposal appears to be to accept 100 "top performers" based on a "holistic" examination of their applications. Oct 7. That will reduce confusion when lots of people are commenting as “anonymous.”. The 3A Metrobus on Annandale Road. 0; Share. “We have heard from many members of the TJ community—current and former—who have raised concerns about diversity at the school,” added Brabrand. Anonymous: No details whatsoever for sophomore or junior admissions. Related story: Very few black students accepted to TJ. Curriculum specialists are adamant that when building a program on an existing successful model, fidelity to the model is absolutely critical. Superintendent Scott Brabrand presented two revised options for a new admissions system at a school board work session on Dec. 7. “The TJ Alumni Action Group” has come out in favor of the new admissions proposal. Tj Sun. [File photo] The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is proposing five new routes to replace Met... Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Fairfax County Schools superintendent says admission to TJ can’t depend on test-taking skills, Thomas Jefferson HS alumni demand a more equitable admissions process, Inova to relocate Alexandria Hospital to Landmark Mall site, Fairfax County Health Department to begin COVID vaccine rollout, All-girls team from Annandale High School wins Audi competition, D1 athletic training center to open in Pinecrest Plaza, Fairfax Connector to replace Metrobus routes in Annandale. Superintendent Braband's proposal would revise the process in three ways. The proposed move … The group’s vice president, Andrew Hayes, graduated in 1999 from Thomas Jefferson. Subject: New TJ admissions proposal docs are up - 11/17 school board meeting. The board is scheduled to make a decision on Dec. 17. The board has been discussing TJ admissions for months in response to concerns that the current system for the elite school discriminates against Black, Latinx, and economically disadvantaged students. They also agreed that actions need to be taken to enhance the pipeline of TJ applicants. Under Proposal 1 – the merit lottery – 100 … TJ & Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Dates . Each FCPS region would have a cap based on eighth-grade enrollment in the schools within that region. Region 2 would have 85 slots, and the other regions would have 67 to 81. We encourage you to get educated. Students would be expected to have Portrait of a Graduate attributes and 21st century skills; display problem-solving skills and STEM aptitude by writing a math or science problem-solving essay; achieve an unweighted 3.5 GPA in core classes; and be enrolled in algebra I or a more advanced math course. Contact information for policymakers can be found below. Subject: New TJ admissions proposal docs are up - 11/17 school board meeting. A team of sophomores from Annandale High School won a $2,000 grant in the Audi-STEM for Her: D... D1 has leased this vacant space in Pinecrest Plaza. • If you don’t want to use your real name, use an alias. Report. 2. On one hand, a positive teacher recommendation could help a disadvantaged student make the cut. Agenda • Background • Key Decisions • Research and Data • Final Proposal • Stakeholder Engagement • Outreach/Communication Plan • Accountability Metrics. Seventy percent of applicants would be from Fairfax County public or private schools, and 30 percent would be from other jurisdictions (Loudon County, Prince William County, Arlington County, and Falls Church). This has much more impact than a single email from the PTSA. Among other changes, the proposal would eliminate the admissions test and replace it with a “merit lottery”. After outcry, Fairfax superintendent revises proposal to reform admissions at Thomas Jefferson High School. The Fairfax County School Board will discuss a proposal to overhaul admissions policies for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology at its meeting tonight (Wednesday).. With the goal of improving the diversity of prestigious magnet school, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand has proposed eliminating the standardized test currently used to … Coalition for TJ is a group that formed when the Superintendent first announced plans for a merit lottery admissions system. OP ED: FCPS Embraces Charter Schools With TJ Admissions Reform Proposal. As shown by the FCPS’ own TJ Admissions Merit Lottery Proposal, the admissions changes are intended to significantly decrease the Asian-American student enrollment at TJ… Petition details. Under Proposal 1 – the merit lottery – 100 seats would go to the highest-evaluated students. Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Scott Brabrand said the proposal will increase diversity at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Tweet. The admissions process to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Thank you for your interest in Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST). Here is a quick comparison slide from the FCPS presentation. Under the Merit Lottery proposal, Applicants who meet the basic requirements of 3.5 core class GPA, enrollment in Algebra I, and “revised Student Information Sheet (SIS) to include questionnaire/essay” will be selected for admission by lottery. In this proposal, the admissions will be replaced with a merit lottery. Only 2020-2021 TJ PTSA members can participate in this survey. TJHSST Admissions: Contact Us. The proposal touted Tuesday by Superintendent Scott Brabrand would eliminate a high-stakes admissions test used to judge applicants for the Thomas Jefferson High School for … TJ Admissions. The new proposal, or Plan B, retains the flawed lottery component of an earlier proposal, dismantles TJ’s race-blind, merit-based admissions process, targets Asian-American students and remains the end result of a closed process that has lacked transparency and community engagement. Oct 6, 2020. 11/17/2020. • Sign your name. The survey will be open from tonight to noon on Tuesday, October 6, and the survey results will be shared with the policymakers identified below before the October 6 afternoon School Board meeting. The School Board is slated to decide Oct. 8 on the final TJ admissions proposal. Are you adding something productive to the conversation? FCPS presented the “TJ Merit Lottery” admissions proposal on Sept 15.. Lots of people protested that the merit lottery will take the superiority of TJ … Admissions Office (general inquiries): Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. The new process would take effect for the TJ Class of 2025. If they increase the class size to 550, there will be about 100 new seats in each class. They also agreed that actions need to be taken to enhance the pipeline of TJ applicants. The proposal removed three of the five main factors considered under the current admissions process. Leading with Equity at the Center October 2 TJ application deadline. Here are all of the School Board & Superintendent & Governor’s Office email addresses in one place that you can copy/paste into your email app: Ralph.Northam@governor.virginia.gov,Atif.Qarni@governor.virginia.gov,district35@senate.virginia.gov,DelKKory@house.virginia.gov,kakeysgamarr@fcps.edu,aomeish@fcps.edu,rsizemorehei@fcps.edu,Megan.McLaughlin@fcps.edu,Elaine.Tholen@fcps.edu,mkmeren@fcps.edu,tdkaufax@fcps.edu, rjanderson@fcps.edu,klcorbettsan@fcps.edu,kvfrisch@fcps.edu,lhcohen@fcps.edu,sgpekarsky@fcps.edu,suptbrabrand@fcps.edu,tjcomments@fcps.edu,mail@tjptsa.org, Determine your representatives here: https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/, https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/, 2020-10-06 TJ PTSA “Revised Merit Lottery” Survey Results, 2020-12-20 Donations Needed for TJ Teacher/Staff Holiday Gift Cards. We encourage everyone to write to policymakers and make your voice heard, whether you are a PTSA member or not. It appears that TJ is in the midst of changing its admissions process and nothing has been finalized. At the work session, there was a lot of discussion on whether they should still be required. The board had already agreed to drop the admissions test and application fee and add 50 slots at TJ for the coming year. We will send the survey link to new members. But we believe that the current proposal by legislators and the school board is not the solution. Tweet. At the Oct. 6 School Board Work Session, the Superintendent's newly revised Admissions proposal showed a rolling admissions process to keep a class of 500 students. My short, basketball loving son is being denied the boost he needs for his college applications. The TJ Admission Merit Lottery plan released September 15 has been updated on October 2 by Superintendent Brabrand. Taken to enhance the pipeline of TJ applicants need to be implemented this year FCPS to receive Comments this. 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