Schools
PatchChat Live Now: School Board Reopens Honors Discussion
Join us at noon Friday for a discussion with school board member, community advocates about Fairfax County honors course offerings
The Fairfax County School Board will revisit its position next week on high-level class offerings — — so any changes made can be implemented before the 2012-2013 course catalog is printed.
Dan Storck (Mount Vernon) asked the school board to reconsider its elimination of some 11th and 12th grade English and Social Studies honors courses this month so the system could implement any curriculum changes in time for the fall semester.
"This directly affects students ... it's incumbent upon us to address it at the earliest possible opportunity," member Elizabeth Schultz (Springfield) said at the board's meeting last Thursday.
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Over the past several years, the school system has phased out honors courses in certain subjects where AP or IB courses are also available, because the two curriclums were almost identical, Peter Noonan, assistant superintendent of instructional services, told Patch this summer.
In those subjects, students must choose between general education or college-level AP courses.
Find out what's happening in Viennawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Since then, several parent groups -- including Fairgrade and Restore Honors -- have rallied around restoring honors classes in those subjects, to give students three choices: Advanced Placement, Honors and General Education.
The board is scheduled to take a vote on restoring those courses at its Jan. 26 meeting, though it could be pushed back to a later date.
Join us at noon Friday for a live chat with School Board Member Ryan McElveen (At-large), Fairgrade representative Louise Epstein and Restore Honors member Kate Van Dyck about the issue. Can't make the chat? Leave questions in the comments or sent them to to erica.hendry at patch.com.
To read more on the honors issue, click here.
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