TJ admissions changes

FCPS PROPOSES MERIT LOTTERY FOR TJ ADMISSION Current system reveals deep-rooted education inequity

MARINA QU EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | ALEENA GUL NEWS EDITOR

To increase diversity in the top-rated performers from a certain area through a hopeful that a process that bolsters STEM public high school in the country, FCPS selective admission process. experiences in earlier grades, removes introduced a merit lottery application system The intention of the proposed plans financial hurdles for families and takes for TJ’s 2021 admission cycle. Located in is to make the admission process more a more holistic view of students would Alexandria, Thomas Jefferson High School inclusive—bringing in students from all encourage more students of all backgrounds for Science and Technology (TJ) admits segments of the FCPS community. to apply and be accepted to TJ.” around 500 top students in the Northern “The current TJ admissions process has The lottery would select students based Virginia area each year. historically resulted in disproportionate on the student population in regions of FCPS

The Fairfax County School Board demographics that do not represent to benefit students from underrepresented approved the elimination of standardized middle schools. Currently, Rachel Carson, testing and the $100 application fee in the Longfellow and Rocky Run Middle Schools admissions process. The county is currently deciding between a full merit lottery system, a hybrid merit lottery and a holistic review. serve as the top three “feeder” middle schools for TJ. Students from those three schools make up nearly half of the TJ class. WE WANT TO HELP THE PIPELINE REACH FCPS Student Population (Fall 2019) TJ Admitted Class of 2024

“I believe our country—in the middle ELEMENTARY SCHOOL The plan sparked controversy with the of the pandemic and after the murder of AND MIDDLE SCHOOL White 17.7%Asian 19.5% TJ PTSA and other groups, who began George Floyd—has reached a moment where KIDS SO THEY FEEL MORE Multiracial 37.8% protesting against the proposed changes. TJ we have to with a fresh perspective to relook at equity in everything we do. We’ve had an over 25-year conversation about [improving] White 37.8% EMPOWERED TO APPLY TO TJ.” Hispanic 3.3%Black 9.8% Black <1% parent and activist Asra Nomani published an op-ed in The Washington Post, citing this as an “anti-Asian” movement. Asian 73.0% TJ admissions,” FCPS Superintendent Scott “What Fairfax County Public Schools Brabrand said in a town hall about TJ’s Hispanic 26.8% - DIDI ELSYAD have decided in this approach is that Asian admissions process on Oct. 7. “I do believe TJ SENIOR & CO-LEADER OF students are not a valued minority,” Nomani it’s time to do something other than the THE TJ ALUMNI ACTION GROUP said in an interview with The Highlander. “So status quo.” Multiracial 5.7% what you have is a whitewashing of students

As a response to the Black Lives Matter in their diversity. As a parent, that is what Data obtained from FCPS website Movement and increasing awareness of really angered me when I started hearing that social equity issues, the Virginia Department the economic, racial and special needs kind of rhetoric.” of Education required a plan from all 18 percentages found in FCPS and throughout TJ consists of over 70% Asian students, governor’s schools, including TJ, to raise the Northern Virginia jurisdictions TJ compared to the 20% county average. diversity. Governor’s schools are magnet serves,” TJ Principal Anna Bonitatibus said According to Nomani many parents of high schools that take in top academic in an interview with The Highlander. “I am TJ students, much like herself, are first or

Two Proposed TJ Admissions Options -Both eliminate admission test and application fee -Both include a holistic review of each student

Information obtained from FCPS website Merit Lottery

-Core class 3.5 GPA -Enrolled in Algebra 1 -Holistic Review -Selection by lottery based on FCPS regions proportional to enrollment Holistic Review

-Student Portrait of a Graduate sheet -Math/science problem- solving essay -Experience factors

Hybrid Merit Lottery

-Highest evaluated students in holistic review fill 20% of seats (100 students) -Remaining 400 seats filled by merit lottery

second generation immigrants, and the idea of the American Dreams led them to believe that hard work and merit can ultimately lead to success.

“It’s teaching our students...that hard work is not as important and that luck is more important than hard work,” said Himanshu Verma, a data scientist and TJ parent who emigrated from India.

While FCPS officials said the shift intends to reduce TJ prep classes that privilege wealthy students, some parents see it differently.

“They just disparage them as having literally bought their way [into TJ]. Shaming is often used as a weapon in silencing people, and what I’ve noticed is that there is a rhetoric of shaming our students and our families,” Nomani said

Nomani said she believes diversifying TJ is important but that FCPS needs to actively encourage minority students to apply to TJ.

“It’s not just students—it’s also the lack of FCPS [policy],” Verma said. “They [can’t] just write information. They need to transmit passion. They need to transfer excitement [for STEM to minority students].”

Racial stereotypes have caused misrepresentation for Black and Hispanic students in the applicant pool. Senior Didi Elsyad, a Sudannese immigrant and one of the few Black students at TJ, was once discouraged from applying.

“In seventh grade, my history teacher overheard me talking about TJ and she was like, ‘Why are you talking about TJ? You know that school is only for smart kids, right?’ and I was like, ‘You don’t know me,’” Elsyad said. “It’s not that we’re not motivated, it’s just that we’re constantly being shoved down. I think it’s unfair to ask the students to get up every single time when they are shut down.”

Encouraging more diverse students to apply to TJ is just one aspect of the issue. The lottery aims to increase equity in enrollment from the applicant pool. Statistics from TJ’s admissions portfolio for the Class of 2024 shows that 6% of applicants are Black, but they only make up 1% of the semifinalists, students who pass the admission test.

“When I got the acceptance email I thought, ‘If I go to the school, I am going to be one of five or six Black people in my whole entire grade,” Elsyad said. “‘How is that going to make me feel? What are other people going to say to me? Am I going to experience racism? Am I going to have anyone to turn to when I do experience that

White 37.8% Asian 19.5%

Black 9.8%

Multiracial 5.7% Hispanic 26.8% Multiracial 37.8%

Hispanic 3.3% Black <1% White 17.7%

Asian 73.0%

Data obtained from FCPS website

racism?’ and the answer, quite honestly, in most times is no.”

Elsyad is the co-leader of the mentorship and outreach team in the TJ Alumni Action Two Proposed TJ Group (TJAAG), which includes TJ students Admissions Options and graduates who advocate for more -Both eliminate diversity. The organization is in support of Merit Lotteryadmission test and application fee the lottery system. -Both include a holistic review of each student -Core class 3.5 GPA

“We want to help the pipeline reach -Enrolled in Algebra 1 -Holistic Review elementary school and middle school kids so -Selection by lottery based on FCPS regions they feel more empowered to apply to TJ,” proportional to Elsyad said. “There is a cultural inclusivity enrollment group that [tries to] change the toxic Information obtained from FCPS website culture—again, encouraging people to be more thoughtful and less ignorant.”

Coalition for TJ shares TJAAG’s goal of increasing diversity but opposes the lottery system. Both groups recommend the sponsorship of more STEM-related activities for underrepresented populations and have held rallies to advocate for their interests.

The Coalition proposes improving the Advanced Academic Program (AAP).

“Out of around 350 students who were selected in Fairfax County from the year 2022, only 22 were outside the AAP. We can do the math, so the probability of getting selected as a non-AAP student is very, very low,” said Verma, who analyzed the admission statistics.

TJ’s lack of diversity is only the surface of the educational inequity that is deeply rooted in FCPS, according to Brabrand. They are looking to improve the AAP.

In first and second grade, students take the NNAT and CogAT test, which are designed to measure the students’ potentials. Those tests determine student admission into the AAP, where they receive an advanced curriculum from third to eighth grade.

“A vision of separating kids at such a young age and telling them, ‘OK, this group is smart, this group isn’t’—that’s going to shatter your self-confidence, and you’re developing that self-confidence at such a young age,” Elsyad said. “If you have to spend third through sixth grade being told constantly, ‘I’m in the dumb class, all the smart kids are in this other class,’ what happens is that [in middle school] they don’t Holistic Review have the confidence to really step up [to take -Student Portrait of a Graduate sheet honors classes] and apply to TJ.” -Math/science problem- solving essay

In certain elementary schools in FCPS, -Experience factors sixth grade students in general education Hybrid Merit classes are not allowed to take the IOWA Lottery Test, which could place them into Algebra I -Highest evaluated in seventh grade and therefore prevent them students in holistic review fill 20% of seats from being admitted to TJ and from taking (100 students) advanced math in high school. -Remaining 400 seats filled by merit lottery

“In Virginia, some of the AAP program was actually [established] shortly after the schools went through periods of required integration,” Fairfax County School Board member-at-large Abrar Omeish said. “Elected officials here decided they were going to resist it and find new ways without racially charged language to discriminate. And the AAP was one of the things that came out of that.”

Some parents recommend the county to address the inequity surrounding STEM education across different high schools.

“Fairfax County is not getting that there’s a significant demand for STEM courses,” Verma said. “[The county] needs more science and technology courses, rather than a lottery. We need our existing high schools to be able to become as good in their science and technology as TJ and be able to offer more advanced courses in STEM.”

TJ’s principal is confident about the outcome of the proposed plan.

“I am hopeful [about the lottery],” Bonabitus said. “A process that bolsters STEM experiences in earlier grades, removes financial hurdles for families and takes a more holistic view of students would encourage more students of all backgrounds to apply and be accepted to TJ.”