October 25, 2025 Newsletter
In This Edition:
1. APE School Board Candidate Forum
2. APE Survey Results
3. Parent Tips Corner
4. School Board Meeting Recap
5. What's Happening Soon
6. Sign Up to Help Us with Recaps!
Mark your calendars for Monday, October 6, 2025, for our School Board Candidate Forum! Get insights from the candidates as they share their visions, priorities, and plans for APS. Plus, we’re excited to have Scott Gelman, reporter at WTOP News as our moderator for this year’s event.
When: Monday 10/6 @ 7pm
Where: Virtual, Register Here
Who: The candidates are Monique "Moe" Bryant, Vell Rives and Mike Webb (not yet confirmed)
Got a question for the candidates? Submit a question for our forum here.
APE Survey Results Are In!
What’s Happening: APE recently conducted a survey of our newsletter readers, Facebook forum members and X followers. The results paint a clear picture of priorities for learning, teaching and student well-being in Arlington Public Schools.
What You Said:
Instructional quality and rigor topped the list. Respondents consistently pointed to the need for stronger reading, writing and math instruction, along with more advanced coursework and higher expectations for all students. Many framed academic excellence as foundational to both equity and opportunity.
Technology in schools drew consistent attention. A large share of respondents called for reduced screen time, fewer iPads in elementary classrooms and a return to paper-based learning. Others emphasized the need for effective use of technology, particularly in secondary grades, to ensure it enhances rather than replaces instruction.
Teacher workforce concerns appeared frequently. Respondents stressed the importance of higher pay, stronger retention and reducing administrative burdens so teachers can stay focused on students.
Class size and staffing surfaced repeatedly. Respondents urged APS to prioritize more teachers and smaller groups in early grades, highlighting the link between class size, individual attention and student outcomes.
Student wellbeing and safety also emerged, including some calls for mental health support, outdoor time and stronger school safety measures.
Equity & inclusion: A significant group of respondents stressed protecting and affirming vulnerable student populations. Many framed equity-driven supports as essential for closing opportunity gaps.
Bottom Line: Families want APS to deliver on the fundamentals - literacy, numeracy, and strong teaching. Across perspectives, one theme is consistent: parents want APS to focus its resources on what happens inside classrooms, where learning and relationships take root.
What’s Next:
APE will continue sharing parent perspectives with district leaders to ensure that our voices are included in conversations about APS’ strategic priorities, resource allocation and classroom practices.
Side Note: Some respondents reminded us that not every perspective always feels heard. We want to make sure you know your voice matters. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us by email at arlingtonparentsforeducation@gmail.com, drop us a note on our Facebook page or start a conversation in our Facebook Forum. Hearing from a range of experiences helps us all learn and better support our students.
Parents Helping Parents
If you’ve been reading our newsletter, you’ve probably seen our “From the Teacher’s Lounge” and “Parent’s Corner” features. These are thoughtful reflections from staff and families who want to share their stories, insights or even just a perspective from their day-to-day...our community’s own version of an op-ed!
We’re excited to begin sharing a new edition of these pieces here as well focused on tips and tricks from other parents (or educators!). We hope this space is a welcoming forum where voices from across our community can spark ideas, encourage dialogue and build connection. And if you’ve ever thought about contributing your own piece, consider this your invitation. We’d love to hear from you!
Advice Regarding Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Classes:
For those of you who have kids entering HS or are about to, here is a tip. If your child is enrolled in an AP class, buy them a Princeton Review (or similar) prep book for that AP course and have them work through it during the year concurrent with their course. Why? Some APS AP classes teach the full AP curriculum, however, some do not. If your child wants to take the associated AP exam, they don't want to find out in the spring that their class is one that didn't cover the AP curriculum and then need to undertake an intense month-long cram effort on their own time to prepare for the AP exam. It is hard for kids to know if their course will cover all of the AP curriculum at the outset, so better to be on the safe side.
September 18th School Board Meeting Recap
Federal Funding Litigation Update
Superintendent Dr. Durán reported on Arlington Public Schools’ (APS) ongoing legal challenge to the U.S. Department of Education’s “high-risk” designation, which, according to Dr. Durán has effectively frozen approximately $23 million in federal funds.
Monitoring Item –Academic Data Update
Chief Academic Officer Dr. Gerald Mann gave the presentation regarding various academic results, such as Standards of Learning tests, NWEA-MAP academic screeners, AP classes, Career & Technical Education (CTE) completion, English Language proficiency, chronic absenteeism, etc.
APS’ Growth data from the NWEA MAP academic screener indicates that Math classroom instruction at APS has serious issues, with 75% of schools failing to achieve their Growth targets:
For English Language Arts, APS had:
24 schools with High Growth, 22 of which had High Achievement
5 schools with Low Growth and Low Achievement
For Math, APS had:
Only 4 schools with High Growth, 3 of which had High Achievement
6 schools with Low Growth and Low Achievement
APE Note for Context
Math SOLs: Pass rates remain significantly below their pre-COVID levels. Because cut scores (passing thresholds) were already lowered in 2018–19 (before COVID), both pre- and post-COVID scores use the same standard. This makes the math decline a clear measure of learning loss.
Reading SOLs: Pass rates are also below pre-COVID levels, but the gap looks smaller than it really is because cut scores were lowered in 2020–21 (after COVID). That change hides part of the true decline and concerning continuation of learning loss.Weaknesses in SOL pass rates are most pronounced among English Learners, economically disadvantaged students and students with disabilities. Even so, when looking at non-economically disadvantaged, non-English Learners and non-students with disabilities by subgroup, it is likely that all racial subgroups have failed to return to their pre-COVID reading SOL achievement levels once cut score distortions are taken into account.
Board Action onAudit Plan
The Board unanimously approved APS’ FY 2025-26 Inernal Audit Plan focusing on consulting contracts, emergency preparedness, and student conduct.
Readthe full recap here.
Happening Soon
Monday, September 29, 6:30–8:00 PM – APE Exchange on Devices. Central Library, Glebe Room. Share what’s working and what isn’t with APS-issued devices.
Tuesday, September 30, 9:00 AM–5:30 PM – School Board Work Session. Syphax Education Center. Watch live.
9:00–10:30 AM: Planning Factors – Phase 2 Implementation
10:45–12:15 PM: HR Audit Report – Mid-Year Update
1:00–2:30 PM: Feasibility Studies
2:45–4:00 PM: FY 2027–36 CIP Direction
4:30–5:30 PM: Closed meeting on Public Safety
Wednesday, October 1, 8:30 AM - Policy Subcommittee Meeting. Syphax School Board Conference Room, Suite 260 Join online.
Wednesday, October 8, 7:00–8:30 PM – ACTL Meeting. Syphax Building, Rooms 452/454/456.
Thursday, October 9, 7:00 PM – School Board Meeting. Syphax, Board Room. Sign up to speak. Watch live.
Thursday, October 23, 7:00 PM – School Board Meeting. Syphax, Board Room. Sign up to speak. Watch live.
Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL) Annual Book Sale:
Thursday, October 23 from 3 to 7:45 p.m. (FOAL member night - become a member to get early access to the sale!)
Friday, October 24 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. (Public sale)
Saturday, October 25 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. (Public sale)
Sunday, October 26 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. (Public sale and half price day)
We Need You!
Help Us with School Board Meeting Recaps
Some people binge Netflix. We binge… School Board meetings.
If you’re the kind of nerd who loves policy debates, budget charts, and the thrill of the vote - come join us! We need volunteers to help write recaps of School Board meetings and work sessions for our biweekly newsletter. Your inner policy wonk will thank you, and so will our readers!
Interested? Sign up here!
