The Changing Face of Arlington Public Schools Over the Past Six Decades

THE CHANGING FACE OF ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS OVER THE PAST SIX DECADES Over the past 60 years, beginning with the integration of Stratford Junior High and extending to the current day with plans for new buildings and revisioning the high school experience, Arlington Public Schools has considered the changing needs of its school population through periods of expansion and decline, changing demographics, technology growth and evolving instructional approaches. Arlington continues to focus on providing high-quality instruction for all students. www.apsva.us Arlington, VA 1958-67 the county, a major initiative in Cross Cultural this effort in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Professional Learning was introduced and Arlington’s hiring guidelines became the Arlington Public Schools’ commitment implemented for teachers at all levels. basis for the state’s ESOL teacher certification to diversity was clearly articulated and During this decade, APS experienced requirements. demonstrated during the struggle to integrate significant growth in its student population, Arlington’s Asian student population Stratford Junior High School in February reaching an enrollment high of 25,261 students (predominantly from Vietnam, Laos, and 1959. In fact, that one event represented the in the 1961-62 school year supported by a Cambodia) was 1.8% in 1970, but grew culmination of many years of community cadre of 1,202 teachers. These numbers would dramatically beginning in 1975 reaching 15% activism by the Arlington School Board, a not be repeated until the 2016-17 school year by 1983. In 1975 there were 879 non-English dedicated corps of community volunteers when APS reached 26,152 students and an speaking students in APS. With the fall of Saigon in the Arlington Committee to Preserve instructional corps of 2,166 teachers. in the mid-70s, the rapid influx of families from Public Schools and the local chapter of the Vietnam led to a rapid transformation of the NAACP. Their commitment and dedication to 1968-77 Clarendon business district, which became challenge the “separate but equal” laws with The years 1968-77 were significant to APS known as “Little Saigon” by 1976. the Commonwealth of Virginia led to a long history for a variety of reasons. In June of 1971, While the numbers of second language and extensive debate in the Federal courts and Drew Elementary School ceased to exist as students increased in our schools, at the same eventually the U.S. Supreme Court. Their success an African-American school, and reopened time the overall population of APS dropped by was marked by the historic event on February 2, that September as Drew Model School, a 21.7% during this period, falling from 26,300 in 1959, placing Arlington County at the top of the countywide choice school aimed at attracting 1968 to 20,593 in 1974. This decline resulted in news throughout Virginia and across the nation. students with a unique individualized learning the School Board’s decision to close a number However, while that one day certainly was a approach. As a result of this transition, students of schools at that time. Between 1971 and 1975, milestone for the community, it reflects just one in the predominantly African-American Nauck Cherrydale, Edison, Langston, Lee, Stewart, event in APS’ and the community’s continued and Arlington View neighborhoods were Woodlawn, Clay-Fillmore, Maury and Madison focus and efforts to ensure that Arlington’s reassigned and bused to other schools as far elementary schools were closed with students public schools are welcoming and focused away as Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown being reassigned to other neighboring schools. on providing optimal and equitable learning with the goal of increasing diversity at these During this same period, due to specific growth experiences for all students. and other schools where there was not a broad in particular areas, both Glebe and Long Branch After the integration of Stratford in 1959, representation. The transfer policy was also elementary schools were opened. Patrick Henry Elementary and Washington-Lee adjusted to monitor that transfers did not cause In 1972, newly-rebuilt Thomas Jefferson High School were also integrated at the start the percentage of African-American students Junior High School opened as the first joint-use of the following school year. Several other in the school to fall below 7% or to exceed 19% facility in collaboration with Arlington County. In APS schools continued to serve solely African- of the school’s population. In addition to the 1974, the Career Center opened and offered high American students, including the Hoffman- opening of Drew Model School, APS added a school students across the county vocational and Boston Junior/Senior High School until June Montessori Program that year to Drew to serve technical instruction in skill-level jobs. In 1977, 1964, Langston Elementary (in the northern part three-, four- and five-year-old children, with two The H-B Woodlawn Program was identified to of the county) until 1966 and Drew Elementary thirds of the spaces reserved for students from move to the Stratford site, combining its junior (in the southern part of the county) until 1971. low income families. high and high school programs in one location. To help prepare and support the APS staff During this decade, Arlington also during this period of integration throughout experienced a sudden and significant increase in its second language population. Since 1971, APS has offered programs for students not yet proficient in English. By 1975, APS had a full program in place for English Learners, the English for Speakers of Other Languages/High Intensity Language Training (ESOL/HILT) Program. Because APS was a forerunner in Stratford students Police watch as students enter integrated Stratford Children in Little Saigon Photo credit: Paula Endo Old Thomas Jefferson building Enrollment of 25,261 Integration of Stratford Little Saigon flourishes Hoffman-Boston Jr./Sr. High School closes Drew Model School opens Hispanic population begins to grow ESOL/HILT Program Langston Elementary closes and quadruples during the 1980s Stratford & Gunston Jr. Highs close Thomas Jefferson opens as joint-use facility Career Center opens CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1978-87 minority achievement culminating in the opening of Gunston Middle School in 1994, creation of the APS Minority Achievement adjusting the elementary and middle school In 1978 APS closed the Stratford and Coordinator position in 1985. This position later boundaries to balance enrollment and moving Gunston Junior High Schools, and after expanded into an office that included school- the Jackson Special Education Program and the subsequent boundary adjustments, ninth grade based coordinators who continue to work with older student HILT Program to H-B Woodlawn. was moved to the high school level that year. minority families to address the achievement At the elementary level, the initiatives included During this same period, elementary growth needs of students. moving Arlington Traditional Elementary continued to decline, causing more elementary to the old Jackson Elementary School site school closings: Custis and Fairlington closed in 1988-97 (its current location) and opening Arlington 1979, Ft. Myer and Jackson in 1980, Woodmont This period in APS history was marked by Science Focus Elementary School in the old in1982, Claremont in 1983 and Reed in 1984. steady growth across the grade levels. In 1988, Page School building and establishing the Key/ In a move to bring African-American the School and Grade Configuration Study Science Focus, Jamestown and Taylor team in students living in the Nauck and Arlington Committee reported to the School Board on 1995. In addition, the Claremont Early Years View neighborhoods closer to home, school numerous options to address elementary Center (Pre-K through second grade) opened assignments were changed and implemented crowding and diversity. As a result of its in 1993 to relieve crowding at the Abingdon, starting in 1987. This resulted in students recommendations, the Middle School Model Randolph, and Glencarlyn elementary schools. being reassigned to neighboring schools was implemented across Arlington in 1990, Middle school immersion instruction moved including Barcroft and Abingdon. In addition, moving sixth graders out of elementary schools to Gunston in 1997 to bring students from Key, APS eliminated the 1971 transfer plan that to the current sixth, seventh and eighth grade Abingdon, and Oakridge together for middle had limited the number of African-American Middle School configuration. Also, additional school. students. space was achieved by redistricting the Key This time period also saw the expansion During the early 1980s, internal issues in attendance area and moving HILT programs of full day kindergarten to all schools in 1994 Bolivia as well as parts of Central America, from Swanson to Williamsburg and from and the introduction of the Virginia Preschool also resulted in many families leaving those Washington-Lee to Yorktown. Initiative (VPI) four-year-old classes in 1995. countries and immigrating to the United States, The hallmark of this ten-year period was resulting in significant growth in Arlington’s the large-scale community involvement 1998-2007 Hispanic population. In 1980, APS had 409 initiative known as The Futures Planning This ten-year timeframe saw some Spanish-speaking students, and by 1990 the Process. From its inception in early 1992, to continued growth of enrollment in the late number had more than quadrupled, reaching the final Superintendent’s Recommendations 1990s and early 2000s followed by slight dips 1,660. As the Hispanic population grew in the Report in November 1993, this process focused from 2003 to 2007 when enrollment was at area surrounding Key Elementary, a Spanish on planning for the educational needs of 17,502 in 2007. Immersion Program was introduced in 1986 Arlington’s growing population.

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