FAQs about Change at TJ

Is the diversity problem really an issue? What are the actual numbers?

• TJ does not reflect the demographics of Fairfax County. The Class of 2019 was 1.6% Black and 2.4% Hispanic. In TJ’s most recently admitted class of 2024, the number of Black students was “too small for reporting.”

• Across Fairfax County Public Schools, 10% of students are Black, 25.9% are Hispanic, 38.5% are White, 19.6% are Asian, 5.5% are two or more races, 0.2% are American Indian and 0.1% are Native Hawaiian.

• Economically disadvantaged students are also underrepresented. The percentage of students on free and reduced-price lunches is routinely around 1-2%. Across FCPS, over 31 percent of the total student population is economically disadvantaged.

Well, at least TJ has a great reputation for being the top school in the nation, right?

• A growing part of the issue with TJ admissions is the negative reputation TJ is gaining among underrepresented groups as an inhospitable place for their children. Alumni and students alike have spoken to the school board recently about their experiences of racism at TJ, and have been speaking out against the same issues for decades. 

• Despite unfounded arguments that any changes to TJ would reduce its prestige, applications to TJ have declined under the status quo, down 25.8% from the peak in 2012, from 3,423 to 2,539 applicants amid persistent demographic problems.

• In line with FCPS’ Portrait of a Graduate and mission to inspire and empower students to be responsible and innovative global citizens, TJ must create a more inclusive environment for students from underrepresented groups and improve educational resources around topics such as systemic racism.

Wouldn’t changing the admissions process lower the standards of the school, or lead to admission of students who are underprepared to manage the challenges?

• We completely reject the insinuation that admitting more students from underrepresented groups including Black, Latinx, and low-income students would lower the standards of the school. On the contrary, we argue that the current process is excluding qualified, deserving students from those underrepresented populations.

• The previous admissions system's semifinalist round had five conditions:

  • 3.0 GPA for core classes.

  • Algebra 1

  • Residency requirement

  • Quant-Q/ACT percentile

  • Application fee

Currently, the application fee has been removed and the Algebra 1 and residency requirement has not been adjusted, which does not change the quality of applicants. The GPA requirement has been raised, which will enhance the quality of applicants. Historically, GPA has been the only predictor of a student's future academic success. 

• Admitting students from underrepresented groups, including Black, Latinx, and low-income students, will raise the standards of TJ. The opportunities of TJ need to be given to those who can gain the most advantage from the incredible peer effect, enriched environment and committed teachers at Jefferson.  

• The current admissions system has historically admitted students for which curriculum was reformed: The new Thomas Jefferson? It includes remedial math, Washington Post, 2012

• The current selection process is excluding talented students from underrepresented populations.  All FCPS high schools are excellent - so TJHSST admissions needs to enroll more students from underrepresented groups who will produce the most benefit to Fairfax County and to society.  

• The research is clear: the lack of Black, Latinx, Native American Indian and low income (in childhood) leaders across STEM is resulting in harm to minority populations and poor outcomes for our increasingly global world. This is evident through inadequate health care, unacceptable environment and climate impacts, and other negative policy- and governance-based consequences that disproportionately affect these populations. TJ must help prepare the Black, Latinx, Native American Indian and low-income leaders our society desperately needs to ensure that policy, governance, medicine and technology serve everyone.

• Top-tier universities and companies recognize the value that diversity adds and seek to recruit diverse candidates. As a top-tier high school, TJ should do the same.

This sounds like an issue larger than TJ, why should TJ be held responsible for this? Why not just solve the problem at the elementary/middle school level?

• The TJAAG supports actions taken to increase accessibility to AAP courses and ultimately to TJ starting at a much younger age. However, only focusing on this issue ignores the system racism that is inherent in the current TJ admissions process (including standardized test biases and the weighting of after school activities that not all students can afford). Structural changes are needed at every level of the process.

• The #1 high school in the country should be on the leading edge of innovation in every aspect, from pedagogy to inclusivity. We see no reason why TJ can’t be the leader and a model for other top schools in transforming admissions processes and student experiences for the better.

I thought TJ has already put a lot of effort into making things better, like more test prep and outreach programs. Why are we still harping on this issue? 

• FCPS has tried various small projects over the decades to address diversity, but each failed to produce substantial, large-scale improvement in diversity outcomes. The most historically successful program, Visions, was canceled unnecessarily in the early 2000’s. 

• Free tutoring, trying to make the test less prep-able, diversity open houses, attempting to focus on "STEM-interested" candidates, and projects like these are insufficient on their own because the problem is a systemic one, requiring a systemic solution.

• Countless students have been harmed and are being harmed now by the status quo at TJ. There are qualified, deserving students who should have the opportunity to attend TJ but don’t. There are students who should feel safe and welcome at TJ but don’t. And there are students who should have the opportunity to get the antiracist education they need to set them up for success and effective leadership in a globalized, diverse world—and don’t. We are advocating so passionately for change because we don’t want any more students to be harmed in these ways.

What advantages do increasing diversity and the merit lottery system present?

• Top-tier universities and companies recognize the value that diversity adds.  Universities build their student body as a unit, recruiting diverse, successful candidates who can positively contribute to the university as a critical part of the community experiences and education they offer and the alumni they want to create. As a top-tier high school, TJ must do the same and build its student body thoughtfully.

• As a result of COVID, 2020 is an ideal year to remove the standardized test requirement or make it optional for TJ applicants.  Many colleges now make standardized tests optional with a range of standardized tests accepted.  Privilege biases every step of the TJ admissions process. Families are preparing their kids from 2nd grade after AAP testing and spending time and money to make their students top scorers, pushing them into STEM activities whether the student enjoys them or not.  Test prep courses for both the semifinal and final admission rounds result in dramatic underrepresentation of Black, Latinx, Native American Indian and low SES students.  

• Drawing TJ students from all elementary school districts in the final admissions phase could increase diversity and ensure TJ serves all of our community more proportionally. 

• Merit lottery-based acceptances can increase representative diversity.  It would also defang the feeling of rejection that many extraordinary, talented students (and their parents) sense when not accepted to TJ.  

Aren’t changes to the TJ process anti-immigrant or anti-Asian?

• In the FCPS announcement regarding the new admissions system, FCPS ran two trial runs of the new system, one with Class of 2019 admissions data and one with Class of 2024 admissions data. In both scenarios, Asian representation dropped from around 70% -> 52% and 73% -> 54%. White representation rose from 21% -> 29% and 18% -> 25%. Asians will still be the majority at TJ because historically, more Asians apply.

• TJAAG, Inc. is advocating for equitable educational opportunities for all races, which does NOT equate to asking to put Asians/immigrants in the minority at TJ. Our group includes several Asian alumni who support structural changes to admissions that will lead to more diverse and inclusive culture for all races at TJ. Increasing representative diversity among the student body and promoting inclusion will benefit all members of the TJ community. 

• Also, there is a substantial population of immigrants who belong to the underrepresented minority groups for which TJAAG is advocating.

• For more information on Fairfax County demographics, refer to the Equitable Growth Profile of Fairfax County report

Don’t URM students apply at a lower rate? 

• This is true regarding Latinx students, but to say that is the reason there are so few Black students at TJ is disingenuous. FCPS' demographic makeup is about 9.3% Black, and the application pool is about 6-7% Black. Could we increase applications from Black students? Yes. Is that the reason why the admissions rate is 1%? No.

Won’t the lottery system leave the admissions process to chance instead of merit? 

• Any system will lead to some number of students getting in and some not getting in. For most students, the odds are currently stacked in their favor just based on regional SES opportunities of where they live in Fairfax County. Until this problem is remedied, acceptance is not based on intelligence or merit, it's already based on which part of the county you live  and the school resources available to you there. Highly talented, smart, motivated people exist everywhere but do not have access to the same opportunities.

• Also, saying "anyone can get a 3.5 if they try hard enough" is a legitimate form of merit. Students who apply themselves, work hard and succeed should be offered the chance to go to TJ. 

What is the TJAAG?

• TJAAG, Inc. is a group of more than 1,000 TJ alumni who seek a diversity-focused admissions policy and anti-racist student experience at TJHSST, student representation at TJ reflecting its draw districts, and a student experience that grows future diverse STEM leaders educated in matters of celebrating and supporting diversity. 

• Over 50 members regularly meet for committee work tackling core aspects of TJ’s diversity gaps. Committees range from mentoring young scholars, to encouraging underrepresented groups to apply, to changing the culture at TJ to one of celebrating and supporting all diversity, to researching and analyzing the data for best results, to shifting the vision of TJ to better match the needs of Fairfax County and our shared future.

• TJAAG, Inc. has fielded 4-7 speakers at each school board since our membership explosion starting in late May. Our membership includes a broad array of experts in data analysis, teaching, social justice, and STEM. All of them share the goal of fixing TJHSST’s problematic admission of disproportionately few Black, Latinx, Native American Indian low income, ability, and neurodiverse students.

• Diversity and inclusion issues at TJ have been discussed for several decades, but without sustained improvement. 2020 is the year for permanent change.

What is the TJAAG asking for?

• Re-design the admissions process to be more equitable and result in representation of the makeup of Fairfax County, including under-represented minority and low income demographics

• Mandate an anti-racist and inclusive curriculum for use starting this upcoming school year, including more resources and support at TJ for under-represented minority and low income groups, so that it provides a healthy learning environment for all students  

• Increase and provide consistent, effective access in all communities that are in TJ’s geographic draw districts to resources and messaging that recruits and prepares kids for the TJ application (not just AAP centers)

• TJAAG, Inc. is requesting data sets from 2012 to the present in order to further analyze the loss of Black, Latinx, Native American Indian, and low income students in the admissions process

What is the TJAAG’s vision for TJ?

• TJAAG, Inc. would like to see an anti-racist admissions process and student experience at TJHSST, so that the school shows representative diversity from its draw districts and provides a healthy learning environment for all students.  

Common Complaint #1: "The school board is trying to reinstate a white majority at TJ." or "The new system discriminates against Asians."

You cannot advocate for more underrepresented minorities (URMs) without being okay with fewer Asians.

Common Complaint #2: "If all 'Asian' students weren’t lumped together as one demographic, they would not be the majority."

Yes, you are correct. This is an outdated way to classify race. However, this doesn't actually fix anything. If anything, Southeast Asian people would be added to the URM umbrella because Vietnamese people are also crucially under-represented at TJ. For example, there are actually more Vietnamese people than Chinese people in Fairfax County. You can give groups different names, but that doesn't change the statistics and it doesn't make representative diversity any less of an issue.

Common Complaint #3: "URM students apply at a lower rate."

This is true regarding Latinx students, and outreach is certainly one of many solutions in addition to reforming the admissions process. To act like this is the reason there are so few Black people at TJ is disingenuous. FCPS' demographic makeup is about 9.3% Black, and the application pool is about 6-7% Black. Could we increase applications from Black students? Yes. Is that the reason why the admissions rate is 1%? No.

Common Complaint #4: "The merit lottery system will not ensure that people who apply are actually passionate about STEM." or "The system will exclude people who are genuinely passionate about STEM."

How does the current system accurately measure this? A students’ application is the statement they are passionate about STEM. 

Common Complaint #5: "The semifinalist round is not restrictive enough to ensure academic rigor in all students."

The old system's semifinalist round had five conditions:

• 3.0 GPA for core classes.

• Algebra 1

• Residency requirement

• Quant-Q/ACT percentile

• Application fee

The application fee has been removed, which does not change the quality of applicants. The Algebra 1 & residency requirement has not been adjusted, which does not change the quality of applicants. The GPA requirement has been raised, which will enhance the quality of applicants. GPA has historically been the only predictor of a student's future academic success. 

The only way to ensure an increase in diversity is to remove the standardized test. The test has long been the most criticized part of the admissions process due to the ability to prep with classes and additional resources. . Anyone with access to TJ prep classes and study resources could essentially do well on the exam and subsequently become a semifinalist.

Common Complaint #6: "I don't want to get in on random chance."

For those on the winning side of admissions in the past, it's hard to remember that any system will lead to some students getting in and some not. It's hard to accept that for most of us, the odds are currently stacked in our favor just based on the regional opportunities of where we live (re: my earlier post). And, truthfully, until that problem gets solved, acceptance is not based on intelligence or merit, it's already based on which part of the county you live and the school resources available to you there. The difference is that the calculated chance is numerical instead of regional. Highly talented, smart, motivated people exist everywhere.

Also, saying "anyone can get a 3.5 if they try hard enough" isa form of merit! Students who apply themselves, work hard and succeed should be offered the chance to get in.

Common Complaint #7: "I don't want TJ's curriculum to decrease in rigor to fit the needs of less qualified applicants."

This reform has already happened in the past.

The current admissions system which panders to test-preppers and elite college-route seekers has already dumbed down the curriculum. With a new admissions system, there's a chance students that had access to less advanced curriculum in middle school can shine and blossom in the same way schools in higher SES areas of Fairfax County do.​