Anyone move to Howard County from APS Arlington

[Anonymous]

DH has had frustrations with APS since before the pandemic. Overcrowding, taking smart kids for granted, so much iPad time and apps, zero homework, and our kids have been bored to tears in middle school. He is convinced someplace like Howard prioritizes academics, invests in the schools and builds when needed to prevent overcrowding. I’m skeptical I think all public schools are about the same around here.

Anyone make this move either way and can compare? We work in DC but only once a week so commute won’t be as limiting.

[Anonymous]

All Howard County has going for it is significantly less poverty than other areas. If you want to keep your kids in an affluent bubble where they won’t have to come into contact with the poors, Howard Country is for you.

[Anonymous]

Howard County has high schools that are 30%+ FARMs, so you can be around some poor kids if that’s your thing.

Howard County just doesn’t have any high schools that are inundated with poor kids. To most people that’s a good thing.

For the most part HCPSS is well run, and you don’t hear the volume of complaints you hear about from other counties. But, unfortunately, overcrowding is one of them.

Howard County has been allowing developers to undercount the number of kids their new housing brings into the school system. I’m talking like build 30 houses and estimate 10 kids kind of undercounting.

As such, schools haven’t been built fast enough to keep up with the new development. The funding isn’t there. Most schools are over their target capacity. HS#13 will open fairly soon, but we’re still behind.

But otherwise, Howard County is pretty good. Redistricting is the other thing people complain about.

[Anonymous]

You don’t hear complaint here because hardly anyone from that far out posts here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don’t hear complaint here because hardly anyone from that far out posts here.

Howard county is closer than Loudoun! Howard county is very responsive and caters to its tiger moms so less complaining

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don’t hear complaint here because hardly anyone from that far out posts here.

There are a number of us here that post. We just tend to be less whiny and complain a lot less than the many people who post from Montgomery, Fairfax and Arlington counties.

While we have issues here, we're all happier not to be in any of those county school systems.

[Anonymous]

I live in Howard county and I go into DC 2 times per week- not a horrible commute (MARC). My kids are done done with HCPSS - River Hill High and they were well prepared for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All Howard County has going for it is significantly less poverty than other areas. If you want to keep your kids in an affluent bubble where they won’t have to come into contact with the poors, Howard Country is for you.

You could have fooled me. There are lots of Section 8 apartments and townhomes scattered in Columbia that attract people fleeing from Baltimore City. Also, there is some rural poverty in Western Howard County and along Route 1 in places like Jessup. Poverty levels don't stick out because Howard County is committed with integrating upper middle class communities with lower socioeconomic class communities. There are no poverty islands that you have in Montgomery County. My UMC children attend schools with working class and in some cases impoverished students.

I volunteer with food pantries and other community programs in Howard County. So, I am quite aware about the level of poverty that exist here. There are many programs from job placement, housing, etc. that help impoverished families here.

Now to the OP, the grass is always greener on the other side. Howard County Public Schools has a major problem with overcrowding. We are short like 6 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 3 high schools. Actually, I wish the county would cease building homes until we catch up on building more schools. We do not have a enough schools right now for the population that is here. Most of our schools have trailers or big class sizes. Unless they begin building 3-5 schools within the next year (which is not going to happen) don't move here if you want to escape overcrowding. Redistricting happens quite often ever time new homes get built, but they just shift overcrowding at one particular school towards another. One of my biggest pet peeves with Howard County is overcrowded schools and old schools that need lots of maintenance.

Now the academics and programs are the positives about Howard County. I think it has some of the best educators in this area. Programs from music theater, STEM, humanities sports, etc. are all phenomenal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don’t hear complaint here because hardly anyone from that far out posts here.

We post here all the time. Many of us are DC natives and are very connected to DC. I still own a house in DC.

When you grow up in a place like Washington DC, then you will understand why I don't complain about Howard County Public Schools. The Hell that I experienced in my childhood while attending DCPS has made me grateful and appreciative of the things that my children experience here in Howard County. Just the thought of mentioning DCPS gives me PTSD. I am too happy with Howard County to complain. With that said, Howard County Public Schools are not perfect, but they are like an 8 of out 10 for me in regards to how I think an institution for public education should function.

I can get to my grandmother's and parent's house in DC in 40 minutes from Howard County. It is not as far out as people make it out to be.

[Anonymous]

Leaving Arlington for Howard County MD? Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All Howard County has going for it is significantly less poverty than other areas. If you want to keep your kids in an affluent bubble where they won’t have to come into contact with the poors, Howard Country is for you.

Just don't move to Columbia.

[Anonymous]

Stay in VA for the in state colleges. MD does not have good college options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All Howard County has going for it is significantly less poverty than other areas. If you want to keep your kids in an affluent bubble where they won’t have to come into contact with the poors, Howard Country is for you.

You could have fooled me. There are lots of Section 8 apartments and townhomes scattered in Columbia that attract people fleeing from Baltimore City. Also, there is some rural poverty in Western Howard County and along Route 1 in places like Jessup. Poverty levels don't stick out because Howard County is committed with integrating upper middle class communities with lower socioeconomic class communities. There are no poverty islands that you have in Montgomery County. My UMC children attend schools with working class and in some cases impoverished students.

I volunteer with food pantries and other community programs in Howard County. So, I am quite aware about the level of poverty that exist here. There are many programs from job placement, housing, etc. that help impoverished families here.

Now to the OP, the grass is always greener on the other side. Howard County Public Schools has a major problem with overcrowding. We are short like 6 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 3 high schools. Actually, I wish the county would cease building homes until we catch up on building more schools. We do not have a enough schools right now for the population that is here. Most of our schools have trailers or big class sizes. Unless they begin building 3-5 schools within the next year (which is not going to happen) don't move here if you want to escape overcrowding. Redistricting happens quite often ever time new homes get built, but they just shift overcrowding at one particular school towards another. One of my biggest pet peeves with Howard County is overcrowded schools and old schools that need lots of maintenance.

Now the academics and programs are the positives about Howard County. I think it has some of the best educators in this area. Programs from music theater, STEM, humanities sports, etc. are all phenomenal.

Agreed. Howard County does not have schools comprised entirely of low income housing students. The redistricting that creates a headache every 2-5 years is designed to rebalance the lower SE neighborhoods with the middle class and wealthy neighborhoods so that the poor are more evenly distributed across the schools. Each time they redistrict, one of the primary goals is to reduce the FARMS and low income levels at high FARMS schools and distribute those kids to schools with higher average income and lower FARMS rates. Whether you like it or not, they achieve the goal of balancing the income levels across the schools.

So, the county is not lower poverty level, it's just more balanced across the school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All Howard County has going for it is significantly less poverty than other areas. If you want to keep your kids in an affluent bubble where they won’t have to come into contact with the poors, Howard Country is for you.

You could have fooled me. There are lots of Section 8 apartments and townhomes scattered in Columbia that attract people fleeing from Baltimore City. Also, there is some rural poverty in Western Howard County and along Route 1 in places like Jessup. Poverty levels don't stick out because Howard County is committed with integrating upper middle class communities with lower socioeconomic class communities. There are no poverty islands that you have in Montgomery County. My UMC children attend schools with working class and in some cases impoverished students.

I volunteer with food pantries and other community programs in Howard County. So, I am quite aware about the level of poverty that exist here. There are many programs from job placement, housing, etc. that help impoverished families here.

Now to the OP, the grass is always greener on the other side. Howard County Public Schools has a major problem with overcrowding. We are short like 6 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 3 high schools. Actually, I wish the county would cease building homes until we catch up on building more schools. We do not have a enough schools right now for the population that is here. Most of our schools have trailers or big class sizes. Unless they begin building 3-5 schools within the next year (which is not going to happen) don't move here if you want to escape overcrowding. Redistricting happens quite often ever time new homes get built, but they just shift overcrowding at one particular school towards another. One of my biggest pet peeves with Howard County is overcrowded schools and old schools that need lots of maintenance.

Now the academics and programs are the positives about Howard County. I think it has some of the best educators in this area. Programs from music theater, STEM, humanities sports, etc. are all phenomenal.

Agreed. Howard County does not have schools comprised entirely of low income housing students. The redistricting that creates a headache every 2-5 years is designed to rebalance the lower SE neighborhoods with the middle class and wealthy neighborhoods so that the poor are more evenly distributed across the schools. Each time they redistrict, one of the primary goals is to reduce the FARMS and low income levels at high FARMS schools and distribute those kids to schools with higher average income and lower FARMS rates. Whether you like it or not, they achieve the goal of balancing the income levels across the schools.

So, the county is not lower poverty level, it's just more balanced across the school district.

I used to live in HoCo and I think the schools are comparable. The redistricting to me wouldn’t be great for my kids. It is good for society and the school system in any ways, but for the individual kids that get switched a couple of time sin their school careers, not so much.

I don’t like the layout of HOCO and Columbia. It is too cookie cutter and McMansion farms. We looked there about 5 years ago again and I was turned off.