Anne Arundel Schools: Concerned About Lack of Rigor
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Anonymous
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We are looking at the "best" AA County school pyramids: Severna Park, Broadneck, Arundel, South River, and Crofton, but after looking at some stats at these schools, we are concerned that AACPS as a school system lacks rigor compared to neighboring school districts.
The schools seem good when it comes to test scores and the breadth of their AP programs/course offerings, but the colleges students go to from these schools aren't very impressive, and the consistent near complete lack of national merit semifinalists in AA County's schools also suggests that the school system isn't rigorous. It seems like far too many kids from even Severna Park go to Salisbury, Towson, and Anne Arundel Community College. There aren't many ivy-league or top 20 admits. This year, only 5 AACPS students were NMSF, and they only came from Broadneck, Arundel, and Crofton HS. We are not looking for a pressure-cooker environment. However, we are looking for an environment where all children--from those who need extra supports to those who are extremely high-achieving, are meeting their full potential and able to thrive. AACPS doesn't look very promising for super high-achieving kids on paper, but I would like to hear more insight from AACPS parents who might be able to provide some perspective that the stats don't provide. |
Anonymous
| If you are interested in how many kids go to Ivies, I don't think public school or AA County are for you. They teach the same curriculum as any other Maryland school. I'm not sure what you are looking for. |
Anonymous
This. Also, there are hardly any American public school environments in which ALL children are thriving post-covid. It wasn't the case before either. |
Anonymous
| Which grades? |
Anonymous
OP here. What I mean to say is, compared to neighboring districts, they’re lacking. That appeared to be the case even before COVID as well. |
Anonymous
AA County 'neighbors' Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Queen Anne's Counties. It's a solid school system with lots of opportunities. It's a typical Maryland school system post-covid. Are people really looking at public school districts and judging one as more 'prestigious' than another? |
Anonymous
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We are in Crofton, so I can speak to that, at least. It is not like the W’s, which we are very familiar with, and which you seem to be comparing for. There are pros and cons.
AA is much smaller than Montgomery county, closer in size to Howard county. The school board and superintendent is less reactionary and less prone to drastic changes. We have SRO’s, we do not have honors for all, etc. AP, IB, PLTW and enrichment programs are well run and taught. Lots of big, multi gen families here of multiple kids, that come back and raise their kids here, much less solo kids of big law or fed lawyers. Many families are more interested/involved in small business and skilled blue collar jobs- nursing, teaching, law enforcement, than, say, the T20 obsession you find in moco. Kids seem less spoiled and generally more disciplined imo. Many have military connections. Several high achievers go to the naval academy. Lots of interest in boy/girl scouts, etc. I am a t20 and Ivy grad, fwiw and I appreciate my kids to having a well rounded experience than at, say, the W’s or TJ, so am happy with a more balanced area. We do supplement, but so do our friends in moco or Fairfax. They are young though so who knows if we will regret this all later. I don’t know much about Howard, which might have more of what you are looking for. |
Anonymous
What counties are you using for neighboring school districts? Also, anyone "wealthy" we know in AA is sending their kids to private schools. All of these families make 300-1 million HHI. As far as Salisbury and Towson go, I wouldn't be surprised if some of these are legacies. Kids from UD, Towson, and Salisbury from my Howard County HS class/other MD public schools have done VERRRRYYY well for themselves even though they aren't considered good schools. Mostly because of who they know, athletics, sales/"hustle" personality, low student loan debt, and also a lot of being in the right job at the right time. So the very same things that make most adults successful but everyone gets in a tizzy about what school you go to 
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Anonymous
| I’m just surprised because people are super obsessed with Severna Park and making sure their kids are in that school district, like typical W parents, yet their academic outcomes are so not W school level at all. |
Anonymous
| What I mean is, I don’t get the obsession with moving to Severna Park for the schools if your kids are most likely going to be average anyways |
Anonymous
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It goes without saying that what you're seeing has more to do with socioeconomic factors of the students' families than a problem with the school.
As a Howard County parent, I can say with some confidence that student achievement is closely related to the education level of the parents. If your child is a high achiever and is given the ability to perform well by receiving an enriched curriculum containing GT and AP courses, then your child will do well regardless of how many other students at the school earned National Merit awards or matriculated at an Ivy. That said, I'm sure you understand that a very tiny percentage achieves National Merit honors and even fewer are accepted by Ivies. An expectation of those achievements is the very definition of a pressure cooker. |
Anonymous
You are using Ivy admissions as a proxy for achievement. Given that annual costs exceed $80k at elite colleges and universities and given that many of the students come from affluent but not rich families (I.e. won't qualify for need based aid but cannot pay full price), it is entirely likely that they don't consider elite schools as options. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
| OP you have it backward..all of that only makes it easier to get into a top college. |
Anonymous
I think that people desire to live in SP for many different reasons but saying it's 'for the schools' is more socially acceptable than saying some other reasons which may not be as palatable. Regarding the OPs original point, I concur with the opinion that parents here seeking rigor/prestige will put their children in private schools. - Signed, AA resident who does not live in SP |