Okay, here goes....Alexandria Schools?

[Anonymous]

We moved from Alexandria to McLean. Our DC attended an Alexandria private school and our impression was bleh, but we also knew that we had no where to turn in to the ACPS system. Read the data, read the comments, it's all true -- Alexandria's schools are in terrible shape.

We looked at Arlington schools, but ultimately settled on a house in the Franklin-Sherman school district in McLean. We are literally on the Arlington/Fairfax border. Love our choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm totally liberal and the opposite of a tiger mom. So much that we would consider N or S arlington schools whereas many would only the former. We are SO uncomfortable with the middle school in Alex we sold our lovely home to move to Arlington. Do your research and you will find that ACPS is amazing in terms of their standards. Perfect? No. Some schools may be better suited to certain personalities and boundaries and overcrowding are a nightmare. BUT their fundamental approach and standard to education is for me best in NOVA. You get a few great schools in falls church and fairfax - in arlington I dare say almost every school is at a certain standard. And I do not mean test scores or diversity. I mean teachers and the structure where county wide options exist, immersion and Montessori options exist. 1/2 of Arlington taxes go immediately to school budget no questions. The difference between storytime at arlington v alexandria is such that as Alex residences we only do arlington story times now. I had no idea the disparity in quality was even in the library setting. I have done extensive research, toured schools, talked to moms and etc - elementary for sure no question that mason, mcarthur, lyles crouch are great but after that you better be able to consider private. Maybe you will be ok or maybe not depending on your kid but in arlington their approach is amazing. If anything you will find too many tiger moms in n arlington but I can't tell you how much more comfortable I am going to N arlington even though we have no idea what elementary zone we end up - everything's good there. While I am more lenient with high school in Alex I believe that middle school is a really super important time before kids hit their stride in high school - so while we could have bit the bullet with staying in Alex you could not pay me to go to their middle schools. They suck and anyone that tells you differently has not seen better. I say that knowing it'll piss people off but I have done research and its pretty much true. Look at a arlington but try to stay in arlington. I love Alex and prefer it to arl geographically but we could not live down staying. And I reiterate that I'm not that mom who is psychologically anal about test scores and lining a zillion activities for my kids while in prek arlington has thoroughly impressed me obviously

ACPS is Alexandria City Public Schools. I'm pretty sure given the context you mean APS, Arlington Public Schools. Just want to confirm. Otherwise it doesn't make sense that you would flee ACPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm totally liberal and the opposite of a tiger mom. So much that we would consider N or S arlington schools whereas many would only the former. We are SO uncomfortable with the middle school in Alex we sold our lovely home to move to Arlington. Do your research and you will find that ACPS is amazing in terms of their standards. Perfect? No. Some schools may be better suited to certain personalities and boundaries and overcrowding are a nightmare. BUT their fundamental approach and standard to education is for me best in NOVA. You get a few great schools in falls church and fairfax - in arlington I dare say almost every school is at a certain standard. And I do not mean test scores or diversity. I mean teachers and the structure where county wide options exist, immersion and Montessori options exist. 1/2 of Arlington taxes go immediately to school budget no questions. The difference between storytime at arlington v alexandria is such that as Alex residences we only do arlington story times now. I had no idea the disparity in quality was even in the library setting. I have done extensive research, toured schools, talked to moms and etc - elementary for sure no question that mason, mcarthur, lyles crouch are great but after that you better be able to consider private. Maybe you will be ok or maybe not depending on your kid but in arlington their approach is amazing. If anything you will find too many tiger moms in n arlington but I can't tell you how much more comfortable I am going to N arlington even though we have no idea what elementary zone we end up - everything's good there. While I am more lenient with high school in Alex I believe that middle school is a really super important time before kids hit their stride in high school - so while we could have bit the bullet with staying in Alex you could not pay me to go to their middle schools. They suck and anyone that tells you differently has not seen better. I say that knowing it'll piss people off but I have done research and its pretty much true. Look at a arlington but try to stay in arlington. I love Alex and prefer it to arl geographically but we could not live down staying. And I reiterate that I'm not that mom who is psychologically anal about test scores and lining a zillion activities for my kids while in prek arlington has thoroughly impressed me obviously

ACPS is Alexandria City Public Schools. I'm pretty sure given the context you mean APS, Arlington Public Schools. Just want to confirm. Otherwise it doesn't make sense that you would flee ACPS.

Most of the post doesn't make sense. She left Alex, but then as an Alex "residences," only does story time in Arlington. Ok then. Case closed.

[Anonymous]

I hate Great Schools ratings, but since they're thrown around so much on this forum...pick your Alex City school of choice, click test scores, and then click ratings details. You can see the Great Schools rating by income, ethnicity, etc. Then do that same thing will schools in Fairfax or Arlington. You'll see that a school's overall GS rating isn't about the quality of story time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is weak in the City schools compared to neighboring districts.

That diversity you want to embrace? That translates into the schools spending more time on what amounts to social service issues instead of focusing on education. They are more worried about the fact that Miguel's mommy might not have been able to read the flyer about some freebie they are handing out at school then whether your non ESL white kid can do math.

That diversity also buys you schools where the time and energy is devoted to the kids at the very bottom who can't pass the test. It's a waste really because even with all that time, money and energy, the most gains they will realize is a few percentage points. If they focused on the top 50% of students, they would quickly bring up their scores.

I have to take exception to this. We're in FCPS and my oldest is in 5th grade. This year, our school was designated a Title 1 school - just the sort of school you're describing. We've never experienced what you're describing. The teachers in all grades routine assess the skills of the kids and, in fact, identified one of our kids as below grade level in math and one capable of doing math/reading far above grade level. They were meeting the needs of those two before getting a Title 1 designation and now that they have the resources of Title 1, they're getting even more.

I don't have experience of ACPS but considering how DCUM routinely bashes the kind of school my kids attend, I tend not to give your post much weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is weak in the City schools compared to neighboring districts.

That diversity you want to embrace? That translates into the schools spending more time on what amounts to social service issues instead of focusing on education. They are more worried about the fact that Miguel's mommy might not have been able to read the flyer about some freebie they are handing out at school then whether your non ESL white kid can do math.

That diversity also buys you schools where the time and energy is devoted to the kids at the very bottom who can't pass the test. It's a waste really because even with all that time, money and energy, the most gains they will realize is a few percentage points. If they focused on the top 50% of students, they would quickly bring up their scores.

I have to take exception to this. We're in FCPS and my oldest is in 5th grade. This year, our school was designated a Title 1 school - just the sort of school you're describing. We've never experienced what you're describing. The teachers in all grades routine assess the skills of the kids and, in fact, identified one of our kids as below grade level in math and one capable of doing math/reading far above grade level. They were meeting the needs of those two before getting a Title 1 designation and now that they have the resources of Title 1, they're getting even more.

I don't have experience of ACPS but considering how DCUM routinely bashes the kind of school my kids attend, I tend not to give your post much weight.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, 12:48. Hope your kids learn how to punctuate in Arlington.

+1. That lady has no credibility in my book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is weak in the City schools compared to neighboring districts.

That diversity you want to embrace? That translates into the schools spending more time on what amounts to social service issues instead of focusing on education. They are more worried about the fact that Miguel's mommy might not have been able to read the flyer about some freebie they are handing out at school then whether your non ESL white kid can do math.

That diversity also buys you schools where the time and energy is devoted to the kids at the very bottom who can't pass the test. It's a waste really because even with all that time, money and energy, the most gains they will realize is a few percentage points. If they focused on the top 50% of students, they would quickly bring up their scores.

I have to take exception to this. We're in FCPS and my oldest is in 5th grade. This year, our school was designated a Title 1 school - just the sort of school you're describing. We've never experienced what you're describing. The teachers in all grades routine assess the skills of the kids and, in fact, identified one of our kids as below grade level in math and one capable of doing math/reading far above grade level. They were meeting the needs of those two before getting a Title 1 designation and now that they have the resources of Title 1, they're getting even more.

I don't have experience of ACPS but considering how DCUM routinely bashes the kind of school my kids attend, I tend not to give your post much weight.

I do have experience in ACPS, and the Miguel example is, in fact, pretty much spot on for that particular system.

[Anonymous]

We are looking for a house in Arlington even though we could afford more in Alexandria. I would hate to send my kids to a private school in Alexandria. That's a "culture" I want to avoid at all costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are looking for a house in Arlington even though we could afford more in Alexandria. I would hate to send my kids to a private school in Alexandria. That's a "culture" I want to avoid at all costs.

Glad to hear that. We wouldn't want you.

[Anonymous]

I live in Alexandria City, my kids went through the whole system and graduated from ACPS recently. I know ACPS. My laid back but educational savvy girlfriend is pulling her middle school child out for private by the fall. She has a senior in the high school now and regrettably, does not have good things to report. I wish it weren't so.

I can't recommend ACPS. If I were to go back in time with our house purchase...

[Anonymous]

pp, which middle school and why? What are the problems you have encountered?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:pp, which middle school and why? What are the problems you have encountered?

ACPS only has 2 middle schools (well three I guess if you want to count Jefferson-Houston but not even sure if they have kids in middle school there yet) and both have the same issues.

[Anonymous]

The only good school in alexandria is Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and that's fcps magnet

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia/rankings

[Anonymous]

What jurisdiction sends less than half their taxes to their public schools? I don't know of any.