Moving because of declining schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's been in a serious downward slide for the past decade. People with kids in college and beyond can't understand this. Our neighborhood now has a huge number of kids in private HS which was almost unheard of in this neighborhood a decade ago.

NP. My kid is in 11th grade. Can I say my kid is thriving, or will you come up with a reason that I'm wrong?

If your kid needs support for LDs and isn't getting them, I absolutely agree that APS needs to do better, but that has been true for years. Otherwise? Get a grip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are young but I feel like many of you are just whiny? I went to public school in New England. No differentiation or honors classes until 10th grade (8th grade for math). No pull outs or G&T specialists or AAP program m. Yes there were many days when I finished my class work early, but I just pulled out my chapter book and read. I wasn’t worried about maximizing my potential and my parents weren’t upset that I wasn’t doing algebra in 5th grade. I started algebra in 7th like the rest of the country. My girl friends were normal, into boy bands and clothes and things (as was I!). I didn’t have nerdy friends until HS academic decathlon. That was fine with me because now I could relate to everybody. Still got into every single one of HYPMS and did very well at the one I went to and now in my STEM career. What’s the big deal?

The big deal is that it is 2021. Things have changed dramatically since you were in public school.

Or the parents in this area and of this generation are extremely anxiety-ridden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are young but I feel like many of you are just whiny? I went to public school in New England. No differentiation or honors classes until 10th grade (8th grade for math). No pull outs or G&T specialists or AAP program m. Yes there were many days when I finished my class work early, but I just pulled out my chapter book and read. I wasn’t worried about maximizing my potential and my parents weren’t upset that I wasn’t doing algebra in 5th grade. I started algebra in 7th like the rest of the country. My girl friends were normal, into boy bands and clothes and things (as was I!). I didn’t have nerdy friends until HS academic decathlon. That was fine with me because now I could relate to everybody. Still got into every single one of HYPMS and did very well at the one I went to and now in my STEM career. What’s the big deal?

The big deal is that it is 2021. Things have changed dramatically since you were in public school.

Or the parents in this area and of this generation are extremely anxiety-ridden.

Wealth is driving it. When you have some neighborhoods with medium home prices of $1.5 million+ and homes selling as high as $2.5-3 million is some Arl hoods, the rich come in and send their kids to private school.

Part of this is a reflection of the demographic change in the past decade too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids are young but I feel like many of you are just whiny? I went to public school in New England. No differentiation or honors classes until 10th grade (8th grade for math). No pull outs or G&T specialists or AAP program m. Yes there were many days when I finished my class work early, but I just pulled out my chapter book and read. I wasn’t worried about maximizing my potential and my parents weren’t upset that I wasn’t doing algebra in 5th grade. I started algebra in 7th like the rest of the country. My girl friends were normal, into boy bands and clothes and things (as was I!). I didn’t have nerdy friends until HS academic decathlon. That was fine with me because now I could relate to everybody. Still got into every single one of HYPMS and did very well at the one I went to and now in my STEM career. What’s the big deal?

1. Starting Algebra in 7th is advanced, not "like the rest of the country". In lots of the US, even doing Algebra in 8th is considered the advanced track.

2. Coasting and then just doing well in HS no longer getting anyone into HYPMS. Personally, I don't set that as a goal for my kids (I know they aren't getting into elite schools and we couldn't afford them anyway. I'm sure they'll do fine in life anyway) but lots of people who did get into HYPMS expect the same for their kids and are freaking out that it's become so difficult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are young but I feel like many of you are just whiny? I went to public school in New England. No differentiation or honors classes until 10th grade (8th grade for math). No pull outs or G&T specialists or AAP program m. Yes there were many days when I finished my class work early, but I just pulled out my chapter book and read. I wasn’t worried about maximizing my potential and my parents weren’t upset that I wasn’t doing algebra in 5th grade. I started algebra in 7th like the rest of the country. My girl friends were normal, into boy bands and clothes and things (as was I!). I didn’t have nerdy friends until HS academic decathlon. That was fine with me because now I could relate to everybody. Still got into every single one of HYPMS and did very well at the one I went to and now in my STEM career. What’s the big deal?

1. Starting Algebra in 7th is advanced, not "like the rest of the country". In lots of the US, even doing Algebra in 8th is considered the advanced track.

2. Coasting and then just doing well in HS no longer getting anyone into HYPMS. Personally, I don't set that as a goal for my kids (I know they aren't getting into elite schools and we couldn't afford them anyway. I'm sure they'll do fine in life anyway) but lots of people who did get into HYPMS expect the same for their kids and are freaking out that it's become so difficult.

Well, I’m not comparing my schools growing up vs. Hicksville, TN right? I’m comparing them to DMV schools, that have algebra starting in 6th/7th grade. Yet that’s not enough for their little geniuses who MUST start in 5th because they are so smart and bored.

Private school doesn’t get kids into HYPMS either nowadays. Actually a high GPA unhooked kid will probably have a better chance from public.

[Anonymous]

Hicksville Tn, wow. Such an elitist in your little special bubble. Awe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hicksville Tn, wow. Such an elitist in your little special bubble. Awe.

I think she meant NY. Hicksville is in NY.

[Anonymous]

Hicksville has awesome schools and it wouldn't surprise me if the math offerings are excellent. Great place to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My takeaway might be that something about a big public middle school doesn’t work for your specific child. I wouldn’t assume moving to another large public school (which let’s face it that’s what we have here in this area) will fix it. I’m saying that without knowing your particular issues.

There are options within APS. Have you looked into programs at the Career Center?

Our issue is that when we were elem we had pull out GT programs, and then it switched to pushing and was worthless. My kids are so unchallenged and bored and there is no differentiation until high school, teachers spend all their time on remedial learning and discipline. So much discipline. WL should offer challenging classes, but the crazy super size high school with too little common space worries me.

Career Center would be a better fit if our kids were vocationally minded, but far from that.

There are more programs at Career Center than people realize.

There is definitely differentiation in math. I think if that is your issue, find the money for private. But I would also wait out the effects of the pandemic. Yes, the bright kids whose parents kept things up during the pandemic, now those kids are a bit bored and not challenged. The teachers have a lot to sort through emotionally and academically with kids back in school.

Yes, we are in advanced math. The boredom and frustration was present all through 5th and 6th once GT went away. Basically spent all day reading to themselves waiting for rest of class to do their thing.

Are you talking about during virtual school? I have a current 6th grader who was in 5th grade last year. Also GT. My kid did not spend all day reading to themselves.

But it sounds like you're not well served by public schools at this moment in time. I wouldn't move though. Moving is not going to solve it.

5th and 6th were pre-pandemic; 7th was pandemic year. They all were meh at best. So would love to hear what you child did when the teacher worked with the rest of class on work she had already completed? This wasn't just my DD, I heard it from multiple parents (other GT students). Virtual was actually better in that regard, as it gave our DD a lot more options for what to do in her downtime than just sit and read.

Ok, so my kid was 4th pre-pandemic and she and a few of her classmates worked on a long-term math project together. So when they were done with work in math they went and did that. The group project options had been pushed in by GT as an option for the kids. You didn't have to be GT to participate, which was the model at my kids' elementary school the whole way through. I don't want to go into too many details on the project as it might identify me, but my kid was super into it. A lot of creativity and leadership skills. The kids liked it so much they worked on it during recess even.

Is my child occupied every second? I'm sure not. Sounds like you want tracking - completely separate classes. You should have gone AAP in FCPS but it sounds like your kid is too old. I would just wait it out and try W-L. I have heard good things about it. Do the IB program. If you have younger kids still, move to FCPS and get into AAP.

Not tracking, just a teachers who have enough classtime, ratios, and resources to engage my child with something at their level. They meet the class baseline and that's it, they are left on their own. She doesn't need a separate class, your project is exactly the type of thing, especially a group project. Maybe our GT was just bad that last few years? I feel like they did nothing compared to prior years projects and enrichment. I mean, these are motivated kids, all you need is to give them an idea, a framework, and latitude and they will go at it. But a single student sitting at their desk, what can they kick off on their own without any resources?

It’s times like this when you start to recognize the impact of having such a middling educational system. The US is far down on the list of best school systems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do people really move if their local school declines in quality, or do majority of people just accept it and take their lumps?

We attend an APS middle school which is highly regarded but has been a total train wreck, and with the mishandling of the high school overcrowding I'm really skeptical of how our WL experience will be.

But the prospect of moving is daunting, and with price so high I fear we would need to move somewhere like Loudoun to afford anything zoned for a good school. And who knows if its actually better?

Wish we could afford private, and so frustrating because we moved to Arlington from DC because of the "good" schools, which apparently was faded glory from years past.

People generally make the best decisions and do the best they can for their families based on whatever factors they choose, by factors (like employment) that choose for them, or combination of all.

But this is really a stupid question. You know yourself that you moved for school quality - you moved from DC to Arlington because of the schools.
So what is the real purpose of your post?

I guess my question is so people move AGAIN if it doesn’t pan out?? It seems ridiculous to move again for schools, but things are such a mess in APS. Then I wonder with the cost of moving, would private be cheaper (for just high school). I don’t know. It’s just frustrating, I just want a teacher to pay some attention to my kids needs, not much just meet them where they are once a week or so.

If you are thinking of private, do it well before high school. Elementary and middle are most important, then the foundation is laid to excel in HS, plus you should have kids with high EQ due to small private environment.

[Anonymous]

^^^THIS, a million times this.

[Anonymous]

^ completely disagree. We did public K-8 and HS private. Our elementary was strong. MS (even private) are ok. HS is where the real benefit has been, size, resources, college process, etc.

[Anonymous]

The steep decline of K-8 has become apparent in the past five years, so it probably wouldn't be obvious to you if you have a current high schooler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The steep decline of K-8 has become apparent in the past five years, so it probably wouldn't be obvious to you if you have a current high schooler.

I have kids in 4th and 7th. Does that make me qualified to say I haven’t seen a decline in K-8?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The steep decline of K-8 has become apparent in the past five years, so it probably wouldn't be obvious to you if you have a current high schooler.

I have kids in 4th and 7th. Does that make me qualified to say I haven’t seen a decline in K-8?

+1

I have kids in ES and MS and while I don’t what it was like 10+ years ago we have generally been very happy with the schools. Occasional bad teacher but that’s really an exception.