Has anyone switched from private to public? Frustrated with child’s progress

[Anonymous]

My DD went to elementary school at a highly regarded private school in NYC. We moved to MD right before she entered middle school and decided to try public since the schools where we moved are considered very good, much better than our public option in NYC.

In her private elementary school we were consistently told she was very smart, advanced and at the top of the class academically. However, since she entered middle school (started in 6th and currently in 7th) all we are hearing from teachers is that she is on grade level and middle of the road, but they don’t consider her to be advanced. That is totally fine, but DD keeps telling us she is bored and doesn’t feel like the work is hard for her. She gets 100% on most tests (or above 90% at the worst). She breezes through homework very quickly and when I check her work it’s all correct.

We have had a few conversations with her teachers and counselor and all they tell us is that she is right where she should be and they don’t think she needs more of a challenge, or that she would benefit from more accelerated classes.

Has anyone else experienced this? Not sure if it’s just a matter of resources and we need to find other ways to push DD, but overall it feels like she is getting disinterested in school whereas she used to be much more into it, and we really don’t want her to lose a passion for learning.

[Anonymous]

Your child sounds like every single middle schooler I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD went to elementary school at a highly regarded private school in NYC. We moved to MD right before she entered middle school and decided to try public since the schools where we moved are considered very good, much better than our public option in NYC.

In her private elementary school we were consistently told she was very smart, advanced and at the top of the class academically. However, since she entered middle school (started in 6th and currently in 7th) all we are hearing from teachers is that she is on grade level and middle of the road, but they don’t consider her to be advanced. That is totally fine, but DD keeps telling us she is bored and doesn’t feel like the work is hard for her. She gets 100% on most tests (or above 90% at the worst). She breezes through homework very quickly and when I check her work it’s all correct.

We have had a few conversations with her teachers and counselor and all they tell us is that she is right where she should be and they don’t think she needs more of a challenge, or that she would benefit from more accelerated classes.

Has anyone else experienced this? Not sure if it’s just a matter of resources and we need to find other ways to push DD, but overall it feels like she is getting disinterested in school whereas she used to be much more into it, and we really don’t want her to lose a passion for learning.

A lot of this is the private school kissing your a$$ because you pay tuition. Really.

Now you’re learning the truth because the school doesn’t really care and isn’t trying to earn money from you.

[Anonymous]

Tour a couple of private schools like GDS, St. Andrew, Maret and Sandy Spring Friends. Have her shadow there. Private schools have the ability and flexibility to make learning and school more interesting and engaging. Public school teachers will tell you your child is "right on target" to avoid the burden of having to assign more challenging or ability appropriate work.

We left a "W" school district for private school during MCPS' virtual schooling debacle and have been really impressed so stuck it through and our kid has now been at the new school for four years and we have also put our younger school in private.

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of smart kids in this area. We live in McLean. Our kids are smart but so are a lot of kids at the school. My perfect grade son who will be taking all APs last year and has been in the AAP program since elementary is nothing special around here. That doesn’t mean he isn’t smart. I’m sure your daughter is also smart but she is probably surrounded by equally smart kids. Middle school is easy. She will be totally challenged in high school where she can start taking AP classes. She won’t be bored then.

[Anonymous]

Yes

Math and science were too far behind 7 grade moved to public accepted
MiT

[Anonymous]

Your kid is one of very many in good publics here. Teachers aren't going to push your kid either. They have their hands full with the kids that needs help to get on grade level.

[Anonymous]

If she gets 100s and breezed through quickly then the work is too easy and she needs advancement. The public school system is there to move her along, not to provide the best education possible.

[Anonymous]

OP your kid is probably middle of the road, but the tragic truth is in public school she won't be challenged. At least in private school, the school will recognize her strengths and build on them. As another PP said, they just want to move students through. Assuming you are at MCPS, which is a mess right now. I would reconsider private school.

[Anonymous]

Send her some to classes after school. In our school most kids get 90-100%.

[Anonymous]

I’ve seen several people on here say that sixth grade is actually easier than fifth grade which seems to be true in our experience. It’s really a transitional year to get them prepared for the more rigorous seventh and eighth grade. That being said, if she has been in public school this year, you should have at least one set of standardized tests. Where is she ranking? I do agree with PP who said that private schools are going to butter you up because they want your continued dollars

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen several people on here say that sixth grade is actually easier than fifth grade which seems to be true in our experience. It’s really a transitional year to get them prepared for the more rigorous seventh and eighth grade. That being said, if she has been in public school this year, you should have at least one set of standardized tests. Where is she ranking? I do agree with PP who said that private schools are going to butter you up because they want your continued dollars

I just saw that she is in seventh so you should have lots of data from state testing, I assume if she was in a high percentile you would’ve mentioned that

[Anonymous]

Ok, then apply for G&T programs in the area. If she scores well enough, she will get accepted.

That said, the average kid in MCPS and NoVA public schools are some of the smartest in the country. They will blow away private school kids in NYC, many of whom are there merely because they are rich. Your daughter would probably be "middle of the road" if she was attending upper-income suburban public schools in NJ, Westchester, Long Island, or Massachusetts.

[Anonymous]

Little fish in a big pond versus big fish in a small one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
That said, the average kid in MCPS and NoVA public schools are some of the smartest in the country. They will blow away private school kids in NYC, many of whom are there merely because they are rich. Your daughter would probably be "middle of the road" if she was attending upper-income suburban public schools in NJ, Westchester, Long Island, or Massachusetts.

Dude that’s just bullshit. I’ve lived in Greater Boston area, Seattle and Dallas, and there are smart kids everywhere. DC isn’t that special. Seattle suburban public schools were crazy competitive given concentration of tech workers there.