Moving to PG County, what to expect from schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it true that the houses by the better (public) schools will be priced accordingly? I'm wondering how likely it will be to find a house that's reasonable in price but also near a good school. And if these two things are true are we likely to miss on something else like walkabilty?

What is your budget?

Thats what I'm trying to figure out. I see say three or four houses that basically look the same. One will be priced at 400k, one at 500k, one at 650k and one at 800k. I'm trying to see what is the difference between some of these houses, but the main thing isn't the houses themselves as I can be satisfied with a lot of houses. But (particularly at this point as the lottery is past) I'd like to have a good neighborhood school - I think. Or if we wind up going private does the tuition come from a lower mortgage? We're really at a position where we're trying to answer a lot of these questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it true that the houses by the better (public) schools will be priced accordingly? I'm wondering how likely it will be to find a house that's reasonable in price but also near a good school. And if these two things are true are we likely to miss on something else like walkabilty?

You need to define walkability. There are only a few areas that have true walkability to stores and restaurants (Riverdale Park, Arts District in Hyattsville, Old Greenbelt to a limited extent, some parts of College Park, University Park, Mt Rainer etc.). There are MANY places that have walkability to pools, church, parks, community centers, schools (Cheverly, Older parts of Bowie, Berwyn Heights, etc.).

If you want the first definition of walkability, you are going to pay a premium. If you want the second description of walkability, then you will find more reasonable prices.

For example, this house in Bowie is less than $500K, is walkable to some things and in a decent school pyramid (Tulip Grove or Kenilworth ES).
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Bowie/12502-Scarlet-Ln-20715/home/10650016
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Bowie/2928-Tallow-Ln-20715/home/10645717

[Anonymous]

Also, in a lot of years they do a second lottery later in the summer for some of the specialty programs that still have space. You can look at this forum to see what schools have been available.

Even the specialty programs have boundaries so you need to see which ones you would be zoned for. For example, there are 2 French Immersion programs and the boundary is roughly Rt 50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, in a lot of years they do a second lottery later in the summer for some of the specialty programs that still have space. You can look at this forum to see what schools have been available.

Even the specialty programs have boundaries so you need to see which ones you would be zoned for. For example, there are 2 French Immersion programs and the boundary is roughly Rt 50.

For example https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/653386.page#11174794

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, in a lot of years they do a second lottery later in the summer for some of the specialty programs that still have space. You can look at this forum to see what schools have been available.

Even the specialty programs have boundaries so you need to see which ones you would be zoned for. For example, there are 2 French Immersion programs and the boundary is roughly Rt 50.

The boundary for the North/South French Immersion schools is Central Avenue.

OP - you can’t really go wrong with the elementary schools in Bowie. Whitehall, Tulip Grove, etc. Many of the middle schools are improving a lot.

You can’t just pick a neighborhood and let your kids matriculate. You need to be really intentional and involved. My kids are at DKFI - I had to do a lot to get them there. But..they are thriving and set through eighth grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it true that the houses by the better (public) schools will be priced accordingly? I'm wondering how likely it will be to find a house that's reasonable in price but also near a good school. And if these two things are true are we likely to miss on something else like walkabilty?

You need to define walkability. There are only a few areas that have true walkability to stores and restaurants (Riverdale Park, Arts District in Hyattsville, Old Greenbelt to a limited extent, some parts of College Park, University Park, Mt Rainer etc.). There are MANY places that have walkability to pools, church, parks, community centers, schools (Cheverly, Older parts of Bowie, Berwyn Heights, etc.).

If you want the first definition of walkability, you are going to pay a premium. If you want the second description of walkability, then you will find more reasonable prices.

For example, this house in Bowie is less than $500K, is walkable to some things and in a decent school pyramid (Tulip Grove or Kenilworth ES).
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Bowie/12502-Scarlet-Ln-20715/home/10650016
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Bowie/2928-Tallow-Ln-20715/home/10645717

I think I want that first definition of walkabilty. At least that's what DC has been like for me. But the areas that I've seen that are walkable in that sense (Laurel, Glenarden, Mt Rainier, etc) has higher prices and the schools haven't been stellar (at least from on niche).

So I'm looking at other places like Bowie, Riverdale, maybe Upper Marlboro, Hyattsville, etc. but now with that second definition of walkabilty.

We really want sidewalks and a back yard on a non busy street. Those are the must haves. And if we're leaving a good school in DC, we'd like to be going to a good one in MD.

I really wish this was the 90s where people just lived so over Maryland and went to school in DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.redfin.com/MD/Hyattsville/7003-Wells-Pkwy-20782/home/11097622?600390594=copy_variant&231528114=control&utm_source=ios_share&utm_medium=share&utm_nooverride=1&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=share_sheet

That house should be zoned for UPES, Hyattsville Middle, and Northwestern. UPES is great. HMS is getting a new building and has a strong PTA. I don't know much about Northwestern other than the performing arts program. Walkable to the purple line, UMD, library, Target. Farther walk/short bus ride to metro.

[Anonymous]

We live in Hyattsville and my son lucked into a lottery position at Dora Kennedy French Immersion that goes K-8. He has music, art, PE and library that rotate, so each quarter it changes which of these he has twice a week. He has 30 min/day of recess (not enough for a Kindergartner, but typical in most public schools both within and outside PGPCS). So far so good. He would've been fine at our neighborhood elementary, but I was worried about middle school and now we don't have to worry until high school.