Enrollment Still Dropping

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s all about academic vigor and desire for high quality instruction and opportunities for your children. Public schools have been totally exposed during Covid. We are keeping ours in private as we were previously an APS family

Can you provide specific examples of what differences you see between your private and APS? And are you going to a parochial school or one of the bigger name
Privates?

[Anonymous]

Teachers and educators, in general, are fleeing the profession. This is in both public and private schools.

it's not worth it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers and educators, in general, are fleeing the profession. This is in both public and private schools.

it's not worth it!

Might be time for you to head back to AEM

[Anonymous]

No teachers in private school are fleeing. They are professionals who kept working in person during the pandemic and kept the academic standards very high. The kids in private get more attention, smaller class sizes, more opportunities in enrichment and in the arts and parents see better communication and leadership from school officials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No teachers in private school are fleeing. They are professionals who kept working in person during the pandemic and kept the academic standards very high. The kids in private get more attention, smaller class sizes, more opportunities in enrichment and in the arts and parents see better communication and leadership from school officials.

I mean, at $45K+ a year, they better!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s all about academic vigor and desire for high quality instruction and opportunities for your children. Public schools have been totally exposed during Covid. We are keeping ours in private as we were previously an APS family

Agreed. We moved our kids to a new school and the difference in the quality of their education is unbelievable. Manual notes, homework, little to no use of technology, teachers staying after school for extra math help, the list goes on. Sadly (at least APS) is very much a sub-par education.

Would you mind sharing where you moved your kids to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No teachers in private school are fleeing. They are professionals who kept working in person during the pandemic and kept the academic standards very high. The kids in private get more attention, smaller class sizes, more opportunities in enrichment and in the arts and parents see better communication and leadership from school officials.

I always look at the job boards for private schools this time of year and there are considerably more postings than precovid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No teachers in private school are fleeing. They are professionals who kept working in person during the pandemic and kept the academic standards very high. The kids in private get more attention, smaller class sizes, more opportunities in enrichment and in the arts and parents see better communication and leadership from school officials.

I always look at the job boards for private schools this time of year and there are considerably more postings than precovid

Probably because of demand..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In APS I know several families looking at private. The huge elementary classes have been terrible this year. Distractions, out of control kids, teachers frustrated/quitting

Ironically dropping enrollment will mean larger classes as money drains out of APS

Why? Property taxes are still being paid, and tax revenue going up likely

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In APS I know several families looking at private. The huge elementary classes have been terrible this year. Distractions, out of control kids, teachers frustrated/quitting

Ironically dropping enrollment will mean larger classes as money drains out of APS

That’s not how it works. You still have to pay taxes, even if you only use private school. And taxes are based on real estate assessments, which have never been higher. APS gets the same percentage of that money, regardless of enrollment. Fewer students means same resources being shared by fewer kids. Great!

[Anonymous]

No. If the enrollment is down in 1 school, teachers are shifted to other places. They don’t hire more people for the differences in teacher numbers at individual schools. Thus, if enrollment is down, the number of classes goes down and classes sizes go up.

[Anonymous]

No. If the enrollment is down in 1 school, teachers are shifted to other places. They don’t hire more people for the differences in teacher numbers at individual schools. Thus, if enrollment is down, the number of classes goes down and classes sizes go up.

Not exactly. It depends what the teachers are licensed to teach. You cannot just move any teacher into any other position, any more than you can fill a family law position with a tax lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. If the enrollment is down in 1 school, teachers are shifted to other places. They don’t hire more people for the differences in teacher numbers at individual schools. Thus, if enrollment is down, the number of classes goes down and classes sizes go up.

But only up to a point. There are caps, and they are significantly lower in APS than FFX, at least in ES. I think everyone would like a K of 17 or fewer, but that’s not a realistic expectation in a public school, unless you are willing to send your precious to a Title 1 school. If students leave APS, but still reside in Arlington, it’s a PLUS for the system. The average student costs far more than their parents pay in taxes. Hope more leave!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. If the enrollment is down in 1 school, teachers are shifted to other places. They don’t hire more people for the differences in teacher numbers at individual schools. Thus, if enrollment is down, the number of classes goes down and classes sizes go up.

But only up to a point. There are caps, and they are significantly lower in APS than FFX, at least in ES. I think everyone would like a K of 17 or fewer, but that’s not a realistic expectation in a public school, unless you are willing to send your precious to a Title 1 school. If students leave APS, but still reside in Arlington, it’s a PLUS for the system. The average student costs far more than their parents pay in taxes. Hope more leave!

Pretty clear that is SB strategy. See 4th high school discussion.

We are done and moving to FCPS. We get a nicer house in McLean, commute 1 day a week, and schools value rigor over “ not stressing kids”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. If the enrollment is down in 1 school, teachers are shifted to other places. They don’t hire more people for the differences in teacher numbers at individual schools. Thus, if enrollment is down, the number of classes goes down and classes sizes go up.

But only up to a point. There are caps, and they are significantly lower in APS than FFX, at least in ES. I think everyone would like a K of 17 or fewer, but that’s not a realistic expectation in a public school, unless you are willing to send your precious to a Title 1 school. If students leave APS, but still reside in Arlington, it’s a PLUS for the system. The average student costs far more than their parents pay in taxes. Hope more leave!

Pretty clear that is SB strategy. See 4th high school discussion.

We are done and moving to FCPS. We get a nicer house in McLean, commute 1 day a week, and schools value rigor over “ not stressing kids”.

It is absolutely SB strategy, as is not providing needed accommodations to force kids who need IEPs to private, as well. I don't know how they get away with it.