Second guessing the DC public school choice? please no bashing dcps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you. Public schools should be for residents unless there is surplus capacity.

I was always under the impression that tuition paying out of area students were only accepted if there was room and all the students who lived in the area, who would normally go to the school, were able to have a spot.

Also, I don't know about DC public schools, but a couple years ago I looked up the cost for tuition for out of area students for Arlington Co. public schools and I swear I remember it being $11K per year. Certainly not cheap.

[Anonymous]

And Montgomery County schools, lets say Westbard Middle School in Bethesdsa, is like $14,000 a year out of 'state' for DC residents. I'd rather take my money to a parochial school in Maryland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to the original question!

Thanks so much to OP for putting this up! Helpful for us new-to-DC parents.

Anyone pull out elementary kids? Interested in reasons why and alternatives. And what do people think of the K-8 all-inclusive schools? I know it's early for Oyster, but that's my obsession right now. (Wonder what Michelle Rhee thinks of Oyster?)

And thanks to all for no bashing! Really helps.

[Anonymous]

Our kids went to DCPS; we had a good experience there, but by 5th grade it was time to go. In my opinion, middle school is where the advantges of private school really begin. And I know lots of people have gone to Deal and done fine, but we decided fairly early on that it was not a good place for our kids. Many of our friends have gone this route, and it doesn't seem particularly difficult for their kids to get into private schools.

[Anonymous]

Michelle Rhee's two children are both at Oyster.

[Anonymous]

But the Mayor's kids go to private school. Although he's said they're going public in the fall.

[Anonymous]

OP- I definitely understand your angst. We've decided that we'll stay in D.C. and use DCPS through 5th grade, but some of our friends have already decided that they'll only do private and there is definitely a vibe that they feel they will be giving their child the "best" as opposed to "second-best" aka DCPS. I've talked to several sets of parents who currently have kids at several of the DCPS schools that we're considering and every time I do that I feel like we're making a good decision, but sometimes it is hard to not feel like we're doing "less" for our child by choosing DCPS.

But maybe we'll be laughing to the bank by saving the $150K we'll save . . . .

[Anonymous]

Yes, I remember well when a bunch of my daughter's classmates left for private school after second grade. I knew that would happen eventually but I was surprised it was so early.

One parent told me that in order for her daughter to be accepted at the elite Catholic high school they particularly desired, they would have to enter from a Catholic lower school and it would be easier to move in the earlier grades rather than later. It made me uneasy at the time. I thought, what if I decide my child should go to private school after she graduates from her DCPS elementary school but she couldn't get in because we didn't leave early enough?!

Fortunately, I ignored that uneasiness and my kid did just fine. (In fact, from what I heard, I think her math education was more rigorous than that at the other school.) And unfortunately her classmate didn't get into that elite high school. She got into some other good schools but I'm sure that the family was disappointed after all that planning for so many years.

Anyway, we're considering whether to send my dd to a private school now so I'm not unalterably opposed to private schooling. But I think kids who have supportive families who are involved with their education can do just fine in the public system -- especially at the elementary level. But it depends on the kid and people have to do what they think is is best for their kid. It's just important to keep your eye on that and try not to be influenced by other people's choices.

[Anonymous]

OP, I totally relate too. Read the private school forum and you'll see comments like "sacrificing kids" in reference to sending them to DCPS. Of course that's nuts but it's still traumatizing! Usually, though, I read that board to feel better about public school because the private school people sound so crazily pushy, competitive and insecure. Our daughter starts DCPS next year and our plan is to try to stay objective and be ready to change if we feel at any point like she is getting short-changed. But I don't expect it to come to that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I read that board to feel better about public school because the private school people sound so crazily pushy, competitive and insecure.

ME TOO! DH says I'm being immature, but his family has been all private for like centuries. Mine is all public (though not DC), so we're straddling the longterm DCPS fence with our pre-schoolers. So far we're doing DCPS and like PP will try to stay objective and flexible as kids' needs change.

OK, if you want to feel even better about DCPS, recently I've been hearing from like 6 or 7 sets of parents with college bound kids from Sidwell and GDS that the KIDS regret going to overly stressful, socially-engineered schools that have not prepared them for the real world. Young people today...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Usually, though, I read that board to feel better about public school because the private school people sound so crazily pushy, competitive and insecure.

Glad we could help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I read that board to feel better about public school because the private school people sound so crazily pushy, competitive and insecure.

ME TOO! DH says I'm being immature, but his family has been all private for like centuries. Mine is all public (though not DC), so we're straddling the longterm DCPS fence with our pre-schoolers. So far we're doing DCPS and like PP will try to stay objective and flexible as kids' needs change.

OK, if you want to feel even better about DCPS, recently I've been hearing from like 6 or 7 sets of parents with college bound kids from Sidwell and GDS that the KIDS regret going to overly stressful, socially-engineered schools that have not prepared them for the real world. Young people today...

OP here: That's funny re kids not wanting the over stressed/white privelged kid environment. I, too, begged my parents to send me to a more diverse school! I still have nightmares about my lily white upbringing...lol. Hence, my stand to stay in the city! I did get a good education, though, which is what keeps drawing me back to moving. But, as of today, I'm on a pro-DCPS kick and hope to get fully involved in the school to make changes if necessary!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But the Mayor's kids go to private school. Although he's said they're going public in the fall.

I'll believe that when I see it.

[Anonymous]

As a mom and a teacher at a "better" DCPS elementary, I wouldn't think twice about sending my child there. Just to let you know, we have students going on to St. Albans, Sidwell, Georgetown Day, WES, British School, Bullis and Washington International, as well as our feeder school and some of the charters - mainly Washington Latin. Not so bad for DCPS!

[Anonymous]

DCPS teacher -- what's the buzz on Latin? I know there were some administrative/political problems last year. Is it back on track? Are kids happy there?