DCPS (Upper NW) vs MCPS, where to go?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:some people says Churchill HS is next target?

Anonymous wrote:If you stick to the Churchill HS cluster, you will be with a high performing student cohort. It’s likely that Churchill will remain accelerated with academics. BCC HS will continue to have a high performing IB program. Much of the rest of the schools will be in decline academically as the superintendent is currently cancelling accelerated ES learning and reducing the size of previous magnet programs.

What, TT is coming after Churchill HS? Now what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not Howard County? I could make it work there. Or maybe even Urbana or Frederick.

Howard County has great schools - I expect that MCPS families might move there to get into a better school district, with the unfortunate changes occurring in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

We got our 2 free years of DCPS PK and moved to MCPS then. MCPS is far from perfect, but it has a stronger trajectory through HS. I think upper NW DCPS are stronger, particularly Mann, where they have an extra teacher per class. But the best performing MCPS MS/HS are better than the best performing DCPS.

[Anonymous]

We are doing opposite move and headed back into DC. Theres another recent similar post from a couple of weeks ago and I posted a more extensive explanation there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know why being Asian factors into your thinking, but we're Asian too and deliberately moved to the Bethesda area for the schools.

We've lived here for 20 years, know people in multiple different MCPS clusters across the county, DCPS, FCPS, and private schools.

If you don't want the cost of a top private, then the MCPS area you mentioned, or certain areas of FCPS, are the best. Please don't even entertain the thought of DCPS.

Don’t listen to this person. One of the reasons to pick DC is to avoid these insufferable parents. There are PLENTY of very wealthy and/or highly educated families with kids in the good DCPS publics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:posted this on DCPS side and reposted in MCPS to get thoughts from MCPS side.

We are Asian and kids are rising K. One parent works downtown DC 3 days a week and one works from home. We are trying to think more broadly about where to settle long-term, and would love to hear from families who have experience with both DCPS and MCPS.

Specifically: Upper NW DC vs MCPS (Bethesda / WJ / Churchill clusters)

Moving to MCPS is definitely appealing from an academic / peer standpoint, but we have been really loving DC’s walkability and more multicultural environment, so feeling a bit torn.

It also seems like some families start in DCPS for elementary and then move to MCPS later — curious how common / smooth that actually is?

Questions we have been thinking:

For those who chose to stay in DCPS long-term till finish high school, what made you stay?
For those who moved to MCPS, when did you decide to move and why?
Is the “DC for elementary → MCPS later” path actually realistic in practice?
How do the peer environments feel different (especially for Asian kids)?
What's the difference between those two school system?
A lot people are saying MCPS qualities are going down- how true is that? is it still worthy of moving there

We can't clear our mind and would really appreciate any firsthand experiences or perspectives. Thanks!

Bethesda is very multicultural and international.

lol sure it is

BCC families are multicultural people with higher incomes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know why being Asian factors into your thinking, but we're Asian too and deliberately moved to the Bethesda area for the schools.

We've lived here for 20 years, know people in multiple different MCPS clusters across the county, DCPS, FCPS, and private schools.

If you don't want the cost of a top private, then the MCPS area you mentioned, or certain areas of FCPS, are the best. Please don't even entertain the thought of DCPS.

Don’t listen to this person. One of the reasons to pick DC is to avoid these insufferable parents. There are PLENTY of very wealthy and/or highly educated families with kids in the good DCPS publics.

+1,000,000. My kids had a fantastic experience in DCPS.