Help with ASF and Key Boundary Issue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that you cannot so easily get into Taylor or Jamestown if you do not live within the actual boundaries for those schools. Most Arlington schools are facing rising enrollment issues and even though Key, ASFS, Jamestown and Taylor are in a consortium together, getting into them has become far more challenging and I think Jamestown and Taylor may not be accepting transfers from outside their boundaries anymore.

Too bad you don't want Key -- the immersion programs in Arlington have a great reputation.

My kids speak German with my husband at home, we just want to focus on only English and German at this early stage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always wonder how anyone falsifying residency handles playdates. When my kid started Elem school there were all kind of organized playdates among classmates. Do these fradulent cheaters never host one the entire 6 years of elementary school? Or--do they continue to make up elaborate lies on why they are hosting a house in another county/state/district, etc?

Honestly, I don't think it is really that common. There are also other people who actually transfer into a different school for one reason or another so they may legitimately live outside of the boundaries, but they still probably live in Arlington. I think the percentage of people not even living in Arlington or living in another county/state is EXTREMELY small.

I think so too, right now only my husband commutes, and it's hard enough, I cannot immagine someone driving 2 kids for 1 1/2 just for school, giving the trafic condition in this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
They are stepping it up...you need utility bills and mortgage papers or rental contract, etc. The capacity issue is driving it. The more popular the school, e.g,. ASFS, the harder they crack down. Also--there are several mailings that go to the home address and your home address is published in the school directory that all families receive. It becomes pretty obvious who is gaming the system. It is a Federal crime. Parents do report.

I'd report! I paid a shitload for my kids to attend their school. Liars increase class sizes and take away resources. Besides- there is anonymous reporting to have it checked out.

I understand what you are feeling, the truth is, with this system, you can never win.
I did some research on the APS website, and found out some facts. Right now, I pay $20K for my son's private school, and 18K for my daughter's preschool education a year.
With us moving to Arlington, we are looking at spending around 700-800K on housing purchase, the 10k on property tax a year is nothing comparing to what we spend now.

However, on APS website I see a lot of school spaces are reserved for kids from low income families. For Example, if someone's kid is from a low income family, he/she can go to Drew, can start ATS from pre-school. And chances are, part of our income tax pays for the kid's medicaid or food stamps.
Yet for us, it's so hard for our kids to trying to get into any of the good schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
They are stepping it up...you need utility bills and mortgage papers or rental contract, etc. The capacity issue is driving it. The more popular the school, e.g,. ASFS, the harder they crack down. Also--there are several mailings that go to the home address and your home address is published in the school directory that all families receive. It becomes pretty obvious who is gaming the system. It is a Federal crime. Parents do report.

I'd report! I paid a shitload for my kids to attend their school. Liars increase class sizes and take away resources. Besides- there is anonymous reporting to have it checked out.

I understand what you are feeling, the truth is, with this system, you can never win.
I did some research on the APS website, and found out some facts. Right now, I pay $20K for my son's private school, and 18K for my daughter's preschool education a year.
With us moving to Arlington, we are looking at spending around 700-800K on housing purchase, the 10k on property tax a year is nothing comparing to what we spend now.

However, on APS website I see a lot of school spaces are reserved for kids from low income families. For Example, if someone's kid is from a low income family, he/she can go to Drew, can start ATS from pre-school. And chances are, part of our income tax pays for the kid's medicaid or food stamps.
Yet for us, it's so hard for our kids to trying to get into any of the good schools.

I have no problem with my taxes helping disadvantaged kids get an education, etc. I think every American child should have access to a great public education, etc. For a SFH guaranteed entry to our elem school--it is a minimum 950k-1million+. That said- I am not very happy with people cheating the system to get a guaranteed spot for their kids. It is not the 'disadvantaged' ones cheating the system. The county is filled with fantastic schools so there is no need to cheat your way into one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you live within Key boundary your school options are excellent no matter what. I don't know what will happen when all the re-zoning takes place, but that will affect everyone I think.

thanks, do you know when the re-zoning will take place? any insights?

There is no rezoning imminent. PP is speculating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you live within Key boundary your school options are excellent no matter what. I don't know what will happen when all the re-zoning takes place, but that will affect everyone I think.

thanks, do you know when the re-zoning will take place? any insights?

There is no rezoning imminent. PP is speculating.

they have been talking about rezoning for the past 10 years. Ain't happening and it isn't imminent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
They are stepping it up...you need utility bills and mortgage papers or rental contract, etc. The capacity issue is driving it. The more popular the school, e.g,. ASFS, the harder they crack down. Also--there are several mailings that go to the home address and your home address is published in the school directory that all families receive. It becomes pretty obvious who is gaming the system. It is a Federal crime. Parents do report.

I'd report! I paid a shitload for my kids to attend their school. Liars increase class sizes and take away resources. Besides- there is anonymous reporting to have it checked out.

I understand what you are feeling, the truth is, with this system, you can never win.
I did some research on the APS website, and found out some facts. Right now, I pay $20K for my son's private school, and 18K for my daughter's preschool education a year.
With us moving to Arlington, we are looking at spending around 700-800K on housing purchase, the 10k on property tax a year is nothing comparing to what we spend now.

However, on APS website I see a lot of school spaces are reserved for kids from low income families. For Example, if someone's kid is from a low income family, he/she can go to Drew, can start ATS from pre-school. And chances are, part of our income tax pays for the kid's medicaid or food stamps.
Yet for us, it's so hard for our kids to trying to get into any of the good schools.

I have no problem with my taxes helping disadvantaged kids get an education, etc. I think every American child should have access to a great public education, etc. For a SFH guaranteed entry to our elem school--it is a minimum 950k-1million+. That said- I am not very happy with people cheating the system to get a guaranteed spot for their kids. It is not the 'disadvantaged' ones cheating the system. The county is filled with fantastic schools so there is no need to cheat your way into one.

Where is this?? I can't think of anywhere in N. Arlington where you HAVE to spend a $1 million for a SFH to get into a particular school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
They are stepping it up...you need utility bills and mortgage papers or rental contract, etc. The capacity issue is driving it. The more popular the school, e.g,. ASFS, the harder they crack down. Also--there are several mailings that go to the home address and your home address is published in the school directory that all families receive. It becomes pretty obvious who is gaming the system. It is a Federal crime. Parents do report.

I'd report! I paid a shitload for my kids to attend their school. Liars increase class sizes and take away resources. Besides- there is anonymous reporting to have it checked out.

I understand what you are feeling, the truth is, with this system, you can never win.
I did some research on the APS website, and found out some facts. Right now, I pay $20K for my son's private school, and 18K for my daughter's preschool education a year.
With us moving to Arlington, we are looking at spending around 700-800K on housing purchase, the 10k on property tax a year is nothing comparing to what we spend now.

However, on APS website I see a lot of school spaces are reserved for kids from low income families. For Example, if someone's kid is from a low income family, he/she can go to Drew, can start ATS from pre-school. And chances are, part of our income tax pays for the kid's medicaid or food stamps.
Yet for us, it's so hard for our kids to trying to get into any of the good schools.

I have no problem with my taxes helping disadvantaged kids get an education, etc. I think every American child should have access to a great public education, etc. For a SFH guaranteed entry to our elem school--it is a minimum 950k-1million+. That said- I am not very happy with people cheating the system to get a guaranteed spot for their kids. It is not the 'disadvantaged' ones cheating the system. The county is filled with fantastic schools so there is no need to cheat your way into one.

Where is this?? I can't think of anywhere in N. Arlington where you HAVE to spend a $1 million for a SFH to get into a particular school.

A SFH in Key boundary. Certain parts of Cherrydale and parts of Lyon Village. There are very few SFHs that are in the Key boundary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

However, on APS website I see a lot of school spaces are reserved for kids from low income families. For Example, if someone's kid is from a low income family, he/she can go to Drew, can start ATS from pre-school. And chances are, part of our income tax pays for the kid's medicaid or food stamps.
Yet for us, it's so hard for our kids to trying to get into any of the good schools.

Are you suggesting that only places like Drew and ATS are "the good schools"? Even if you limit your definition of "good" to "in North Arlington (or providing Montessori)," you will be able to have that in your price range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[

A SFH in Key boundary. Certain parts of Cherrydale and parts of Lyon Village. There are very few SFHs that are in the Key boundary.

yeap, with a budget of 700-800K, we haven't been able to find any updated SFH that we like. THs near Claredon and in Key School are pretty decent, but almost no backyard, unbelievable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

yeap, with a budget of 700-800K, we haven't been able to find any updated SFH that we like. THs near Claredon and in Key School are pretty decent, but almost no backyard, unbelievable.

Hey, have you been reading those threads on entitlement?

I'm not asking for any particular reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

yeap, with a budget of 700-800K, we haven't been able to find any updated SFH that we like. THs near Claredon and in Key School are pretty decent, but almost no backyard, unbelievable.

Hey, have you been reading those threads on entitlement?

I'm not asking for any particular reason.

not the PP... But is it too much to ask for NOT having to spend 1 Mio+ for a house that hasn't had any updating since 1940? In general I mean.
We house hunted for a very long time and besides the low inventory (esp in the small ASFS/Key like another PP correctly wrote- 1.7 mio in fact was the only house on the market at the time I believe) there was really almost nothing offered at PPs price range, that we had looked at as well. We ended up buying *gasp* just south of Route 50. Now I have an infant and wonder what the APS will look like in 5 years or so. More crowded probably... I am hoping we will not be house hunting again, as reading these threads is sometimes disheartening. We all want the best for our children.

[Anonymous]

The market is what it is. I don't have a lot of patience for people who want to live close in and then complain that their house and yard are so small, nor for people who move further out and then want someone to build a new road or add lanes to an existing one because their commute is too long.
I feel sorry for people who can't afford a safe house with access to good schools that has a reasonable commute. If the only problem is that a house doesn't meet your aesthetic standards . . . OK, I'm a little sorry, but life doesn't owe your your dream house.