Why do so many folks pay for private school in this area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So curious, as this area is recognized as a top 10 public school system in the nation. In this climate of social change, where as diversity / inclusion / anti-privilege is more driving change, why subject yourself to the perception (whether right or wrong) of privilege, especially when AOs are now pivoting towards more socially well-rounded experiences and stories of struggle / perseverance. Is it worth the price, stress, dealing with the Jones, etc?

Negative externalities of large 200+ school, county-level public school districts (not township public school districts)
Lack of in-person education at public schools the last two years
No discipline or behavior issues addressed at public schools
No frequent arts, PE, science, music in K-8 public schools
Too much screen time at our public schools K-8
Too many days of testing at public schools, should not be 3-6 days eaten up, just test every other year one day. Like in the 1980s.
No books, textbooks, cursive, handwriting, foreign language in public ESs
Politics, unions and $$ kickbacks driving the curriculum purchases in this area's public schools.
9:35am school start time is asinine.
Public Magnet schools based 1 hour away in traffic are moot "options." Plus now selection process is race and income based, not merit or test-in. Again, politicized education options.

Accurate list, certainly applies to our MCPS ES we had wanted our kids to go to and they never did. C2.0 and common core devalued it quite quickly.

What is c2.o, serious question. Considering pulling my child out our overvalued private. So, torn between fcps and mcps.

It was MCPS homemade reading and math curriculum for k-8, it lasted from 2010-2018, when a routine audit + test scores+ parent complaints + teacher complaints killed it. It then took them 2 years to buy a real reading and math curriculum as the big bloated MCPS admin kept churning off to work at Discovery Ed and try to see MCPS and other oversized $$$billion budgeted county public schools their *new* digital science and math curricula.

I don’t know what they settled on but then Covid overlapped and since we never could get answers wtf our K kid would be taught we went private.

We’d consider returning if Covid ends and they have a k-8 curriculum that’s effective. High school there looks effective, albeit huge.

So, if read you correctly, there is no more C2.0. And for now, you don’t know what replaced it. I’m pulling out of private middle after this school year.
Is FCPS better, worse, or homogenous?

Been to “top” FCPS and 3 privates. All privates much better. IMO, FCPS focused too much on discipline problems and underachievers, ignoring others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LOL... I have lived in the midwest, NE and mid-Atlantic region and every place I have lived was described as " being in the Top 10 of Public School Districts in the country"

Just look at how Northbrook, Ill, Morristown, NJ, FFX, Va; So Ca, and many NYC magnets all simultaneously claim this. Its so often claimed as to be as meaningless and the DC Private school applicant parent who insists their snowflake is in the 99th % ile and therefore is sure to be admitted.

They can't ALL be " the best public schools in the country" and most subsidize SAT prep to up their test scores anyway- NOT my idea of what real education should focus on

OTH, one school District that doesn't even TRY to claim to be " among the best" is DCPS- because they are among the worst in terms of all measures: degree of proficiency achieved in reading and math, percentage of exceeding grade level, percentage that go on to graduate and/or go to college, percentage that are deemed illiterate after graduating, violence stats and parent in prison stats

So, nope, did not send our kid to DCPS

DCPS is another barbell school district. One segment of students are overachievers and one larger segment is underachievers and unproficient, 2-3 grade levels behind in reading and math. So you have to pick your school pyramid well and hope the Admin don’t tank the curriculum, budget, morale, etc.
MCPS has turned into this as well given demographic changes. But doesn’t have charter schools like DCPS does.

[Anonymous]

Experienced both FCPS and 2 different private schools. No comparison- private is superior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Experienced both FCPS and 2 different private schools. No comparison- private is superior.

In my experience, I would say the 40 grand I’ve spent annually hasn’t proved to be any better. Worse in fact for some subjects which is deeply disappointing.
One benefit is class size, but academically hasn’t been superior whatsoever. I know, I’ve been a volunteer in both at my child’s schools and have see first hand. As well as hearing lessons virtually with the private. I’m aware public virtual was bad, however, what I’ve seen with private virtual and assignments brought home, I would confidently say that I’m not getting what I pay for or anything better. Paying for the polish and shine is all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL... I have lived in the midwest, NE and mid-Atlantic region and every place I have lived was described as " being in the Top 10 of Public School Districts in the country"

Just look at how Northbrook, Ill, Morristown, NJ, FFX, Va; So Ca, and many NYC magnets all simultaneously claim this. Its so often claimed as to be as meaningless and the DC Private school applicant parent who insists their snowflake is in the 99th % ile and therefore is sure to be admitted.

They can't ALL be " the best public schools in the country" and most subsidize SAT prep to up their test scores anyway- NOT my idea of what real education should focus on

OTH, one school District that doesn't even TRY to claim to be " among the best" is DCPS- because they are among the worst in terms of all measures: degree of proficiency achieved in reading and math, percentage of exceeding grade level, percentage that go on to graduate and/or go to college, percentage that are deemed illiterate after graduating, violence stats and parent in prison stats

So, nope, did not send our kid to DCPS

DCPS is another barbell school district. One segment of students are overachievers and one larger segment is underachievers and unproficient, 2-3 grade levels behind in reading and math. So you have to pick your school pyramid well and hope the Admin don’t tank the curriculum, budget, morale, etc.
MCPS has turned into this as well given demographic changes. But doesn’t have charter schools like DCPS does.

Barbell implies that it is equally weighted in both sides. Walls plus 100 white students that graduate from Wilson every year does not compensate for the other 95%. DCPS is not a barbell shape it’s a cone shape.