how bad are alexandria city public schools anyway?

[Anonymous]

It seems like everyone loves their elementary school these days but there is an awful lot of anxiety about the two middles and T.C. Williams. I find two camps on T.C.: Those who think it's basically shit and those who think it's gotten a bum rap. From what I can tell from the outside, it looks like an apartheid system, where if you're white and bright you get tracked through the TAG and honors curriculum but everyone else kind of gets left behind... Trying to decide whether to sell our home before we get too invested in this system. The administration and board look highly dysfunctional too and prone to active imperative policymaking, which is never good.

[Anonymous]

I am interested in this topic too. We live in the City and, while I'm not sure that everyone loves their elementary school, I am pretty sure that the majority are apprehensive about the middle and high school choice.

We have a LO who is scheduled to start in elementary school next fall and we're looking at every option. After a tour, I must say that I'm not thrilled about the particular school we're zoned for, but it's not the worst.

I'll be interested in the responses.

[Anonymous]

Our kids got a great education/foundation at Lyles Crouch - we loved it when we were there, and the older they get, the more I appreciate the experience. They are in private for middle school and we will consider TC for HS - I agree with others that confidence/motivation seem to be key for thriving at TC . We love living in the Alexandria/Old Town community and that was a major factor for sticking around - I'm very glad that we did. If your kids are young and you like the community, I would def. do public for elementary school (or at least give it a try -most are pleasantly surprised). For every kid I know that has left public for private, I know of another that left has private for public. There is no magic formula. ACPS is not perfect and the administration is constantly scrutinized so if you get caught up in things it can be exhausting. That said, I can honestly say that the most accomplished/impressive teens I know of in Alexandria attend or attended TC - it would be my first choice if it seems a good for our kids.

[Anonymous]

My oldest is 4 and will start kindergarten next year. We live in Alexandria and have been researching as well. We're going to give public a chance.

Looking at test scores, it seems the "white and bright" apartheid system holds true. If you compare the test scores by race, Alexandria city matches or exceeds state average test scores for white and asian children. They also match or exceed for black children as well, but the average test scores for black children in the state of Virginia are really low. Alexandria city public schools have a large population of black students, so it brings down the overall average test score of the school.

I don't know how to fix the sytem, but certainly putting children in private school does not fix it. However, as a parent, I want the best for my child and put less importance on fixing the system on a personal level.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the contributions, 8:43 and 9:02. It seems there aren't that many City of Alexandria moms on this board. Why is that?

8:43 or anyone else with the same experience: Why didn't you send your kids to the public middle school?

[Anonymous]

8:43 here - We didn't go to GW for MS because we were worried about the SOL focus and the size of the school. The SOLs measure very specific things - and we thought our kids would benefit from a more flexible curriculum.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is starting elementary next week and I'm a little on the fence about the whole thing. Even the elementary schools are huge and the admin seems horrible from Central Office on down. That said, I'm going to focus on the teaching this year and see how it goes. Hopefullly we will be out of here and back in the Northeast by the time DD is done with elementary.

[Anonymous]

This is from an Alexandria City parent. We had our daughter in two different well-known private schools. After some really lousy experiences (both as to academics and bullying), we pulled our daughter out and placed her in an Alexandria public school. It saved our sanity and has been wonderful. The biggest surprise is that the ACPS academics are at least a full year ahead of very nearly all of the private school academics. Barrett, Mason, MacArthur, Maury and Lyles-Crouch are all fantastic (we're at Barrett). We've become very familiar with TC and it is simply spectacular. I wouldn't trade back for any private school, anywhere. CAUTION: if you go private first and later transfer into an ACPS public school, you can expect that first quarter (or maybe two) to be tough, because the absence of any real academic standards at the private schools will be conspicuous to the ACPS teachers and it will show in homework and tests. Our opinion is that the ACPS schools are just infinitely better than their collective reputation; I personally think that the common wisdom about ACPS is meritless.

One benefit to the supposedly "failing" ACPS system is that internally transferring to a different school is relatively easy - two forms, submitted once (the transfers are usually multi-year as long as there are no material issues).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is from an Alexandria City parent. We had our daughter in two different well-known private schools. After some really lousy experiences (both as to academics and bullying), we pulled our daughter out and placed her in an Alexandria public school. It saved our sanity and has been wonderful. The biggest surprise is that the ACPS academics are at least a full year ahead of very nearly all of the private school academics. Barrett, Mason, MacArthur, Maury and Lyles-Crouch are all fantastic (we're at Barrett). We've become very familiar with TC and it is simply spectacular. I wouldn't trade back for any private school, anywhere. CAUTION: if you go private first and later transfer into an ACPS public school, you can expect that first quarter (or maybe two) to be tough, because the absence of any real academic standards at the private schools will be conspicuous to the ACPS teachers and it will show in homework and tests. Our opinion is that the ACPS schools are just infinitely better than their collective reputation; I personally think that the common wisdom about ACPS is meritless.

One benefit to the supposedly "failing" ACPS system is that internally transferring to a different school is relatively easy - two forms, submitted once (the transfers are usually multi-year as long as there are no material issues).

I agree the private school options for Alexandria are poor too. With the possible exception of St. Stephens/St. Agnes.

[Anonymous]

I think ACPS is great. The only thing the test scores reveal is that the City of Alexandria has a large population of students that have particularly challenging backgrounds: many low-income, and many are learning English. What's incredible is what a terrific job the teachers do at not only helping those children get the extra help they need, but EVERY kid what they need. Kids that are ready for enriched or advanced work can get it, while kids that need help can get that too. The City of Alexandria puts a high investment on public education, so those of you that have been more familiar with private schools might be surprised at the amount of resources that are available, far more than many private schools can offer. ACPS also has made a commitment to low teacher-to-student ratios. While classrooms in other jurisdictions typically have classrooms of 30 or more, Alexandria caps at low 20s for the elementary school. Having spoken with satisfied ACPS Middle School parents, I would say that the "issues" have a lot to do with perception vs. reality, but I would also add that ACPS has made improvement of the Middle Schools a priority, and trying to insure the curriculum meets the needs of each child. They are also instituting the International Baccalaureate at the Middle Schools. As for the Administration and Central Office, it's definitely not a *great* thing about ACPS, but I would say it doesn't seem significantly worse than any other district's administration (based on some of the frustrated posts I've read here!) It really is about the teachers, and we've been really happy with every teacher we've come in contact with the past three years. It's not perfect, but we're in ACPS for the long haul, and we feel good about our decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is from an Alexandria City parent. We had our daughter in two different well-known private schools. After some really lousy experiences (both as to academics and bullying), we pulled our daughter out and placed her in an Alexandria public school. It saved our sanity and has been wonderful. The biggest surprise is that the ACPS academics are at least a full year ahead of very nearly all of the private school academics. Barrett, Mason, MacArthur, Maury and Lyles-Crouch are all fantastic (we're at Barrett). We've become very familiar with TC and it is simply spectacular. I wouldn't trade back for any private school, anywhere. CAUTION: if you go private first and later transfer into an ACPS public school, you can expect that first quarter (or maybe two) to be tough, because the absence of any real academic standards at the private schools will be conspicuous to the ACPS teachers and it will show in homework and tests. Our opinion is that the ACPS schools are just infinitely better than their collective reputation; I personally think that the common wisdom about ACPS is meritless.

One benefit to the supposedly "failing" ACPS system is that internally transferring to a different school is relatively easy - two forms, submitted once (the transfers are usually multi-year as long as there are no material issues).

I am an Alexandria City parent also. Most of us have our children in private school so that answers where all the moms are.

It's no secret that white students fair better through the city schools. Also, the elmentary schools seem to be doing ok but it goes down hill in middle school.

[Anonymous]

Down hill in middle school really? This is what I found on the DCUM Forum from another Alexandria Mom - (Also, I've done rounds at 2 nearby private schools and they both failed miserably academically and socially. My DD is heading to GW Middle School - not only are the academics excellent - see below - but the range of subjects is incredible (Chinese anyone - and I don't mean in the cafeteria) and the extracurriculars and intramurals far outstrip any private middle school in the area.


From a DC Urban Moms' blog:

Hi -- self-congratulatory poster here. I know many have been warned about the Alexandria City public middle schools -- Hammond and George Washington. All I can say is that my daughter (the Burgundy graduate now at Minnie Howard) has made many friends who came from both middle schools. Quite a few of these kids -- maybe fifteen or so -- are now taking a combination of algebra II and trigonometry in 9th grade. They will be able to take calculus in 11th grade and take a post-calculus class in 12th grade. This means that they are a whole year ahead of my daughter ...

RESPONSE from 2 weeks ago:

Perhaps, but of course, Burgundy isn't exactly known for its academic curriculum.

[Anonymous]

This board is full of people who back diversity in schools, until it comes to their own. I send my child to an ACPS school, will send another one, and plan for them to attend throughout. My advice to the Pussy Patrol out there - life is tough, wear a helmet!

[Anonymous]

I think TC can be a great option for smart, self-motivated kids. DD took two APs as a sophomore and scored 5s on both of them; other kids start taking AP classes as freshmen. Her friends at St. Stephens are not able to start taking AP classes until junior year.

[Anonymous]

Kind of a hijack:: To the PPs above with experience with ACPS, do you know anything about Polk? We're zoned for this school, but we're not too sure about it. Our LOs would start next fall.

TIA!