Montgomery county, MD schools vs. Northern Virginia school systems

[Anonymous]

I am in the process of looking for a home to buy but am confused as to where we would purchase our first home, and most likely the home we plan to stay in for a very long time. We have an infant, and the school system is the #1 determining factor in our decision. We want schools similar to Montgomery county in terms of standard. MoCo schools seem to have remained the best for many years, so I am hoping there is a similar school system in Virginia as well, since our child won't be going to school for another 5 years.
Any feedback would be much appreciated!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in the process of looking for a home to buy but am confused as to where we would purchase our first home, and most likely the home we plan to stay in for a very long time. We have an infant, and the school system is the #1 determining factor in our decision. We want schools similar to Montgomery county in terms of standard. MoCo schools seem to have remained the best for many years, so I am hoping there is a similar school system in Virginia as well, since our child won't be going to school for another 5 years.
Any feedback would be much appreciated!

MoCo is comparable to FFX/Arlington/Falls Church City districts in NoVA so there's not really a difference in terms of quality. Obviously individual schools vary in quality within the systems but on the hole, it's six of one, half dozen of the other.

Once you understand that you can make your domicile decision based on other factors including commute, taxes, intangibles such as feel, whether or not you want your daughter growing up in a state where state legislators would humiliate her with a transvaginal ultrasound before having an abortion, etc.

[Anonymous]

Fairfax is probably the most comparable to MoCo because it's so large. But Falls Church is comparable also in terms of quality. Each has such wide variations between schools and levels though that you will want to look at clusters individually.

Try to avoid the MD/Virginia noise...some people have strong preferences for one or the other. But in Fairfax and MoCo you're getting 2 of the 5 best county school systems in the country, and that doesn't depend on the political or cultural divide between the states.

[Anonymous]

The only reasons I could imagine someone would prefer Montgomery schools over NoVa schools are:

1. You work in Maryland.

2. You want to live in a county with a larger Jewish population.

3. You are worried that the magnet schools in NoVa like HB Woodlawn and TJHSST (more of a draw than the magnet programs at Blair and RM) have a negative impact on the other local high schools.

4. You don't like Virginia politics.

Otherwise, schools in Arlington County, Falls Church City and Fairfax County have been as good as the MoCo schools for quite a while.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only reasons I could imagine someone would prefer Montgomery schools over NoVa schools are:

1. You work in Maryland.

2. You want to live in a county with a larger Jewish population.

3. You are worried that the magnet schools in NoVa like HB Woodlawn and TJHSST (more of a draw than the magnet programs at Blair and RM) have a negative impact on the other local high schools.

4. You don't like Virginia politics.

Otherwise, schools in Arlington County, Falls Church City and Fairfax County have been as good as the MoCo schools for quite a while.

http://www.examiner.com/crime-in-norfolk/maryland-has-become-a-haven-for-illegal-alien-gangs-more-on-the-way

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only reasons I could imagine someone would prefer Montgomery schools over NoVa schools are:

1. You work in Maryland.

2. You want to live in a county with a larger Jewish population.

3. You are worried that the magnet schools in NoVa like HB Woodlawn and TJHSST (more of a draw than the magnet programs at Blair and RM) have a negative impact on the other local high schools.

4. You don't like Virginia politics.

Otherwise, schools in Arlington County, Falls Church City and Fairfax County have been as good as the MoCo schools for quite a while.

Assuming this is satire, I would say the only reasons to live in NoVa are:

1. You work out by Dulles and thus avoid the horrible commute into DC
2. You want to live in an area that is homogeneously (i) Indian, (ii) hick, or (iii) illegal immigrants
3. You don't want to live in a county with 9 specialized high school magnet programs
4. You enjoy backwater Virginia politics dominated by even hickier southern Virginia

[Anonymous]

We live in MoCo, and really like the schools, but I have recently taken to grocery shopping in McLean - the Giant there has valet parking (really) and of course the bags are free.

[Anonymous]

What do you call the downcounty consortium? Give me a break. Just check over to MD Public Schools to see the postings on magnet schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
http://www.examiner.com/crime-in-norfolk/maryland-has-become-a-haven-for-illegal-alien-gangs-more-on-the-way

A link to an article in the EXAMINER from 2.5 years ago? And this is TIMELY?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: What do you call the downcounty consortium? Give me a break. Just check over to MD Public Schools to see the postings on magnet schools.

Answer: A desperation act that no one would confuse with TJHSST.