https://www.tysonsreporter.com/2019/01/29/school-board-kills-mclean-high-school-boundary-adjustments/ The Fairfax County School Board approved the FY 2020-2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) on Jan. 24, and the much talked about boundary adjustment to relieve the overcrowded McLean High School didn’t make the cut. The CIP shows that McLean High School is currently at 114 percent of its capacity, with projections showing the population increasing to 127 percent by 2022. Meanwhile, the nearby Langley High School sits at 82 percent capacity following an extensive renovation...... Other school board members said they were uncomfortable approving a spot-boundary change before the School Board conducts a broader boundary examination on Feb. 25. “I do have concerns about doing a limited boundary change in one area without taking a more holistic analysis and approach,” said Tamara Derenak Kaufax, a representative from the Lee District, at a Jan. 14 work session. “We’re going to have to do what staff has been advocating, doing a holistic approach to [the] system and looking at the impacts.”.... “Sadly, no concrete proposals to address [McLean High School] crowding were added with the final revisions,” said Susan Garrahan, a parent to a McLean High School sophomore. “Some other Board members countered that the McLean-Langley boundary adjustment study should be rolled into a countywide boundary project set to start in late February, and that is what happened. Perhaps this will lead to a remedy for MHS on the same timetable as if it were just a McLean-Langley boundary adjustment project, but if it takes longer as part of a countywide project — and I think that is likely — it will be the students and staff who pay the price of overcrowding every additional day that it takes.” They could have addressed McLean's overcrowding. They are purposely keeping those kids in trailers. Why? for a "holistic approach to the system and looking at the impacts". Why oh why does McLean have to wait for a countywide boundary project when there is a school with capacity a mere 10-15 minutes away? |
It is highly likely that McLean kids end up at Langley to bring it up to enrollment. This is why it is unlikely that Herndon kids go to Langley. Rather, Great Falls kids that live really far out may be moved to Herndon HS. Makes sense. |
My English friend who lives in the US now is always surprised about the hullaballoo about changing boundaries. Where he's from, they draw concentric circles around the school until they have a projected enrollment that matches school capacity and boundaries change regularly. So unless you live next door to the school, you're not really guaranteed anything. |
Your English friend can continue in his befuddlement. Drawing circles around Langley and McLean makes no sense given how close they are to each other and how far they are from the county line. |
Having access to an advanced hs program whether it's IB or AP (and most IB schools have a handful of AP courses) is a luxury. Many, many hs in the US have neither or far more limited options. Yes you might be upset if this happened, but there's a lot of fair yet still upsetting things that happen. Look on the bright side--if you have a strong kid going to a school with slightly lower average performance they'll have an easier time getting into college because they are looked at in the context of their school. |
We moved out of an IB district so we could be within five miles of two good AP schools. We really disliked the IB environment so it would have been very upsetting if FCPS tossed us back into an IB district just because of our race and/or SES. At some point the School Board members are going to have to come to terms with the relative unpopularity of IB, which has probably magnified rather than mitigated some of the demographic and performance gaps among schools. As best I can tell, however, they are still drinking the IB Kool Aid. |
At quite a cost to taxpayers, I might add. |
If we cared what the English thought we would have stayed zoned for colonial rule. |
Couldn’t some McLean freshmen pupil place to Langley for Russian language? Escape the trailer farm! |
No one suggested replicating the exact model, just that in another country, things are different and as such they don't have the overcrowding issues, or at least not the same type of overcrowding issue that occurs in the US due to people clinging to their chosen school district for deal life despite the schools being overcapacity. |
The number of pupil placements out of McLean will actually be lower in 2019-20 than in 2018-19, due primarily to Marshall curtailing pupil placements for IB. It’s a big ask to suggest kids take Russian just to avoid overcrowding.., |
Dream on. |
+1. I agree with your English friend. And if we did that with Herndon high school, ALOT of great falls kids would be going there! |
Well, we won't be doing that here. You really need to get over it for your own mental health. |
Ummm. You are leaving out the enrollment and density issue. Where would the other kids go? Herndon's boundary is already pretty tight. |