Best Elementary School in Alexandria City?

[Anonymous]

We are at MVCS. We love the Spanish immersion and there staff and community really go out of their way for the families there. We have lots of friends very happy with Lyles Crouch too. Both of these schools come with neighborhoods that are walkable and friendly which is amazing.

[Anonymous]

New poster and I agree with the others: lyles crouch or charles Barrett are your two best options. We have friends at Lyles Crouch, Barrett, Maury, Mount Vernon, MacArthur and George Mason. lyles Crouch and Barrett have the happiest families and best test scores. Maury is also good with nice parent community. Have not heard great things about MacArthur or George Mason and know folks who have moved from both districts into another city or to private or to lyles crouch. Mount Vernon is good if you want Spanish or dual language but it is a huge school with mediocre test scores.

We are a family whose kids are at one of the top two in the city (Lyles Crouch and Charles Barrett) and are very pleased. Most of the Del ray transfers we know are at Barrett and a handful at lyles crouch.

[Anonymous]

Based on academics alone:

1. Lyles crouch. It's a "traditional academy" model with its own core knowledge curriculum and smaller classes. You will need to rent/buy in the district. Impossible to transfer in. Highest test scores in city. As good or better than several Arlington and fairfax schools.
2. Charles Barret. Lots of happy families and less pressure/structure than LC. Great feedback on principle. Good moderately priced rental and purchase options in zone. Lots of Del ray transfer families. Good test scores.
3 Maury. Small community and school. Has decent scores.
4. George Mason. Nice school and community. Passable scores.
5. MacArthur. Have heard mixed things.

Avoid Jefferson Houston, Cora Kelly, Adams, Tucker, and the rest if you can.

- Parent of three kids in public elementary school in ACPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Based on academics alone:

1. Lyles crouch. It's a "traditional academy" model with its own core knowledge curriculum and smaller classes. You will need to rent/buy in the district. Impossible to transfer in. Highest test scores in city. As good or better than several Arlington and fairfax schools.
2. Charles Barret. Lots of happy families and less pressure/structure than LC. Great feedback on principle. Good moderately priced rental and purchase options in zone. Lots of Del ray transfer families. Good test scores.
3 Maury. Small community and school. Has decent scores.
4. George Mason. Nice school and community. Passable scores.
5. MacArthur. Have heard mixed things.

Avoid Jefferson Houston, Cora Kelly, Adams, Tucker, and the rest if you can.

- Parent of three kids in public elementary school in ACPS.

Tucker is an AMAZING school. Don’t listen to this poster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Based on academics alone:

1. Lyles crouch. It's a "traditional academy" model with its own core knowledge curriculum and smaller classes. You will need to rent/buy in the district. Impossible to transfer in. Highest test scores in city. As good or better than several Arlington and fairfax schools.
2. Charles Barret. Lots of happy families and less pressure/structure than LC. Great feedback on principle. Good moderately priced rental and purchase options in zone. Lots of Del ray transfer families. Good test scores.
3 Maury. Small community and school. Has decent scores.
4. George Mason. Nice school and community. Passable scores.
5. MacArthur. Have heard mixed things.

Avoid Jefferson Houston, Cora Kelly, Adams, Tucker, and the rest if you can.

- Parent of three kids in public elementary school in ACPS.

Tucker is an AMAZING school. Don’t listen to this poster.

Year-round calendar sucks, though.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you are still looking in Alexandria City vs. Arlington based on comments:

1) Lyles Crouch has excellent outcomes, but it is an extremely rigid and structured curriculum. Its outcomes also are skewed by the fact that it has fewer FARMS students.

2) Charles Barrett has the best principal and shift in curriculum. Unless you can afford a $1 million+ home or are okay with an apartment/condo rent in the other schools zones, this is your best option. It has a great balance between affordable housing, commutability, and great school -- as other posters have said.

3) Maury is also excellent, but it has a terrible playground, which they've been trying to improve forever. The catchment zone has expensive housing.

4) George Mason provides solid academics, but its leadership has been like revolving door the last few years. Again, catchment zone has expensive housing.

5) Mount Vernon Community School still has significant issues. Jefferson Houston may be on the improvement trajectory, but it will probably be at least 10 years, before it's at the level of, say, Charles Barrett -- assuming good school leadership and parent involvement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Based on academics alone:

1. Lyles crouch. It's a "traditional academy" model with its own core knowledge curriculum and smaller classes. You will need to rent/buy in the district. Impossible to transfer in. Highest test scores in city. As good or better than several Arlington and fairfax schools.
2. Charles Barret. Lots of happy families and less pressure/structure than LC. Great feedback on principle. Good moderately priced rental and purchase options in zone. Lots of Del ray transfer families. Good test scores.
3 Maury. Small community and school. Has decent scores.
4. George Mason. Nice school and community. Passable scores.
5. MacArthur. Have heard mixed things.

Avoid Jefferson Houston, Cora Kelly, Adams, Tucker, and the rest if you can.

- Parent of three kids in public elementary school in ACPS.

Tucker is an AMAZING school. Don’t listen to this poster.

Year-round calendar sucks, though.

It’s actually awesome. Have you tried year round? The program has stayed because it’s so well liked.

[Anonymous]

We love Tucker and the Cameron Stn neighborhood!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you are still looking in Alexandria City vs. Arlington based on comments:

1) Lyles Crouch has excellent outcomes, but it is an extremely rigid and structured curriculum. Its outcomes also are skewed by the fact that it has fewer FARMS students.

2) Charles Barrett has the best principal and shift in curriculum. Unless you can afford a $1 million+ home or are okay with an apartment/condo rent in the other schools zones, this is your best option. It has a great balance between affordable housing, commutability, and great school -- as other posters have said.

3) Maury is also excellent, but it has a terrible playground, which they've been trying to improve forever. The catchment zone has expensive housing.

4) George Mason provides solid academics, but its leadership has been like revolving door the last few years. Again, catchment zone has expensive housing.

5) Mount Vernon Community School still has significant issues. Jefferson Houston may be on the improvement trajectory, but it will probably be at least 10 years, before it's at the level of, say, Charles Barrett -- assuming good school leadership and parent involvement.

And
Your information is somewhat out of date. Maury's playground really great - the work was completed last year. MV parents seem really happy with the school. I wouldn't lump it in with JH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a single mom tired of being single, let me ask the real questions! Which school has the cutest dads?

Maury dads, hands down. Cute AND rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you are still looking in Alexandria City vs. Arlington based on comments:

3) Maury is also excellent, but it has a terrible playground, which they've been trying to improve forever. The catchment zone has expensive housing.

Maury's playground reno is done, it has undergone something like a $1M renovation, including grading, new soccer fields, outdoor classroom, etc etc. Huge neighborhood congregating spot.

[Anonymous]

Lyles-Crouch consistently outranks the other elementary schools in the city, and has earned a "9" greatschools.org ranking, with Charles Barrett close behind with an "8." Those two I would argue can go toe-to-toe with any school you would find in Arlington County (and with more diversity!) and outperform many schools in Fairfax County.

Maury comes in third with a "6." George Mason and Tucker both got scores of "5." MacArthur got a "4." Hammond/Polk/Adams all received "3" scores. And Jefferson-Houston and Mount Vernon received "2" scores, bringing up the rear.

I normally wouldn't put much weight in the Great Schools rankings, but in this case it seems to be pretty on point. If you can find a place in zone, then go for Lyles-Crouch or Charles Barrett. To buy a townhouse in zone at Lyles-Crouch you're looking at about min $750k for a three bedroom rowhouse in the SE Quadrant in Old Town (expect multiple offers_...but you can also get in if you buy a townhouse down Eisenhauer Avenue, where there is a weird dog-leg shaped zone for Lyles-Crouch, near the water park Great Waves. There are also several apartments and condos in the zone you can rent, but Old Town isn't inexpensive.

For Charles Barrett, to purchase a single family detached home, you're also looking at a min $750k to purchase in the Beverley Hills area of Alexandria, which is really nice and close to Del Ray shops and restaurants. Alternatively, there are terrific and affordable and nicely located townhouses and condos in Park Fairfax, which is a very kid-friendly and pet-friendly community. Those you can get for around $550k-$600k, and you can also rent.

Lyles-Crouch is strict and lives up to its academic reputation. The principal is very much a rule-the-roost sort, and is no-nonsense and a no-exceptions type. She isn't particularly warm and fuzzy, but she has turned the school into something the city is proud of, and is very sought after, and a bright spot in ACPS. She is well-respected by parents, if not necessarily well-liked. She also knows each and every child by name, and greets every single child each morning, as they walk into school. The kids know that school is their job, there is a zero tolerance policy for bullying, and there is a strong push on homework and academics, even in the lower grades.

Charles Barrett is a less structured environment. More warm and fuzzy and probably more nurturing. Good academics. Diverse student body and community.

[Anonymous]

I would think the great school ranking in line with the demographics of each school - more farm students, lower scores.

[Anonymous]

As a single mom tired of being single, let me ask the real questions! Which school has the cutest dads?


Maury dads, hands down. Cute AND rich

My son is in 3rd grade at Maury. Rich dads, sure. Cute dads? Not from what I've observed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you are still looking in Alexandria City vs. Arlington based on comments:

3) Maury is also excellent, but it has a terrible playground, which they've been trying to improve forever. The catchment zone has expensive housing.

Maury's playground reno is done, it has undergone something like a $1M renovation, including grading, new soccer fields, outdoor classroom, etc etc. Huge neighborhood congregating spot.

I drive by Maury several times a week. If that's the renovation, ugh! It looks awful. I couldn't even tell that it had been completed.