When are Herndon Middle and Herndon High going to get a break?!??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's face it. The population as a whole is growing. The real solution is to build the new western high school stat along with more affordable housing and apartments in the Langley and McLean districts. This would not only relieve overcrowding and reduce student commutes, but also the reduce the commute of blue collar parents (nannies, day care workers, laborers, retail workers, restaurant workers, etc.) who work in and around Langley HS / McLean HS districts.

There is affordable housing, and more being built, in Tysons, but it is all zoned for Marshall and McLean. Much of it should be reassigned to Langley. Marshall and McLean already have other lower-income housing near Merrifield.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's face it. The population as a whole is growing. The real solution is to build the new western high school stat along with more affordable housing and apartments in the Langley and McLean districts. This would not only relieve overcrowding and reduce student commutes, but also the reduce the commute of blue collar parents (nannies, day care workers, laborers, retail workers, restaurant workers, etc.) who work in and around Langley HS / McLean HS districts.

There is affordable housing, and more being built, in Tysons, but it is all zoned for Marshall and McLean. Much of it should be reassigned to Langley. Marshall and McLean already have other lower-income housing near Merrifield.

That seems simple enough. What is the argument against it? Should be enough to raise enrollment at Langley. Would it be an "island" or would the boundaries be contiguous?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's face it. The population as a whole is growing. The real solution is to build the new western high school stat along with more affordable housing and apartments in the Langley and McLean districts. This would not only relieve overcrowding and reduce student commutes, but also the reduce the commute of blue collar parents (nannies, day care workers, laborers, retail workers, restaurant workers, etc.) who work in and around Langley HS / McLean HS districts.

There is affordable housing, and more being built, in Tysons, but it is all zoned for Marshall and McLean. Much of it should be reassigned to Langley. Marshall and McLean already have other lower-income housing near Merrifield.

That seems simple enough. What is the argument against it? Should be enough to raise enrollment at Langley. Would it be an "island" or would the boundaries be contiguous?

Loss of property values?

[Anonymous]

Just took this from another thread from another poster:

In 2002-2003 Herndon's F/R lunch rate was 13.8%. In 2017-2018 it was 39.6%. A change of 25.8%.

In 2002-2003 Langley's F/R lunch rate was 0.7%. In 2017-2018 it was 1.9%. A change of 1.2%.

Gap between the two schools in 2002-2003 - 13.1%. Gap in 2017-2018 - 37.7%.

Do you think this is fair? Honestly? What do you honestly think about these statistics and what do you think (if anything) FCPS should do about it?

Where in the Golden Rule of Life does it say that schools are supposed to have the same percentages of FARMS kids?

Is it fair that all the schools weren't renovated at the same time?
Is it fair that some kids have two married parents and others are children of divorce?
Is it fair that some kids eat home-cooking most nights and others eat out of the microwave?
Is it fair that some kids grew up in homes with over a hundred books and others had ten?

I don't think FCPS needs to do anything about some schools having more FARMS students than others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Just took this from another thread from another poster:

In 2002-2003 Herndon's F/R lunch rate was 13.8%. In 2017-2018 it was 39.6%. A change of 25.8%.

In 2002-2003 Langley's F/R lunch rate was 0.7%. In 2017-2018 it was 1.9%. A change of 1.2%.

Gap between the two schools in 2002-2003 - 13.1%. Gap in 2017-2018 - 37.7%.

Do you think this is fair? Honestly? What do you honestly think about these statistics and what do you think (if anything) FCPS should do about it?

Where in the Golden Rule of Life does it say that schools are supposed to have the same percentages of FARMS kids?

Is it fair that all the schools weren't renovated at the same time?
Is it fair that some kids have two married parents and others are children of divorce?
Is it fair that some kids eat home-cooking most nights and others eat out of the microwave?
Is it fair that some kids grew up in homes with over a hundred books and others had ten?

I don't think FCPS needs to do anything about some schools having more FARMS students than others.

It doesn't say that in the Golden Rule of life but we are all One Fairfax. People are tired of the rich changing all the rules to their benefit (like changing zoning so that no apartments are in your boundaries) while the rest of us have to deal the problems.

[Anonymous]

I’m tired of the two sides of this discussion that seem to occur - the “Why should we have to take on more FARMs” (coming from the low-FARMs school parents) and the “You should have to deal with some of the FARMs problems, too” (coming from the high-FARMs school parents).

Kids whose families receive FARMs are not problems. They’re children who have a right to the same educational opportunities, the same quality of facilities, and the same county support as every other public school kid in the county.

FCPS has tried (and to some degree, has been forced because of county politics related to housing) concentrating most of the kids in a small number of schools and throwing money at those schools. It’s not working. The achievement gaps are still there. So, they need to try something different. And One Fairfax is what they’re trying. I hope it succeeds, because we should all be focused on educating every child. You, the parents, should focus on your own children, yes, but let FCPS focus on all of the children, collectively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m tired of the two sides of this discussion that seem to occur - the “Why should we have to take on more FARMs” (coming from the low-FARMs school parents) and the “You should have to deal with some of the FARMs problems, too” (coming from the high-FARMs school parents).

Kids whose families receive FARMs are not problems. They’re children who have a right to the same educational opportunities, the same quality of facilities, and the same county support as every other public school kid in the county.

FCPS has tried (and to some degree, has been forced because of county politics related to housing) concentrating most of the kids in a small number of schools and throwing money at those schools. It’s not working. The achievement gaps are still there. So, they need to try something different. And One Fairfax is what they’re trying. I hope it succeeds, because we should all be focused on educating every child. You, the parents, should focus on your own children, yes, but let FCPS focus on all of the children, collectively.

I think it is unclear what you mean by FCPS trying One Fairfax.

I agree that all kids need to be educated properly.

The issue that PP has is the large group of immigrant kids in Herndon. This is likely what has caused the large discrepancy. What PP doesn't document is that many schools in FCPS also have a very high percentage of FARMS. Some of those schools have more than Herndon.
PP is particularly upset because of Langley--and a PP (don't know if it is the same one) has repeatedly come up with suggestions of how to get more affluent kids into Herndon and kick the FARMS students out of Herndon. Because of logistics, that is unreasonable. And, if FCPS starts that, we would have fruitbasket turnover all over FCPS.

The real issue is the huge influx of undocumented immigrants over the last few years. This FY, Fairfax has received over 500 unaccompanied minors. Over the last few years, since DACA, we have received thousands.

I think we all can agree that it is unbalanced. That does not mean there is a quick or easy--or, even, justifiable--solution.

These things don't happen overnight. It is slow and gradual.

It's best to educate the kids where they are. Busing does NOT work. It didn't work years ago and it won't work now. Period. End of story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Just took this from another thread from another poster:

In 2002-2003 Herndon's F/R lunch rate was 13.8%. In 2017-2018 it was 39.6%. A change of 25.8%.

In 2002-2003 Langley's F/R lunch rate was 0.7%. In 2017-2018 it was 1.9%. A change of 1.2%.

Gap between the two schools in 2002-2003 - 13.1%. Gap in 2017-2018 - 37.7%.

Do you think this is fair? Honestly? What do you honestly think about these statistics and what do you think (if anything) FCPS should do about it?

Where in the Golden Rule of Life does it say that schools are supposed to have the same percentages of FARMS kids?

Is it fair that all the schools weren't renovated at the same time?
Is it fair that some kids have two married parents and others are children of divorce?
Is it fair that some kids eat home-cooking most nights and others eat out of the microwave?
Is it fair that some kids grew up in homes with over a hundred books and others had ten?

I don't think FCPS needs to do anything about some schools having more FARMS students than others.

It doesn't say that in the Golden Rule of life but we are all One Fairfax. People are tired of the rich changing all the rules to their benefit (like changing zoning so that no apartments are in your boundaries) while the rest of us have to deal the problems.

X1,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Just took this from another thread from another poster:

In 2002-2003 Herndon's F/R lunch rate was 13.8%. In 2017-2018 it was 39.6%. A change of 25.8%.

In 2002-2003 Langley's F/R lunch rate was 0.7%. In 2017-2018 it was 1.9%. A change of 1.2%.

Gap between the two schools in 2002-2003 - 13.1%. Gap in 2017-2018 - 37.7%.

Do you think this is fair? Honestly? What do you honestly think about these statistics and what do you think (if anything) FCPS should do about it?

Where in the Golden Rule of Life does it say that schools are supposed to have the same percentages of FARMS kids?

Is it fair that all the schools weren't renovated at the same time?
Is it fair that some kids have two married parents and others are children of divorce?
Is it fair that some kids eat home-cooking most nights and others eat out of the microwave?
Is it fair that some kids grew up in homes with over a hundred books and others had ten?

I don't think FCPS needs to do anything about some schools having more FARMS students than others.

Where is the law that says FCPS has to protect your property values?

[Anonymous]

Go ahead a change boundaries.
Those that can will just move.

[Anonymous]

Annandale: 63% FARMS
Centreville: 29%
Edison: 38%
Falls Church: 54%
Herndon: 43%
Justice: 64%
Lee: 56%
Mt Vernon: 56%
South Lakes: 29%
West Potomac: 42%
Westfield: 28%

So, there are at least five high schools who have more than Herndon.

The stats that PP showed about the increase in Herndon over the years just shows that these numbers are always in flux. How often would FCPS need to redraw bouondaries if this is used as the basis? Every year? Every fourth year? Every ten years?

This would be a massive and difficult undertaking. And, it would accomplish nothing. It will not help the kids.

Is it fair that Justice and Annandale have stats that are 20 points higher than Herndon on FARMS?

The goal should be to educate all our kids where they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go ahead a change boundaries.
Those that can will just move.

Buh bye!!!

[Anonymous]

https://www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-and-wellness/food-and-nutrition-programs/free-and-reduced-price-meals

28% of Fairfax County kids are on free lunch. I don't know when this was posted, but I suspect it may now be higher than that. It is unrealistic to expect that we redraw all of the boundaries based on this. In fact, it would be close to impossible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where is the law that says FCPS has to protect your property values?

The school board is elected. I feel sure that none of them ran on the "I am going to take a giant shit on the value of your home because fairness" platform.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where is the law that says FCPS has to protect your property values?

The school board is elected. I feel sure that none of them ran on the "I am going to take a giant shit on the value of your home because fairness" platform.

I'm not sure when I heard this--we all know that exceptions have been made to boundaries for the builders: I have heard that the pressure came from the BOS because they wanted the construction and the taxes. This is not all black and white. I would guess this explains the pockets on the south side of Rt 7.

Those exceptions were made to encourage construction and higher taxes. Like it or not, those were selling points. I live in a neighborhood in west Fairfax and knew someone who moved from here years and years ago so her child could go to Langley--the child was only 6 at the time. She's now graduated (I assume. I lost track after they moved.) FWIW, I live in neither Herndon or Langley school district.

Of course, we will be getting a new BOS next year. They may feel differently and be ready to push the redistricting.

An earlier poster said people will move. This does happen when busing starts. People also turn to private schools if they purchased a home because of the school. There is no question that schools affect home value. Ask any realtor.