FCPS High School Poverty and Enrollment

Anonymous
I don’t have data to support this, but my sense is that the more housing prices go up, the more we have multi-generational / extended family / multiple families living in single family homes and even apartments. I only have anecdotal observations of this.

It also seems that with more homeowners not necessarily dwelling in their homes (rentals, air b n b, etc), it is easier to overlook zoning violations. Increased home/property values and rents doesn’t always have the effect people think they do.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Langley 3%
Herndon 50%

These two pyramids are right next to each other.



Interestingly Herndon’s downward shift was swift. The difference grew quickly over the past 10-15 years.

I’ve been told the socioeconomic difference between the HHS class of 2026 is like a wave and much different than other classes.

FWIW I have a class of 2026 kid and it’s what we’ve always known, so it is sometimes hard to know how things have changed.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Langley 3%
Herndon 50%

These two pyramids are right next to each other.



So? The communities are distinct. The poor parts of Herndon are no where near the Langley lines.


I’m not sure that 2 1/2 miles constitutes ‘nowhere near’ boundary lines.


Especially given the distance some Langley kids have to commute.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Langley 3%
Herndon 50%

These two pyramids are right next to each other.



So? The communities are distinct. The poor parts of Herndon are no where near the Langley lines.


I’m not sure that 2 1/2 miles constitutes ‘nowhere near’ boundary lines.


Especially given the distance some Langley kids have to commute.


Are there split feeders for Herndon? Do any of the Langley kids go to elementary schools that also feed Herndon? Is that also a factor?
Anonymous
Im at a feeder school in Lewis. Housing is generally cheaper but the houses are super old and smaller.

But there are often many families in one house. I’ve had students living in one bedroom of a house with their siblings and parents.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Langley 3%
Herndon 50%

These two pyramids are right next to each other.



Exactly. Langley’s borders should be changed to send some to Herndon and McLean’s border can be changed to send some to Langley to reduce MHS’s overcrowding. But rich Langley parents are too powerful.


The Great Falls folks got Elaine Tholen to limit the number of kids moved from McLean to Langley in 2021 and to make sure they were all kids living in expensive single-family areas (no condos or apartments in Tysons, as FCPS staff had proposed).

The next boundary change for McLean will probably involve Falls Church, which is currently getting renovated and expanded, not Langley. The GFCA will continue to fight moving more kids to Langley, Falls Church is getting expanded to 2500, and there’s an attendance island in Falls Church zoned for McLean that is closer to Falls Church than McLean and already feeds into an elementary school that is a split feeder to McLean and Falls Church. That area is high FARMS, so if the School Board wants to keep it at McLean for diversity they’ll need to go ahead and fund the addition McLean has been requested for the better part of the last decade. Otherwise they can’t justify the continued existence of the island, when McLean remains overcrowded and new multi-family housing will get built in other areas closer to MHS in Tysons and near the WFC Metro.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Langley 3%
Herndon 50%

These two pyramids are right next to each other.



Exactly. Langley’s borders should be changed to send some to Herndon and McLean’s border can be changed to send some to Langley to reduce MHS’s overcrowding. But rich Langley parents are too powerful.


The Great Falls folks got Elaine Tholen to limit the number of kids moved from McLean to Langley in 2021 and to make sure they were all kids living in expensive single-family areas (no condos or apartments in Tysons, as FCPS staff had proposed).

The next boundary change for McLean will probably involve Falls Church, which is currently getting renovated and expanded, not Langley. The GFCA will continue to fight moving more kids to Langley, Falls Church is getting expanded to 2500, and there’s an attendance island in Falls Church zoned for McLean that is closer to Falls Church than McLean and already feeds into an elementary school that is a split feeder to McLean and Falls Church. That area is high FARMS, so if the School Board wants to keep it at McLean for diversity they’ll need to go ahead and fund the addition McLean has been requested for the better part of the last decade. Otherwise they can’t justify the continued existence of the island, when McLean remains overcrowded and new multi-family housing will get built in other areas closer to MHS in Tysons and near the WFC Metro.


That gerrymandered little island needs to go to Falls Church HS. Those families that are Timberlane, Longfellow, and McLean are considerably wealthier and their homes worth much more than the other split which is zoned for Falls Church HS. It's ridiculous that those island kids literally pass other high schools to get to McLean.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Langley 3%
Herndon 50%

These two pyramids are right next to each other.



So? The communities are distinct. The poor parts of Herndon are no where near the Langley lines.


I’m not sure that 2 1/2 miles constitutes ‘nowhere near’ boundary lines.


Especially given the distance some Langley kids have to commute.


Are there split feeders for Herndon? Do any of the Langley kids go to elementary schools that also feed Herndon? Is that also a factor?


The only split feeder to Herndon is Coates, which is a split feeder to Herndon and Westfield, not Langley.

The gerrymandering of the Langley pyramid is at every level (ES/MS/HS) so every single-family area in Herndon and Reston on the other side of Route 7 that goes to Cooper and Langley also goes to Forestville.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Langley 3%
Herndon 50%

These two pyramids are right next to each other.



Exactly. Langley’s borders should be changed to send some to Herndon and McLean’s border can be changed to send some to Langley to reduce MHS’s overcrowding. But rich Langley parents are too powerful.


The Great Falls folks got Elaine Tholen to limit the number of kids moved from McLean to Langley in 2021 and to make sure they were all kids living in expensive single-family areas (no condos or apartments in Tysons, as FCPS staff had proposed).

The next boundary change for McLean will probably involve Falls Church, which is currently getting renovated and expanded, not Langley. The GFCA will continue to fight moving more kids to Langley, Falls Church is getting expanded to 2500, and there’s an attendance island in Falls Church zoned for McLean that is closer to Falls Church than McLean and already feeds into an elementary school that is a split feeder to McLean and Falls Church. That area is high FARMS, so if the School Board wants to keep it at McLean for diversity they’ll need to go ahead and fund the addition McLean has been requested for the better part of the last decade. Otherwise they can’t justify the continued existence of the island, when McLean remains overcrowded and new multi-family housing will get built in other areas closer to MHS in Tysons and near the WFC Metro.


That gerrymandered little island needs to go to Falls Church HS. Those families that are Timberlane, Longfellow, and McLean are considerably wealthier and their homes worth much more than the other split which is zoned for Falls Church HS. It's ridiculous that those island kids literally pass other high schools to get to McLean.


They don’t “literally” pass by Falls Church or Marshall to get to McLean, even if they are closer to those schools. To get to McLean from that area you go up West Street through FCC and then hang a left onto Westmoreland. Marshall is further west past 66 and Falls Church further south.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Some of these numbers really surprise me. Where are these families living?? This area has gotten so expensive.


In Mount Vernon, there are two trailer (mobile home) parks that feed into MVHS. We also have homeless shelters. Ft. Belvoir families are zoned for MVHS - enlisted soldiers are not high wage earners and some of our FARMS students may be military families. But the majority are most likely multiple families living together in both single family homes and apartments/townhouses/condos. We also have multiple apartment complexes and most of them are older, garden style apartments and not the new, expensive ones with fancy amenities. I don't know how the affordable housing works, but I do know families can rent at reduced rates. I looked and the apartment complex that is walking distance to the high school starts at $1500 a month. And it is one of the nicer apartment complexes in the 22309 zip code (the MV zip code.)


I cannot speak to the military at Fort Belvoir specifically, but I can speak generally. I taught in DOD schools. They historically have far fewer high school students than elementary because the parents begin retiring as the kids get older. And, FWIW, it is unlikely that there are many high school students from Fort Belvoir whose parents are in the lower enlisted ranks.
Also, I understand that military families are able to pupil place out to other schools. I am guessing that many choose this option.


All true.

I just looked at the school profiles for the 2 elementary schools located on Ft. Belvoir.

Their FARMS numbers significantly increased this past school year, from the upper teens to over 30% in both schools.

Knowing that those schools are amost completely lower level enlisted families, it is shocking to see a snapshot how much the terrible inflation of this administration has affected our enlisted troops.

Shameful.


+1
Enlisted should not only be paid far better, but also given housing in the best school districts.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Langley 3%
Herndon 50%

These two pyramids are right next to each other.



+1
Not to mention, voters in Herndon are allowing the policies that create these poverty zones. You get what you vote for.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Langley 3%
Herndon 50%

These two pyramids are right next to each other.



+1
Not to mention, voters in Herndon are allowing the policies that create these poverty zones. You get what you vote for.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Langley 3%
Herndon 50%

These two pyramids are right next to each other.



Exactly. Langley’s borders should be changed to send some to Herndon and McLean’s border can be changed to send some to Langley to reduce MHS’s overcrowding. But rich Langley parents are too powerful.


No, McLean parents continue to balk at the suggestion of sending more McLean kids to Langley. Take it up with them.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Some of these numbers really surprise me. Where are these families living?? This area has gotten so expensive.


In Mount Vernon, there are two trailer (mobile home) parks that feed into MVHS. We also have homeless shelters. Ft. Belvoir families are zoned for MVHS - enlisted soldiers are not high wage earners and some of our FARMS students may be military families. But the majority are most likely multiple families living together in both single family homes and apartments/townhouses/condos. We also have multiple apartment complexes and most of them are older, garden style apartments and not the new, expensive ones with fancy amenities. I don't know how the affordable housing works, but I do know families can rent at reduced rates. I looked and the apartment complex that is walking distance to the high school starts at $1500 a month. And it is one of the nicer apartment complexes in the 22309 zip code (the MV zip code.)


I cannot speak to the military at Fort Belvoir specifically, but I can speak generally. I taught in DOD schools. They historically have far fewer high school students than elementary because the parents begin retiring as the kids get older. And, FWIW, it is unlikely that there are many high school students from Fort Belvoir whose parents are in the lower enlisted ranks.
Also, I understand that military families are able to pupil place out to other schools. I am guessing that many choose this option.


All true.

I just looked at the school profiles for the 2 elementary schools located on Ft. Belvoir.

Their FARMS numbers significantly increased this past school year, from the upper teens to over 30% in both schools.

Knowing that those schools are amost completely lower level enlisted families, it is shocking to see a snapshot how much the terrible inflation of this administration has affected our enlisted troops.

Shameful.


+1
Enlisted should not only be paid far better, but also given housing in the best school districts.


Or, you know, how about instead making sure every school district is one that is acceptable? I think that would solve a heck of a lot more problems.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Some of these numbers really surprise me. Where are these families living?? This area has gotten so expensive.


In Mount Vernon, there are two trailer (mobile home) parks that feed into MVHS. We also have homeless shelters. Ft. Belvoir families are zoned for MVHS - enlisted soldiers are not high wage earners and some of our FARMS students may be military families. But the majority are most likely multiple families living together in both single family homes and apartments/townhouses/condos. We also have multiple apartment complexes and most of them are older, garden style apartments and not the new, expensive ones with fancy amenities. I don't know how the affordable housing works, but I do know families can rent at reduced rates. I looked and the apartment complex that is walking distance to the high school starts at $1500 a month. And it is one of the nicer apartment complexes in the 22309 zip code (the MV zip code.)


I cannot speak to the military at Fort Belvoir specifically, but I can speak generally. I taught in DOD schools. They historically have far fewer high school students than elementary because the parents begin retiring as the kids get older. And, FWIW, it is unlikely that there are many high school students from Fort Belvoir whose parents are in the lower enlisted ranks.
Also, I understand that military families are able to pupil place out to other schools. I am guessing that many choose this option.


All true.

I just looked at the school profiles for the 2 elementary schools located on Ft. Belvoir.

Their FARMS numbers significantly increased this past school year, from the upper teens to over 30% in both schools.

Knowing that those schools are amost completely lower level enlisted families, it is shocking to see a snapshot how much the terrible inflation of this administration has affected our enlisted troops.

Shameful.


+1
Enlisted should not only be paid far better, but also given housing in the best school districts.


We have had kids at military base schools.

The military base schools comprised of 100% military kids tend to be very strong. There was a lot of research last decade before the focus switched to equity based education on the success of military base schools in eliminating the achievement gap between races, not by lowering standards but by raising up all kids, similar to the success in Catholic schools in high poverty areas.

Military on base schools are traditionally very strong, even when the families are primarily lower ranking enlisted. However, this might be different now that the military has moved away from a culture of color blind excellence. I haven't looked at recent stats, but prior to the last couple of years military base schools were exceptional, particularly for poor or minority kids.
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