Why are ES schools in affluent areas all of sudden under enrolled ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RM cluster in Rockville is very over crowded. No mass migration to private here.

It's all relative. QO and RM clusters are not affluent compared to Potomac. Yes, there are some areas of those 2 cities that rival Potomac house prices, but for the most part, the prices don't compare.

So the OP's question is, "How come some of the very richest people in Montgomery County aren't sending their children to MCPS elementary schools as much anymore?"

Of all the problems facing MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RM cluster in Rockville is very over crowded. No mass migration to private here.

It's all relative. QO and RM clusters are not affluent compared to Potomac. Yes, there are some areas of those 2 cities that rival Potomac house prices, but for the most part, the prices don't compare.

I agree. But it also could be that Potomac is getting older with all these aging in place going on. People don't downsize immediately when the kids left the house. And young people cannot afford Potomac anyway. We have to look at the data and see whether there are truly not the same number of ES aged children in those school catchment areas.

Seems it's more likely that people just aren't moving or downsizing once their kids are out of school, so the housing stock isn't turning over. Potomac isn't expensive compared to Bethesda, and Bethesda housing is booming, even for young families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RM cluster in Rockville is very over crowded. No mass migration to private here.

It's all relative. QO and RM clusters are not affluent compared to Potomac. Yes, there are some areas of those 2 cities that rival Potomac house prices, but for the most part, the prices don't compare.

So the OP's question is, "How come some of the very richest people in Montgomery County aren't sending their children to MCPS elementary schools as much anymore?"

Of all the problems facing MCPS.

I would wager that the SES of the average Whitman family is higher than the SES of the average Wootton family, and yet the Whitman cluster ES's are totally oversubscribed. So I don't know how you conclude that the wealthiest people in MoCo are quitting MCPS en masse because of "problems facing MCPS."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RM cluster in Rockville is very over crowded. No mass migration to private here.

It's all relative. QO and RM clusters are not affluent compared to Potomac. Yes, there are some areas of those 2 cities that rival Potomac house prices, but for the most part, the prices don't compare.

So the OP's question is, "How come some of the very richest people in Montgomery County aren't sending their children to MCPS elementary schools as much anymore?"

Of all the problems facing MCPS.

I would wager that the SES of the average Whitman family is higher than the SES of the average Wootton family, and yet the Whitman cluster ES's are totally oversubscribed. So I don't know how you conclude that the wealthiest people in MoCo are quitting MCPS en masse because of "problems facing MCPS."

I don't. That was the OP.

[Anonymous]

Interesting- Parents with young kids are buying expensive houses in BCC though, right? I wonder if there is a growing premium on being close-in to the city?

The B-CC cluster overall is incredibly crowded with Rosemary Hills and North Chevy Chase at 150% of capacity.

[Anonymous]

I think OP stated OP is in the Churchill/Wootton cluster so that is the area OP is referring to, not BCC or Whitman. In the area OP lives in a lot of people are apparently sending their kids to private.

I don't know why. Again, ask the Private School forum.

[Anonymous]

It's not 2.0, it's real estate.
(Not that I'm a fan of 2.0, quite the opposite.)

MCPS has projectors that predict future demographic trends:

Bethesda Elementary, in a "mixed" (ha!) urban neighborhood is exploding and will continue to do so - they are currently building a large addition.
Woodacres to the south (exclusively suburban) is projected to decrease its student body in a few years - right now they're renovating and I believe expanding a little as well.

[Anonymous]

I think there has been a trend for families with young children to move inside the beltway. The commute is better for parents that work downtown and the schools are good. All the ES in our area are over crowded.

We happen to be a private family and know of plenty others in our neighborhood - but the school is still bursting at the seams.

I know of a couple of families that came to our private from publics inside the Beltway, but I am not sure it was 2.0 related. I think it was probably more class size related (really more bad fit of kid with large class size) , with the benefits of leaving some of the 2.0 behind. Many schools are doing some Common Core in private too - so you can't always fully escape at some privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there has been a trend for families with young children to move inside the beltway. The commute is better for parents that work downtown and the schools are good. All the ES in our area are over crowded.

We happen to be a private family and know of plenty others in our neighborhood - but the school is still bursting at the seams.

I know of a couple of families that came to our private from publics inside the Beltway, but I am not sure it was 2.0 related. I think it was probably more class size related (really more bad fit of kid with large class size) , with the benefits of leaving some of the 2.0 behind. Many schools are doing some Common Core in private too - so you can't always fully escape at some privates.

Yes, but OP is asking about the schools that are under-capacity, like in the Churchill and some Wootton clusters. Again, ask the Private school forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there has been a trend for families with young children to move inside the beltway. The commute is better for parents that work downtown and the schools are good. All the ES in our area are over crowded.

We happen to be a private family and know of plenty others in our neighborhood - but the school is still bursting at the seams.

I know of a couple of families that came to our private from publics inside the Beltway, but I am not sure it was 2.0 related. I think it was probably more class size related (really more bad fit of kid with large class size) , with the benefits of leaving some of the 2.0 behind. Many schools are doing some Common Core in private too - so you can't always fully escape at some privates.

Yes, but OP is asking about the schools that are under-capacity, like in the Churchill and some Wootton clusters. Again, ask the Private school forum.

OP was speaking in broader terms of affluent areas..... so I am saying it isn't the affluence....it is the choice of "where" affluent families with young children are moving in for the next wave of students. I think they are choosing to live closer in.

And - I think her theory of families leaving just because of 2.0 is probably not valid. It might be true here or there - but that's not what we see at our private. (which also has plenty of kids from Wooton/Churchill - but they started here - didn't switch over after 2.0)

[Anonymous]

I think 2.0 is a big influence for bailing on MCPS in some areas. The perception used to be that MCPS was a stronger option for math oriented kids than private schools. MCPS was close or on par with reading/writing with privates. MCPS was deeply lacking in science, art, music, drama and foreign language. The privates pulled from families looking for the enrichment and smaller communities.

This has completely flipped now and MCPS is on the bottom for math. I know many people leaving for parochial schools if they can't afford the more expensive privates. The parochial schools are even at least a year ahead of MCPS now for K and 1st. Years ago, parochial schools were seen as being behind. I don't think they have improved greatly, its just that MCPS dropped out.

I think Common Core does offer some better approaches to writing but MCPS isn't leveraging this in their version of 2.0. There is no feedback, hardly any homework, and nothing to help a student improve their writing. Since the work is only done in class and parents don't even see that it exists until the end of the quarter or end of the year, parents can't do anything to supplement the lack of feedback. The kids basically get a P for doing anything. In privates, the teachers spend more time encouraging or motivating the students to work to their potential which is really important for the type of work involved in Common Core. Kids are held accountable for their performance as everyone doesn't get a P for anything.

The privates are now pulling from a larger pool of parents and this means low enrollment in some areas.

[Anonymous]

I think areas just go through cycles. New developements bring in young families. The kids grow up there is a lull for a while until the houses turn over and young families move in again. I think this is more evident in expensive areas where there is less trading up.

[Anonymous]

PP again.. I have not heard a single parent say they have left MoCo due to 2.0. I have heard gripes but no one who has turned to private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think 2.0 is a big influence for bailing on MCPS in some areas.

PP, how many families do you know, you personally, who have told you that they are putting their children in private school because of Curriculum 2.0?

[Anonymous]

I'm 9:03 - I should note, that while I don't know of famlies coming to our private because of 2.0 - I know plenty who fear going back later because of 2.0. But there's always that fear of the "unknown" and there is so much talk about 2.0. But really, it's more the class size and richness of the education that has most of the families in out private. The writing is great, arts are amazing, lots of physical activity. Math seems about the same as 2.0 but with smaller groups and ability to really go deep for the kids that can.