If quality of education is your only priority, are there any reasons to live in DC...

[Anonymous]

That's nice, but OP's question was about prioritizing education over everything.

Okay, let's define terms. Tell me precisely what the burb school is giving you that is prioritizing education "over everything." Is it the national merit scholars?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It takes a big dose of privilege to dismiss other parents' desire for traditionally good schools.

Takes an even bigger one to dismiss every parent who speaks about their positive experience with city schools as someone who "doesn't value education." Seriously, want to talk about privilege? Let's talk about your breathtaking entitlement to a lifestyle with two giant cars, a single family house, driving everywhere, and living in an economically segregated community. You think you have the right to do that because you grew up poor, or something? You think I did not--or, if I did, I just don't "value education?" You think poor people don't value education? Because I suspect your own parents might take some offense at that.

Amen.

[Anonymous]

If education is literally your only qualification and you are renting, I don't seem much basis for distinguishing between Arlington, Bethesda, and upper NW DC other than personal taste. If education is your single most important criteria but, in a wash, you will fall back to secondary criteria, I would personally live in upper NW DC because I like it the best.

[Anonymous]

There are like 6 threads going on this right now.

OP I recommend you move to San Diego. Schools are good and weather is amazing.

[Anonymous]

My priority is to raise my children to be happy and successful adults. Education is a piece of that, but so are things like resourcefulness, resilience, and empathy.

What they're getting in DCPS fits that for me, and I don't feel like I'm sacrificing their education or otherwise well being.

[Anonymous]

What race are you, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What race are you, OP.

My child looks and is mostly Caucasian.

I've read that the elementary schools, in particular, are considered really good. So shouldn't that mean it is only a matter of time before the middle and high schools improve? Especially Deal and Wilson?

[Anonymous]

Do a search OP.

[Anonymous]

"Don't let schooling interfere with your education." - Mark Twain

[Anonymous]

What race are you, OP.


My child looks and is mostly Caucasian.

I've read that the elementary schools, in particular, are considered really good. So shouldn't that mean it is only a matter of time before the middle and high schools improve? Especially Deal and Wilson?

I think so. My child also looks mostly caucasian. Okay, is really caucasian. But Deal and Wilson are not on our shortlist, even though we currently live in zone for both. They're too big, too much like the suburban schools I don't think would work for our kid. What dc rather uniquely offers at this present time are a bunch of very small, very intimate schools, which can give your kid a lot of individualized attention. They may not have all the bells and whistles of some of the suburban schools, but they offer a lot more attention--and for bells and whistles... we've got an city at our fingertips to supplement. FWIW, our child, like the other poster, is the only "caucasian" one in their class now, and has always been in the minority. I so understand, coming from the opposite perspective, why it is a somewhat more fraught and loaded game, but honestly, the day to day with the kids? It's a non-issue. I don't think there's some automatic merit in being educated among people who aren't like you... but I do think perspective from all sides helps everyone. And mostly--I've been working with city kids for years now, and they seem exactly the same as burb kids. Only with less stuff and less chances. Exactly as smart. Exactly as driven. Exactly as amazing. It's not a sacrifice, it's just life. Life with museums. If this city's metro didn't catch on fire, it would almost be idyllic.

[Anonymous]

The only reason to live in DC for schools is to take advantage of the wonderful and numerous privates. Otherwise, DCPS sucks to high heaven.

[Anonymous]

The only reason to live in DC for schools is to take advantage of the wonderful and numerous privates. Otherwise, DCPS sucks to high heaven.

... says the K street lobbyist, who latest project, "How to make Coal Lovable, Renewable, and Fun!" has just been rejected by her marketing department and is now crying into her merlot. It's fortunate her husband is an IP partner, or they would be screwed.

[Anonymous]

The regular quality standards (like high test scores and performing overall student body + kids going on to colleges, etc) is going to be higher in inner-MoCo and Arlington schools. But it depends what you are looking for. There's a similar experience for children coming from high SES at the Ward 3-Deal-Wilson experience.

Privates are of course different bucket - where parents pay for small classes and attention and fancy amenities and campuses. (And the parent often think they are giving their kids a boost/better entre for select college, but their perception is much more than bears out in reality)

[Anonymous]

I thought that as a DC resident you can get in-state tuition at several public universities throughout the country?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The regular quality standards (like high test scores and performing overall student body + kids going on to colleges, etc) is going to be higher in inner-MoCo and Arlington schools. But it depends what you are looking for. There's a similar experience for children coming from high SES at the Ward 3-Deal-Wilson experience.

Privates are of course different bucket - where parents pay for small classes and attention and fancy amenities and campuses. (And the parent often think they are giving their kids a boost/better entre for select college, but their perception is much more than bears out in reality)

Not when you take into account that their kid isn't getting the shit kicked out of him/her at the private. Safety actually matters.