VA Public Elementary Schools 101

[Anonymous]

Ridiculous post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is the gold standard. It’s a big and kind of weird and ultra competitive system. APS is softer. It’s mediocre-plus with a lot of window dressing.

Clearly a troll response above.... Fairfax and Arlington both have positives. Class sizes are generally smaller in Arlington, and the commute is generally better. Fairfax has more competitive "gifted services" and, as a larger school system, can sometimes have more services for kids with unique needs. Falls Church City has wonderful schools, but it's a tiny jurisdiction. Alexandria schools are not as good as the other jurisdictions I mentioned. All of those statements are generalizations and stereotypes, but it should give you a general sense of the jurisdictions. So much varies by the individual school - and your individual family -- that it's hard to rely on these generalizations.

This is a good post. Fairfax is more organized and professionally run than APS. APS has some positives - smaller class sizes and choice programs. The schools are still probably smaller than Fairfax but are getting bigger. The system is kind of a mess with high growth, turnover at the top rungs of leadership, and ongoing boundary wars. Being an APS parent can be exhausting. Check out the threads on the upcoming elem boundary process and see if that's something you want to deal with for the next 15 years. If not, check out Falls Church City or maybe Fairfax.

Fairfax is gearing up for massive boundary change now that the election is over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is the gold standard. It’s a big and kind of weird and ultra competitive system. APS is softer. It’s mediocre-plus with a lot of window dressing.

Clearly a troll response above.... Fairfax and Arlington both have positives. Class sizes are generally smaller in Arlington, and the commute is generally better. Fairfax has more competitive "gifted services" and, as a larger school system, can sometimes have more services for kids with unique needs. Falls Church City has wonderful schools, but it's a tiny jurisdiction. Alexandria schools are not as good as the other jurisdictions I mentioned. All of those statements are generalizations and stereotypes, but it should give you a general sense of the jurisdictions. So much varies by the individual school - and your individual family -- that it's hard to rely on these generalizations.

This is a good post. Fairfax is more organized and professionally run than APS. APS has some positives - smaller class sizes and choice programs. The schools are still probably smaller than Fairfax but are getting bigger. The system is kind of a mess with high growth, turnover at the top rungs of leadership, and ongoing boundary wars. Being an APS parent can be exhausting. Check out the threads on the upcoming elem boundary process and see if that's something you want to deal with for the next 15 years. If not, check out Falls Church City or maybe Fairfax.

Fairfax is gearing up for massive boundary change now that the election is over.

Got it. So maybe FCC then.