Alexandria City Elementary Transfers: How?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone explain how the transfer system works for elementary school in Alexandria City? We are zoned for Mount Vernon Community School, and would like to transfer to one of the other better schools like George Mason or McArthur. We are not fans of the intercession calendar or dual language requirements. I have tried to do research on how the transfer process works, but it's rather confusing and keeps changing. Would appreciate any advice. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

We transferred from Mount Vernon to Maury via an "administrative transfer." The application / rules are here: http://www.acps.k12.va.us/admintransfer.php.

Bear in mind that you will need to reapply every school year; a bit nerve-racking.

[Anonymous]

Good luck there - students are being bused out of at least Macarthur due to overcrowding and sent to crappy schools.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, PP. Unfortunately the link didn't work. They really make you reapply every year? How do you like Maury? That is one we may consider transferring to, since it's so close. Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

Here's the link again -- http://www.acps.k12.va.us/admintransfer.php

My kids have had a terrific experience at Maury - there is a really nice community of parents and kids there. When I applied to transfer, we actually got into MacArthur so that's where my kids (twins) started Kindergarten. I got a call from ACPS in early October offering us spots at Maury bc a new K class had been formed there. I took the spots at Maury. MacArthur was fine (I actually went there as a kid), but it felt very oversubscribed - every square inch seemed to be in use every minute of the day. I liked that Maury was smaller, and it is alot closer for us -- my kids can walk/ride their bikes to school.

They do, in fact, make you reapply every year.

[Anonymous]

First priority goes to those that live in zones but their local school is overcrowded and they were the last the register. Some Tucker parents always fall with in the category and sometimes those that live in George Mason and then Lyles Crouch.

You would fall within the next priority bucket, and it would be first come first serve for the year round parents that want to opt out (i.e. Tucker and Mt. Vernon).

The problem is that the Tucker and George Mason parents that get squeezed out of their local school aren't required to make a decision to go to an alternate school right away and can wait to see if families move (or opt for private school) to free up space.

So in the mean time you are pressured to take a space at lesser ranked schools and they will not give you a slot at MacArthur until all of those Tucker and George Mason families are taken care of. So even if there are a few slots of MacArthur, you might not know if you kid can get it until the week before school. You can be forced the week before school to go to Mt. Vernon, or pick between places like Barrett or Cora Kelly. So it is a gamble and then it is a too late to make alternative arrangements.

Plus, last year the ACPS got crushed and the school denied transfers to Lyles Crouch, George Mason, Barrett, MacArthur, Tucker, and Maury because they worried they were close to being close to full at least through July and maybe through August. The basis of the freeze was the creation of a K-8 school in Jefferson Houston and a ton of parents (over a 100) wanting to transfer out.

It's a very frustrating process and I wish you luck.

[Anonymous]

PP thank you, this is helpful and informative. So, basically, if we don't want to enroll in Mount Vernon because it's year round and will be mandatory immersion, we will have no choice but to go to Jefferson Houston or Barrett? That seems like something to take to the school board! I was told that there will be no opt-out of dual language for 2014, and that is not something we are comfortable with.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't knock the idea of sending a kid to Charles Barrett. The principal there is fantastic. Way better than MacArthur or Maury.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First priority goes to those that live in zones but their local school is overcrowded and they were the last the register. Some Tucker parents always fall with in the category and sometimes those that live in George Mason and then Lyles Crouch.

You would fall within the next priority bucket, and it would be first come first serve for the year round parents that want to opt out (i.e. Tucker and Mt. Vernon).

The problem is that the Tucker and George Mason parents that get squeezed out of their local school aren't required to make a decision to go to an alternate school right away and can wait to see if families move (or opt for private school) to free up space.

So in the mean time you are pressured to take a space at lesser ranked schools and they will not give you a slot at MacArthur until all of those Tucker and George Mason families are taken care of. So even if there are a few slots of MacArthur, you might not know if you kid can get it until the week before school. You can be forced the week before school to go to Mt. Vernon, or pick between places like Barrett or Cora Kelly. So it is a gamble and then it is a too late to make alternative arrangements.

Plus, last year the ACPS got crushed and the school denied transfers to Lyles Crouch, George Mason, Barrett, MacArthur, Tucker, and Maury because they worried they were close to being close to full at least through July and maybe through August. The basis of the freeze was the creation of a K-8 school in Jefferson Houston and a ton of parents (over a 100) wanting to transfer out.

It's a very frustrating process and I wish you luck.

This is almost right - Tucker and Mt. Vernon have a modified calendar so parents opting out of those schools have first priority at other schools. But the other schools have to have space for you to opt into. Barrett is the smallest school in the City so depending on the grade it might be difficult to get in. George Mason was just approved for a building expansion so that might be possible. MacArthur will generally have room in the upper grades.

Maury, MacArthur, Barrett and Mason all have a similar demographic and FARMS rate. None of these schools is really doing any better than the other and any differences are marginal.

Another note of bad news for ACPS - they are considering remerging the middle schools.

[Anonymous]

OP, please don't panic. A few facts:

1. There are admin transfers from MVCS (and the West-End alt-calendar school, Tucker) at nearly every ACPS elementary.

2. Barrett is terrific. You'd be lucky to wind up there.

3. Yes, you have to reapply each year. But if you do so timely, and your DC is exhibiting no material bad-fact issues, renewal is essentially automatic.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks to everyone for the helpful and thoughtful suggestions on how to go through the process.

We feel like we are "stuck" with having to apply and pay for private school because we do not want the intercession calendar and mandatory immersion at MVCS. From what it sounds like we will not even possibly know when a transfer could be approved until August right before school starts. So we will get stuck between a rock and a hard place.

My fear is that we will transfer out of MVCS and then end up somewhere "worse" like Jefferson Houston. It seems like they are funneling everyone there.

[Anonymous]

What about Cora Kelly? That seems to be ranked pretty well with a math science focus. How does that magnet stack up against the traditional MacArthur, George Mason, Maury programs? How does a family apply to that school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP thank you, this is helpful and informative. So, basically, if we don't want to enroll in Mount Vernon because it's year round and will be mandatory immersion, we will have no choice but to go to Jefferson Houston or Barrett? That seems like something to take to the school board! I was told that there will be no opt-out of dual language for 2014, and that is not something we are comfortable with.

I understand your anxiety about J-H, but what's your complaint with Barrett?

Be aware that the admin is trying to push more kids into J-H.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First priority goes to those that live in zones but their local school is overcrowded and they were the last the register. Some Tucker parents always fall with in the category and sometimes those that live in George Mason and then Lyles Crouch.

You would fall within the next priority bucket, and it would be first come first serve for the year round parents that want to opt out (i.e. Tucker and Mt. Vernon).

The problem is that the Tucker and George Mason parents that get squeezed out of their local school aren't required to make a decision to go to an alternate school right away and can wait to see if families move (or opt for private school) to free up space.

So in the mean time you are pressured to take a space at lesser ranked schools and they will not give you a slot at MacArthur until all of those Tucker and George Mason families are taken care of. So even if there are a few slots of MacArthur, you might not know if you kid can get it until the week before school. You can be forced the week before school to go to Mt. Vernon, or pick between places like Barrett or Cora Kelly. So it is a gamble and then it is a too late to make alternative arrangements.

Plus, last year the ACPS got crushed and the school denied transfers to Lyles Crouch, George Mason, Barrett, MacArthur, Tucker, and Maury because they worried they were close to being close to full at least through July and maybe through August. The basis of the freeze was the creation of a K-8 school in Jefferson Houston and a ton of parents (over a 100) wanting to transfer out.

It's a very frustrating process and I wish you luck.

This is almost right - Tucker and Mt. Vernon have a modified calendar so parents opting out of those schools have first priority at other schools. But the other schools have to have space for you to opt into. Barrett is the smallest school in the City so depending on the grade it might be difficult to get in. George Mason was just approved for a building expansion so that might be possible. MacArthur will generally have room in the upper grades.

Maury, MacArthur, Barrett and Mason all have a similar demographic and FARMS rate. None of these schools is really doing any better than the other and any differences are marginal.

Another note of bad news for ACPS - they are considering remerging the middle schools.

This is true. A lot of MacArthur parents pull their kids out by 3rd or 4th grade and start sending them to private to lock in a slot for middle school. So, you'll find more vacancies in 4th and 5th grade at MacArthur.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't knock the idea of sending a kid to Charles Barrett. The principal there is fantastic. Way better than MacArthur or Maury.

People love Barrett. If year round doesn't work for you, I think that would be a great school. I'd have no problem sending my child there.