FCPS comprehensive boundary review

[Anonymous]

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Question: Has any "suggestions" been made about particular moves? Or is everyone just confused?

Do we have theories on who would be moved?

So the starting point would be the schools that are severely overcrowded. Taking those schools and trying to shift those populations to schools not as crowded.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Proposed-FCPS-FY-2025-29-CIP.pdf

Langley at 98% capacity and Herndon at 71% should have great falls worried

Nope. Westfield to Herndon first.

I say leave McLean, Westfield, and Chantilly alone.

McLean needs a renovation plan, not a boundary change. McLean kids deserve better than to be treated as a foil for moving Great Falls kids from Langley to Herndon.

The Westfield kids who would move to Herndon (Coates) would further drive up the poverty at HHS. That doesn’t seem too smart.

Chantilly kids can move, if necessary, after Centreville has been expanded.

The McLean boundaries are probably one of the craziest islands in FFX. They are several other schools that they should attend. This has continued because they are privileged kids. Those populations could have helped other schools perform better. They are most certainly part of this equity argument.

You must not know these boundaries. The McLean islands that would move if eliminating islands is Goal #1 are not “privileged” areas. The western island is exclusively multi-family housing. The southern island feeds to a Title I school and is mostly low-income Hispanic kids living off Route 29.

So, sure you can move one to Langley and the other to Falls Church. Then, if you want to maintain diversity at McLean, you have to move other areas there instead, probably from Marshall. It’s a lot of potential re-arranging for no clear reason or benefit (other than that there may be people on the School Board who want to move more McLean kids to Langley so they can justify moving part of Langley to Herndon).

What are these islands and how the heck did they come into being?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Question: Has any "suggestions" been made about particular moves? Or is everyone just confused?

Do we have theories on who would be moved?

So the starting point would be the schools that are severely overcrowded. Taking those schools and trying to shift those populations to schools not as crowded.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Proposed-FCPS-FY-2025-29-CIP.pdf

Langley at 98% capacity and Herndon at 71% should have great falls worried

Nope. Westfield to Herndon first.

I say leave McLean, Westfield, and Chantilly alone.

McLean needs a renovation plan, not a boundary change. McLean kids deserve better than to be treated as a foil for moving Great Falls kids from Langley to Herndon.

The Westfield kids who would move to Herndon (Coates) would further drive up the poverty at HHS. That doesn’t seem too smart.

Chantilly kids can move, if necessary, after Centreville has been expanded.

Ummm, you realize the only pretext for moving Great Falls to HHS is if they move some of McLean to Langley? Langley is under capacity. McLean kids wouldn’t be the foil in any way shape or form.

Gotta get your facts straight before trying to stir up a hornets nest.

Pun intended?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Question: Has any "suggestions" been made about particular moves? Or is everyone just confused?

Do we have theories on who would be moved?

So the starting point would be the schools that are severely overcrowded. Taking those schools and trying to shift those populations to schools not as crowded.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Proposed-FCPS-FY-2025-29-CIP.pdf

Langley at 98% capacity and Herndon at 71% should have great falls worried

You’re using last year’s numbers. Enrollment is down a lot at Langley, they can absorb the McLean attendance island without going above capacity.

There are two Mclean attendance islands, and they are most definitely on the block to be absorbed.

I know, but the one to its south isn’t going to Langley because that’d be an even worse attendance island.

The one should go to Falls Church HS, then they might actually put some money in that school and it would raise its performance overall. The other should go to Marshall. The would be help in equity.

Makes no sense. One island, if moved, would go to Langley and the other to Falls Church or Marshall.

Moving the southern island to Falls Church would be neutral in terms of FCHS’s performance. It basically has the same overall demographics as Falls Church. It’s poorer than Marshall and moving it there would reduce Marshall’s overall academic scores.

I don’t have any objection to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It doesn’t put Langley over capacity, even without any other moves.

Your issue isn't going to be whether you "consent" to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It's whether it becomes the pretext to move a chunk of Great Falls to Herndon. They have the authority to do that regardless of whether Langley is then sitting at 95% capacity, 99% capacity, or 101% capacity, if they're projecting Herndon will be at 71% capacity in five years.

As you know, the issue isn’t Herndon High, is Herndon Middle, which would be significantly overcapacity with that move.

And I’m not sure why the school board would want to pick a fight with residents by moving a school that isn’t crowded.

I'm not going to argue with you. You're at their disposal, not mine, but some of them would likely relish picking a fight with you.

Would love to know who and why they would relish a “fight” with constituents especially when it involved impacting children.

Have you really not been paying attention?

First, eight of the Board members (a 2/3 majority) don't consider you to be their constituents and some of them think it will enhance their reputation with their constituents if they move McLean and Langley kids around.

Second, two of the four who should be viewing you as their constituents (Lady and McDaniel) seem all-in on boundary changes. Moon and McElveen seem much less enthusiastic about county-wide changes, but will they go to bat for people or just distance themselves from what's happening around them?

Pretty messed up to enhance their reputation by sticking it to a bunch of kids for no reason. But maybe I’ve come to expect too much from elected officials in Fairfax county.

They will have a grab bag of justifications if they so choose. In terms of reasons, claiming that they are shortening commutes and avoiding 29% under-enrollment at HHS will stack up nicely with eliminating an attendance island, which was OK to have around for 40 years not doing anyone any harm (and perhaps doing some kids some good) but is now apparently intolerable.

The whole study is a mess borne of a desire to avoid accountability and now spiraling into something potentially much worse.

Just to reiterate though, Herndon middle is the one that’ll be overcrowded. And by their own hand-picked study (provided to the boundary review advisory committee on December 6), only commutes over an hour has any detrimental impact on academics or sleep. It’ll be a move made in spite and would likely cause political damage to the school board and its party.

You don't think shifting around the rest of the county including sending kids from good schools to bad schools while leaving Langley (with no poor kids and one of the most affluent student bodies in the state) alone wouldn't be even worse for their political careers?

I think there are really only two or three areas in their sights, so there is a world, as others have mentioned, where they fix the split feeders and call it a day.

Way better outcome all around (including for their political careers) than moves for the sake of sticking it to people based on stereotypes of perceived wealth.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Question: Has any "suggestions" been made about particular moves? Or is everyone just confused?

Do we have theories on who would be moved?

So the starting point would be the schools that are severely overcrowded. Taking those schools and trying to shift those populations to schools not as crowded.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Proposed-FCPS-FY-2025-29-CIP.pdf

Langley at 98% capacity and Herndon at 71% should have great falls worried

You’re using last year’s numbers. Enrollment is down a lot at Langley, they can absorb the McLean attendance island without going above capacity.

There are two Mclean attendance islands, and they are most definitely on the block to be absorbed.

I know, but the one to its south isn’t going to Langley because that’d be an even worse attendance island.

The one should go to Falls Church HS, then they might actually put some money in that school and it would raise its performance overall. The other should go to Marshall. The would be help in equity.

Makes no sense. One island, if moved, would go to Langley and the other to Falls Church or Marshall.

Moving the southern island to Falls Church would be neutral in terms of FCHS’s performance. It basically has the same overall demographics as Falls Church. It’s poorer than Marshall and moving it there would reduce Marshall’s overall academic scores.

I don’t have any objection to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It doesn’t put Langley over capacity, even without any other moves.

Your issue isn't going to be whether you "consent" to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It's whether it becomes the pretext to move a chunk of Great Falls to Herndon. They have the authority to do that regardless of whether Langley is then sitting at 95% capacity, 99% capacity, or 101% capacity, if they're projecting Herndon will be at 71% capacity in five years.

As you know, the issue isn’t Herndon High, is Herndon Middle, which would be significantly overcapacity with that move.

And I’m not sure why the school board would want to pick a fight with residents by moving a school that isn’t crowded.

I'm not going to argue with you. You're at their disposal, not mine, but some of them would likely relish picking a fight with you.

Would love to know who and why they would relish a “fight” with constituents especially when it involved impacting children.

Have you really not been paying attention?

First, eight of the Board members (a 2/3 majority) don't consider you to be their constituents and some of them think it will enhance their reputation with their constituents if they move McLean and Langley kids around.

Second, two of the four who should be viewing you as their constituents (Lady and McDaniel) seem all-in on boundary changes. Moon and McElveen seem much less enthusiastic about county-wide changes, but will they go to bat for people or just distance themselves from what's happening around them?

Pretty messed up to enhance their reputation by sticking it to a bunch of kids for no reason. But maybe I’ve come to expect too much from elected officials in Fairfax county.

They will have a grab bag of justifications if they so choose. In terms of reasons, claiming that they are shortening commutes and avoiding 29% under-enrollment at HHS will stack up nicely with eliminating an attendance island, which was OK to have around for 40 years not doing anyone any harm (and perhaps doing some kids some good) but is now apparently intolerable.

The whole study is a mess borne of a desire to avoid accountability and now spiraling into something potentially much worse.

Just to reiterate though, Herndon middle is the one that’ll be overcrowded. And by their own hand-picked study (provided to the boundary review advisory committee on December 6), only commutes over an hour has any detrimental impact on academics or sleep. It’ll be a move made in spite and would likely cause political damage to the school board and its party.

You don't think shifting around the rest of the county including sending kids from good schools to bad schools while leaving Langley (with no poor kids and one of the most affluent student bodies in the state) alone wouldn't be even worse for their political careers?

I think there are really only two or three areas in their sights, so there is a world, as others have mentioned, where they fix the split feeders and call it a day.

Way better outcome all around (including for their political careers) than moves for the sake of sticking it to people based on stereotypes of perceived wealth.

Politically, the best move would be to live boundaries alone and make it easier for families zoned for bad schools to easily transfer

[Anonymous]

Let me guess....BRAC committee member list is delayed because FCPS is contracting a photo studio so all member photos appear similar.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Question: Has any "suggestions" been made about particular moves? Or is everyone just confused?

Do we have theories on who would be moved?

So the starting point would be the schools that are severely overcrowded. Taking those schools and trying to shift those populations to schools not as crowded.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Proposed-FCPS-FY-2025-29-CIP.pdf

Langley at 98% capacity and Herndon at 71% should have great falls worried

You’re using last year’s numbers. Enrollment is down a lot at Langley, they can absorb the McLean attendance island without going above capacity.

There are two Mclean attendance islands, and they are most definitely on the block to be absorbed.

I know, but the one to its south isn’t going to Langley because that’d be an even worse attendance island.

The one should go to Falls Church HS, then they might actually put some money in that school and it would raise its performance overall. The other should go to Marshall. The would be help in equity.

Makes no sense. One island, if moved, would go to Langley and the other to Falls Church or Marshall.

Moving the southern island to Falls Church would be neutral in terms of FCHS’s performance. It basically has the same overall demographics as Falls Church. It’s poorer than Marshall and moving it there would reduce Marshall’s overall academic scores.

I don’t have any objection to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It doesn’t put Langley over capacity, even without any other moves.

Your issue isn't going to be whether you "consent" to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It's whether it becomes the pretext to move a chunk of Great Falls to Herndon. They have the authority to do that regardless of whether Langley is then sitting at 95% capacity, 99% capacity, or 101% capacity, if they're projecting Herndon will be at 71% capacity in five years.

As you know, the issue isn’t Herndon High, is Herndon Middle, which would be significantly overcapacity with that move.

And I’m not sure why the school board would want to pick a fight with residents by moving a school that isn’t crowded.

I'm not going to argue with you. You're at their disposal, not mine, but some of them would likely relish picking a fight with you.

Would love to know who and why they would relish a “fight” with constituents especially when it involved impacting children.

Have you really not been paying attention?

First, eight of the Board members (a 2/3 majority) don't consider you to be their constituents and some of them think it will enhance their reputation with their constituents if they move McLean and Langley kids around.

Second, two of the four who should be viewing you as their constituents (Lady and McDaniel) seem all-in on boundary changes. Moon and McElveen seem much less enthusiastic about county-wide changes, but will they go to bat for people or just distance themselves from what's happening around them?

Pretty messed up to enhance their reputation by sticking it to a bunch of kids for no reason. But maybe I’ve come to expect too much from elected officials in Fairfax county.

They will have a grab bag of justifications if they so choose. In terms of reasons, claiming that they are shortening commutes and avoiding 29% under-enrollment at HHS will stack up nicely with eliminating an attendance island, which was OK to have around for 40 years not doing anyone any harm (and perhaps doing some kids some good) but is now apparently intolerable.

The whole study is a mess borne of a desire to avoid accountability and now spiraling into something potentially much worse.

Just to reiterate though, Herndon middle is the one that’ll be overcrowded. And by their own hand-picked study (provided to the boundary review advisory committee on December 6), only commutes over an hour has any detrimental impact on academics or sleep. It’ll be a move made in spite and would likely cause political damage to the school board and its party.

Herndon MS has a current enrollment under 900 with a design capacity of 1176. Do you only fret about future overcrowding at HMS when the potential scenario involves moving kids from Great Falls there? I don't see this flagged when someone (perhaps also from Cooper/Langley?) talks about moving Chantilly kids to Westfield and Westfield kids to Herndon.

You may just want to object to the broader exercise rather than act like this is some puzzle you can solve by moving other kids around to toss the School Board a bone while moving no Cooper/Langley kids to new schools. Once that ball starts rolling it may take out quite a few lying in its path.

[Anonymous]

Segregation by HHI is legal as long as it doesn’t correspond to race or gender, yes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Question: Has any "suggestions" been made about particular moves? Or is everyone just confused?

Do we have theories on who would be moved?

So the starting point would be the schools that are severely overcrowded. Taking those schools and trying to shift those populations to schools not as crowded.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Proposed-FCPS-FY-2025-29-CIP.pdf

Langley at 98% capacity and Herndon at 71% should have great falls worried

You’re using last year’s numbers. Enrollment is down a lot at Langley, they can absorb the McLean attendance island without going above capacity.

There are two Mclean attendance islands, and they are most definitely on the block to be absorbed.

I know, but the one to its south isn’t going to Langley because that’d be an even worse attendance island.

The one should go to Falls Church HS, then they might actually put some money in that school and it would raise its performance overall. The other should go to Marshall. The would be help in equity.

Makes no sense. One island, if moved, would go to Langley and the other to Falls Church or Marshall.

Moving the southern island to Falls Church would be neutral in terms of FCHS’s performance. It basically has the same overall demographics as Falls Church. It’s poorer than Marshall and moving it there would reduce Marshall’s overall academic scores.

I don’t have any objection to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It doesn’t put Langley over capacity, even without any other moves.

Your issue isn't going to be whether you "consent" to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It's whether it becomes the pretext to move a chunk of Great Falls to Herndon. They have the authority to do that regardless of whether Langley is then sitting at 95% capacity, 99% capacity, or 101% capacity, if they're projecting Herndon will be at 71% capacity in five years.

As you know, the issue isn’t Herndon High, is Herndon Middle, which would be significantly overcapacity with that move.

And I’m not sure why the school board would want to pick a fight with residents by moving a school that isn’t crowded.

I'm not going to argue with you. You're at their disposal, not mine, but some of them would likely relish picking a fight with you.

Would love to know who and why they would relish a “fight” with constituents especially when it involved impacting children.

Have you really not been paying attention?

First, eight of the Board members (a 2/3 majority) don't consider you to be their constituents and some of them think it will enhance their reputation with their constituents if they move McLean and Langley kids around.

Second, two of the four who should be viewing you as their constituents (Lady and McDaniel) seem all-in on boundary changes. Moon and McElveen seem much less enthusiastic about county-wide changes, but will they go to bat for people or just distance themselves from what's happening around them?

Pretty messed up to enhance their reputation by sticking it to a bunch of kids for no reason. But maybe I’ve come to expect too much from elected officials in Fairfax county.

They will have a grab bag of justifications if they so choose. In terms of reasons, claiming that they are shortening commutes and avoiding 29% under-enrollment at HHS will stack up nicely with eliminating an attendance island, which was OK to have around for 40 years not doing anyone any harm (and perhaps doing some kids some good) but is now apparently intolerable.

The whole study is a mess borne of a desire to avoid accountability and now spiraling into something potentially much worse.

Just to reiterate though, Herndon middle is the one that’ll be overcrowded. And by their own hand-picked study (provided to the boundary review advisory committee on December 6), only commutes over an hour has any detrimental impact on academics or sleep. It’ll be a move made in spite and would likely cause political damage to the school board and its party.

You don't think shifting around the rest of the county including sending kids from good schools to bad schools while leaving Langley (with no poor kids and one of the most affluent student bodies in the state) alone wouldn't be even worse for their political careers?

I think there are really only two or three areas in their sights, so there is a world, as others have mentioned, where they fix the split feeders and call it a day.

Way better outcome all around (including for their political careers) than moves for the sake of sticking it to people based on stereotypes of perceived wealth.

Politically, the best move would be to live boundaries alone and make it easier for families zoned for bad schools to easily transfer

You are literally arguing to deal these schools their finally blow. The state could then get involved and direct other changes that could include distribution of those students to surrounding schools.

And what of the students that can't transfer?

FCPS needs to do everything possible to stop the transfers.

[Anonymous]

I’m sure they will update the website with the names of the people on the BRAC at … 4 PM on Friday right before the holiday break. Same when they dropped the news of the monthly 3 hour early releases on us right when summer break started. Happy Holidays peasants!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Question: Has any "suggestions" been made about particular moves? Or is everyone just confused?

Do we have theories on who would be moved?

So the starting point would be the schools that are severely overcrowded. Taking those schools and trying to shift those populations to schools not as crowded.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Proposed-FCPS-FY-2025-29-CIP.pdf

Langley at 98% capacity and Herndon at 71% should have great falls worried

You’re using last year’s numbers. Enrollment is down a lot at Langley, they can absorb the McLean attendance island without going above capacity.

There are two Mclean attendance islands, and they are most definitely on the block to be absorbed.

I know, but the one to its south isn’t going to Langley because that’d be an even worse attendance island.

The one should go to Falls Church HS, then they might actually put some money in that school and it would raise its performance overall. The other should go to Marshall. The would be help in equity.

Makes no sense. One island, if moved, would go to Langley and the other to Falls Church or Marshall.

Moving the southern island to Falls Church would be neutral in terms of FCHS’s performance. It basically has the same overall demographics as Falls Church. It’s poorer than Marshall and moving it there would reduce Marshall’s overall academic scores.

I don’t have any objection to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It doesn’t put Langley over capacity, even without any other moves.

Your issue isn't going to be whether you "consent" to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It's whether it becomes the pretext to move a chunk of Great Falls to Herndon. They have the authority to do that regardless of whether Langley is then sitting at 95% capacity, 99% capacity, or 101% capacity, if they're projecting Herndon will be at 71% capacity in five years.

As you know, the issue isn’t Herndon High, is Herndon Middle, which would be significantly overcapacity with that move.

And I’m not sure why the school board would want to pick a fight with residents by moving a school that isn’t crowded.

I'm not going to argue with you. You're at their disposal, not mine, but some of them would likely relish picking a fight with you.

Would love to know who and why they would relish a “fight” with constituents especially when it involved impacting children.

Have you really not been paying attention?

First, eight of the Board members (a 2/3 majority) don't consider you to be their constituents and some of them think it will enhance their reputation with their constituents if they move McLean and Langley kids around.

Second, two of the four who should be viewing you as their constituents (Lady and McDaniel) seem all-in on boundary changes. Moon and McElveen seem much less enthusiastic about county-wide changes, but will they go to bat for people or just distance themselves from what's happening around them?

Pretty messed up to enhance their reputation by sticking it to a bunch of kids for no reason. But maybe I’ve come to expect too much from elected officials in Fairfax county.

They will have a grab bag of justifications if they so choose. In terms of reasons, claiming that they are shortening commutes and avoiding 29% under-enrollment at HHS will stack up nicely with eliminating an attendance island, which was OK to have around for 40 years not doing anyone any harm (and perhaps doing some kids some good) but is now apparently intolerable.

The whole study is a mess borne of a desire to avoid accountability and now spiraling into something potentially much worse.

Just to reiterate though, Herndon middle is the one that’ll be overcrowded. And by their own hand-picked study (provided to the boundary review advisory committee on December 6), only commutes over an hour has any detrimental impact on academics or sleep. It’ll be a move made in spite and would likely cause political damage to the school board and its party.

You don't think shifting around the rest of the county including sending kids from good schools to bad schools while leaving Langley (with no poor kids and one of the most affluent student bodies in the state) alone wouldn't be even worse for their political careers?

I think there are really only two or three areas in their sights, so there is a world, as others have mentioned, where they fix the split feeders and call it a day.

Way better outcome all around (including for their political careers) than moves for the sake of sticking it to people based on stereotypes of perceived wealth.

Politically, the best move would be to live boundaries alone and make it easier for families zoned for bad schools to easily transfer

You are literally arguing to deal these schools their finally blow. The state could then get involved and direct other changes that could include distribution of those students to surrounding schools.

And what of the students that can't transfer?

FCPS needs to do everything possible to stop the transfers.[/quote]

1. Get rid of IB.
2. Somehow figure out how to standardize the language classes to avoid Pupil Placement for that purpose.
3. Get strong instruction for struggling students.
3. Stop the absentism for struggling students.

[Anonymous]

What are the odds of any Woodson boundaries moving? I have heard literally nothing, but I know there are a lot of kids on the eastern boundary who are likely closer to Annandale High. Also a lot of kids closer to Lake Braddock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Question: Has any "suggestions" been made about particular moves? Or is everyone just confused?

Do we have theories on who would be moved?

So the starting point would be the schools that are severely overcrowded. Taking those schools and trying to shift those populations to schools not as crowded.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Proposed-FCPS-FY-2025-29-CIP.pdf

Langley at 98% capacity and Herndon at 71% should have great falls worried

Nope. Westfield to Herndon first.

I say leave McLean, Westfield, and Chantilly alone.

McLean needs a renovation plan, not a boundary change. McLean kids deserve better than to be treated as a foil for moving Great Falls kids from Langley to Herndon.

The Westfield kids who would move to Herndon (Coates) would further drive up the poverty at HHS. That doesn’t seem too smart.

Chantilly kids can move, if necessary, after Centreville has been expanded.

The McLean boundaries are probably one of the craziest islands in FFX. They are several other schools that they should attend. This has continued because they are privileged kids. Those populations could have helped other schools perform better. They are most certainly part of this equity argument.

You must not know these boundaries. The McLean islands that would move if eliminating islands is Goal #1 are not “privileged” areas. The western island is exclusively multi-family housing. The southern island feeds to a Title I school and is mostly low-income Hispanic kids living off Route 29.

So, sure you can move one to Langley and the other to Falls Church. Then, if you want to maintain diversity at McLean, you have to move other areas there instead, probably from Marshall. It’s a lot of potential re-arranging for no clear reason or benefit (other than that there may be people on the School Board who want to move more McLean kids to Langley so they can justify moving part of Langley to Herndon).

What are these islands and how the heck did they come into being?

McLean has two attendance islands.

Island #1 is in Tysons and consists entirely of apartments/condos that attend Spring Hill/Longfellow/McLean. It was created in the late 1990s when the Spring Gate apartments were built in an area that previously didn't have much, if any, housing. At that time Marshall was significantly under-enrolled (the School Board had considered closing Marshall in the early 90s due to low enrollment) and McLean was closer to full capacity. The area with the Spring Gate apartments was reassigned to Marshall, which created an island further west. They could have left the Spring Gate apartments zoned for McLean and then moved part of what is now the island to Marshall, but that would have disrupted more families.

Island #2 is in Falls Church and consists of a mix of single-family homes and low-income garden apartments north of Route 29. It was created in 1984 when FCPS did a county-wide study and assigned parts of Falls Church HS to McLean (the kids go to Timber Lane, a Title I school) and Marshall (those kids go to Shrevewood). It also is near Falls Church City, and FCPS apparently wasn't concerned about creating an attendance island at the time. It looks more detached from the rest of the McLean attendance area than it originally did because years later the county swapped a parcel of county land off Route 7 with FCC in exchange for a FCC-owned water utility.

Collectively, the islands and especially Island #2 account for most of the economic diversity at McLean. If they merely reassign the islands, they shrink McLean by hundreds of students and leave it with a much smaller enrollment and Langley-like demographics. They could offset this in part by assigning more of Westgate ES, which is a split feeder to Marshall and McLean, to McLean, but it's a lot of moving kids around for reasons that aren't obviously compelling right now, other than a slightly cleaner boundary map. They would still likely have split feeders at both Westgate ES and Lemon Road ES, assuming they want to keep the Pimmit Hills neighborhood at a single high school (Marshall).

[Anonymous]

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Question: Has any "suggestions" been made about particular moves? Or is everyone just confused?

Do we have theories on who would be moved?

So the starting point would be the schools that are severely overcrowded. Taking those schools and trying to shift those populations to schools not as crowded.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Proposed-FCPS-FY-2025-29-CIP.pdf

Langley at 98% capacity and Herndon at 71% should have great falls worried

You’re using last year’s numbers. Enrollment is down a lot at Langley, they can absorb the McLean attendance island without going above capacity.

There are two Mclean attendance islands, and they are most definitely on the block to be absorbed.

I know, but the one to its south isn’t going to Langley because that’d be an even worse attendance island.

The one should go to Falls Church HS, then they might actually put some money in that school and it would raise its performance overall. The other should go to Marshall. The would be help in equity.

Makes no sense. One island, if moved, would go to Langley and the other to Falls Church or Marshall.

Moving the southern island to Falls Church would be neutral in terms of FCHS’s performance. It basically has the same overall demographics as Falls Church. It’s poorer than Marshall and moving it there would reduce Marshall’s overall academic scores.

I don’t have any objection to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It doesn’t put Langley over capacity, even without any other moves.

Your issue isn't going to be whether you "consent" to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It's whether it becomes the pretext to move a chunk of Great Falls to Herndon. They have the authority to do that regardless of whether Langley is then sitting at 95% capacity, 99% capacity, or 101% capacity, if they're projecting Herndon will be at 71% capacity in five years.

As you know, the issue isn’t Herndon High, is Herndon Middle, which would be significantly overcapacity with that move.

And I’m not sure why the school board would want to pick a fight with residents by moving a school that isn’t crowded.

I'm not going to argue with you. You're at their disposal, not mine, but some of them would likely relish picking a fight with you.

Would love to know who and why they would relish a “fight” with constituents especially when it involved impacting children.

Have you really not been paying attention?

First, eight of the Board members (a 2/3 majority) don't consider you to be their constituents and some of them think it will enhance their reputation with their constituents if they move McLean and Langley kids around.

Second, two of the four who should be viewing you as their constituents (Lady and McDaniel) seem all-in on boundary changes. Moon and McElveen seem much less enthusiastic about county-wide changes, but will they go to bat for people or just distance themselves from what's happening around them?

Pretty messed up to enhance their reputation by sticking it to a bunch of kids for no reason. But maybe I’ve come to expect too much from elected officials in Fairfax county.

They will have a grab bag of justifications if they so choose. In terms of reasons, claiming that they are shortening commutes and avoiding 29% under-enrollment at HHS will stack up nicely with eliminating an attendance island, which was OK to have around for 40 years not doing anyone any harm (and perhaps doing some kids some good) but is now apparently intolerable.

The whole study is a mess borne of a desire to avoid accountability and now spiraling into something potentially much worse.

Just to reiterate though, Herndon middle is the one that’ll be overcrowded. And by their own hand-picked study (provided to the boundary review advisory committee on December 6), only commutes over an hour has any detrimental impact on academics or sleep. It’ll be a move made in spite and would likely cause political damage to the school board and its party.

You don't think shifting around the rest of the county including sending kids from good schools to bad schools while leaving Langley (with no poor kids and one of the most affluent student bodies in the state) alone wouldn't be even worse for their political careers?

Does the school even serve its few poor students? It would be very hard to be in a school where you’re one of the few families living hand to mouth while your classmates jet off across the country/globe every weekend. Do you have any social life in those situations?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Question: Has any "suggestions" been made about particular moves? Or is everyone just confused?

Do we have theories on who would be moved?

So the starting point would be the schools that are severely overcrowded. Taking those schools and trying to shift those populations to schools not as crowded.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Proposed-FCPS-FY-2025-29-CIP.pdf

Langley at 98% capacity and Herndon at 71% should have great falls worried

You’re using last year’s numbers. Enrollment is down a lot at Langley, they can absorb the McLean attendance island without going above capacity.

There are two Mclean attendance islands, and they are most definitely on the block to be absorbed.

I know, but the one to its south isn’t going to Langley because that’d be an even worse attendance island.

The one should go to Falls Church HS, then they might actually put some money in that school and it would raise its performance overall. The other should go to Marshall. The would be help in equity.

Makes no sense. One island, if moved, would go to Langley and the other to Falls Church or Marshall.

Moving the southern island to Falls Church would be neutral in terms of FCHS’s performance. It basically has the same overall demographics as Falls Church. It’s poorer than Marshall and moving it there would reduce Marshall’s overall academic scores.

I don’t have any objection to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It doesn’t put Langley over capacity, even without any other moves.

Your issue isn't going to be whether you "consent" to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It's whether it becomes the pretext to move a chunk of Great Falls to Herndon. They have the authority to do that regardless of whether Langley is then sitting at 95% capacity, 99% capacity, or 101% capacity, if they're projecting Herndon will be at 71% capacity in five years.

As you know, the issue isn’t Herndon High, is Herndon Middle, which would be significantly overcapacity with that move.

And I’m not sure why the school board would want to pick a fight with residents by moving a school that isn’t crowded.

I'm not going to argue with you. You're at their disposal, not mine, but some of them would likely relish picking a fight with you.

Would love to know who and why they would relish a “fight” with constituents especially when it involved impacting children.

Have you really not been paying attention?

First, eight of the Board members (a 2/3 majority) don't consider you to be their constituents and some of them think it will enhance their reputation with their constituents if they move McLean and Langley kids around.

Second, two of the four who should be viewing you as their constituents (Lady and McDaniel) seem all-in on boundary changes. Moon and McElveen seem much less enthusiastic about county-wide changes, but will they go to bat for people or just distance themselves from what's happening around them?

Pretty messed up to enhance their reputation by sticking it to a bunch of kids for no reason. But maybe I’ve come to expect too much from elected officials in Fairfax county.

They will have a grab bag of justifications if they so choose. In terms of reasons, claiming that they are shortening commutes and avoiding 29% under-enrollment at HHS will stack up nicely with eliminating an attendance island, which was OK to have around for 40 years not doing anyone any harm (and perhaps doing some kids some good) but is now apparently intolerable.

The whole study is a mess borne of a desire to avoid accountability and now spiraling into something potentially much worse.

Just to reiterate though, Herndon middle is the one that’ll be overcrowded. And by their own hand-picked study (provided to the boundary review advisory committee on December 6), only commutes over an hour has any detrimental impact on academics or sleep. It’ll be a move made in spite and would likely cause political damage to the school board and its party.

You don't think shifting around the rest of the county including sending kids from good schools to bad schools while leaving Langley (with no poor kids and one of the most affluent student bodies in the state) alone wouldn't be even worse for their political careers?

I think there are really only two or three areas in their sights, so there is a world, as others have mentioned, where they fix the split feeders and call it a day.

Way better outcome all around (including for their political careers) than moves for the sake of sticking it to people based on stereotypes of perceived wealth.

Politically, the best move would be to live boundaries alone and make it easier for families zoned for bad schools to easily transfer

Confederate districting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Question: Has any "suggestions" been made about particular moves? Or is everyone just confused?

Do we have theories on who would be moved?

So the starting point would be the schools that are severely overcrowded. Taking those schools and trying to shift those populations to schools not as crowded.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Proposed-FCPS-FY-2025-29-CIP.pdf

Langley at 98% capacity and Herndon at 71% should have great falls worried

You’re using last year’s numbers. Enrollment is down a lot at Langley, they can absorb the McLean attendance island without going above capacity.

There are two Mclean attendance islands, and they are most definitely on the block to be absorbed.

I know, but the one to its south isn’t going to Langley because that’d be an even worse attendance island.

The one should go to Falls Church HS, then they might actually put some money in that school and it would raise its performance overall. The other should go to Marshall. The would be help in equity.

Makes no sense. One island, if moved, would go to Langley and the other to Falls Church or Marshall.

Moving the southern island to Falls Church would be neutral in terms of FCHS’s performance. It basically has the same overall demographics as Falls Church. It’s poorer than Marshall and moving it there would reduce Marshall’s overall academic scores.

I don’t have any objection to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It doesn’t put Langley over capacity, even without any other moves.

Your issue isn't going to be whether you "consent" to the McLean attendance island going to Langley. It's whether it becomes the pretext to move a chunk of Great Falls to Herndon. They have the authority to do that regardless of whether Langley is then sitting at 95% capacity, 99% capacity, or 101% capacity, if they're projecting Herndon will be at 71% capacity in five years.

As you know, the issue isn’t Herndon High, is Herndon Middle, which would be significantly overcapacity with that move.

And I’m not sure why the school board would want to pick a fight with residents by moving a school that isn’t crowded.

I'm not going to argue with you. You're at their disposal, not mine, but some of them would likely relish picking a fight with you.

Would love to know who and why they would relish a “fight” with constituents especially when it involved impacting children.

Have you really not been paying attention?

First, eight of the Board members (a 2/3 majority) don't consider you to be their constituents and some of them think it will enhance their reputation with their constituents if they move McLean and Langley kids around.

Second, two of the four who should be viewing you as their constituents (Lady and McDaniel) seem all-in on boundary changes. Moon and McElveen seem much less enthusiastic about county-wide changes, but will they go to bat for people or just distance themselves from what's happening around them?

Pretty messed up to enhance their reputation by sticking it to a bunch of kids for no reason. But maybe I’ve come to expect too much from elected officials in Fairfax county.

They will have a grab bag of justifications if they so choose. In terms of reasons, claiming that they are shortening commutes and avoiding 29% under-enrollment at HHS will stack up nicely with eliminating an attendance island, which was OK to have around for 40 years not doing anyone any harm (and perhaps doing some kids some good) but is now apparently intolerable.

The whole study is a mess borne of a desire to avoid accountability and now spiraling into something potentially much worse.

Just to reiterate though, Herndon middle is the one that’ll be overcrowded. And by their own hand-picked study (provided to the boundary review advisory committee on December 6), only commutes over an hour has any detrimental impact on academics or sleep. It’ll be a move made in spite and would likely cause political damage to the school board and its party.

You don't think shifting around the rest of the county including sending kids from good schools to bad schools while leaving Langley (with no poor kids and one of the most affluent student bodies in the state) alone wouldn't be even worse for their political careers?

I think there are really only two or three areas in their sights, so there is a world, as others have mentioned, where they fix the split feeders and call it a day.

Way better outcome all around (including for their political careers) than moves for the sake of sticking it to people based on stereotypes of perceived wealth.

Politically, the best move would be to live boundaries alone and make it easier for families zoned for bad schools to easily transfer

Confederate districting.

That actually sounds more like DCPS than the Deep South. DCPS has what look like clean boundaries and feeder patterns on its face, but then there are multiple mechanisms to transfer into stronger schools. The DCPS forum on DCUM has many threads full of references to "OOB" (out of boundary) students.