Paying to attend good public school

[Anonymous]

Can anyone explain how the system works whereby you can pay to attend certain public schools. I have read about families in the district paying to attend BCC High School, and am wondering how widespread this option is. Are families within MOCO paying to attend 'better' schools than the ones in their neighborhood? Also, does anyone know how much the public schools are charging for out of boundary students?

[Anonymous]

Is this the story you're thinking about? In it, a DC resident pays $13,627 to go to BCC High School.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/29/AR2008032901119_pf.html

I believe people can pay as nonresidents (e.g. living in DC, going to school in MoCo), but not to get into a "better" school within their district. However, transfers are possible if hardship can be shown.

Here's a news story, in which a DC resident pays $13,627 to go to BCC High School.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/29/AR2008032901119_pf.html

[Anonymous]

Not the OP, but does that mean that as a DC resident I can effectively apply my kids to any school in MoCo and get accepted as long as I am willing to pay?

[Anonymous]

Presumably only if there is space--many close-in MoCo schools are overcrowded.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you can apply, but there has to be room. Interestingly, at my kid's private school, about three quarters of the students come from Bethesda, Potomac, and McLean, which have some of the best public schools in the country.

[Anonymous]

I find it interesting that St John's HS (catholic HS) in Chevy Chase, DC costs about the same: $13500 per year. I would be interested to hear how they compare as we have 7th grader now and looking at several options for HS including Mo Co.

[Anonymous]

We tried to get into some close in elementary schools in MoCo and there was no space available. Also, they don't notify you about whether there will be space until summer (and after most independent schools' binding dates have passed).

[Anonymous]

Once you are in a particular school, though, you can continue on thru the system as if a resident correct? eg get into rosemary hills, can cont to chevy chase, westland, bcc?

[Anonymous]

St. John's is a great high school, and has produced a lot of very successful graduates, who have given the school a lot of money. As a result, they have a really nice campus and great facilities. The student body is very diverse, they have a strong sports program, and I have a lot of friends who went there and got a very good education. Also check out St. Anselm's, which is a bit more expensive, and a bit more academically rigorous, but a really good school, if you're interested in single sex education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once you are in a particular school, though, you can continue on thru the system as if a resident correct? eg get into rosemary hills, can cont to chevy chase, westland, bcc?

Boy I hope not! There are too many kids in our schools as it is!

[Anonymous]

If you don't live in DC, you can also pay tuition to attend a school in DC. I knew kids at Ellington, the fine arts school, who were paying tuition to attend.