Hardy/Deal vs Arlington middle schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My spouse, who has taught in both APS and DCPS, could not get novels delivered from the DCPS warehouse for an AP Lit class. Put the order in at the beginning of the school year, still hadn't received the books at Thanksgiving. We ended up buying 20 paperbacks ourselves and spouse gave them to the kids. Standard operating procedure in DCPS.

Overall did the quality of teaching differ between the schools? And the expectations? DCPS isn't well run but we know good teachers exist. Are Arlington schools better because the teachers are better, they have higher expectations, or they have more resources (which improves their teaching)? Or is it simply demographics? If the focus is on having your child learn, how different are JR and MacArthur feeders compares to Arlington? So far this thread indicates that intensifies classes in middle push students to learn more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe that there’s a serious argument going on on DCUM on whether DCPS even at its best holds a candle to APS. The only reasonable argument that can be made is that sending your kids to a top school district isn’t necessary.

You are completely missing the point PP. Your child does not attend a "school district." Your child is an individual, from an individual family, attending an individual school, with an individual group of peers, teachers, and opportunities. If I had to pick a random kid and drop them into a random school, yes, the odds of that kid having a better outcome are probably higher in ACPS. But a specific type of kid, and family, and a specific school? That kid might be better off in ACPS, might be better off in DCPS, or might do equally well in either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My spouse, who has taught in both APS and DCPS, could not get novels delivered from the DCPS warehouse for an AP Lit class. Put the order in at the beginning of the school year, still hadn't received the books at Thanksgiving. We ended up buying 20 paperbacks ourselves and spouse gave them to the kids. Standard operating procedure in DCPS.

Overall did the quality of teaching differ between the schools? And the expectations? DCPS isn't well run but we know good teachers exist. Are Arlington schools better because the teachers are better, they have higher expectations, or they have more resources (which improves their teaching)? Or is it simply demographics? If the focus is on having your child learn, how different are JR and MacArthur feeders compares to Arlington? So far this thread indicates that intensifies classes in middle push students to learn more.

All of the above, OP. We were in DCPS for 10 years for 2 kids. What we've found in Arlington is a system that's higher capacity than DCPS across the board. If you need to go up the chain for help in APS, the process is smoother, clear and more helpful than in DCPS. You aren't treated like a pesky UMC helicopter parents in APS as you sometimes are in DCPS. Management systems in APS are better established, meaning that school principals don't exercise outsized power and make a lot of discretionary decisions as in DCPS. In our experience, overall, the teaching has been better in APS with more rigor on offer. APS school demographics are v. different than DCPS demographics overall. Because the schools in APS are all OK or good, and charters barely exist, UMC parents don't mob certain schools the same way they do in DCPS. APS as a whole is far more Latino and far less AA than DCPS, with a good mix of immigrants in the mix. The N Arlington MS scene is comparable to the Upper NW DCPS scene. Kenmore and Gunston middle schools in APS probably aren't any better than Hardy or Deal, but Williamsburg, Thomas Jefferson, Dorothy Hamm and HB Woodlawn (lottery admissions, can't apply from DC) pretty clearly are. From what we've observed, parents don't move around within Arlington to access better schools much at all. The practice is more common in DCPS. Hope this info helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe that there’s a serious argument going on on DCUM on whether DCPS even at its best holds a candle to APS. The only reasonable argument that can be made is that sending your kids to a top school district isn’t necessary.

Those schools in Arlington are massive. Is it really that hard to imagine why a parent would prefer Latin or Walls or BASIS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe that there’s a serious argument going on on DCUM on whether DCPS even at its best holds a candle to APS. The only reasonable argument that can be made is that sending your kids to a top school district isn’t necessary.

Those schools in Arlington are massive. Is it really that hard to imagine why a parent would prefer Latin or Walls or BASIS?

there is no guarantee that a kid will get into Latin, Walls or Basis. Also Basis is not a great fit for every kid (I can't speak to Latin since I don't know anyone with kids there) whereas the Arlington high schools can work for different types of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe that there’s a serious argument going on on DCUM on whether DCPS even at its best holds a candle to APS. The only reasonable argument that can be made is that sending your kids to a top school district isn’t necessary.

Those schools in Arlington are massive. Is it really that hard to imagine why a parent would prefer Latin or Walls or BASIS?

We’re not talking about selective schools or charter schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe that there’s a serious argument going on on DCUM on whether DCPS even at its best holds a candle to APS. The only reasonable argument that can be made is that sending your kids to a top school district isn’t necessary.

Those schools in Arlington are massive. Is it really that hard to imagine why a parent would prefer Latin or Walls or BASIS?

We’re not talking about selective schools or charter schools.

We are (if I understand OP's initial post correctly), talking about school options generally in DCPS and ACPS. So the availability of charter or selective schools is relevant!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's be brutally honest here, ok? There are plenty of reasons to prefer living in DC over Arlington, and obviously the best DC public schools are perfectly capable of providing a solid education for a smart and self-motivated kid.

But if you're talking strictly about which public school system is better, without regard to anything else, Arlington is without question better. Much better. Deal and Hardy may be the best in DC, but in Arlington they'd be average. Williamsburg, Swanson and Hamm would all blow them away. And as others have said, the high schools are another level entirely. J-R is the best in DC, but is only on par with Wakefield in Arlington--generally considered the worst in the county.

It's strictly a matter of demographics.

You're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

But it’s not better than School Without Walls or Banneker -if we are talking about HS -they blow Yorktown out of the water.

But yea if your kids is going to a neighborhood school like JR then Arlington is better.

Overall I think it depends on what your child is motivated to do and wants.

As a Gen Z mom who went to SWW, it was a great experience but only meant something because I wanted to go to an Ivy. My younger sister also got in and went to a nice state school. It took her 8 months to find a little above minimum wage job…

The job market is tough and there are a lot of older more experienced people still working. Unless you are going into something like a trade, it can be very difficult.

[Anonymous]

OP, keep in mind that DCUM is full of people who haven’t stepped foot in DC proper since Marion Barry was mayor but fashion themselves as experts on the city. You need to take a lot of responses here with a giant grain of salt because they’re likely coming from some rube who lives in neither DC nor Arlington but spends much of their day trolling DC on anonymous Internet forums.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's be brutally honest here, ok? There are plenty of reasons to prefer living in DC over Arlington, and obviously the best DC public schools are perfectly capable of providing a solid education for a smart and self-motivated kid.

But if you're talking strictly about which public school system is better, without regard to anything else, Arlington is without question better. Much better. Deal and Hardy may be the best in DC, but in Arlington they'd be average. Williamsburg, Swanson and Hamm would all blow them away. And as others have said, the high schools are another level entirely. J-R is the best in DC, but is only on par with Wakefield in Arlington--generally considered the worst in the county.

It's strictly a matter of demographics.

You're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

But it’s not better than School Without Walls or Banneker -if we are talking about HS -they blow Yorktown out of the water.

But yea if your kids is going to a neighborhood school like JR then Arlington is better.

Overall I think it depends on what your child is motivated to do and wants.

As a Gen Z mom who went to SWW, it was a great experience but only meant something because I wanted to go to an Ivy. My younger sister also got in and went to a nice state school. It took her 8 months to find a little above minimum wage job…

The job market is tough and there are a lot of older more experienced people still working. Unless you are going into something like a trade, it can be very difficult.

Walls is tiny and uber selective and only available to a tiny fraction of DCPS students and Banneker does not blow Yorktown out of the water. Just compare test scores and college acceptance lists. Not even close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, keep in mind that DCUM is full of people who haven’t stepped foot in DC proper since Marion Barry was mayor but fashion themselves as experts on the city. You need to take a lot of responses here with a giant grain of salt because they’re likely coming from some rube who lives in neither DC nor Arlington but spends much of their day trolling DC on anonymous Internet forums.

As I’ve said earlier, my kids attend DCPSs and I’m a product of APS/MCPS. It’s just silly to argue that the systems are all equally strong. Yes, DCPS has Walls as its crown jewel, but nothing else in DC would be above average in either APS or MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, keep in mind that DCUM is full of people who haven’t stepped foot in DC proper since Marion Barry was mayor but fashion themselves as experts on the city. You need to take a lot of responses here with a giant grain of salt because they’re likely coming from some rube who lives in neither DC nor Arlington but spends much of their day trolling DC on anonymous Internet forums.

As I’ve said earlier, my kids attend DCPSs and I’m a product of APS/MCPS. It’s just silly to argue that the systems are all equally strong. Yes, DCPS has Walls as its crown jewel, but nothing else in DC would be above average in either APS or MCPS.

Noting again that OP was not asking which system was stronger - OP was asking whether her specific children would be bettter off in an ACPS school than they would be in a DCPS school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's be brutally honest here, ok? There are plenty of reasons to prefer living in DC over Arlington, and obviously the best DC public schools are perfectly capable of providing a solid education for a smart and self-motivated kid.

But if you're talking strictly about which public school system is better, without regard to anything else, Arlington is without question better. Much better. Deal and Hardy may be the best in DC, but in Arlington they'd be average. Williamsburg, Swanson and Hamm would all blow them away. And as others have said, the high schools are another level entirely. J-R is the best in DC, but is only on par with Wakefield in Arlington--generally considered the worst in the county.

It's strictly a matter of demographics.

You're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

But it’s not better than School Without Walls or Banneker -if we are talking about HS -they blow Yorktown out of the water.

But yea if your kids is going to a neighborhood school like JR then Arlington is better.

Overall I think it depends on what your child is motivated to do and wants.

As a Gen Z mom who went to SWW, it was a great experience but only meant something because I wanted to go to an Ivy. My younger sister also got in and went to a nice state school. It took her 8 months to find a little above minimum wage job…

The job market is tough and there are a lot of older more experienced people still working. Unless you are going into something like a trade, it can be very difficult.

Walls is tiny and uber selective and only available to a tiny fraction of DCPS students and Banneker does not blow Yorktown out of the water. Just compare test scores and college acceptance lists. Not even close.

I'm amazed at the time and energy some of you spend shitting on other children's schools. You really have nothing better to do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's be brutally honest here, ok? There are plenty of reasons to prefer living in DC over Arlington, and obviously the best DC public schools are perfectly capable of providing a solid education for a smart and self-motivated kid.

But if you're talking strictly about which public school system is better, without regard to anything else, Arlington is without question better. Much better. Deal and Hardy may be the best in DC, but in Arlington they'd be average. Williamsburg, Swanson and Hamm would all blow them away. And as others have said, the high schools are another level entirely. J-R is the best in DC, but is only on par with Wakefield in Arlington--generally considered the worst in the county.

It's strictly a matter of demographics.

You're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

But it’s not better than School Without Walls or Banneker -if we are talking about HS -they blow Yorktown out of the water.

But yea if your kids is going to a neighborhood school like JR then Arlington is better.

Overall I think it depends on what your child is motivated to do and wants.

As a Gen Z mom who went to SWW, it was a great experience but only meant something because I wanted to go to an Ivy. My younger sister also got in and went to a nice state school. It took her 8 months to find a little above minimum wage job…

The job market is tough and there are a lot of older more experienced people still working. Unless you are going into something like a trade, it can be very difficult.

Walls is tiny and uber selective and only available to a tiny fraction of DCPS students and Banneker does not blow Yorktown out of the water. Just compare test scores and college acceptance lists. Not even close.

I'm amazed at the time and energy some of you spend shitting on other children's schools. You really have nothing better to do?

I'm not "shitting on other children's schools." My kids attend DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's be brutally honest here, ok? There are plenty of reasons to prefer living in DC over Arlington, and obviously the best DC public schools are perfectly capable of providing a solid education for a smart and self-motivated kid.

But if you're talking strictly about which public school system is better, without regard to anything else, Arlington is without question better. Much better. Deal and Hardy may be the best in DC, but in Arlington they'd be average. Williamsburg, Swanson and Hamm would all blow them away. And as others have said, the high schools are another level entirely. J-R is the best in DC, but is only on par with Wakefield in Arlington--generally considered the worst in the county.

It's strictly a matter of demographics.

You're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

But it’s not better than School Without Walls or Banneker -if we are talking about HS -they blow Yorktown out of the water.

But yea if your kids is going to a neighborhood school like JR then Arlington is better.

Overall I think it depends on what your child is motivated to do and wants.

As a Gen Z mom who went to SWW, it was a great experience but only meant something because I wanted to go to an Ivy. My younger sister also got in and went to a nice state school. It took her 8 months to find a little above minimum wage job…

The job market is tough and there are a lot of older more experienced people still working. Unless you are going into something like a trade, it can be very difficult.

Walls is tiny and uber selective and only available to a tiny fraction of DCPS students and Banneker does not blow Yorktown out of the water. Just compare test scores and college acceptance lists. Not even close.

I'm amazed at the time and energy some of you spend shitting on other children's schools. You really have nothing better to do?

I'm not "shitting on other children's schools." My kids attend DCPS.

NP. This. We are in DC and accept the reality that schools in Arlington are much better. Eyes wide open unlike others in denial here.