Fairfax County Schools -- Is there a deterioration?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also think diversity is a good thing - for kids growing up today, they world they will live in is going to be increasingly diverse and non-white. The demographics you see in many schools today are going to be the demographics of the working age population tomorrow.

That said, we'd be kidding ourselves not to admit that with an increasingly diverse population of immigrants, many whom are first or second generation, it costs more money to maintain the same level of education. Many of the immigrant families are renters with less income and provide a lowered tax base while at the same time need more money through school funding if the same level of education is going to be maintained. Less tax dollars per student combined with higher educational expenses per student equals a challenged school system. At some point, you probably reach a tipping point where those with the money (i.e., property owners) are not going to be willing to pony up the additional taxes every year to keep the schools well funded because they will stop believing that it is money well spent. One only needs to look at some of the larger school districts in a state like California to see where we're eventually headed.

I'm not familiar with what's going on in the larger CA districts. Do most middle/upper-middle class parents send their kids to privates?

Despite the renaissance that another poster is claiming, yes, most middle/upper class CA parents choose private. Moreso in southern CA. I am from the San Diego are and my family members there wouldn't even consider the public schools an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bad administration is the cause of the downfall. Hope Dr. Garza fixes that. Most folks flowing in from all over the world are hardworking people, value education, discipline their children very well, and don't take things for granted. So don't blame it on them.

I totally agree with this. I am Caucasian and my children have very good immigrant friends. I am always impressed with how respectful and well-mannered those childern are. My children learn a lot from those children. They learn to appreciate what they have as they see those children don’t take things for granted. Let's look at the positive side of it, diversity is very crucial for our children.

Awwww, bless your heart.

[Anonymous]

2013 Siemens Finalists.

http://www.siemens-foundation.org/pool/siemens_competition/2013_highlights/2013_web_listing_sfs_final.pdf

California has fifty-one students represented among the finalists. Most of those students attend California public schools.

Of course, I recognize that California is the most populous State, but these national achievements (among others) are but one recognition of the fact that California schools are doing an increasingly excellent job in educating its diverse student population, and leading as an example for the others to follow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also think diversity is a good thing - for kids growing up today, they world they will live in is going to be increasingly diverse and non-white. The demographics you see in many schools today are going to be the demographics of the working age population tomorrow.

That said, we'd be kidding ourselves not to admit that with an increasingly diverse population of immigrants, many whom are first or second generation, it costs more money to maintain the same level of education. Many of the immigrant families are renters with less income and provide a lowered tax base while at the same time need more money through school funding if the same level of education is going to be maintained. Less tax dollars per student combined with higher educational expenses per student equals a challenged school system. At some point, you probably reach a tipping point where those with the money (i.e., property owners) are not going to be willing to pony up the additional taxes every year to keep the schools well funded because they will stop believing that it is money well spent. One only needs to look at some of the larger school districts in a state like California to see where we're eventually headed.

I'm not familiar with what's going on in the larger CA districts. Do most middle/upper-middle class parents send their kids to privates?

Despite the renaissance that another poster is claiming, yes, most middle/upper class CA parents choose private. Moreso in southern CA. I am from the San Diego are and my family members there wouldn't even consider the public schools an option.

NP here. I actually live in southern California currently, and am in a high-SES category but a school district which is not so highly rated (but greatly improved from a decade ago). We bought into your "generalization" when we moved here, and therefore enrolled our children in private schools. It was not necessary (we are transferring our youngest to public next year), as many families we know send their kids to the local public schools and more are doing so every day. These public schools are truly successful examples of socio-economic and cultural integration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2013 Siemens Finalists.

http://www.siemens-foundation.org/pool/siemens_competition/2013_highlights/2013_web_listing_sfs_final.pdf

California has fifty-one students represented among the finalists. Most of those students attend California public schools.

Of course, I recognize that California is the most populous State, but these national achievements (among others) are but one recognition of the fact that California schools are doing an increasingly excellent job in educating its diverse student population, and leading as an example for the others to follow.


2014 Intel Finalists

https://student.societyforscience.org/intel-sts-2014-finalists

There are eleven student finalists from California public schools alone. The second-place finisher, New York, has eight student finalists, and I believe that Maryland has four or five.

I have to admit that I would have thought the California ps were not very good in math and science.

[Anonymous]

This is called co-opting a thread. Can we please turn out attention back to the public schools in this area, and stop comparing them to those in other places. It is not relevant to the OP's thread.

[Anonymous]

This will bring it back

A closer home example is Alexandria

In Alexandria anyone with means sends their kids to private schools esp at the high school level. Thats why TC Williams doesn't perform that well for such a high cost of living area

Now in Fairfax I can see this occurring in several pyramids. Esp East of I-95 and inside the beltway AND below route 7.

To the larger point of quality of the schools. I think the schools are ok. The "success" over the years is due to having a large amount of highly educated and well-off parents in the region who have "good" offspring. I don't believe it has to do with the schools.

Like a previous poster said. If you go to any major metro area the aress with the highest income generally have very good schools.

To summarize however. Most schools track students. In ANY high school in this area your DC can take challenging classes thrive and get into a top tier college (Which is the end goal right? lol)

[Anonymous]

Most of Fairfax County is below route 7.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This will bring it back

A closer home example is Alexandria

In Alexandria anyone with means sends their kids to private schools esp at the high school level. Thats why TC Williams doesn't perform that well for such a high cost of living area

Now in Fairfax I can see this occurring in several pyramids. Esp East of I-95 and inside the beltway AND below route 7.

To the larger point of quality of the schools. I think the schools are ok. The "success" over the years is due to having a large amount of highly educated and well-off parents in the region who have "good" offspring. I don't believe it has to do with the schools.

Like a previous poster said. If you go to any major metro area the aress with the highest income generally have very good schools.

To summarize however. Most schools track students. In ANY high school in this area your DC can take challenging classes thrive and get into a top tier college (Which is the end goal right? lol)

I have no idea what you're talking about.

In Fairfax, east of 95, inside the beltway AND below Route 7 puts you in a single school district - Edison - which was recently renovated and is pretty stable.

Simply east of 95 puts you in Edison, Lee, Hayfield, Mount Vernon and West Potomac. Some flight there, but some very stable areas like Kingstowne, Belle Haven and Wilton Woods.

Inside the Beltway in Fairfax includes much of the attendance area for three of the wealthiest schools in the DC region - Langley, McLean and Marshall, and the vast majority of Fairfax is "below" Route 7.

[Anonymous]

I always have a problem getting my point across on that

Inside the beltway AND below Route 7

Think Annandale, Route 50 corridor Baileys Crossroads etc all that

basically where all the cheap apartments are with the Hispanics

People in places like Sleepy Hollow are pulling their kids out which is what happeened in Alexandria years ago

[Anonymous]

just saw your new post

Kingstown is an island in a sea of crap in South County basically

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always have a problem getting my point across on that

Inside the beltway AND below Route 7

Think Annandale, Route 50 corridor Baileys Crossroads etc all that

basically where all the cheap apartments are with the Hispanics

People in places like Sleepy Hollow are pulling their kids out which is what happeened in Alexandria years ago

Maybe, maybe not. Stuart HS, the school for Sleepy Hollow, has more white students this year than it had five years ago. The growth has been much smaller than the Hispanic growth, but the fact that the number of white students is higher, at a point when whites are on their way to becoming a minority in both the county and country, doesn't exactly scream white flight to private schools.

[Anonymous]

It looks stable for now but the wave hasnt hit yet

The hispanic wave is still fairly new

Most of the kids are still in elementary school or not even in school

Come back in 10 years

For the record I don't want Alexandria I'm just saying what the trends are telling me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It looks stable for now but the wave hasnt hit yet

The hispanic wave is still fairly new

Most of the kids are still in elementary school or not even in school

Come back in 10 years

For the record I don't want Alexandria I'm just saying what the trends are telling me

And I was just noting the trends based on actual enrollment data, not predictions.

As discussed in the prior posts, developments in school demographics and performance are not necessarily linear. Sometimes the advantages of a location start to outweigh the perceived negatives.

[Anonymous]

The last few posts in this thread are bordering on crossing the line into an ugly territory. If the California example cited above is true, then when the new immigrants settle into first-generation Americans, everyone will realize that their experience and adjustment is just like that of previous generations of immigrants to this country. There is nothing to fear about having any new generation of immigrants become students in the public schools.