Struck Out in DC school lottery....Tell/Sell me in your non-W School Cluster

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are your non-W schools with lower than 30% Farms. There are others that are not far over 30%, but, FARMS have steadily risen since the early 2000s, they are not getting lower!

I included Wootton because maybe you'll find a unicorn. I think your budget is tough period. You'll have to compromise.

Clarksburg (26%)
Damascus (14%)
Richard Montgomery (19%)
Northwest HS (22%)
Poolesville (6%)
Quince Orchard (21.3%)
Sherwood (15%)
Wootton (less than 5%)

Out of curiosity, I looked at FARMS rates back in 2002. Wheaton was the only highschool with over 30% FARMS at 38.4%. 18 out of 26 (69%) of our highschools are over 30% Farms with some being more than 50%. The school system is done. Buyer beware.

Here is the dashboard with data.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/glance/

Interesting data.

We are at a high FARMS elementary and I see the negative effects it has on the school. It is impossible to sustain this model of increasing lower income populations without a negative impact on middle class families. The wealthier will choose private, but the middle class families will look elsewhere for better public school options.

It has nothing to do with race (I’m not White) and everything to do with money. There is not enough money to meet the needs of all the students. And MCPS is so poorly managed that they continue to mismanage the funds they do have.

There are no better public school options than MCPS

I disagree. MCPS is no longer the best. In fact, it's going downhill quickly. There are other school systems in MD that are much stronger.

[Anonymous]

Where are the commutes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are your non-W schools with lower than 30% Farms. There are others that are not far over 30%, but, FARMS have steadily risen since the early 2000s, they are not getting lower!

I included Wootton because maybe you'll find a unicorn. I think your budget is tough period. You'll have to compromise.

Clarksburg (26%)
Damascus (14%)
Richard Montgomery (19%)
Northwest HS (22%)
Poolesville (6%)
Quince Orchard (21.3%)
Sherwood (15%)
Wootton (less than 5%)

Out of curiosity, I looked at FARMS rates back in 2002. Wheaton was the only highschool with over 30% FARMS at 38.4%. 18 out of 26 (69%) of our highschools are over 30% Farms with some being more than 50%. The school system is done. Buyer beware.

Here is the dashboard with data.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/glance/

Interesting data.

We are at a high FARMS elementary and I see the negative effects it has on the school. It is impossible to sustain this model of increasing lower income populations without a negative impact on middle class families. The wealthier will choose private, but the middle class families will look elsewhere for better public school options.

It has nothing to do with race (I’m not White) and everything to do with money. There is not enough money to meet the needs of all the students. And MCPS is so poorly managed that they continue to mismanage the funds they do have.

There are no better public school options than MCPS

I disagree. MCPS is no longer the best. In fact, it's going downhill quickly. There are other school systems in MD that are much stronger.

Which ones?
We hear that every year on DCUM, but every year MCPS crushes the competitions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Perhaps, but my house is still worth close to 10% less than what I paid for it in 2005. I bought it for 770K in 2005; it would need to be worth 1M now if it had simply kept up with inflation. It would probably go for about 710K.

As soon as my kid is out of college I'm getting the heck out of this area. It's definitely heading down hill.

So, you overpaid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are your non-W schools with lower than 30% Farms. There are others that are not far over 30%, but, FARMS have steadily risen since the early 2000s, they are not getting lower!

I included Wootton because maybe you'll find a unicorn. I think your budget is tough period. You'll have to compromise.

Clarksburg (26%)
Damascus (14%)
Richard Montgomery (19%)
Northwest HS (22%)
Poolesville (6%)
Quince Orchard (21.3%)
Sherwood (15%)
Wootton (less than 5%)

Out of curiosity, I looked at FARMS rates back in 2002. Wheaton was the only highschool with over 30% FARMS at 38.4%. 18 out of 26 (69%) of our highschools are over 30% Farms with some being more than 50%. The school system is done. Buyer beware.

Here is the dashboard with data.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/glance/

Which goes to show, yet again, that the definition of "good schools" is "schools with not a lot of poor kids." Not that buildings, not the teachers, not the curriculum, not the administration, not anything the school actually does - just the students who go to the school.

[Anonymous]

Maybe it's not the "students who go to the school," but everything associated with poverty: lack of stable housing, food insecurity, not a lot of parental involvement at or with the school because of working multiple jobs, etc.

My question is how do we get those basic needs met for all children so that as students, they can focus on learning and their own futures?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it's not the "students who go to the school," but everything associated with poverty: lack of stable housing, food insecurity, not a lot of parental involvement at or with the school because of working multiple jobs, etc.

My question is how do we get those basic needs met for all children so that as students, they can focus on learning and their own futures?

By making major changes to what we - US society - are and are not willing to pay for.

It can be done. And we can afford to do it. But it is currently impossible to do it, politically.

[Anonymous]

Here are your non-W schools with lower than 30% Farms. There are others that are not far over 30%, but, FARMS have steadily risen since the early 2000s, they are not getting lower!

I included Wootton because maybe you'll find a unicorn. I think your budget is tough period. You'll have to compromise.

Clarksburg (26%)
Damascus (14%)
Richard Montgomery (19%)
Northwest HS (22%)
Poolesville (6%)
Quince Orchard (21.3%)
Sherwood (15%)
Wootton (less than 5%)

Out of curiosity, I looked at FARMS rates back in 2002. Wheaton was the only highschool with over 30% FARMS at 38.4%. 18 out of 26 (69%) of our highschools are over 30% Farms with some being more than 50%. The school system is done. Buyer beware.

Here is the dashboard with data.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/glance/


Thank you! This is helpful, we will look at the Damascus, Sherwood, Clarksbhrg and Poolesville clusters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it's not the "students who go to the school," but everything associated with poverty: lack of stable housing, food insecurity, not a lot of parental involvement at or with the school because of working multiple jobs, etc.

My question is how do we get those basic needs met for all children so that as students, they can focus on learning and their own futures?

By making major changes to what we - US society - are and are not willing to pay for.

It can be done. And we can afford to do it. But it is currently impossible to do it, politically.

No it cannot be done without the detriment of seeing counties public schools fall apart. One only need to look at California’s failing public education. For those in California who happen to attend public school you better believe that they have priced out the poors, high FARMS and ESOL to ensure adequate education and stability of their own preservation.

[Anonymous]

Keep in mind there is only one way in and out of poolesville, clarksburg, and Damascus... May I suggest moving to VA?

Those clusters are way out in the boonies anyways. It will be a total shock to your system...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it's not the "students who go to the school," but everything associated with poverty: lack of stable housing, food insecurity, not a lot of parental involvement at or with the school because of working multiple jobs, etc.

My question is how do we get those basic needs met for all children so that as students, they can focus on learning and their own futures?

By making major changes to what we - US society - are and are not willing to pay for.

It can be done. And we can afford to do it. But it is currently impossible to do it, politically.

No it cannot be done without the detriment of seeing counties public schools fall apart. One only need to look at California’s failing public education. For those in California who happen to attend public school you better believe that they have priced out the poors, high FARMS and ESOL to ensure adequate education and stability of their own preservation.

California's public education is failing due to Proposition 13, which passed in 1978, and which was the opposite of a policy intended to ensure that basic needs are met for all children. Proposition 13 is as prime an example of "I've got mine; you're on your own, Jack" policy-making as it's possible to get.

[Anonymous]

Dear OP, Clarksburg may actually be the right answer for you. You seem tl want land, independence, larger home. I would look there. Make sure to look at the potential NW/CHL/SVHS reassignment maps, and choose an area that is not in dispute. The BOE has explicitly said that some areas with a recently built ES are not in consideration for reassignment; it is stated in the document detailing 1st round of the maps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind there is only one way in and out of poolesville, clarksburg, and Damascus... May I suggest moving to VA?

Those clusters are way out in the boonies anyways. It will be a total shock to your system...

Oh the irony.
You mentioned "boonies "and "total shock to your system" and you want OP to move to VA?
Maybe OP doesn't want VA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are your non-W schools with lower than 30% Farms. There are others that are not far over 30%, but, FARMS have steadily risen since the early 2000s, they are not getting lower!

I included Wootton because maybe you'll find a unicorn. I think your budget is tough period. You'll have to compromise.

Clarksburg (26%)
Damascus (14%)
Richard Montgomery (19%)
Northwest HS (22%)
Poolesville (6%)
Quince Orchard (21.3%)
Sherwood (15%)
Wootton (less than 5%)

Out of curiosity, I looked at FARMS rates back in 2002. Wheaton was the only highschool with over 30% FARMS at 38.4%. 18 out of 26 (69%) of our highschools are over 30% Farms with some being more than 50%. The school system is done. Buyer beware.

Here is the dashboard with data.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/glance/

Which goes to show, yet again, that the definition of "good schools" is "schools with not a lot of poor kids." Not that buildings, not the teachers, not the curriculum, not the administration, not anything the school actually does - just the students who go to the school.

The irony is people who think like that aren't especially birght and even worse oppose any constructive changes that might improve things so we're actually better off when they leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are your non-W schools with lower than 30% Farms. There are others that are not far over 30%, but, FARMS have steadily risen since the early 2000s, they are not getting lower!

I included Wootton because maybe you'll find a unicorn. I think your budget is tough period. You'll have to compromise.

Clarksburg (26%)
Damascus (14%)
Richard Montgomery (19%)
Northwest HS (22%)
Poolesville (6%)
Quince Orchard (21.3%)
Sherwood (15%)
Wootton (less than 5%)

Out of curiosity, I looked at FARMS rates back in 2002. Wheaton was the only highschool with over 30% FARMS at 38.4%. 18 out of 26 (69%) of our highschools are over 30% Farms with some being more than 50%. The school system is done. Buyer beware.

Here is the dashboard with data.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/glance/

Given the trend, by the time OPs kids are in HS, many of these will probably be over 30% FARMS as well.