School is not giving what was expected

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think what the OP is feeling is VERY 'normal' for the FCPS school system. We moved into one of those highly rated pyramids, where the ES also had great "ratings" ... turns out that FCPS is a very mediocre, at best, system. The fake reputation stems from a LOT of high achieving parents providing ample tutoring and enrichment services to the kids (like we do!). But we're doing it because I know just how bad FCPS is compared to five or six other public curriculums I use at home. My oldest is in 4rd grade AAP/Center school (Haycock), and I have had to supplement work at home, based on other [public] school systems across the country. Once I started researching, I found the FCPS curriculum and focus and in-classroom teaching requirements downright ridiculous and appalling quite frankly. Unfortunately, we cannot move due to our jobs, and I prefer not to enroll in private school since it becomes cost prohibitive with multiple kids (we have 4). So for us, it is what it is, but I will never say that you'll get what you expect at the ES level at FCPS. I think certain middle and high school programs at FCPS are worthwhile, but FCPS elementary school program is shockingly low-grade comparatively. To the OP, if you picked a good middle school and high school, stick it out, it will "catch up." And, regardless of what trolls post on here, what you are feeling is something MANY involved parents have felt when they realize their shock as their kids go through elementary school in FCPS. Hang in there!

Where are these other public school systems? We're planning to move, have considerable freedom where, and great public schools are at the top of the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Obviously this is APS.

Nope probably FCPS McLean area. I've heard many people say that about FCPS. Class sizes are pretty big now in FCPS.

Yes, probably FCPS. People have higher expectations there, so also you’re more likely to see more grousing.

Higher than APS ?

I am in FCPS and most people I know in real life are pretty happy in APS. Yes, they have their big picture bitching about crowding and boundaries. But on the ground, their class sizes are smaller and they retain teachers better than we do.

Student performance in APS peaks in elementary school, declines in middle school, and declines more in high school. Overall it pinches well below its weight, and some of us moved to escape APS’s mediocrity.

Yes! Our elementary was excellent. We are moving our kids into private for HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously this is APS.

Nope probably FCPS McLean area. I've heard many people say that about FCPS. Class sizes are pretty big now in FCPS.

Yes, probably FCPS. People have higher expectations there, so also you’re more likely to see more grousing.

Higher than APS ?

I am in FCPS and most people I know in real life are pretty happy in APS. Yes, they have their big picture bitching about crowding and boundaries. But on the ground, their class sizes are smaller and they retain teachers better than we do.

APS parent here. In my six years in the system as a parent, I know of only one parent who switched to private because she was unhappy with the school. Everybody else I know has their complaints but overall are content. Myself included.

By HS you will know a lot more that switch to private. Out of my son’s closest friends, 5 out of 6 are in private HS. Some were adamantly against private school when their kids were younger. They changed their minds halfway through middle school.

[Anonymous]

My mom saved all of my materials from K-12 (she’s not a hoarder, really) from Naperville, IL schools and I’ve reused a ton of material for my kids! Just checked and the district is still top-rated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hard to know if you don’t give specifics. Some things are different in different school systems and some aren’t. Some are very school specific.

We’re pleasantly surprised by how great our public school has been but I’m not in a 1m to 3m neighborhood. I’m in a 750k to 1.2neighborhood, which is still quite rich by any standard.

Sounds like the Pike...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously this is APS.

Nope probably FCPS McLean area. I've heard many people say that about FCPS. Class sizes are pretty big now in FCPS.

Yes, probably FCPS. People have higher expectations there, so also you’re more likely to see more grousing.

Higher than APS ?

I am in FCPS and most people I know in real life are pretty happy in APS. Yes, they have their big picture bitching about crowding and boundaries. But on the ground, their class sizes are smaller and they retain teachers better than we do.

APS parent here. In my six years in the system as a parent, I know of only one parent who switched to private because she was unhappy with the school. Everybody else I know has their complaints but overall are content. Myself included.

By HS you will know a lot more that switch to private. Out of my son’s closest friends, 5 out of 6 are in private HS. Some were adamantly against private school when their kids were younger. They changed their minds halfway through middle school.

+1

People started leaving in later elementary then it took off even more in secondary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think what the OP is feeling is VERY 'normal' for the FCPS school system. We moved into one of those highly rated pyramids, where the ES also had great "ratings" ... turns out that FCPS is a very mediocre, at best, system. The fake reputation stems from a LOT of high achieving parents providing ample tutoring and enrichment services to the kids (like we do!). But we're doing it because I know just how bad FCPS is compared to five or six other public curriculums I use at home. My oldest is in 4rd grade AAP/Center school (Haycock), and I have had to supplement work at home, based on other [public] school systems across the country. Once I started researching, I found the FCPS curriculum and focus and in-classroom teaching requirements downright ridiculous and appalling quite frankly. Unfortunately, we cannot move due to our jobs, and I prefer not to enroll in private school since it becomes cost prohibitive with multiple kids (we have 4). So for us, it is what it is, but I will never say that you'll get what you expect at the ES level at FCPS. I think certain middle and high school programs at FCPS are worthwhile, but FCPS elementary school program is shockingly low-grade comparatively. To the OP, if you picked a good middle school and high school, stick it out, it will "catch up." And, regardless of what trolls post on here, what you are feeling is something MANY involved parents have felt when they realize their shock as their kids go through elementary school in FCPS. Hang in there!

...and also from the fact that 20 years ago it actually was a good school system.

LOL, I moved here 20 years ago and parents were saying the exact same thing then. People like to look back and think things were better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think what the OP is feeling is VERY 'normal' for the FCPS school system. We moved into one of those highly rated pyramids, where the ES also had great "ratings" ... turns out that FCPS is a very mediocre, at best, system. The fake reputation stems from a LOT of high achieving parents providing ample tutoring and enrichment services to the kids (like we do!). But we're doing it because I know just how bad FCPS is compared to five or six other public curriculums I use at home. My oldest is in 4rd grade AAP/Center school (Haycock), and I have had to supplement work at home, based on other [public] school systems across the country. Once I started researching, I found the FCPS curriculum and focus and in-classroom teaching requirements downright ridiculous and appalling quite frankly. Unfortunately, we cannot move due to our jobs, and I prefer not to enroll in private school since it becomes cost prohibitive with multiple kids (we have 4). So for us, it is what it is, but I will never say that you'll get what you expect at the ES level at FCPS. I think certain middle and high school programs at FCPS are worthwhile, but FCPS elementary school program is shockingly low-grade comparatively. To the OP, if you picked a good middle school and high school, stick it out, it will "catch up." And, regardless of what trolls post on here, what you are feeling is something MANY involved parents have felt when they realize their shock as their kids go through elementary school in FCPS. Hang in there!

...and also from the fact that 20 years ago it actually was a good school system.

LOL, I moved here 20 years ago and parents were saying the exact same thing then. People like to look back and think things were better.

Given the overall trajectory of education, they probably were better.

For example, we are a further two decades into the fall in high-end verbal scores associated with the decline in the textual complexity of materials used.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no special needs here. In proportion to the very elevated taxes we pay in this neighborhood, the quality of education is mediocre plus. 2 out of 4 teachers do the bare minimum.

“Bare minimum”, meaning...?

“2 out of 4”. You get those statistics from where?

You don’t pay elevated taxes. You pay the same tax rate everyone else in the district pays. Your house may have a greater value, but the rate doesn’t change.

DP. Yes, the tax rate is the same, but the amount you pay is based on the value of your house and the rate, so OP is in fact paying more in taxes than someone with a house valued at $500,000.

Paying more taxes because your house is valued higher is not the same as paying "elevated taxes".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no special needs here. In proportion to the very elevated taxes we pay in this neighborhood, the quality of education is mediocre plus. 2 out of 4 teachers do the bare minimum.

“Bare minimum”, meaning...?

“2 out of 4”. You get those statistics from where?

You don’t pay elevated taxes. You pay the same tax rate everyone else in the district pays. Your house may have a greater value, but the rate doesn’t change.

DP. Yes, the tax rate is the same, but the amount you pay is based on the value of your house and the rate, so OP is in fact paying more in taxes than someone with a house valued at $500,000.

Paying more taxes because your house is valued higher is not the same as paying "elevated taxes".

Presumably the house is valued higher in part to the perception of "good schools". In general, being zoned to a better school results in a housing premium compared to an identical house elsewhere.

I live in a fairly desirable district, but I'm not impressed with the scholastic experience so far. My kid hasn't learned anything in second grade that they didn't cover in private kindergarten other than some Virginia and Native American history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no special needs here. In proportion to the very elevated taxes we pay in this neighborhood, the quality of education is mediocre plus. 2 out of 4 teachers do the bare minimum.

“Bare minimum”, meaning...?

“2 out of 4”. You get those statistics from where?

You don’t pay elevated taxes. You pay the same tax rate everyone else in the district pays. Your house may have a greater value, but the rate doesn’t change.

DP. Yes, the tax rate is the same, but the amount you pay is based on the value of your house and the rate, so OP is in fact paying more in taxes than someone with a house valued at $500,000.

Paying more taxes because your house is valued higher is not the same as paying "elevated taxes".

Presumably the house is valued higher in part to the perception of "good schools". In general, being zoned to a better school results in a housing premium compared to an identical house elsewhere.

I live in a fairly desirable district, but I'm not impressed with the scholastic experience so far. My kid hasn't learned anything in second grade that they didn't cover in private kindergarten other than some Virginia and Native American history.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you moved to one of those neighborhoods where house prices range from 1-3M and the school is well regarded academically but after some time you realize the school is not giving what you expected for your child and you see you are not thee we only parent in disappointment, what do you do?

What do schools "give?" And why do you feel so entitled?

Sounds to be like you bought into some hype about "good" schools. Typically, schools in this demographic are filled with bright, white kids and have more PTA resources for extra-curricular programming and better playgrounds, but the schools themselves aren't necessarily inherently superior to others...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry that your free government school didn’t meet expectations.

To be sure, public school isn't "free," especially in a higher-dollar neighborhood where houses throw off more in property taxes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously this is APS.

Nope probably FCPS McLean area. I've heard many people say that about FCPS. Class sizes are pretty big now in FCPS.

Yes, probably FCPS. People have higher expectations there, so also you’re more likely to see more grousing.

Higher than APS ?

I am in FCPS and most people I know in real life are pretty happy in APS. Yes, they have their big picture bitching about crowding and boundaries. But on the ground, their class sizes are smaller and they retain teachers better than we do.

Student performance in APS peaks in elementary school, declines in middle school, and declines more in high school. Overall it pinches well below its weight, and some of us moved to escape APS’s mediocrity.

I moved from Arlington because of the schools. I don't agree that they are "mediocre" -- my kid learned a lot in middle school. But we wanted a less crowded environment and found it in Loudoun County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no special needs here. In proportion to the very elevated taxes we pay in this neighborhood, the quality of education is mediocre plus. 2 out of 4 teachers do the bare minimum.

It’s because the school is “good” on the basis of test scores, which are highly correlated to income. So what you’re paying a “premium” for is a school filled with wealthy kids. It doesn’t really have to do with the school or the teachers.

BTW you did not “buy” any kind of “guarantee” of only having white/wealthy kids in your school. See MoCo for the full horror of people who believe that.