Moving to Va - which neighborhood/pyramid for great schools?

[Anonymous]

Another moving to Va thread.. but would appreciate some input.

Both of us work in Reston Town Center. We'd like a commute under 20-25min. DD is 6, with another DD on the way. We expect to live there 10-15 years, probably until the kids finish high school. We are looking for really great public schools. Are Langley and Woodson the top high schools? If so, what elementary schools are good in those pyramids? What neighborhoods/zipcodes should we be looking at? We have been focusing mostly on FCPS. Are they significantly better than Loudoun County schools? Are there any really great schools in Loudoun county? Budget is $800k, maybe $850k.

Thanks for your help

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another moving to Va thread.. but would appreciate some input.

Both of us work in Reston Town Center. We'd like a commute under 20-25min. DD is 6, with another DD on the way. We expect to live there 10-15 years, probably until the kids finish high school. We are looking for really great public schools. Are Langley and Woodson the top high schools? If so, what elementary schools are good in those pyramids? What neighborhoods/zipcodes should we be looking at? We have been focusing mostly on FCPS. Are they significantly better than Loudoun County schools? Are there any really great schools in Loudoun county? Budget is $800k, maybe $850k.

Thanks for your help

I'd be looking at areas in 22124 zoned for Oakton HS; areas in 22181 zoned for Madison HS; or areas in 22182 north of the Town of Vienna zoned for Madison, Marshall or McLean HS.

All are very good. Langley is generally more expensive than your price range, and you can live closer to Reston than the Woodson area.

[Anonymous]

Depending on where you are moving from, even "very good" schools in this area might be exceptionally better than good schools where you are currently living.

[Anonymous]

Where are you moving from?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another moving to Va thread.. but would appreciate some input.

Both of us work in Reston Town Center. We'd like a commute under 20-25min.

Live in Reston.

[Anonymous]

http://www.city-data.com/forum/northern-virginia/2216431-2014-sat-scores.html

Most people use the SAT score metric to decide which are the "best high schools"

Your budget is fairly healthy and likely can get you into any of the top districts. However, your choice of housing will be much different between Langley and say, Chantilly, in that price range.

It depends what trade offs you want to make.

I have friends who work in Reston and live in Brambleton in Loudoun. I live in 22033 right near Chantilly HS and would have no issue commuting to Reston.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another moving to Va thread.. but would appreciate some input.

Both of us work in Reston Town Center. We'd like a commute under 20-25min. DD is 6, with another DD on the way. We expect to live there 10-15 years, probably until the kids finish high school. We are looking for really great public schools. Are Langley and Woodson the top high schools? If so, what elementary schools are good in those pyramids? What neighborhoods/zipcodes should we be looking at? We have been focusing mostly on FCPS. Are they significantly better than Loudoun County schools? Are there any really great schools in Loudoun county? Budget is $800k, maybe $850k.

Thanks for your help

I live in the Town of Vienna (22180), and have a 17 min commute to Reston Town Center at any time (assuming there is no snow or flooding rains). My schools are excellent...Louise Archer, Thoreau, and Madison. You can get a decent house for 850K, not new, but nicer than mine.

[Anonymous]

20171 zip (Oak Hill)

Lots of great elementary schools. Middle schools --Carson and Franklin --are both very strong. Several high schools: Chantilly, Westfield, Oakton are all good. Rumors of a new highschool to be built.
Price range and commute would be excellent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another moving to Va thread.. but would appreciate some input.

Both of us work in Reston Town Center. We'd like a commute under 20-25min.

Live in Reston.

Don't live in Reston. Look at Vienna or Oakton.

[Anonymous]

This sounds awful I know but I don't know that you can buy in the Langley pyramid with a budget of $800k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you moving from?

New poster here. I was also wondering where OP is moving from. In most cases, FCPS would be as good or better than most in U.S. So, I would not sweat it, as long as the commute to work is acceptable.

[Anonymous]

In most cases, FCPS would be as good or better than most in U.S.

Pretty naïve statement. There are many schools in FCPS that are below higher SES schools in other places. Hate to tell you, but it is not the system, but the economics that usually determine the rating of the schools. Fairfax generally has a higher rating because of the higher average. However, if OP is moving from a small, affluent system, it is likely that the schools there are just as good or better than FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds awful I know but I don't know that you can buy in the Langley pyramid with a budget of $800k.

I was the one who posted earlier that this budget will buy you something in any of the HS districts, but you'd get less in Langley than chantilly.

I was curious and double checked. The lowest priced SFH in Langley currently is around $600k. It's small, but that is your lowest price point there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

In most cases, FCPS would be as good or better than most in U.S.

Pretty naïve statement. There are many schools in FCPS that are below higher SES schools in other places. Hate to tell you, but it is not the system, but the economics that usually determine the rating of the schools. Fairfax generally has a higher rating because of the higher average. However, if OP is moving from a small, affluent system, it is likely that the schools there are just as good or better than FCPS.

All PP said was that, in most cases, an FCPS school would be as good or better. That is true, and doesn't foreclose the possibility of a school in a small, affluent district elsewhere being better. People certainly ought at look at where they are considering living around here, but even the lower-SES schools in FCPS offer opportunities that are unavailable in many public school districts around the country. The economics of an area affect the "system" as well as the test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

In most cases, FCPS would be as good or better than most in U.S.

Pretty naïve statement. There are many schools in FCPS that are below higher SES schools in other places. Hate to tell you, but it is not the system, but the economics that usually determine the rating of the schools. Fairfax generally has a higher rating because of the higher average. However, if OP is moving from a small, affluent system, it is likely that the schools there are just as good or better than FCPS.

Fairfax is a huge, lumbering, and somewhat decaying county. It's school system is a mixed bag. Tread wisely.