Why are all of the GOOD public schools only in the Expensive parts of town?

[Anonymous]

I am so frustrated. Why is it that you have to spend close to a million dollars, or more, on a home, just so your kid can get a quality education without paying $30,000 a year? It's as if a child doesn't deserve a good education, unless their parents make a certain amount of money, & can afford to live in "the right neighborhood". This seems to be the case in DC, MD, & VA.

I consider us a middle class family, if that exists anymore, & Great Schools gives every school in the neighborhoods that we can afford an average of a "4". We can't afford the neighborhoods ranking schools 7 and up.

I'm sorry, but I just believe whether you make $1,000,000 a year, or $30,000 a year, each child deserves the best.

My rant for the day.

[Anonymous]

DC is a crazy real estate market and has a sad record when it comes to public schools.

The suburbs are more affordable with better, on average, schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am so frustrated. Why is it that you have to spend close to a million dollars, or more, on a home, just so your kid can get a quality education without paying $30,000 a year? It's as if a child doesn't deserve a good education, unless their parents make a certain amount of money, & can afford to live in "the right neighborhood". This seems to be the case in DC, MD, & VA.

I consider us a middle class family, if that exists anymore, & Great Schools gives every school in the neighborhoods that we can afford an average of a "4". We can't afford the neighborhoods ranking schools 7 and up.

I'm sorry, but I just believe whether you make $1,000,000 a year, or $30,000 a year, each child deserves the best.

My rant for the day.

There are good schools all over DC, VA, and MD. Great schools is bs, and the sooner you learn that, the better. Don't go by what either Great Schools or DCUM says. Make the decision on your own. Visit schools. Talk to the principal, teachers, observe classes. Stop acting helpless when you're not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is a crazy real estate market and has a sad record when it comes to public schools.

The suburbs are more affordable with better, on average, schools.

+1.

OP, there are good schools everywhere, public and charter and parochial. You need to calm down and devote more time to research instead of internet rants.

[Anonymous]

That would be because ah chills are funded by realestate taxes and this created the self segregation. Of course it's not all about money (example d spending more per pupil than a lot of other jurisdictions) but it's about money too.

[Anonymous]

If you define great schools as full of rich kids then the good schools will be in the rich areas. Scores correlate with wealth too, so there's that.

I don't think that's what makes a school great, but you've got to be willing to scratch beneath the surface.

[Anonymous]

In DC, that's one of the things public charter schools address.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you define great schools as full of rich kids then the good schools will be in the rich areas. Scores correlate with wealth too, so there's that.

I don't think that's what makes a school great, but you've got to be willing to scratch beneath the surface.

I second this. Great Schools is a lousy metric. And test scores tell you ... well, how well the kids score on tests. And kids from wealthy families score better on tests. You might delve into Median Growth Percentile which tells you how kids at a school fared (on tests) over a given period of time relative to kids who started off at their same level. This could help you parse out what influence the school is having versus the "raw material" (for lack of a better term) that the school is starting with.

Then, of course, there is school culture and how pleasant/easy it is to feel part of a school community. Usually, people feel more comfortable with those similar to them, but some school communities do a great job at bridging divides.

[Anonymous]

Like is about choice - there are homes in schools in DC that feed Deal / Hardy that are less than $1M.

3827 Albermale will go for $800K. It might not be on the most picturesque street - but in your budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am so frustrated. Why is it that you have to spend close to a million dollars, or more, on a home, just so your kid can get a quality education without paying $30,000 a year? It's as if a child doesn't deserve a good education, unless their parents make a certain amount of money, & can afford to live in "the right neighborhood". This seems to be the case in DC, MD, & VA.

I consider us a middle class family, if that exists anymore, & Great Schools gives every school in the neighborhoods that we can afford an average of a "4". We can't afford the neighborhoods ranking schools 7 and up.

I'm sorry, but I just believe whether you make $1,000,000 a year, or $30,000 a year, each child deserves the best.

My rant for the day.

Why are all of the GOOD public schools only in the Expensive parts of town?

How new are you??

Have you heard of suburbs? Because that's where people often go when they get tired of the constant fight for anything decent in the city. It's why we keep electing Democrat politicians - who own every single large American city, btw. Why Democrat policies haven't delivered for us yet, I don't know. They got all the power and things keep getting worse. Maybe we shouldn't keep giving them unqualified and unearned support.

Until welfare writes a $1,000,000 check maybe unquestioned loyalty isn't in everybody's best interest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like is about choice - there are homes in schools in DC that feed Deal / Hardy that are less than $1M.

3827 Albermale will go for $800K. It might not be on the most picturesque street - but in your budget.

OP is here on a blame-others rant. Let her release some steam.

[Anonymous]

That's not unique to this area of the country? I grew up in CT and the better schools were always in the more expensive areas.

That said, Great Schools is sort of an awful tool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That would be because ah chills are funded by realestate taxes and this created the self segregation. Of course it's not all about money (example d spending more per pupil than a lot of other jurisdictions) but it's about money too.

Perhaps you're trying to say that "all schools" are funded by real estate taxes? However, that applies to districts. Here in DC everybody's taxes get put into a large pot and the poorest and worst schools get more money than the best and richest. If the best and richest want to raise more money, it's on them. Welcome to socialism. (It doesn't work. The poor schools still suck.)

[Anonymous]

We choose to continue renting in order to send our kids to great DC neighborhood schools. But I'm one who finds home ownership highly overrated. Been there, done that and am happier renting!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That would be because ah chills are funded by realestate taxes and this created the self segregation. Of course it's not all about money (example d spending more per pupil than a lot of other jurisdictions) but it's about money too.

Perhaps you're trying to say that "all schools" are funded by real estate taxes? However, that applies to districts. Here in DC everybody's taxes get put into a large pot and the poorest and worst schools get more money than the best and richest. If the best and richest want to raise more money, it's on them. Welcome to socialism. (It doesn't work. The poor schools still suck.)

+1. DCPS data is enough to debunk the funding excuse for low academic performance.