Looking to move for a better public school

[Anonymous]

I love our house, location and neighbors but our school sucks. It lacks diversity -- almost 75% Hispanic and large numbers on free and reduced lunch 85%.

We have three kids and think moving to a better public school cluster is better than paying for private. So what are "good" not too crowded, diverse areas that won't see significant change over the next 5 years? Tall order I know...

Part of me says... Everything in MoCo is a crap shoot outside of Potomac/CC/Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

You give no information about your budget and commuting needs and expect a useful answer?

[Anonymous]

I work off the red line, husband in MoCo and we could put $100k down and don't want to spend more than $4k a month

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you should go private, unless you are willing to have much higher class sizes than at your title 1 school.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you should move out to Rockville, if you want to stay on redline. Schools will be crowded, though. How big are your kids' class sizes now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work off the red line, husband in MoCo and we could put $100k down and don't want to spend more than $4k a month

Sorry I am not really willing to calculate how much of a mortgage that would be..especially since you could be doing a 15 year, 30 year? How about we are looking to spend 500K? 1.0M? etc

[Anonymous]

That's what I've been thinking - moving to an okay house with overcrowded schools is it really worth it?! My husband is stuck on them going public but I feel like private is probably the best choice.

I'm thinking we will probably want to spend around $650kish

[Anonymous]

Olney/Brookeville.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Olney/Brookeville.

Seconded.

[Anonymous]

It's not clear from your OP that you have *tried* the school. Other than having poor kids, is it well regarded in the neighborhood? Do people with school-aged kids like it?

I ask because my kids are at a Focus School and are thriving. Small classes, actual differentiation, and a positive school atmosphere. Folks within the community, though, lament losing Title I status because the school offered all sorts of free extracurricular activities with that additional funding that benefited all of the kids.

[Anonymous]

you have the following options:

1. move further out - less crowded schools; but your commute will suck

2. stay where you are and pay for private

3. move to a better cluster but still closer in and deal with crowded schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not clear from your OP that you have *tried* the school. Other than having poor kids, is it well regarded in the neighborhood? Do people with school-aged kids like it?

I ask because my kids are at a Focus School and are thriving. Small classes, actual differentiation, and a positive school atmosphere. Folks within the community, though, lament losing Title I status because the school offered all sorts of free extracurricular activities with that additional funding that benefited all of the kids.

We haven't yet. He starts K next year. Part of me really wants to try it but hearing from others they make me feel like by going there, I'm ruining my kids future.... I like the small class sizes and extra resources invested. I was more concerned with classes going slower for English language learners and my kid getting lost.

I grew up in an area where kids were bussed in for "diversity" and I saw how much attention the staff spent with those kids. I ended up dropping out of high school in my junior year because I felt like it was a waste of time...

I don't know anyone who sends their kids there so I'm not sure about what people have said about it. I know two families with young kids have gone private but I'm pretty sure they didn't even consider the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Olney/Brookeville.

Seconded.

schools not much better but def more whites than minorities.

[Anonymous]

OP, I have a child in a title one school and I was hesitant at first, but my child is learning and I love the smaller class sizes. I say give it a chance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not clear from your OP that you have *tried* the school. Other than having poor kids, is it well regarded in the neighborhood? Do people with school-aged kids like it?

I ask because my kids are at a Focus School and are thriving. Small classes, actual differentiation, and a positive school atmosphere. Folks within the community, though, lament losing Title I status because the school offered all sorts of free extracurricular activities with that additional funding that benefited all of the kids.

We haven't yet. He starts K next year. Part of me really wants to try it but hearing from others they make me feel like by going there, I'm ruining my kids future.... I like the small class sizes and extra resources invested. I was more concerned with classes going slower for English language learners and my kid getting lost.

I grew up in an area where kids were bussed in for "diversity" and I saw how much attention the staff spent with those kids. I ended up dropping out of high school in my junior year because I felt like it was a waste of time...

I don't know anyone who sends their kids there so I'm not sure about what people have said about it. I know two families with young kids have gone private but I'm pretty sure they didn't even consider the school.

Why not apply for the language immersion lottery and give kindergarten a shot either way? Kindergarten moves slowly no matter where you are, because even the kids who have gone to preschool have maybe gone for half days a couple days a week, or they've been in a completely play-based environment (good!) but are coming in with minimal reading and writing. There's no public option that isn't going to be a little slow in kindergarten for a kid who has been well-prepared by preschool.

So...if you hate it and it doesn't work, you haven't lost much. Best case scenario is that the school manages to deal with the kids who are ready for more academics by differentiating their instruction.

If you have 3 kids, private school's going to be a huge investment no matter what. Probably better to move if you try the school and don't like it, but on that budget you will either end up far out or in a school like ours - diverse, about 45% FARMS, but doing well for its kids.