Moving off Capitol Hill, where to go for great schools and walkability?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC to Arlington transplant here. Arlington schools are good enough for most kids. We are satisfied and glad we moved. Bottom line is that in the DC there aren't really the top-notch public schools you would get on north shore of Chicago or the NYC burbs. Of course, schools here are more diverse and less cut-throat so there are trade offs. Closest thing in DMV would be Falls Church City.

Lyon Park was mentioned above but not Ashton Heights, which is pretty much the same neighborhood. One nice thing is that it is very close to the Hill on weekends if you keep up with your DC friends. I also think more wealthy families in Arlington do public vs in Chevy Chase/Bethesda. In part this is because there are fewer good private schools in NoVa. Takoma Park is great too and there are certainly things to like about the other MD suburbs. For me, the MoCo school system was just too big and our commutes were going to be much longer so we did not really consider it.

I think there are more older money wealthy families in CC where private schools would have been expected for a generation or two. Arlington affluence is more recent.

Nah. All of my kid’s Sidwell classmates from CCMD — and there are a lot of them — are the sons and daughters of self-made lawyer parents. Without trust funds. Occasionally you’ll see some doctors or engineers.

The exception is that insular BSS group that feeds to GP; they do enjoy the legacy and family money thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virginia

+1. great schools, reasonable taxes, green areas, walkability

Show me a good school in Arlington that has walkability / close to metro. Yes, good schools means test scores.

I do not get this. If you live in north Arlington schools are not a factor. I think the train has left the station on APS and private is really the question. How long is your commute to the PRIVATE school you are sending you kids to?

No one should be moving to Arlington for the school system. It is about the location and not being in dc. APS is highly average, at best.

Naive Capitol Hill resident here. Thought the tried and true Hill strategy was to bail for a place like arlington for better schools. How have the schools in APS declined?

It is just math.

If you spend 3m or more on a home in dc your are not sending your kids to a public school there. Same for Arlington- it really is the best option for not living in DC. But we do not use the public education system like anyone else who can afford to avoid it.