Are the private schools such as STA, Sidwell, NCS, Holton, Maret, etc. worth the money?

[Anonymous]

We've just returned here from overseas (London). Our 2 middle school children (a boy & a girl) have always gone to public schools. We've moved into the District (Georgetown...since my husband likes to walk to work) and we were thinking about public schools. Our friends warned us not to send our kids to public schools here (especially our daughter). One of our neighbors said the Washington Post reported only 9% of entering freshman go on to graduate high school. That seems grim. We really don't want to spend the money. Are private schools here worth it? Both of our children are fairly average in school and both are fairly good in music and sports.

[Anonymous]

That's a big question. I always say "different strokes for different folks". I'm really biased vs. the DCPS. They don't seem to be able to do anything right ... including the recent firing of all of those teachers on Friday w/o warning and w/o plans as to what to do once they were gone. The middle schools in DC are even tougher than the high schools.

If your kids are as average as you say though -- maybe you should save your money and just send them to the DCPS and see how they do. If the schools are really as terrible as people say -- then you could always switch them (they may fall behind though in the DCPS from their London schooling). For Georgetown, the middle school is across from the Safeway on Wisconsin. The kids who get on the bus there are always very loud and disrespectful.

Good luck with your choice. What does your husband want to do? You could always explore the free charter schools too. I don't know anyting about them here in DC.

[Anonymous]

It really depends on your resources first poster. If you can afford private -- I would send them to private. If you can't -- it's a moot argument.

[Anonymous]

Personally, I think it's hard to get a good answer to questions like this (grossly oversimplifying, anyone who would spend $30k/year educating their kid is invested not only financially but emotionally in the idea that it's "worth it", while parents who choose not to send their kids to private, are likewise inclined to believe that their choice does not mean they are selfish, bad parents).


That said, I will say that within DCPS it matters a lot what specific school you will get. You don't say how old your kids are but I think most of Georgetown is in-boundary for Hyde elementary, and my impression (although I don't live in Georgetown) is that it is a very good school. I think the middle school is Hardy which also has a reasonably good reputation (and I think just moved into new space).

All in all I would suggest that you not feel like you "have" to go private (but you might also try posting/reading on the DC schools forum if you haven't already).

[Anonymous]

When you ask if private schools are worth the money -- it depends what you are looking for. My husband & I live very modestly so that we can send our one child to private schools. We live in DC too. We always tell her we plan to leave our money to her anyway. We say if we spend the money on her now -- we won't leave her a house. But, she'll learn what she needs to learn and she can buy her own house!

There are great public schools in suburban MD & VA. They're not great in DC. I'm sure someone will write about the "good public schools in DC". Trust me -- they have lower standards than someone coming from London. The U.S. doesn't compare.

[Anonymous]

10:37 here-- the comment from 10:30 is exactly what I'd expect to hear on this forum.

[Anonymous]

PP --do you not read the paper?

[Anonymous]

If your kids are average -- save your money. They'll have a lot more fun not studying too hard in the DCPS and they might even get into a better college. Since so few DCPS kids go on to college -- college admissions people love to feel they are "saving" someone. When it's time to write the college essays (which I realize will be awhile since you said you have MS Kids) -- have your kids write about how tough it was to get an education in such dire circumstances. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Dd went to Hardy. For the most part got a good education. She had some fabulous teachers, some so-so teachers, and 1 trainwreck (who has left). Later in high school she switched to private from Ellington. It was a good move for her.

That 9% figure reflects the large poor and working class population in DCPS. If you broke it down by class background, you would see a very different graduation rate.

Personally I would move here, enroll the kids in Hardy, and then investigate your different options (including public charter schools and out of boundaries at Deal). You may end up wanting to go private but Hardy will be just fine (for most kids anyway) in the meantime and you may find it suits your needs well.

[Anonymous]

Deeply troubling above that someone would try to explain away the 9% graduation rate in the DCPS. If the schools were any good -- poor people can get all sorts of grants/scholarship/financial aid to go to college. It is an international travesty the DCPS's only send 9% to college.

[Anonymous]

OP, since you live in Georgetown, AND are coming from London, you should also check out WIS & the British School of Washington, where there is an abundant International community. Both good schools, I might add.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Deeply troubling above that someone would try to explain away the 9% graduation rate in the DCPS. If the schools were any good -- poor people can get all sorts of grants/scholarship/financial aid to go to college. It is an international travesty the DCPS's only send 9% to college.

First of all, that 9% figure is, as far as I can tell, a complete myth. It appears graduation rate for DC in 2008 was about 69%, which appears to be a little lower than MD but right in line with VA and the national average.

Second, of course it's a travesty that many of the DCPS schools are failing their kids (and vice-versa)-- but the truth is that has very little if anything to do with whether OP's kids can get a decent education at Hardy.

[Anonymous]

PP -- the 9% rate is the number the DCPS sends to college -- not the graduation rate. 9% is a major embarassment -- I can't believe anyone would try to argue with that. And, it does have something to do with Hardy -- if only 9% of DCPS kids go to college -- the classes at any school won't be as challenging if kids/teachers aren't motivated towards excellence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kids are average -- save your money. They'll have a lot more fun not studying too hard in the DCPS and they might even get into a better college. Since so few DCPS kids go on to college -- college admissions people love to feel they are "saving" someone. When it's time to write the college essays (which I realize will be awhile since you said you have MS Kids) -- have your kids write about how tough it was to get an education in such dire circumstances. Good luck!

Really closed minded and ignorant about what is possible in DCPS.

[Anonymous]

I think the original poster might want to move her question to the DCPS forum. She may find people there who have more favorable opinions of the DCPS. I'm really biased against them so I won't comment about my child's experiences there at Hardy MS.