Two concepts should be banned in discussing boundary studies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there places where the nearest high school is over four miles away?

That is an exception. I meant a general rule. I just do not like busing a long distance as a tool for balancing FARMS.

Np I disagree. I don’t think they should let any school get over 15-20% farms.

In my neighborhood there are two elementary schools 1 mile apart. One has only 1m+ sfhs and a few townhouses. The other has 1m homes and then a new apartment complex was built. It’s now 60% farms. I think there would be a massive benefit in balancing the schools. Only the sfhs are within walking distance to both schools. The apartments are already bused from a mile away.

What a fantastic example of how out of touch some people on the wealthier side of the county are. “I don’t think they should let any school get over 15-20% FARMS.” And also, we should let them eat cake!

Here in reality, 44% of the students in the county are eligible for FARMS.

If the county is 44% FARMS, they should mandate that every school have 44% FARMs. Instead of having one school be 80% FARM and one be 10%.

I'd like to see some conceptual school boundaries based on this goal, because my guess is that they would be pretty ridiculous and require way longer bus rides than even its proponents realize. Because most of the schools with 10% FARMS are not adjacent to schools with 80% FARMS. There are other schools in the middle, many of which hover around the mean MCPS rates. There's a reason that no one is seriously proposing this outside of an anonymous message board.

the FARMS rates for Einstein and Wheaton are 2-3 times that of Walter Johnson which is adjacent to those clusters

I'd like to see anyone from WJ cluster going voluntarily to Einstein. Not for a special program but just for the kid to help the school with FARMS rate.

If boundaries were voluntary many folks would send their kids to a different high school than the one they are assigned to

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With so many factors to balance in determining a final call, MCPS should not consider two things:
1) Property value
2) Busing (the most terrible idea since its inception)

Property Value should be first. That is how we generate money to fund the schools. You idiot.

Which is why school funding should not be tied to property values. Plenty of studies prove this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think folks at MCPS and MCEA need to get their heads around the fact that a tax increase for schools is going to be a pretty hard sell

Oh so think they already understand that. You know who clearly doesn’t? Parents who want everything fixed and resolved now as though magical fairies will come provide materials and services for free.

Folks are willing to pay $45k for The Potomac School that doesn’t have to address nearly as much as a public. But somehow scream bloody murder that the MCPS budget is $3B. Nevermind that averages to about $18,750 per student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think folks at MCPS and MCEA need to get their heads around the fact that a tax increase for schools is going to be a pretty hard sell

Oh so think they already understand that. You know who clearly doesn’t? Parents who want everything fixed and resolved now as though magical fairies will come provide materials and services for free.

Folks are willing to pay $45k for The Potomac School that doesn’t have to address nearly as much as a public. But somehow scream bloody murder that the MCPS budget is $3B. Nevermind that averages to about $18,750 per student.

We really need a private subsidy program. It's absurd that MCPS forces kids into these boundaries by zip code with no opt-out.

I mean they say Rockville can't have a special program, because RM nearby has the IB program, but none of these programs are accessible to RHS students, so we're stuck with no programs, no "Halo" effect from being in a school with programs.

I'm pretty sure that 18K would go a long way towards some private education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think folks at MCPS and MCEA need to get their heads around the fact that a tax increase for schools is going to be a pretty hard sell

Oh so think they already understand that. You know who clearly doesn’t? Parents who want everything fixed and resolved now as though magical fairies will come provide materials and services for free.

Folks are willing to pay $45k for The Potomac School that doesn’t have to address nearly as much as a public. But somehow scream bloody murder that the MCPS budget is $3B. Nevermind that averages to about $18,750 per student.

We really need a private subsidy program. It's absurd that MCPS forces kids into these boundaries by zip code with no opt-out.

I mean they say Rockville can't have a special program, because RM nearby has the IB program, but none of these programs are accessible to RHS students, so we're stuck with no programs, no "Halo" effect from being in a school with programs.

I'm pretty sure that 18K would go a long way towards some private education.

No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Busing is going to happen

It's insane to concentrate all the poverty in certain schools. These schools don't get any money to help them address these kids' needs. What a world we live in that rich people are so selfish they want to keep all the poor kids out of their school. Jfc

And we know it's not just about bus rides. There are zero options considering putting ToK at Einstein which is their closest school. It's about property values that everyone knows are propped up by the legacy of redlining.

The schools in the poorer areas get ALL the money! What are you even talking about? Title 1 schools get the funding. That’s how it works. maybe research before making comments. Have you been inside these schools in poor areas? Because they are in MUCH better condition with far more resources than the schools in the more affluent areas. They get priority for funding.

There are zero Title 1 or focus high schools, they absolutely do not get "all the money". In fact, wealthy schools have more experienced teachers who are paid more than less experienced teachers. None of this is tracked or accounted for in measures of per pupil funding, they just assign an average teacher cost, but personnel is by far the largest cost for schools.

And your statement about better conditions at high poverty schools is too ridiculous for words.

Have you been to the high poverty schools? because I have had to be in several for work and they are ALL in better condition then the higher rated schools my kids go to. So no it’s not ridiculous, it’s true.

I see. You see a few high poverty schools in good condition and you resent it because you think the wealthy schools should be nicer. Do any search for MCPS building conditions and you will find several examples of high poverty schools in such bad condition that they are a health hazard for students and staff.

Which neighborhoods are paying the taxes? Why shouldn't those kids get schools comparatively as nice as their homes?

Since several of you believe that your property values are going to drop if they change boundaries, your taxes will reduce, no?

I love how school boundary discussions bring out the true colors of people who claim to be liberal and left leaning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think folks at MCPS and MCEA need to get their heads around the fact that a tax increase for schools is going to be a pretty hard sell

Oh so think they already understand that. You know who clearly doesn’t? Parents who want everything fixed and resolved now as though magical fairies will come provide materials and services for free.

Folks are willing to pay $45k for The Potomac School that doesn’t have to address nearly as much as a public. But somehow scream bloody murder that the MCPS budget is $3B. Nevermind that averages to about $18,750 per student.

We really need a private subsidy program. It's absurd that MCPS forces kids into these boundaries by zip code with no opt-out.

I mean they say Rockville can't have a special program, because RM nearby has the IB program, but none of these programs are accessible to RHS students, so we're stuck with no programs, no "Halo" effect from being in a school with programs.

I'm pretty sure that 18K would go a long way towards some private education.

Boundaries do not go by zip code. And RHS has an IB program currently, and would continue to have one. And would still be in the same region as RM in the new model, so would still have access to RMIB.

[Anonymous]

Why would anyone voluntarily leave WJ for Einstein? People paid a premium for housing specially so they can go to WJ instead of Einstein.

[Anonymous]

Balancing the farms rate should have nothing to do with new boundaries. If you chose to buy in Einstein, you prioritized close in proximity over the school attendance zone.

If you cared about the school attendance zone, you could have bought a house in Poolesville for a similar price as Einstein. But instead you prioritized close in proximity to DC.

[Anonymous]

There is nothing is unfair about some schools having high farms rate and others having low farms rate. Everyone makes decisions based on their priorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there places where the nearest high school is over four miles away?

That is an exception. I meant a general rule. I just do not like busing a long distance as a tool for balancing FARMS.

Np I disagree. I don’t think they should let any school get over 15-20% farms.

In my neighborhood there are two elementary schools 1 mile apart. One has only 1m+ sfhs and a few townhouses. The other has 1m homes and then a new apartment complex was built. It’s now 60% farms. I think there would be a massive benefit in balancing the schools. Only the sfhs are within walking distance to both schools. The apartments are already bused from a mile away.

What a fantastic example of how out of touch some people on the wealthier side of the county are. “I don’t think they should let any school get over 15-20% FARMS.” And also, we should let them eat cake!

Here in reality, 44% of the students in the county are eligible for FARMS.

If the county is 44% FARMS, they should mandate that every school have 44% FARMs. Instead of having one school be 80% FARM and one be 10%.

I'd like to see some conceptual school boundaries based on this goal, because my guess is that they would be pretty ridiculous and require way longer bus rides than even its proponents realize. Because most of the schools with 10% FARMS are not adjacent to schools with 80% FARMS. There are other schools in the middle, many of which hover around the mean MCPS rates. There's a reason that no one is seriously proposing this outside of an anonymous message board.

the FARMS rates for Einstein and Wheaton are 2-3 times that of Walter Johnson which is adjacent to those clusters

I'd like to see anyone from WJ cluster going voluntarily to Einstein. Not for a special program but just for the kid to help the school with FARMS rate.

If boundaries were voluntary many folks would send their kids to a different high school than the one they are assigned to

Walt Whitman or WJ to Einstein or Kennedy? Never. The other way? Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is nothing is unfair about some schools having high farms rate and others having low farms rate. Everyone makes decisions based on their priorities.

And, for some, things like financial, work and family constraints.

[Anonymous]

It's so stupid. If you live in the Einstein or Kennedy zone, and do not like the schools, why did you buy there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think folks at MCPS and MCEA need to get their heads around the fact that a tax increase for schools is going to be a pretty hard sell

Oh so think they already understand that. You know who clearly doesn’t? Parents who want everything fixed and resolved now as though magical fairies will come provide materials and services for free.

Folks are willing to pay $45k for The Potomac School that doesn’t have to address nearly as much as a public. But somehow scream bloody murder that the MCPS budget is $3B. Nevermind that averages to about $18,750 per student.

We really need a private subsidy program. It's absurd that MCPS forces kids into these boundaries by zip code with no opt-out.

I mean they say Rockville can't have a special program, because RM nearby has the IB program, but none of these programs are accessible to RHS students, so we're stuck with no programs, no "Halo" effect from being in a school with programs.

I'm pretty sure that 18K would go a long way towards some private education.

I'm not opposed to private schools necessarily, but they should have to play by the same principles as public schools. No discrimination based on wealth or ability. They should be willing to provide an appropriate education for all, including providing remedial or special education services when appropriate, without additional fees beyond the public voucher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's so stupid. If you live in the Einstein or Kennedy zone, and do not like the schools, why did you buy there?

Our family is zoned for Einstein. We don't have direct experience with the school but based on people in our neighborhood, folks do seem to like the school. Their kids get into good colleges and are successful. Those that don't want to send their kids there go private. As to why we bought here we liked the location, neighborhood, and house and could afford it which is important because our kid has special needs and requires services the schools won't pay for. It is important not to have to stress about needing a $100+ per hour tutor.wfor who knows how long.