FCPS Poverty Rates

[Anonymous]

Are the posters on this board aware that 34% of FCPS schools now have a F/R lunch rate over 40%? 30 schools have a rate greater than 65%. I get the feeling that most posters on this board are living in a bubble away from the poverty or choose to ignore it as long as their school is not impacted.

[Anonymous]

I actually have a question about this. I was under the impression that once a school hits 40% , it becomes Title I. My kids' school is currently at 40%, maybe a bit higher, and this has not happened. Did FCPS change the requirements (I thought that % was set federally, but maybe not)?

[Anonymous]

I wonder what the rate was in the 80’s.

[Anonymous]

It is actually worse if you consider that the poverty rate is based on the national definition and not the local one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually have a question about this. I was under the impression that once a school hits 40% , it becomes Title I. My kids' school is currently at 40%, maybe a bit higher, and this has not happened. Did FCPS change the requirements (I thought that % was set federally, but maybe not)?

Not sure. Maybe it has to be at or above 40% for several years before it is designated a Title 1 school.

[Anonymous]

Seven FCPS high schools are above 40% F/R lunch - 5 of them above 55%.

Herndon (42.9%)
West Potomac (43.2%)
Mt. Vernon (55.1%)
Falls Church (57.6%)
Lee (58.1%)
Annandale (61.3%)
Justice (66.8%)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what the rate was in the 80’s.

VDOE data from 2002 shows only two FCPS high schools above 40%:

Mt. Vernon (43.2%)
Stuart (46.3%)

The other schools that are now over 40% were as follows in 2002:

Herndon (13.8%)
Lee (24%)
West Potomac (29.5%)
Falls Church (31.3%)
Annandale (33.4%)

I imagine it would have been much less in the 1980s.

[Anonymous]

It may also be the case that the eligibility criteria for FARMS have been relaxed since 2002. The rates in both APS and MCPS were higher than in FCPS last year.

[Anonymous]

Yes, we live in Herndon and are not in the bubble "away from it all" as the previous poster has described. Things are not the way they used to be. Low parental involvement - it's always the same faces at functions, the lack of academic extra-curriculars that the wealthy middle schools have, and I'm constantly getting "attendance matters" emails from the high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually have a question about this. I was under the impression that once a school hits 40% , it becomes Title I. My kids' school is currently at 40%, maybe a bit higher, and this has not happened. Did FCPS change the requirements (I thought that % was set federally, but maybe not)?

Not sure. Maybe it has to be at or above 40% for several years before it is designated a Title 1 school.

I think schools with a poverty rate above 40% are eligible for Title I funds, but it is not mandatory until the school has a poverty rate over 75%. See https://www.fcps.edu/node/33392

Also note that calculations are based on students aged 5-17 who live in the school's boundary, not the students who actually attend the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually have a question about this. I was under the impression that once a school hits 40% , it becomes Title I. My kids' school is currently at 40%, maybe a bit higher, and this has not happened. Did FCPS change the requirements (I thought that % was set federally, but maybe not)?

No. I don't know what the rate needs to be to qualify for Title 1, but I know of numerous schools that are over 40% that are not Title I.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually have a question about this. I was under the impression that once a school hits 40% , it becomes Title I. My kids' school is currently at 40%, maybe a bit higher, and this has not happened. Did FCPS change the requirements (I thought that % was set federally, but maybe not)?

Not sure. Maybe it has to be at or above 40% for several years before it is designated a Title 1 school.

I think schools with a poverty rate above 40% are eligible for Title I funds, but it is not mandatory until the school has a poverty rate over 75%. See https://www.fcps.edu/node/33392

Also note that calculations are based on students aged 5-17 who live in the school's boundary, not the students who actually attend the school.

Interesting, thank you! When I followed the link, it said FCPS requires a rate of at least 45% to be eligible, so I guess I answered my own question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, we live in Herndon and are not in the bubble "away from it all" as the previous poster has described. Things are not the way they used to be. Low parental involvement - it's always the same faces at functions, the lack of academic extra-curriculars that the wealthy middle schools have, and I'm constantly getting "attendance matters" emails from the high school.

I have been hearing this about public schools since I was in public schools in the 1970s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, we live in Herndon and are not in the bubble "away from it all" as the previous poster has described. Things are not the way they used to be. Low parental involvement it's always the same faces at functions, the lack of academic extra-curriculars that the wealthy middle schools have, and I'm constantly getting "attendance matters" emails from the high school.

I have been hearing this about public schools since I was in public schools in the 1970s.

Oops I bolted the wrong sentence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, we live in Herndon and are not in the bubble "away from it all" as the previous poster has described. Things are not the way they used to be. Low parental involvement it's always the same faces at functions, the lack of academic extra-curriculars that the wealthy middle schools have, and I'm constantly getting "attendance matters" emails from the high school.

I have been hearing this about public schools since I was in public schools in the 1970s.

Oops I bolted the wrong sentence.

DP - Well I grew up going to fcps in the 80’s, and it was generally understood that they were excellent schools across the board, with great faculty and engaged parents.