FCPS High School Poverty and Enrollment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - the simple fact is that the gap between certain neighboring schools in FCPS has become so large that the prospect of boundary changes is essentially off the table.

West Springfield - Lewis - not going to happen. Langley - Herndon - not going to happen. Woodson - Annandale - not going to happen.

And then you have West Potomac and Mount Vernon - it could have happened. A boundary change made perfect sense. Extra space at Mount Vernon and too many students at West Potomac. Both schools have a pretty high F/R lunch rate, but West Potomac's is a bit lower and it has a better reputation (and AP courses). If they didn't change those boundaries, you better believe they are never going to make those other changes.

Up until 2000, maybe 2005, you could probably have made any of those changes. Parents would have grumbled but would have sucked it up and moved on. Now it would implode parents' minds.

Let it implode parents’ minds! No one should feel entitled to attend a particular school. The School Board wastes taxpayer money by adding on to “good” schools while other schools have plenty of space. They promote “equity” but have no actual intention of doing anything to resolve the situation or upset the status quo. They just want to keep their Board seat and maybe move up to higher office. Meanwhile our taxes continue to increase while many of our schools stagnate or decline.

If you pay premium to live in jurisdiction for particular school, you should feel entitlement.

If the border change to problem school housing value go down.

But conversely wouldn’t housing values go up in some areas if less poverty was concentrated in those schools?

But the amount wouldn’t be equal. The drop in one house and rise in another wouldn’t be equal partly because the surrounding areas don’t offer the same type of benefit/amenities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - the simple fact is that the gap between certain neighboring schools in FCPS has become so large that the prospect of boundary changes is essentially off the table.

West Springfield - Lewis - not going to happen. Langley - Herndon - not going to happen. Woodson - Annandale - not going to happen.

And then you have West Potomac and Mount Vernon - it could have happened. A boundary change made perfect sense. Extra space at Mount Vernon and too many students at West Potomac. Both schools have a pretty high F/R lunch rate, but West Potomac's is a bit lower and it has a better reputation (and AP courses). If they didn't change those boundaries, you better believe they are never going to make those other changes.

Up until 2000, maybe 2005, you could probably have made any of those changes. Parents would have grumbled but would have sucked it up and moved on. Now it would implode parents' minds.

Let it implode parents’ minds! No one should feel entitled to attend a particular school. The School Board wastes taxpayer money by adding on to “good” schools while other schools have plenty of space. They promote “equity” but have no actual intention of doing anything to resolve the situation or upset the status quo. They just want to keep their Board seat and maybe move up to higher office. Meanwhile our taxes continue to increase while many of our schools stagnate or decline.

If you pay premium to live in jurisdiction for particular school, you should feel entitlement.

If the border change to problem school housing value go down.

Everyone pays the same rate.

Yes. But, funny how that works. House value goes up: taxes go up. So, while everyone may pay the same "rate" they certainly pay different amounts. Sometimes, dramatically different.

+1
I honestly can't believe this has to be explained to the PP.

DP. There’s no confusion. The people who point out we pay the same rate are suggesting we’re all in this together and the people who point to their higher tax payments think they deserve special treatment based on their wealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - the simple fact is that the gap between certain neighboring schools in FCPS has become so large that the prospect of boundary changes is essentially off the table.

West Springfield - Lewis - not going to happen. Langley - Herndon - not going to happen. Woodson - Annandale - not going to happen.

And then you have West Potomac and Mount Vernon - it could have happened. A boundary change made perfect sense. Extra space at Mount Vernon and too many students at West Potomac. Both schools have a pretty high F/R lunch rate, but West Potomac's is a bit lower and it has a better reputation (and AP courses). If they didn't change those boundaries, you better believe they are never going to make those other changes.

Up until 2000, maybe 2005, you could probably have made any of those changes. Parents would have grumbled but would have sucked it up and moved on. Now it would implode parents' minds.

Let it implode parents’ minds! No one should feel entitled to attend a particular school. The School Board wastes taxpayer money by adding on to “good” schools while other schools have plenty of space. They promote “equity” but have no actual intention of doing anything to resolve the situation or upset the status quo. They just want to keep their Board seat and maybe move up to higher office. Meanwhile our taxes continue to increase while many of our schools stagnate or decline.

If you pay premium to live in jurisdiction for particular school, you should feel entitlement.

If the border change to problem school housing value go down.

But conversely wouldn’t housing values go up in some areas if less poverty was concentrated in those schools?

But the amount wouldn’t be equal. The drop in one house and rise in another wouldn’t be equal partly because the surrounding areas don’t offer the same type of benefit/amenities.

The areas where you’re claiming values would drop if there was a change in school assignment would still have other amenities, and the areas that would have better amenities (i.e., schools) would see an increase in values.

[Anonymous]

Are we aiming for socialism? Everyone monetarily equal? Last I checked USA was a market democratic economy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - the simple fact is that the gap between certain neighboring schools in FCPS has become so large that the prospect of boundary changes is essentially off the table.

West Springfield - Lewis - not going to happen. Langley - Herndon - not going to happen. Woodson - Annandale - not going to happen.

And then you have West Potomac and Mount Vernon - it could have happened. A boundary change made perfect sense. Extra space at Mount Vernon and too many students at West Potomac. Both schools have a pretty high F/R lunch rate, but West Potomac's is a bit lower and it has a better reputation (and AP courses). If they didn't change those boundaries, you better believe they are never going to make those other changes.

Up until 2000, maybe 2005, you could probably have made any of those changes. Parents would have grumbled but would have sucked it up and moved on. Now it would implode parents' minds.

Let it implode parents’ minds! No one should feel entitled to attend a particular school. The School Board wastes taxpayer money by adding on to “good” schools while other schools have plenty of space. They promote “equity” but have no actual intention of doing anything to resolve the situation or upset the status quo. They just want to keep their Board seat and maybe move up to higher office. Meanwhile our taxes continue to increase while many of our schools stagnate or decline.

If you pay premium to live in jurisdiction for particular school, you should feel entitlement.

If the border change to problem school housing value go down.

But conversely wouldn’t housing values go up in some areas if less poverty was concentrated in those schools?

But the amount wouldn’t be equal. The drop in one house and rise in another wouldn’t be equal partly because the surrounding areas don’t offer the same type of benefit/amenities.

The areas where you’re claiming values would drop if there was a change in school assignment would still have other amenities, and the areas that would have better amenities (i.e., schools) would see an increase in values.

Do you really think that people who paid a premium price to live in a "good" school district would accept a boundary adjustment without taking some other action?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are we aiming for socialism? Everyone monetarily equal? Last I checked USA was a market democratic economy.

You are the problem. Why are you even associating public education with wealth? So only the wealthy deserve good public schools? Absolutely terrible logic and pure selfishness. And yet you'll probably find someone else to blame for all of America's problems with youth and K-12 education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are we aiming for socialism? Everyone monetarily equal? Last I checked USA was a market democratic economy.

You are the problem. Why are you even associating public education with wealth? So only the wealthy deserve good public schools? Absolutely terrible logic and pure selfishness. And yet you'll probably find someone else to blame for all of America's problems with youth and K-12 education.

We all deserve good public schools. But, shifting neighborhoods to enable scores to go up does not help those who need the help. It just covers up the negligence of not teaching the poorer kids.

The answer is good instruction where the students are. Maybe, just maybe, that would improve things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - the simple fact is that the gap between certain neighboring schools in FCPS has become so large that the prospect of boundary changes is essentially off the table.

West Springfield - Lewis - not going to happen. Langley - Herndon - not going to happen. Woodson - Annandale - not going to happen.

And then you have West Potomac and Mount Vernon - it could have happened. A boundary change made perfect sense. Extra space at Mount Vernon and too many students at West Potomac. Both schools have a pretty high F/R lunch rate, but West Potomac's is a bit lower and it has a better reputation (and AP courses). If they didn't change those boundaries, you better believe they are never going to make those other changes.

Up until 2000, maybe 2005, you could probably have made any of those changes. Parents would have grumbled but would have sucked it up and moved on. Now it would implode parents' minds.

Let it implode parents’ minds! No one should feel entitled to attend a particular school. The School Board wastes taxpayer money by adding on to “good” schools while other schools have plenty of space. They promote “equity” but have no actual intention of doing anything to resolve the situation or upset the status quo. They just want to keep their Board seat and maybe move up to higher office. Meanwhile our taxes continue to increase while many of our schools stagnate or decline.

If you pay premium to live in jurisdiction for particular school, you should feel entitlement.

If the border change to problem school housing value go down.

But conversely wouldn’t housing values go up in some areas if less poverty was concentrated in those schools?

But the amount wouldn’t be equal. The drop in one house and rise in another wouldn’t be equal partly because the surrounding areas don’t offer the same type of benefit/amenities.

The areas where you’re claiming values would drop if there was a change in school assignment would still have other amenities, and the areas that would have better amenities (i.e., schools) would see an increase in values.

Do you really think that people who paid a premium price to live in a "good" school district would accept a boundary adjustment without taking some other action?

They’d huff and puff and some would even move, but then they’d get over it. We should not change boundaries just to transfer wealth among families but neither should we avoid changing boundaries just because some rich people might make a stink.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are we aiming for socialism? Everyone monetarily equal? Last I checked USA was a market democratic economy.

You are the problem. Why are you even associating public education with wealth? So only the wealthy deserve good public schools? Absolutely terrible logic and pure selfishness. And yet you'll probably find someone else to blame for all of America's problems with youth and K-12 education.

We all deserve good public schools. But, shifting neighborhoods to enable scores to go up does not help those who need the help. It just covers up the negligence of not teaching the poorer kids.

The answer is good instruction where the students are. Maybe, just maybe, that would improve things.

DP. You could have the best teachers but I suspect little would change until attitudes surrounding the value of an education change at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are we aiming for socialism? Everyone monetarily equal? Last I checked USA was a market democratic economy.

You are the problem. Why are you even associating public education with wealth? So only the wealthy deserve good public schools? Absolutely terrible logic and pure selfishness. And yet you'll probably find someone else to blame for all of America's problems with youth and K-12 education.

We all deserve good public schools. But, shifting neighborhoods to enable scores to go up does not help those who need the help. It just covers up the negligence of not teaching the poorer kids.

The answer is good instruction where the students are. Maybe, just maybe, that would improve things.

Parental or guardian involvement is key

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - the simple fact is that the gap between certain neighboring schools in FCPS has become so large that the prospect of boundary changes is essentially off the table.

West Springfield - Lewis - not going to happen. Langley - Herndon - not going to happen. Woodson - Annandale - not going to happen.

And then you have West Potomac and Mount Vernon - it could have happened. A boundary change made perfect sense. Extra space at Mount Vernon and too many students at West Potomac. Both schools have a pretty high F/R lunch rate, but West Potomac's is a bit lower and it has a better reputation (and AP courses). If they didn't change those boundaries, you better believe they are never going to make those other changes.

Up until 2000, maybe 2005, you could probably have made any of those changes. Parents would have grumbled but would have sucked it up and moved on. Now it would implode parents' minds.

Let it implode parents’ minds! No one should feel entitled to attend a particular school. The School Board wastes taxpayer money by adding on to “good” schools while other schools have plenty of space. They promote “equity” but have no actual intention of doing anything to resolve the situation or upset the status quo. They just want to keep their Board seat and maybe move up to higher office. Meanwhile our taxes continue to increase while many of our schools stagnate or decline.

If you pay premium to live in jurisdiction for particular school, you should feel entitlement.

If the border change to problem school housing value go down.

But conversely wouldn’t housing values go up in some areas if less poverty was concentrated in those schools?

But the amount wouldn’t be equal. The drop in one house and rise in another wouldn’t be equal partly because the surrounding areas don’t offer the same type of benefit/amenities.

The areas where you’re claiming values would drop if there was a change in school assignment would still have other amenities, and the areas that would have better amenities (i.e., schools) would see an increase in values.

Do you really think that people who paid a premium price to live in a "good" school district would accept a boundary adjustment without taking some other action?

They’d huff and puff and some would even move, but then they’d get over it. We should not change boundaries just to transfer wealth among families but neither should we avoid changing boundaries just because some rich people might make a stink.

Maybe, just maybe, the SB should ask themselves why people are not sending their kids to the struggling schools. Why do you think boundary adjustments would change that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are we aiming for socialism? Everyone monetarily equal? Last I checked USA was a market democratic economy.

You are the problem. Why are you even associating public education with wealth? So only the wealthy deserve good public schools? Absolutely terrible logic and pure selfishness. And yet you'll probably find someone else to blame for all of America's problems with youth and K-12 education.

We all deserve good public schools. But, shifting neighborhoods to enable scores to go up does not help those who need the help. It just covers up the negligence of not teaching the poorer kids.

The answer is good instruction where the students are. Maybe, just maybe, that would improve things.

Assuming what you say is true it still ignores the reality of what’s happened in FCPS. There are few incidents where neighborhoods were shifted to boost average test scores and many instances where School Board members deliberately concentrated poverty and wealth at certain schools. It’s past time to start calling out the hypocrites on the School Board responsible for these decisions.

[Anonymous]

WSHS parent here- i guess if we are moved to Lewis, my kid would be more likely to play sports. They may get better college admissions prospects coming from Lewis too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - the simple fact is that the gap between certain neighboring schools in FCPS has become so large that the prospect of boundary changes is essentially off the table.

West Springfield - Lewis - not going to happen. Langley - Herndon - not going to happen. Woodson - Annandale - not going to happen.

And then you have West Potomac and Mount Vernon - it could have happened. A boundary change made perfect sense. Extra space at Mount Vernon and too many students at West Potomac. Both schools have a pretty high F/R lunch rate, but West Potomac's is a bit lower and it has a better reputation (and AP courses). If they didn't change those boundaries, you better believe they are never going to make those other changes.

Up until 2000, maybe 2005, you could probably have made any of those changes. Parents would have grumbled but would have sucked it up and moved on. Now it would implode parents' minds.

Let it implode parents’ minds! No one should feel entitled to attend a particular school. The School Board wastes taxpayer money by adding on to “good” schools while other schools have plenty of space. They promote “equity” but have no actual intention of doing anything to resolve the situation or upset the status quo. They just want to keep their Board seat and maybe move up to higher office. Meanwhile our taxes continue to increase while many of our schools stagnate or decline.

If you pay premium to live in jurisdiction for particular school, you should feel entitlement.

If the border change to problem school housing value go down.

But conversely wouldn’t housing values go up in some areas if less poverty was concentrated in those schools?

But the amount wouldn’t be equal. The drop in one house and rise in another wouldn’t be equal partly because the surrounding areas don’t offer the same type of benefit/amenities.

The areas where you’re claiming values would drop if there was a change in school assignment would still have other amenities, and the areas that would have better amenities (i.e., schools) would see an increase in values.

Do you really think that people who paid a premium price to live in a "good" school district would accept a boundary adjustment without taking some other action?

They’d huff and puff and some would even move, but then they’d get over it. We should not change boundaries just to transfer wealth among families but neither should we avoid changing boundaries just because some rich people might make a stink.

Maybe, just maybe, the SB should ask themselves why people are not sending their kids to the struggling schools. Why do you think boundary adjustments would change that?

One big reason is that it’s an open secret which schools get treated by the School Board as pariahs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are we aiming for socialism? Everyone monetarily equal? Last I checked USA was a market democratic economy.

You are the problem. Why are you even associating public education with wealth? So only the wealthy deserve good public schools? Absolutely terrible logic and pure selfishness. And yet you'll probably find someone else to blame for all of America's problems with youth and K-12 education.

We all deserve good public schools. But, shifting neighborhoods to enable scores to go up does not help those who need the help. It just covers up the negligence of not teaching the poorer kids.

The answer is good instruction where the students are. Maybe, just maybe, that would improve things.

Assuming what you say is true it still ignores the reality of what’s happened in FCPS. There are few incidents where neighborhoods were shifted to boost average test scores and many instances where School Board members deliberately concentrated poverty and wealth at certain schools. It’s past time to start calling out the hypocrites on the School Board responsible for these decisions.

Examples, please.

I can give the opposite. South Lakes boundary was to its benefit at the expense of other schools. Check out Westfield before and after.