Reply to Moving to avoid two middle school changes

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[quote=Anonymous]I’d really appreciate some perspective from other parents.

I’m a divorced parent with primary physical custody of one child. We live in the family home that I kept after the divorce, and his dad lives closer to the city and mostly has “weekend dad” time.

My child starts middle school this fall. Because of the MCPS boundary study, we expect to be assigned to a different (and lower-rated) school than most of his friends. The implementation plan would have him attend the current middle school for 6th grade and then switch to a different school for 7th grade,  which means two major school transitions in two years.

Because of that, I’m considering leaving our current home and moving to a neighborhood that isn’t affected by the boundary changes. There are a few neighborhoods between here and his dad’s place where the school assignments are stable.

The challenge is that this would be a big financial sacrifice. The homes there are smaller and my housing costs would increase by about 50%. I could make it work financially, but it’s a major trade-off.

[b]Pros of moving:[/b]
Avoid the double middle school transition
More kids in the neighborhood / better social opportunities for both of us
Closer to dad, so weekday time together could be easier, and dad can help in ways that he can't now 
Potential to select neighborhood with better quality public schools than new assignments

[b]Cons of moving:[/b]
Significant financial hit for me
Longer commute
Leaving a few close friends made through current school
Big downgrade in housing quality
Moving itself is also a big transition emotionally

So I’m really torn. Is it better to keep the stability of our current home and absorb the school changes, or move to avoid the double transition?

If you were in this situation, what would you prioritize? 
  
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