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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]DH and I are debating our options - we currently live in PG Laurel but want to move closer in to the city to reduce our commute.  We're also really keen on our daughter attending public school.  We're debating 2 options - buy a modestly priced house in Takoma Park and get in on MoCo, or buy close in in PG and try our luck with immersion lottery and/or the local elementary and/or possibly Friends Community, though I've heard it's getting really competitive.  We have a few years to make the move, but I'm trying to figure things out now.

I know the Great Schools site can be a load of c*&% but it's somewhere for me to start.  I get that the "best" elementaries in PG are either specialty programs, TAG, or in Bowie.  We'd want to live as close to the city as possible so Bowie is out.  I see that Greenbelt is rated as ok, but it's still kind of far out (I'd love to get inside the beltway).  Where should we be looking?  University Park?  Hyattsville?  Mt. Rainier?  Which elementaries are maybe rated low on the websites but are actually great schools - on an upward trend, with great administration and a strong focus on academics?  I like diversity (as in a healthy mix).  I'm not interested in my kid being a trail blazer - I want her to go to an excellent school with excellent teachers, so if I'm just chasing the unicorn here in PG County, I'd rather know the harsh truth now!  Thanks everyone in advance for your input. :)[/quote]

I don't live in PG county but a similar area in VA and I will answer the original question you posed.

Elementary schools that are rated low on Great Schools are not going to be great.  BTDT.

What you think you do and do not want right now will change dramatically once your child is in school and is being effected by their environment both academically and socially.

Low rated schools are focused on academics but they are focused on getting the lowest performing kids up to average.  This is where they have to put the bulk of their resources.

Behavior problems are very real and impact the classroom and learning.

I learned the hard way that parental involvement meant us as parents do quite a bit of extra work at home to either keep my child interested in school or to fill in the gaps of what they did not have time to teach.  Lots of school events and an active PTA do not make up for the academic environment.  They are nice to haves and it makes you as a parent feel good but they have minimal impact on the classroom experience.[/quote]

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