Reply to Alexandria's ban on Thomas Jefferson magnet school

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Reply to "Alexandria's ban on Thomas Jefferson magnet school"

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[quote=Anonymous]ACPS resident here who went to a magnet school comparable to TJ in another state (and ranked the same or higher in national high school rankings over the years). I am happy with the policy staying as it is even though I know it means my own kids won't have a shot at the magnet school experience I had.

To the poster looking for data v. anecdotes about high achieving students: to participate in TJ is not just $X per jurisdiction resident who gets in; it requires yearly lump sum payments to TJ (in the hundreds of thousands of dollars range) regardless of whether any Alexandria city resident kids get in/attend. Meaning, it is likely that some years ACPS would be transferring large sums of money to a school that serves no city residents. Even in years where city resident kids got in, the projected number last time I looked was potentially 2-4 students. That's a really small number of students for such a large outlay of taxpayer dollars.

Given the huge needs for improved or new facilities in ACPS and our serious budget constraints in the city as a whole, I would much rather have that money invested in our own schools where we know Alexandria resident students will benefit. As a taxpayer, I would consider sending hundreds of thousands of dollars to TJ a misuse of funds. Indeed, in recent years TC improved science facilities and created a great STEM/Health Sciences program in collaboration with George Washington University. I'm glad our tax dollars went to those things - that will benefit lots of city resident students - than to TJ just for the possibility that a handful of students (my kids included) might get in.

Of course people can vote with their feet. I know people who moved to Fairfax in the elementary school years because of the ACPS policy. They wanted their kid to have a shot at TJ. Their kid didn't get in to TJ. I'm sure there are others who did the same with various levels of success. We're staying put because we love our community and because we know our kids can excel at TC.  [/quote]

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