Reply to Neighborhoods in Fairfax/Prince William/Loudoun Counties?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]This house just came on the market in my neighborhood.  I wouldn't put a lot of credence into the school ratings.  Go to the FCPS website and look up the data yourself to get a better idea of the academics.

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Springfield/7790-Tangier-Dr-22153/home/9802938[/quote]

That's beautiful! But I need help re the schools. What kind of data do you suggest we look up? It seems to me that the low ratings are due to ESL kids, right? But I've talked to teachers who work in those schools and they say that they do, in fact, spend a disproportionate amount of time w the kids who need more help. Isn't that a valid concern? What else separates a 5 from an 8 if not that? I truly want to understand. We are both working outside the home and while we want to be involved w our kids education, we do really need the schools to do the heavy lifting. There must be some valid reasons that 8s and 9s are considered better?[/quote]

The elementary school isn't the concern with that house. That school is fine. The high school is the larger concern. In Fairfax county, anything 5 or above is likely to be fine. Even some 4s depending on the neighborhood. Focus on the high school rating.  Any elementary schools feeding into an 8 or above high school pyramid will generally be fine unless you want to unnecessarily concern yourself with splitting hairs[/quote]

And let me add more context since you asked for specific data. Don't get overly concerned with ratings at the elementary school level but also think about what kind of school environment you want for your kids which will also be determinative of the neighborhood you want to live in. For us, diversity was important so we chose a FCPS elementary school with a slightly lower GS rating (still zoned for West Springfield) to get a more balanced demographics. You may not have the same concerns. You can find this info on the county school webpages

We also found DCUM message boards to be helpful. Search the schools your considering and see what people are saying. Schools have distinct climates and, surprisingly, DCUM isn't too far off base if you can wade through the extreme voices.

Finally, don't base the decision solely on GS ratings. Your kids education, especially at the elementary level, is more than just test scores and ratings. Do the schools foster competition or collaboration? Do they help students develop a love for learning? How engaged are parents and are the engaged parents the ones you want to be around? Do the teachers have a good relationship with the admin and vice versa. I highly recommend identifying a few neighborhoods and then talking with neighbors. And if the neighbors aren't willing to talk to you, is that somewhere you really want to live?[/quote]

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