Reply to moving to VA for the schools-where would you go?

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Reply to "moving to VA for the schools-where would you go?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We're in FCC. The taxes are annoyingly high, but you'll pay less than you do in DC all-in, and you'll likely get the same house for less in FCC vs. North Arlington, which accounts for some of the tax difference.

This is totally anecdotal so take it with a grain of salt, but the houses we liked in FCC were $100k or so less than the comparable houses we liked in N. Arlington. For us this meant we were slightly ahead on a monthly basis in FCC, even after taxes, than buying a more expensive similar house in Arlington.

Regarding diversity, I was pleasantly surprised to find more racial diversity in FCC than I would have assumed from reading this board. It is true that there is less SES diversity (I think FARMS is about 7-8%, but that's off the top of my head) than much of FCPS or APS. But -- again anecdotally -- I don't see a huge difference in racial diversity between GMHS and Yorktown HS. If diversity is really important I'd give Wakefield a hard look even though scores are lower and people tend to slam it sight-unseen on this board.

If I could sum up most of what I hear into gross generalizations, it would be:

FCC: Small, high quality schools, less diversity, high taxes, getting more popular/overcrowded

* Note that the overcrowding may be less of an issue depending on your timeframe. FCCPS is opening a new, larger K-2 school in fall 2016, which will relieve pressure at both elementary schools. Crowding isn't a major issue at the relatively new middle school. And there are plans to rebuild the high school as well, though that's almost certainly a few years off.

N. Arlington: Larger, high quality schools, low diversity at Yorktown schools, more at W-L and Wakefield, widespread overcrowding and redistricting[/quote]

Again with the emphasis on "diversity." Please don't assume people share your narrow and peculiar interest there. I've literally never heard of anyone state "diversity" as a criteria when looking for a school. Most people look at test scores, teacher quality. I guess some black people prefer all-black schools -- that's the case in my DC and PG Schools, I guess. But they're generally poor performing -- maybe they're the ones looking to break from homogeneity?

FCC schools do have a good reputation. From what I understand, however, is because it's such a small system that if there's a conflict for any reason you kind of have to live with it or go private. There's no room to transfer.[/quote]

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