To be fair, we never considered ACPS and it wasn't just because of no shot at TJ.

Ironic they worry about brain drain, because it means all the bright students avoid ACPS because they don’t even have a shot at TJ; the leftovers for the “aim for TJ” crowd is still pretty good, but they start kinder in FCPS for the chance at the TJ ticket.

People don’t seem to understand how the governor’s schools work. Each school has a region and within that region each municipality has to essentially “buy in” for a certain number of spots for the school aka they must contribute to the budget per student. This region’s school is TJ which is in Fairfax so to be eligible you have to live in Fairfax or a neighboring jurisdiction AND your jurisdiction must be participating in budgeting for spots.

Alexandria has actively and purposefully decided, for as long as I can remember (and I am OLD), to not participate in eligibility for TJ (or as others say they don’t buy in, they don’t pay for spots for their citizens’ high schoolers). Hence, since Alexandria doesn’t pay, they cannot participate.

The excuse I was always told was because the city was concerned its best and brightest would apply and get into TJ and not to it’s one and only high school. Hence the fear of a “brain drain”.

I moved here in the 90s and this was what was said about it then. I’m don’t think ANYTHING has changed. If the city refuses to build another high school, I can’t seem them ever agreeing to participate in the governors school system.

You should have advocated to put it in the ACPS budget very early on. The SB budget is in a shortfall now. No way they are going to add millions of dollars for a handful of kids to bus to TJHSST when ACPS has more pressing needs like overcrowding, teacher salaries and teaching to an increasing ELL population.

Anonymous wrote:Alexandria refuses to buy into TJ because they don't want a "brain drain."

Are posters new to this area? Because this has been common knowledge for decades. It's no secret and they don't hide it.

They’d probably only send a handful of kids anyway

Anonymous wrote:Just learned about the Governor Schools. Why doesn't Alexandria participate in any over the Governor's Schools programs? Just Why?! So ridiculous to learn of another way our children are being failed by ACPS.

Your outrage is untimely. It's hard to believe that you just kw discovered Governors Schools, which have been around for decades.

Alexandria refuses to buy into TJ because they don't want a "brain drain."

Are posters new to this area? Because this has been common knowledge for decades. It's no secret and they don't hide it.

maybe cost? Every time there's a budget crunch, people in APS start to eye this.

Just learned about the Governor Schools. Why doesn't Alexandria participate in any over the Governor's Schools programs? Just Why?! So ridiculous to learn of another way our children are being failed by ACPS.