Anonymous
04/28/2025 11:53
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
I think if you have hesitation to go to CES, then go for private.
Anonymous
04/28/2025 11:28
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:CES is really not that great. Better than the home school, sure, but does not compare with private.
I was thinking that too.Especially because CES is "just" reading and writing and not STEM
And with big classes, and now more of a mixed group of students, kids get little meaningful feedback on their written work.
How big are the CES classes? DS has 22 in his class right now, and I don't want any bigger
DS's CES class was 30/31
Anonymous
04/28/2025 11:27
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:CES is really not that great. Better than the home school, sure, but does not compare with private.
I was thinking that too.Especially because CES is "just" reading and writing and not STEM
And with big classes, and now more of a mixed group of students, kids get little meaningful feedback on their written work.
How big are the CES classes? DS has 22 in his class right now, and I don't want any bigger
Anonymous
04/28/2025 10:32
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:CES is really not that great. Better than the home school, sure, but does not compare with private.
I was thinking that too.Especially because CES is "just" reading and writing and not STEM
And with big classes, and now more of a mixed group of students, kids get little meaningful feedback on their written work.
Anonymous
04/28/2025 10:09
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
If you have the money, sure then go private...
Anonymous
04/28/2025 09:59
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
Anonymous wrote:We loved the Chevy Chase CES. After that, DD returned to Westland and BCC for middle and high school, because we learned from our older son's school commute (he was in a special out-of-cluster program) that we don't tolerate long morning commutes! But other parents had great things to say about Eastern and Takoma Park middle school magnets, as well as the Blair high school magnet.
Now we're paying 65K a year for a private university for my son (he got 20K merit off the 85K cost of attendance). I MUCH prefer navigating MCPS, and paying for enrichment and tutors on the side, and then having the resources to fund any public or private university and grad school my kids are accepted into; than pay for private K-12 (even my favorite, Sidwell!), and be forced to curtail my children's college options.
If you can afford any education for K-12 and college, then great. Be warned that for STEM, only the very top privates will have the same level of course offerings as MCPS when you get to advanced middle and high school tracks. On the other hand, writing will probably be more emphasized in private school, because teachers have fewer students total and more time to give feedback on their writing. The current English curriculum in MCPS is abysmal. We supplemented with extra books, particularly classic literature, and writing tutors. Still dirt cheap compared to private school.
Thank you. We will try for magnet MS and/or HS so DS might not need or want to stay at private.
Anonymous
04/28/2025 09:56
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
We loved the Chevy Chase CES. After that, DD returned to Westland and BCC for middle and high school, because we learned from our older son's school commute (he was in a special out-of-cluster program) that we don't tolerate long morning commutes! But other parents had great things to say about Eastern and Takoma Park middle school magnets, as well as the Blair high school magnet.
Now we're paying 65K a year for a private university for my son (he got 20K merit off the 85K cost of attendance). I MUCH prefer navigating MCPS, and paying for enrichment and tutors on the side, and then having the resources to fund any public or private university and grad school my kids are accepted into; than pay for private K-12 (even my favorite, Sidwell!), and be forced to curtail my children's college options.
If you can afford any education for K-12 and college, then great. Be warned that for STEM, only the very top privates will have the same level of course offerings as MCPS when you get to advanced middle and high school tracks. On the other hand, writing will probably be more emphasized in private school, because teachers have fewer students total and more time to give feedback on their writing. The current English curriculum in MCPS is abysmal. We supplemented with extra books, particularly classic literature, and writing tutors. Still dirt cheap compared to private school.
Now we're paying 65K a year for a private university for my son (he got 20K merit off the 85K cost of attendance). I MUCH prefer navigating MCPS, and paying for enrichment and tutors on the side, and then having the resources to fund any public or private university and grad school my kids are accepted into; than pay for private K-12 (even my favorite, Sidwell!), and be forced to curtail my children's college options.
If you can afford any education for K-12 and college, then great. Be warned that for STEM, only the very top privates will have the same level of course offerings as MCPS when you get to advanced middle and high school tracks. On the other hand, writing will probably be more emphasized in private school, because teachers have fewer students total and more time to give feedback on their writing. The current English curriculum in MCPS is abysmal. We supplemented with extra books, particularly classic literature, and writing tutors. Still dirt cheap compared to private school.
Anonymous
04/28/2025 09:52
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
Anonymous wrote:Can you talk to parents of kids in the program?
Do you have a private school lined up now and have to accept or decline? Or are you just starting that process now?
Personally, I would try the free CES program and then apply to privates 4th grade year for 5th grade admission. (Or better yet wait until middle school.) But you will have to ask on the private schools forum for schools you are considering whether applying for 4th/5th/6th grade is better
We have a private school lined up. It's not a Big 3 but we feel like it will be good.
Anonymous
04/28/2025 09:49
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
Anonymous wrote:CES is really not that great. Better than the home school, sure, but does not compare with private.
I was thinking that too.Especially because CES is "just" reading and writing and not STEM
Anonymous
04/28/2025 09:48
Subject: Re:Noping out of CES for private
Anonymous wrote:How big of a financial burden will private school be for you? Do you know any neighborhood kids who attend the CES where your child was accepted? If not, maybe you can post on Nextdoor to get feedback from currently enrolled families.
Private school would not have been worthwhile for our family, but our CES was our home school (local, not regional CES) and my children were accepted before covid, when admission wasn’t by lottery, so our experience isn’t relevant. I’m really glad we have more money saved for college.
College has already been saved for, so we'd just pay for private in cash as we go along. I don't know any neighborhood kids who did CES. I will ask the listerve.
The CES is not at the home school, but the private is a commute as well. I am a big fan of saving money
Anonymous
04/28/2025 09:47
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
CES is really not that great. Better than the home school, sure, but does not compare with private.
Anonymous
04/28/2025 09:46
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
Anonymous wrote:Can you talk to parents of kids in the program?
Do you have a private school lined up now and have to accept or decline? Or are you just starting that process now?
Personally, I would try the free CES program and then apply to privates 4th grade year for 5th grade admission. (Or better yet wait until middle school.) But you will have to ask on the private schools forum for schools you are considering whether applying for 4th/5th/6th grade is better
Parents in CES love it and highly recommend it. Same with the parents in private.
The feedback I'm getting is start private either in 4th grade or middle school
Anonymous
04/28/2025 09:37
Subject: Re:Noping out of CES for private
How big of a financial burden will private school be for you? Do you know any neighborhood kids who attend the CES where your child was accepted? If not, maybe you can post on Nextdoor to get feedback from currently enrolled families.
Private school would not have been worthwhile for our family, but our CES was our home school (local, not regional CES) and my children were accepted before covid, when admission wasn’t by lottery, so our experience isn’t relevant. I’m really glad we have more money saved for college.
Private school would not have been worthwhile for our family, but our CES was our home school (local, not regional CES) and my children were accepted before covid, when admission wasn’t by lottery, so our experience isn’t relevant. I’m really glad we have more money saved for college.
Anonymous
04/28/2025 09:36
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
Can you talk to parents of kids in the program?
Do you have a private school lined up now and have to accept or decline? Or are you just starting that process now?
Personally, I would try the free CES program and then apply to privates 4th grade year for 5th grade admission. (Or better yet wait until middle school.) But you will have to ask on the private schools forum for schools you are considering whether applying for 4th/5th/6th grade is better
Do you have a private school lined up now and have to accept or decline? Or are you just starting that process now?
Personally, I would try the free CES program and then apply to privates 4th grade year for 5th grade admission. (Or better yet wait until middle school.) But you will have to ask on the private schools forum for schools you are considering whether applying for 4th/5th/6th grade is better
Anonymous
04/28/2025 09:29
Subject: Noping out of CES for private
I'm seriously thinking about declining CES and putting DS in private school. He's open either way, just doesn't want to stay at his home school.
My faith in MCPS is almost gone. And I went through the MCPS k-12 when I was a kid. I'm seriously torn about giving up a free, private school-like CES opportunity for $50,000 tuition.
I know you can leave CES at any time but we don't want to disrupt the school year so i want to get this sorted by the summer. MCPS won't let me come observe a CES classroom. So i feel like we're going on blind.
WWYD?
My faith in MCPS is almost gone. And I went through the MCPS k-12 when I was a kid. I'm seriously torn about giving up a free, private school-like CES opportunity for $50,000 tuition.
I know you can leave CES at any time but we don't want to disrupt the school year so i want to get this sorted by the summer. MCPS won't let me come observe a CES classroom. So i feel like we're going on blind.
WWYD?