I would like to know why "foreign" is lumped into one category. The quality of schools in other countries varies tremendously. I'd imagine that a family from a country with superior schools (Finland, Korea) would have pretty high standards that many public schools in the DC metro area would not meet, but that some of the very best of the private schools in the area would. OTOH, if you come from a country with poor schools generally, the public schools in part of NoVA and MontCo would seem very good.

Too little nuancing in the article.

Meaning that you can tell they were not born here. Visibility I can not tell where any of the folks are from but once I have conversation with them or hear them having a conversation it is clear that they were not born here. There accent makes it apparent that they are a more recent immigrant/expat.

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of foreign born parents at Kumon, Asian, European, and African. So although they might be using the US educational system they are not trusting the system. I surprised by the fact that the vast majority of the whites or blacks have fairly thick accents.

Not sure I follow the the last sentence?

I see a lot of foreign born parents at Kumon, Asian, European, and African. So although they might be using the US educational system they are not trusting the system. I surprised by the fact that the vast majority of the whites or blacks have fairly thick accents.

As a foreigner myself, I can give you one explanation: it depends on the country of origin and what the public school system there is. I am from a country with very intense math and science curriculums, so to me most US public schools would seem inadequate in preparing my kid, especially if he is to apply for university in my home country. But there are many wealthy foreign families here who come from countries where schools are not great, so in comparison US public schools are a dream come true.

IMF still gives the education allowance. Some foreign born parents are US citizens or Greencard holders and are not entitled to the education allowance. The world bank has stopped the allowance (grandfathered existing recipients) I have worked at both institutions (world bank and IMF) and I do not know anyone who is entitled to the allowance who does not use it and sends their kids to public school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell that to all the wealthy, foreign born parents at my kids' private schools.

I'm struggling with the idea that there may be 20, even 30 foreign-born families at your kids' private school. So maybe a few hundred foreign-born families among all the DC privates. What does this actually say about the preferences of foreign-born families *on average*, if there are maybe 5,000 foreign families in the area who could afford private school and might even get tuition help? I'm thinking the IMF, World Bank, InterAmerican Bank, and all the embassies.

There are a lot of these families at the close in MoCo schools.

This is sort of silly to me. At our local public, my kids went to school with many foreign journalists, IMF and World Bank employees, and diplomats. When we switched to private, again, they went to school with many foreign journalists, IMF and World Bank employees, and diplomats, among other professions. There is a big international presence in DC, and like U.S. citizens, some choose public and some choose private.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell that to all the wealthy, foreign born parents at my kids' private schools.

I'm struggling with the idea that there may be 20, even 30 foreign-born families at your kids' private school. So maybe a few hundred foreign-born families among all the DC privates. What does this actually say about the preferences of foreign-born families *on average*, if there are maybe 5,000 foreign families in the area who could afford private school and might even get tuition help? I'm thinking the IMF, World Bank, InterAmerican Bank, and all the embassies.

Our daughter's pre-K class at a "big 3" has at least 6 students have parents at least one of whom is foreign-born.

Anonymous wrote:Tell that to all the wealthy, foreign born parents at my kids' private schools.

I'm struggling with the idea that there may be 20, even 30 foreign-born families at your kids' private school. So maybe a few hundred foreign-born families among all the DC privates. What does this actually say about the preferences of foreign-born families *on average*, if there are maybe 5,000 foreign families in the area who could afford private school and might even get tuition help? I'm thinking the IMF, World Bank, InterAmerican Bank, and all the embassies.

OP seems to want to put people into categories : " wealthy people" , " foreigners" . In Washington my experience is that you can be from anywhere in the world and fit right in; noone is a "foreigner". I think OP might live in the 'burbs because I don't know too many people from France, Spain, the Netherlands or England thinking that Dunbar , Lincoln , or Cordoza HS are "just fine" options for their children to attend. LOL

Tell that to all the wealthy, foreign born parents at my kids' private schools.

We know two foreign families with PhDs or that level of education who are moving heaven and earth to extend their work visas so their kids can continue to attend US public schools - one family in VA and another with a kid in a DC charter.

Someone else may want to weigh in how the IMF used to pay tuition, although that's gone or going away and I don't know about grandfathering existing kids. That could explain some of what's going on in DC privates, though.

Not necessarily true at all. When my DD went to Holton...I heard a lot of accents among the parents...a lot were foreign born.

"Why is it that, among Americans, those who can afford private schooling for their children almost always do so, while for new US residents, the public school system is considered more than adequate?"

http://www.care2.com/causes/wealthy-foreign-born-parents-think-us-public-schools-fine.html