Anonymous wrote:What ancillaries? And why don't they offer the option without transportation -- make the families figure that out, as they do for private schools? There are plenty of carpools to and from TJ and all of its activities. The cost is not that crazy - like $14k per student I have heard? Far less than strong academic private school. Why not let families apply and pay for it themselves? An argument may be that only the more wealthy can afford these things but the same really is true for private school too. Or make the decision to fund the tuition on the basis of need. If an economically disadvantaged kid from Alexandria can pass the tests I am confident TJ would be happy to have him/her. I say that from the vantage point of a TJ parent. It's a great school. Very hard academically but engaging in both academics and ECs. And not THAT hard to get in if you have the proper base of education from grade school. That may also not be Alexandria's schools forte.

Anonymous wrote:The current board seemed mostly for TJ the last time it was discussed at a board meeting. At least in theory. But it costs too much. Fairfax requires some pretty hefty payments from other jurisdictions (cost-sharing facilities upgrades), and ACPS would only be sending a very small number of students.

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering if anyone could enlighten me as to why ACPS does not allow its students to apply to TJ when almost all the surrounding jurisdictions do? Is there anything that can be done to try and convince the board/superintendent to allow at least a few kids, maybe on a trial basis, to attend? We don't want to have to move but we are really shocked at ACPS's stance on this issue - don't they want to keep motivated, smart students living in Alexandria?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not going to happen.

This question has been percolating for two decades.

ACPS has no interest in making it happen. They don't want the brain drain for starters as their scores are bad enough already. But more to the point, ACPS isn't oriented around helping high-achieving students or their families. It's about meeting basic needs of a largely at-risk population.

He's gone now, but former superintendent Mort Sherman said this explicitly multiple times. Parents of high-achievers were told to go private if they felt under served.

There is zero interest in the ACPS culture to make TJ happen. Bless your heart for thinking you can change that. If you do, you'll succeed where many, MANY others have failed.

The argument would be that not allowing ACPS students to attend TJ results in a brain drain, so ACPS might as well let its students compete for slots. Hard-working students denied admission to TJ might boost TC Williams' scores, whereas ACPS currently is losing entire families to Arlington, Fairfax and privates.

Your mistake is in thinking that ACPS cares about that. It doesn't.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not going to happen.

This question has been percolating for two decades.

ACPS has no interest in making it happen. They don't want the brain drain for starters as their scores are bad enough already. But more to the point, ACPS isn't oriented around helping high-achieving students or their families. It's about meeting basic needs of a largely at-risk population.

He's gone now, but former superintendent Mort Sherman said this explicitly multiple times. Parents of high-achievers were told to go private if they felt under served.

There is zero interest in the ACPS culture to make TJ happen. Bless your heart for thinking you can change that. If you do, you'll succeed where many, MANY others have failed.

The argument would be that not allowing ACPS students to attend TJ results in a brain drain, so ACPS might as well let its students compete for slots. Hard-working students denied admission to TJ might boost TC Williams' scores, whereas ACPS currently is losing entire families to Arlington, Fairfax and privates.

Anonymous wrote:
Not going to happen.

This question has been percolating for two decades.

ACPS has no interest in making it happen. They don't want the brain drain for starters as their scores are bad enough already. But more to the point, ACPS isn't oriented around helping high-achieving students or their families. It's about meeting basic needs of a largely at-risk population.

He's gone now, but former superintendent Mort Sherman said this explicitly multiple times. Parents of high-achievers were told to go private if they felt under served.

There is zero interest in the ACPS culture to make TJ happen. Bless your heart for thinking you can change that. If you do, you'll succeed where many, MANY others have failed.

You're at Stage 2 of the "move out of Alexandria because of the schools" phase.

Stage 1 is believing the demographics will change in favor.
Stage 2 is if they'll just open TJ it'll be OK.
Stage 3 is disbelief.
Stage 4 is trying to decide between private and Fairfax/Arlington. Is the extra mortgage better than private school tuition?
Stage 5 is moving/going private. If you have more than 1, you start going house shopping in Arlington, Fairfax, or Falls Church City.

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering if anyone could enlighten me as to why ACPS does not allow its students to apply to TJ when almost all the surrounding jurisdictions do? Is there anything that can be done to try and convince the board/superintendent to allow at least a few kids, maybe on a trial basis, to attend? We don't want to have to move but we are really shocked at ACPS's stance on this issue - don't they want to keep motivated, smart students living in Alexandria?