So I moved to Bethesda, "the rich part of MoCo", 14 years ago to get my oldest with special needs into K. You know why I picked that location?

Because rich parents are more attuned to and have more resources to get their children evaluated (it's terribly expensive), and they feel more entitled to pressure their school to give their kids services and accommodations. Also there are slightly fewer poverty-associated social issues in the schools. This all combines to give schools in wealthy areas of MoCo an edge in giving out IEPs and 504s, because they're pushed by parents and they aren't focused on solving more dire student problems.

My kid was given an IEP even without a full neuro, on the base of his developmental pediatrician's assessment he possibly had ADHD (not even a definitive diagnosis). He did present with visible behavioral differences, so for Bethesda Elementary, it was a no-brainer. He received a ton of services in elementary I hadn't even though to ask for. I will forever be grateful to them.

I know it's not politically correct to write all these things, but I made the cold hard calculus that paying through the nose for housing was worth it in the end to not have to fight every year for services and accommodations. My son kept his IEP until 11th grade, well past the stage where he actually needed it, and then was given a 504 in 12th, to help him transition to college. We literally bought the cheapest house there was that year, inbounds for that elementary school

I moved from a small district in the PNW to MCPS, so have some empathy for what you are going through, OP.

To a certain extent, you will just need to accept that everything is going to feel different. There's just no equivalent to, like, a Lake Oswego School District here, particularly if you don't have enormous amounts of money to burn. It will require more engagement on your part, and more deliberate choices at each level.

On the flip side, there are a ton of great choices with room for all types of learners and gifts.

With your commute, the west side of the county would probably be easiest but you will be priced out of most of the SFHs, and your kids would always be "the poor ones."

If you have to go into the office frequently, I'd target Rosemary Hills neighborhood, and plan to either drive take the bus along East-West Highway to Bethesda Metro.

If you don't go into the office often, I'd agree that Eastern MoCo has good options, with Flora Singer to Einstein as a great choice that people seem very happy with. East Silver Spring to Blair via TPMS is another option from this thread that would absolutely work, and would give your kids access to magnet classes at TPMS and Blair even if the magnet admissions don't work out in your favor.

The one option from this thread I'd avoid is Eastern for a kid who is not strong in reading/writing. While Eastern has some great stuff going for it, the in-school magnet is focused on the Humanities. There are some options for non-magnet kids to take electives and other courses with magnet students, but that only works if your child is strong in ELA.

100% this. And as an add on. Dear friend has a neurodivergent kid, but because they have solid grades and good test scores, they don’t get an IEP.

Per the ES principal when my child was turning in blank assignment and failing, she has to be 1-2 years behind for an IEP. We have a diagnosis, so we get a 504 when we need more. So then you have to make the horrible choice - work hard so your kid doesn’t fail, and don’t get an iep, or fight every year for an iep that you may never get….

Anonymous wrote:It is hard to get an IEP in MCPS these days...even with your younger one having educational issues. Ask me how I know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at Flora Singer/Sligo/DCC (Einstein) track. Flora Singer is particularly excellent for neurodivergent kids, and both my kids love(d) Sligo. At the high school level, we are happy with Einstein. There will always be issues but if your kids are smart with a good group of peers they will not be impacted much. My kid loves the vibe at Einstein and plenty of likeminded peers.

Thank you! I have seen a few homes in this area that work, but keep seeing mixed things about the schools.

Are the facilities at Sligo okay, or are there issues (mold, rodents, asbestos, etc.)?

Re: mixed things about the schools, make sure that isn’t just parents on the wealthier side of the country acting like we’re living among gangs. The schools are fine with great school spirit. Sligo is an older building but fairly well maintained. I have not heard of mold, rodents, or asbestos. They just redid the bathrooms which was very much needed. The classrooms I have been in (10 or so at open houses) are all cheerful enough. We’ve loved most of the teachers.

OP here: thank you, this helps soooo much. It’s difficult to parse out who is just whining and who actually has legitimate concerns, especially doing this from the other side of the country right now! Definitely has me feeling much more comfortable

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at Flora Singer/Sligo/DCC (Einstein) track. Flora Singer is particularly excellent for neurodivergent kids, and both my kids love(d) Sligo. At the high school level, we are happy with Einstein. There will always be issues but if your kids are smart with a good group of peers they will not be impacted much. My kid loves the vibe at Einstein and plenty of likeminded peers.

Thank you! I have seen a few homes in this area that work, but keep seeing mixed things about the schools.

Are the facilities at Sligo okay, or are there issues (mold, rodents, asbestos, etc.)?

Re: mixed things about the schools, make sure that isn’t just parents on the wealthier side of the country acting like we’re living among gangs. The schools are fine with great school spirit. Sligo is an older building but fairly well maintained. I have not heard of mold, rodents, or asbestos. They just redid the bathrooms which was very much needed. The classrooms I have been in (10 or so at open houses) are all cheerful enough. We’ve loved most of the teachers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out special programs. You don't need to live in-bounds of that cluster, but if you live too far, the school bus will take a long time to get there. Would your kids qualify for the GT/LD program of MCPS? Gifted, talented and learning disabled. They require an IEP and a certain IQ score. My son was in the GT/LD program at North Bethesda MS then Walter Johnson HS. Houses are expensive there, but maybe you could buy a townhome, a condo, or live further north, in Rockville?

Neither have an IEP yet. Younger kid would probably qualify at some point (next year will be his first year in public school). Older kid did not qualify in previous school district.

It seems that all of the special programs are lottery, correct? So there’s a chance of not getting in?

We cannot afford a private school in that area, so I’m hesitant to count on a possible lottery without a good backup option.

No, not the special needs ones. If you qualify with the right diagnosis, etc, you're in. The 4th-5th grade CES (center for enriched studies) and middle and high school magnets, yes, those you need to prequalify by having decent MAP test scores, but then it's a lottery and plenty of bright kids don't get picked.

Perhaps you could call the division of special programs (not sure of the name) and inquire.

Your kids have current neuropsychological assessments? As in, in the past 4 years? To get an IEP they will need to see those reports.

Slight correction : High School magnets are not lotteries.

So are they just open to all who apply and qualify?

Qualify? You mean be a teachers pet to the teacher teaching the subject for which you want to magent in? Ok.

Anonymous wrote:Look at Flora Singer/Sligo/DCC (Einstein) track. Flora Singer is particularly excellent for neurodivergent kids, and both my kids love(d) Sligo. At the high school level, we are happy with Einstein. There will always be issues but if your kids are smart with a good group of peers they will not be impacted much. My kid loves the vibe at Einstein and plenty of likeminded peers.

This is the right answer.

Anonymous wrote:Just letting you know that any of the DCC middle and high school boundaries could potentially change ~2027 as a result of a large boundary study about to begin. Elementary school boundaries are staying as is.

Well, that’s good to know, thank you.

It is hard to get an IEP in MCPS these days...even with your younger one having educational issues. Ask me how I know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out special programs. You don't need to live in-bounds of that cluster, but if you live too far, the school bus will take a long time to get there. Would your kids qualify for the GT/LD program of MCPS? Gifted, talented and learning disabled. They require an IEP and a certain IQ score. My son was in the GT/LD program at North Bethesda MS then Walter Johnson HS. Houses are expensive there, but maybe you could buy a townhome, a condo, or live further north, in Rockville?

Neither have an IEP yet. Younger kid would probably qualify at some point (next year will be his first year in public school). Older kid did not qualify in previous school district.

It seems that all of the special programs are lottery, correct? So there’s a chance of not getting in?

We cannot afford a private school in that area, so I’m hesitant to count on a possible lottery without a good backup option.

No, not the special needs ones. If you qualify with the right diagnosis, etc, you're in. The 4th-5th grade CES (center for enriched studies) and middle and high school magnets, yes, those you need to prequalify by having decent MAP test scores, but then it's a lottery and plenty of bright kids don't get picked.

Perhaps you could call the division of special programs (not sure of the name) and inquire.

Your kids have current neuropsychological assessments? As in, in the past 4 years? To get an IEP they will need to see those reports.

Slight correction : High School magnets are not lotteries.

So are they just open to all who apply and qualify?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out special programs. You don't need to live in-bounds of that cluster, but if you live too far, the school bus will take a long time to get there. Would your kids qualify for the GT/LD program of MCPS? Gifted, talented and learning disabled. They require an IEP and a certain IQ score. My son was in the GT/LD program at North Bethesda MS then Walter Johnson HS. Houses are expensive there, but maybe you could buy a townhome, a condo, or live further north, in Rockville?

Neither have an IEP yet. Younger kid would probably qualify at some point (next year will be his first year in public school). Older kid did not qualify in previous school district.

It seems that all of the special programs are lottery, correct? So there’s a chance of not getting in?

We cannot afford a private school in that area, so I’m hesitant to count on a possible lottery without a good backup option.

No, not the special needs ones. If you qualify with the right diagnosis, etc, you're in. The 4th-5th grade CES (center for enriched studies) and middle and high school magnets, yes, those you need to prequalify by having decent MAP test scores, but then it's a lottery and plenty of bright kids don't get picked.

Perhaps you could call the division of special programs (not sure of the name) and inquire.

Your kids have current neuropsychological assessments? As in, in the past 4 years? To get an IEP they will need to see those reports.

Slight correction : High School magnets are not lotteries.

Just letting you know that any of the DCC middle and high school boundaries could potentially change ~2027 as a result of a large boundary study about to begin. Elementary school boundaries are staying as is.

Anonymous wrote:Takoma Park is excellent in and out of the magnet program. You can buy a home in the zone for East Silver Spring ES and you will also be zoned for TPMS without having to pay TP taxes.

Oh I like that idea!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out special programs. You don't need to live in-bounds of that cluster, but if you live too far, the school bus will take a long time to get there. Would your kids qualify for the GT/LD program of MCPS? Gifted, talented and learning disabled. They require an IEP and a certain IQ score. My son was in the GT/LD program at North Bethesda MS then Walter Johnson HS. Houses are expensive there, but maybe you could buy a townhome, a condo, or live further north, in Rockville?

Neither have an IEP yet. Younger kid would probably qualify at some point (next year will be his first year in public school). Older kid did not qualify in previous school district.

It seems that all of the special programs are lottery, correct? So there’s a chance of not getting in?

We cannot afford a private school in that area, so I’m hesitant to count on a possible lottery without a good backup option.

No, not the special needs ones. If you qualify with the right diagnosis, etc, you're in. The 4th-5th grade CES (center for enriched studies) and middle and high school magnets, yes, those you need to prequalify by having decent MAP test scores, but then it's a lottery and plenty of bright kids don't get picked.

Perhaps you could call the division of special programs (not sure of the name) and inquire.

Your kids have current neuropsychological assessments? As in, in the past 4 years? To get an IEP they will need to see those reports.

Yes, they do. The older one didn’t qualify because they did well in school, so there wasn’t an educational impact. I’m really more worried about the younger one, and we are in the process of another eval so it will definitely be current!

Takoma Park is excellent in and out of the magnet program. You can buy a home in the zone for East Silver Spring ES and you will also be zoned for TPMS without having to pay TP taxes.