Anonymous
Post 06/17/2026 12:52     Subject: Leaving MCPS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kids are es. We are considering leaving for MS and then coming back for HS


As a teacher, I have seen this work for some kids. You just need to be be very selective about the private school. Avoid the “Christian Academy” type. This is not to say avoid all religious schools. Many are strong.


I agree with this. We went to Christ Episcopal School (CES) in Rockville and might as well have just done public all along.


In what way? I know someone with a kid there who raves about the small class sizes and tons of individual attention their kid gets
Anonymous
Post 06/16/2026 22:18     Subject: Leaving MCPS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kids are es. We are considering leaving for MS and then coming back for HS


As a teacher, I have seen this work for some kids. You just need to be be very selective about the private school. Avoid the “Christian Academy” type. This is not to say avoid all religious schools. Many are strong.


I agree with this. We went to Christ Episcopal School (CES) in Rockville and might as well have just done public all along.
Anonymous
Post 06/16/2026 22:17     Subject: Leaving MCPS
Anonymous wrote:Anyone considering leaving with the budget cut announcement that just happened? We have been in public schools and my kids are doing ok, but I feel like with the budget cuts this year and talk of much more to come in the next few years it may be best to get out now, before things go even further downhill. Anyone else feeling this way?


Where you gonna go?
Anonymous
Post 06/16/2026 13:45     Subject: Leaving MCPS
I have no idea why anyone would stay unless it was absolutely necessary. What they have done to the public school system in MCPS and all over is unconscionable.
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 15:30     Subject: Leaving MCPS
The budget cuts will make learning in elementary schools impossible. There are just so many special needs kids who are disruptive and need paras and aren't going to get them that learning just can't happen in the classroom. It's already hard enough as is.
Anonymous
Post 06/10/2026 05:17     Subject: Leaving MCPS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone considering leaving with the budget cut announcement that just happened? We have been in public schools and my kids are doing ok, but I feel like with the budget cuts this year and talk of much more to come in the next few years it may be best to get out now, before things go even further downhill. Anyone else feeling this way?


Not due to the funding, but if our small elementary school is closed in the upcoming ES boundary study, then we'll sell and move to Howard County. I don't want the extra commute, but if my kids have to switch schools, we may as well take the plunge. The increasing number of changes resulting in lost opportunities for the above grade-level learners in MCPS is what's put it over the top for me.


Don’t be one of those people that believes the grass is greener over the fence.

https://www.thebanner.com/politics-power/local-government/howard-county-school-system-budget-funding-request-ZK4B3ORTLVFHZFLPZRXO6L4JSA/

https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/howard-county-concerns-public-schools-budget-maryland/

https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/group-rallies-to-save-hcpss-elementary-gt-and-3rd-grade-orchestra-programs-from-cuts
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2026 23:15     Subject: Leaving MCPS
Anonymous wrote:My DD is leaving MCPS after the school year ends. She is going to a private all girls school for middle school and I feel such relief. It wasn’t working for her. She hated school and I didn’t blame her. It has nothing to do with the budget and everything to do with the size.


Good choice.

I feel like middle school is sink or swim here. Some kids do all right, but many flail. My first did ok, but I worry about my second.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2026 23:07     Subject: Leaving MCPS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kids are es. We are considering leaving for MS and then coming back for HS

If you don’t mind me asking why return for HS? If your kid has gotten used to the environment of a private school, having them come back to a public school and all it comes with can be very jarring.


The cases I have seen it happen and work it's so the kid can have better access to extracurriculars and social settings. If your kid isn't a super talented athlete, returning to play public school sports is a good thing. Same goes for things like drama and band. I'm sure private schools have good arts programs too but some of the publics just have a stronger culture surrounding the extracurricular arts.


I disagree. We have been in private 4th-8th. Returning to MCPS for HS but mainly due to cost. Having done public ES and then private for 5 years I definitely prefer the small class sizes and the lack of violence and discipline seen in public. Anyway, my point, the privates are smaller so most kids can be on the sports teams. our high schools are huge, so the most competitive sports are much harder to get into.


The privates with good athletics may be small but they have 50 kids on the roster who are better than 98% of the public schools. You aren’t competing with as much quantity but instead a heck of a lot more quality.

To put it in perspective, a kid like Boogie Cooper can be among the leading scorers in MCPS and he would be the 9th best kid on almost every private school basketball team in the region.


To be clear not every private school basketball team in the region. A few select ones that heavily recruit and have dominate teams. Like SJC, Dematha, and Paul.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2026 23:02     Subject: Leaving MCPS
My DD is leaving MCPS after the school year ends. She is going to a private all girls school for middle school and I feel such relief. It wasn’t working for her. She hated school and I didn’t blame her. It has nothing to do with the budget and everything to do with the size.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2026 22:49     Subject: Leaving MCPS
Anonymous wrote:Anyone considering leaving with the budget cut announcement that just happened? We have been in public schools and my kids are doing ok, but I feel like with the budget cuts this year and talk of much more to come in the next few years it may be best to get out now, before things go even further downhill. Anyone else feeling this way?


Not due to the funding, but if our small elementary school is closed in the upcoming ES boundary study, then we'll sell and move to Howard County. I don't want the extra commute, but if my kids have to switch schools, we may as well take the plunge. The increasing number of changes resulting in lost opportunities for the above grade-level learners in MCPS is what's put it over the top for me.
Anonymous
Post 06/06/2026 17:33     Subject: Leaving MCPS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kids are es. We are considering leaving for MS and then coming back for HS

If you don’t mind me asking why return for HS? If your kid has gotten used to the environment of a private school, having them come back to a public school and all it comes with can be very jarring.


The cases I have seen it happen and work it's so the kid can have better access to extracurriculars and social settings. If your kid isn't a super talented athlete, returning to play public school sports is a good thing. Same goes for things like drama and band. I'm sure private schools have good arts programs too but some of the publics just have a stronger culture surrounding the extracurricular arts.


I disagree. We have been in private 4th-8th. Returning to MCPS for HS but mainly due to cost. Having done public ES and then private for 5 years I definitely prefer the small class sizes and the lack of violence and discipline seen in public. Anyway, my point, the privates are smaller so most kids can be on the sports teams. our high schools are huge, so the most competitive sports are much harder to get into.


The privates with good athletics may be small but they have 50 kids on the roster who are better than 98% of the public schools. You aren’t competing with as much quantity but instead a heck of a lot more quality.

To put it in perspective, a kid like Boogie Cooper can be among the leading scorers in MCPS and he would be the 9th best kid on almost every private school basketball team in the region.
Anonymous
Post 06/06/2026 16:49     Subject: Leaving MCPS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kids are es. We are considering leaving for MS and then coming back for HS

If you don’t mind me asking why return for HS? If your kid has gotten used to the environment of a private school, having them come back to a public school and all it comes with can be very jarring.


The cases I have seen it happen and work it's so the kid can have better access to extracurriculars and social settings. If your kid isn't a super talented athlete, returning to play public school sports is a good thing. Same goes for things like drama and band. I'm sure private schools have good arts programs too but some of the publics just have a stronger culture surrounding the extracurricular arts.


I disagree. We have been in private 4th-8th. Returning to MCPS for HS but mainly due to cost. Having done public ES and then private for 5 years I definitely prefer the small class sizes and the lack of violence and discipline seen in public. Anyway, my point, the privates are smaller so most kids can be on the sports teams. our high schools are huge, so the most competitive sports are much harder to get into.
Anonymous
Post 06/06/2026 16:45     Subject: Leaving MCPS
Depends on if they are cutting things you use or care about. Depends on if your other options do those things better.
Anonymous
Post 06/06/2026 16:17     Subject: Leaving MCPS
Anonymous wrote:50% of the entire moco budget is MCPS. Our moco taxes are taken by the state of MD to then fund schools also in other MD counties. Additionally, moco taxes pay MORE than other counties proportionally for public schools in MD.

i do not understand how so much $$$$ is not enough and not working.

Like how?


Proportional to what?
Anonymous
Post 06/06/2026 15:56     Subject: Leaving MCPS
50% of the entire moco budget is MCPS. Our moco taxes are taken by the state of MD to then fund schools also in other MD counties. Additionally, moco taxes pay MORE than other counties proportionally for public schools in MD.

i do not understand how so much $$$$ is not enough and not working.

Like how?