You can't blame the homeowners of Douglas Park for choosing not to send their kids to Randolph. There is no way those demographics can be improved in a meaningful way. It doesn't help that the previous principal wasn't really interested in drumming up middle class support. The area is just now really starting to turn over. I would guess that neighborhood is 10-15 years behind Barcroft in terms of gentrification. I do think the school performance has had a negative effect on those home prices, and kept the neighborhood somewhat affordable by Arlington standards. the new principal is temporary. It would be nice to see an administrator come in with the idea of really improving the make up of the school and encouraging the local homeowners to give it a chance.
The upcoming redistricting is going to be interesting. This school hasnt enjoyed much community support. I wonder if people will advocate for it during the process. I'm very skeptical.

Carlin Springs is similar to Randolph in that respect, 22:23. When we looked at the schools in 2011, Carlin Springs literally had 23 Caucasian kids in the entire school. Most caucasian families at that time opted to use Campbell or immersion options.

Both Barcroft and Randolph are surrounded by lots of low-income housing which keeps the FARMs rates high and test scores low. Barcroft has a year-round schedule, which some parents dislike, but also has the better balance in terms of demographics (both in terms of FARMs and race/ethnicity).

Barcroft's last principal was in her position for a long time and made a concerted and sustained effort to win middle-class support. Consequently, Barcroft benefited from a fair amount of middle-class enrollment and the parents who sent their children there were, in general, pleased with the education and experience. The new principal frankly hasn't lived up to her predecessor, but she is certainly a capable, if somewhat lackluster, administrator.

To be completely honest, though, also casting some shade was the effect of zoning the new Arlington Mill (which is over a 100 units, and 100% affording housing) to Barcroft. That basically kept the demographics constant (at around 61% FARMs) rather than trend downward like Patrick Henry, Abingdon, and other S Arl schools.

In contrast, Randolph has historically had little middle-class support, so the FARMs rates there have been much higher (74% FARMs last year). Also, if it matters to you, Randolph is a classic case of "white flight." While the make-up of both schools is about half Hispanic, last year there were 35 white kids at Randolph (in a school of 400+, so less than 9% of the school population).

https://www.apsva.us/statistics/free-and-reduced-price-meals/

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/legacy_assets/www/8a6243d0e7-Table_1_10-27-15.pdf

12:08 - I didn't like the year-round schedule with breaks at random times. I wasn't sure I'd be able to find child care during those times. So I bought elsewhere. Barcroft is the only school with that schedule in Arlington.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since people can transfer out of Barcroft, into Randolph, the affluent families of Barcroft should transfer. They may be able actually improve the demographics of one of those schools in a meaningful way. Having middle class kids from both Barcroft and Douglas Park might actually be enough of a critical mass to improve the mix.

They need to provide transportation.

Honestly, why don't they? They shuttle everyone else around the entire county with their special programs.

I bet that could be changed. I don't think there has been pressure to provide it. If parents in Barcroft started transferring, I bet they could get a bus.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since people can transfer out of Barcroft, into Randolph, the affluent families of Barcroft should transfer. They may be able actually improve the demographics of one of those schools in a meaningful way. Having middle class kids from both Barcroft and Douglas Park might actually be enough of a critical mass to improve the mix.

They need to provide transportation.

Honestly, why don't they? They shuttle everyone else around the entire county with their special programs.

Anonymous wrote:Since people can transfer out of Barcroft, into Randolph, the affluent families of Barcroft should transfer. They may be able actually improve the demographics of one of those schools in a meaningful way. Having middle class kids from both Barcroft and Douglas Park might actually be enough of a critical mass to improve the mix.

They need to provide transportation.

Since people can transfer out of Barcroft, into Randolph, the affluent families of Barcroft should transfer. They may be able actually improve the demographics of one of those schools in a meaningful way. Having middle class kids from both Barcroft and Douglas Park might actually be enough of a critical mass to improve the mix.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would take into account that Barcroft is year-round, with breaks at different times of year than Randolph. That was a factor for me in not buying in Barcroft. (I liked the security of knowing there was a wide selection of camps during the traditional summer break.)

Any way you could find something feeding into Henry or Oakridge? I feel like those two get significantly higher reviews, and they have a different demographic mix. (I think both are around 1/3 caucasian, 1/3 hispanic, 1/3 other.)

um... what?

I could absolutely see not wanting to buy a home in a district zoned for a school with a non-traditional calendar (i.e. year-round school). Yes, it appeals to some, but not many.

and APS understands that and you will go to Randolph instead.

But they don't provide transportation to Randolph, even for kids who live outside of the walk zone, so you have to get your kid there on your own. The alternative school used to be Barrett, and there was a bus. Not anymore. So it IS an additional thing to consider.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would take into account that Barcroft is year-round, with breaks at different times of year than Randolph. That was a factor for me in not buying in Barcroft. (I liked the security of knowing there was a wide selection of camps during the traditional summer break.)

Any way you could find something feeding into Henry or Oakridge? I feel like those two get significantly higher reviews, and they have a different demographic mix. (I think both are around 1/3 caucasian, 1/3 hispanic, 1/3 other.)

um... what?

I could absolutely see not wanting to buy a home in a district zoned for a school with a non-traditional calendar (i.e. year-round school). Yes, it appeals to some, but not many.

and APS understands that and you will go to Randolph instead.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nottingham is the best

Please. My kid goes there. It's not all that.

Not only that, but a lot of it feeds into Williamsburg, where the principal is trying to push through developmentally inappropriate block scheduling.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would take into account that Barcroft is year-round, with breaks at different times of year than Randolph. That was a factor for me in not buying in Barcroft. (I liked the security of knowing there was a wide selection of camps during the traditional summer break.)

Any way you could find something feeding into Henry or Oakridge? I feel like those two get significantly higher reviews, and they have a different demographic mix. (I think both are around 1/3 caucasian, 1/3 hispanic, 1/3 other.)

um... what?

I could absolutely see not wanting to buy a home in a district zoned for a school with a non-traditional calendar (i.e. year-round school). Yes, it appeals to some, but not many.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nottingham is the best

Please. My kid goes there. It's not all that.

Ha!

Anonymous wrote:Nottingham is the best

Please. My kid goes there. It's not all that.

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I would stick with north Arlington, not much difference in the low quality areas same as not much difference in the high quality north Arlington areas.

Wow, the trolls are out in force. What a bunch of losers.