Op here—-I should have known my inquiry would be forgotten as random people insert info to support various unrelated agendas.

I am considering a move from Alexandria City Public Schools to FCPS. The only folks I want to hear from are folks who have first-hand anecdotes because they’re already done what I’m considering.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It could be worth it depending on the school. I was so much happier and less stressed teaching in FCPS. I moved to APS, and it has been tough. Perhaps it’s just the school.

Any specifics? There does seem to be an awful lot of parental stress over boundaries and capacity in APS now, but does that really affect teachers?

I’m not an APS teacher but I’m good friends with one. She lives in Arlington so when there’s boundary stuff going on she cares as a parent, but it doesn’t seem to affect her as a teacher. Which makes sense, because even when APS move boundaries, most of the teachers stay in the same school with the same colleagues so it’s not a big change for them, and the students change year to year for them either way.

Anonymous wrote:It could be worth it depending on the school. I was so much happier and less stressed teaching in FCPS. I moved to APS, and it has been tough. Perhaps it’s just the school.

Any specifics? There does seem to be an awful lot of parental stress over boundaries and capacity in APS now, but does that really affect teachers?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is behemoth. APS pays better, is more diverse, its schools easily compare with the best of FCPS, and its high school students have equal access to TJ. Take a serious poll and I guarantee you teachers in this area would rate APS number 1.

The APS trolls must be feeling especially insecure these days, if they are trying to turn a thread about ACPS and FCPS into one about APS. It is, however, easy to compare APS with "the best of FCPS." APS comes out behind.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia

DP. APS people didn’t randomly insert themselves in the discussion, page 1, 22:46 asked about teachers moving from APS to ACPS. That was what brought APS into the discussion. And pretty much the entire discussion up until your post focused on teaching conditions (which are ranked by niche, which I assume is why pp posted that link). US News rankings do not evaluate teacher pay or work conditions, so if anyone is derailing this discussion, it’s you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone do that? Do you have any clue about FCPS compensation, OP? FCPS teachers FLOCK to surrounding counties to get OUT of this bureaucratic nightmare and non-competitive pay scale wasteland that is FCPS.

The board just approved the FY19 budget on Thursday. I’m getting a $5K bump in my salary for next year. That and not having to deal with the dysfunction of ACPS makes me want to stay in FCPS.

If a 5k pay raise is that exciting you should checkout APS, also I think they also do some of your pension contribution for you

APS students get iPads in 2nd grade so you really don't have to teach anything at all.

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is behemoth. APS pays better, is more diverse, its schools easily compare with the best of FCPS, and its high school students have equal access to TJ. Take a serious poll and I guarantee you teachers in this area would rate APS number 1.

The APS trolls must be feeling especially insecure these days, if they are trying to turn a thread about ACPS and FCPS into one about APS. It is, however, easy to compare APS with "the best of FCPS." APS comes out behind.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia

FCPS is behemoth. APS pays better, is more diverse, its schools easily compare with the best of FCPS, and its high school students have equal access to TJ. Take a serious poll and I guarantee you teachers in this area would rate APS number 1.

Anonymous wrote:We hear that APS pays pretty well.

Too bad they can’t get their act together and still only have 3 high schools...will new teachers be applying for the day shift or the night shift?

We hear that APS pays pretty well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone do that? Do you have any clue about FCPS compensation, OP? FCPS teachers FLOCK to surrounding counties to get OUT of this bureaucratic nightmare and non-competitive pay scale wasteland that is FCPS.

The board just approved the FY19 budget on Thursday. I’m getting a $5K bump in my salary for next year. That and not having to deal with the dysfunction of ACPS makes me want to stay in FCPS.

You sound a little jealous to me.

NP here. It’s the PP that sounded a bit jealous of FCPS’s stature regionally.

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/virginia/

You’re trying to be funny, right? Did you bother to read their “methodology?” It’s a joke.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone do that? Do you have any clue about FCPS compensation, OP? FCPS teachers FLOCK to surrounding counties to get OUT of this bureaucratic nightmare and non-competitive pay scale wasteland that is FCPS.

The board just approved the FY19 budget on Thursday. I’m getting a $5K bump in my salary for next year. That and not having to deal with the dysfunction of ACPS makes me want to stay in FCPS.

You sound a little jealous to me.

NP here. It’s the PP that sounded a bit jealous of FCPS’s stature regionally.

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/virginia/

Niche? Didn’t bother to look at the link. Everyone knows Niche has zero credibility.

DP. Everyone picks the site that skews most in their favor. Don’t pretend you’re any different when you pull up Great Schools to prove the superiority of certain FCPS schools when it’s really just code for rich and white.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone do that? Do you have any clue about FCPS compensation, OP? FCPS teachers FLOCK to surrounding counties to get OUT of this bureaucratic nightmare and non-competitive pay scale wasteland that is FCPS.

The board just approved the FY19 budget on Thursday. I’m getting a $5K bump in my salary for next year. That and not having to deal with the dysfunction of ACPS makes me want to stay in FCPS.

You sound a little jealous to me.

NP here. It’s the PP that sounded a bit jealous of FCPS’s stature regionally.

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/virginia/

Niche? Didn’t bother to look at the link. Everyone knows Niche has zero credibility.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone do that? Do you have any clue about FCPS compensation, OP? FCPS teachers FLOCK to surrounding counties to get OUT of this bureaucratic nightmare and non-competitive pay scale wasteland that is FCPS.

The board just approved the FY19 budget on Thursday. I’m getting a $5K bump in my salary for next year. That and not having to deal with the dysfunction of ACPS makes me want to stay in FCPS.

You sound a little jealous to me.

NP here. It’s the PP that sounded a bit jealous of FCPS’s stature regionally.

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/virginia/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone do that? Do you have any clue about FCPS compensation, OP? FCPS teachers FLOCK to surrounding counties to get OUT of this bureaucratic nightmare and non-competitive pay scale wasteland that is FCPS.

Not OP but I’m seriously considering switching to FCPS to be on the same schedule as my children. It’s stressful finding care for snow days. Winter breaks don’t always match up either.

My DH did a career switcher program and he works in FCPS to be on the same schedule as our kids.

One of our favorite teachers moved from FCPS to DCPS this year, but is moving back to FCPS next year. And she was teaching at one of the best regarded schools in DCPS.