In Virginia, probably Fairfax. The advantage is that it starts fairly early -- in third grade -- and will lump the above average (120+)/gifted kids together, instead of pull-outs or the weird split program Loudoun has, or basically offering nothing, as I've heard of Arlington.

Bilingual dcps programs have been good for our two gifted kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“ The FCPS programs are for the gifted kids and the above average kids. The more the merrier.”

Maybe that varies by center? DD did a FCPS Level 4 center and she is the advanced not “off the charts ” kind of kid; got top grades without seeming to sweat it that much. I cannot imagine truly gifted kids find it really challenging. I like that it serves a wider swath than MCPS but I think FCPS does not really have something for the off the charts kids.

My highly gifted child spent all day in AAP twiddling his thumbs and waiting for the other kids to catch up. He was bored and absurdly unchallenged. Thankfully, we have left FCPS, and my child is finally having his academic needs met. FCPS does not have a gifted program, and only serves above average kids with parents who think their child is gifted.

From reading these forums, it does seem to vary by center. PP's experience is not universal.

Something no one has mentioned yet is that it really depends on how old your kids are when you move. My understanding is that FCPS is better at moving kids into AAP at different ages. MCPS has three entry points - testing in mid-3rd grade for CES entry in 4th, testing in early 5th grade for magnet MS entry in 6th, and testing in early 8th grade for magnet HS entry in 9th. If your kid misses the testing window for their grade, they are out of luck until the next entry point.

Anonymous wrote:“ The FCPS programs are for the gifted kids and the above average kids. The more the merrier.”

Maybe that varies by center? DD did a FCPS Level 4 center and she is the advanced not “off the charts ” kind of kid; got top grades without seeming to sweat it that much. I cannot imagine truly gifted kids find it really challenging. I like that it serves a wider swath than MCPS but I think FCPS does not really have something for the off the charts kids.

My highly gifted child spent all day in AAP twiddling his thumbs and waiting for the other kids to catch up. He was bored and absurdly unchallenged. Thankfully, we have left FCPS, and my child is finally having his academic needs met. FCPS does not have a gifted program, and only serves above average kids with parents who think their child is gifted.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in the District and have two kids. We are thinking of moving to a bigger house. We work near Farragut North and would like to keep the commute to under 45 mins. Which DMV county offers the best support for gifted students? How do I become familiar with the differences between the MoCo, Arlington, Fairfax counties and the DC school systems?

How gifted are the kids? FCPS AAP is great for kids with IQs around 115 or 120. MoCo is better for the more highly gifted kids, assuming yours can get in. If your kids are highly gifted, they won't be adequately supported in public schools anywhere in the DC area.

115+ is a pretty normal IQ. In MoCo, my child's IQ is mid-120's and we get nothing.

FCPS provides full time gifted services to 20-25% of the kids, and part time services to another 10% or more. Their programs are for the above average kids and not the gifted kids.

The FCPS programs are for the gifted kids and the above average kids. The more the merrier.

From the posts in the APP board, many don't even sound above average. Its interesting an APP kid would be struggling in 7th in Algebra when non-magnet kids in MCPS take Algebra in 6/7.

“ The FCPS programs are for the gifted kids and the above average kids. The more the merrier.”

Maybe that varies by center? DD did a FCPS Level 4 center and she is the advanced not “off the charts ” kind of kid; got top grades without seeming to sweat it that much. I cannot imagine truly gifted kids find it really challenging. I like that it serves a wider swath than MCPS but I think FCPS does not really have something for the off the charts kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in the District and have two kids. We are thinking of moving to a bigger house. We work near Farragut North and would like to keep the commute to under 45 mins. Which DMV county offers the best support for gifted students? How do I become familiar with the differences between the MoCo, Arlington, Fairfax counties and the DC school systems?

How gifted are the kids? FCPS AAP is great for kids with IQs around 115 or 120. MoCo is better for the more highly gifted kids, assuming yours can get in. If your kids are highly gifted, they won't be adequately supported in public schools anywhere in the DC area.

115+ is a pretty normal IQ. In MoCo, my child's IQ is mid-120's and we get nothing.

FCPS provides full time gifted services to 20-25% of the kids, and part time services to another 10% or more. Their programs are for the above average kids and not the gifted kids.

The FCPS programs are for the gifted kids and the above average kids. The more the merrier.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in the District and have two kids. We are thinking of moving to a bigger house. We work near Farragut North and would like to keep the commute to under 45 mins. Which DMV county offers the best support for gifted students? How do I become familiar with the differences between the MoCo, Arlington, Fairfax counties and the DC school systems?

How gifted are the kids? FCPS AAP is great for kids with IQs around 115 or 120. MoCo is better for the more highly gifted kids, assuming yours can get in. If your kids are highly gifted, they won't be adequately supported in public schools anywhere in the DC area.

115+ is a pretty normal IQ. In MoCo, my child's IQ is mid-120's and we get nothing.

FCPS provides full time gifted services to 20-25% of the kids, and part time services to another 10% or more. Their programs are for the above average kids and not the gifted kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in the District and have two kids. We are thinking of moving to a bigger house. We work near Farragut North and would like to keep the commute to under 45 mins. Which DMV county offers the best support for gifted students? How do I become familiar with the differences between the MoCo, Arlington, Fairfax counties and the DC school systems?

How gifted are the kids? FCPS AAP is great for kids with IQs around 115 or 120. MoCo is better for the more highly gifted kids, assuming yours can get in. If your kids are highly gifted, they won't be adequately supported in public schools anywhere in the DC area.

115+ is a pretty normal IQ. In MoCo, my child's IQ is mid-120's and we get nothing.

The lower limit for giftedness is usually around 135.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in the District and have two kids. We are thinking of moving to a bigger house. We work near Farragut North and would like to keep the commute to under 45 mins. Which DMV county offers the best support for gifted students? How do I become familiar with the differences between the MoCo, Arlington, Fairfax counties and the DC school systems?

How gifted are the kids? FCPS AAP is great for kids with IQs around 115 or 120. MoCo is better for the more highly gifted kids, assuming yours can get in. If your kids are highly gifted, they won't be adequately supported in public schools anywhere in the DC area.

115+ is a pretty normal IQ. In MoCo, my child's IQ is mid-120's and we get nothing.

In MoCo, living in the Piney Branch ES zone gives you the greatest chances at getting into the CES and MS magnet. PBES has a local CES for grades 4 and 5, which is also a plus because you don't have to ride a bus to a regional center. And since TPMS is the zoned middle school there too, there are some local seats for the magnet program. There aren't local seats for the Blair HS magnet.

Anonymous wrote:Tippy top genuinely off the charts gifted - MoCo. But for most kids looking for advanced paced in MoCo in ES they are screwed as it is a very small program.

FCPS is best if your kid is “gifted” in the sense that they are quick at picking things up and able to work above grade level since FCPS’s program is pretty big.

+1. I have a tippy top 1% kid who is thriving in the gifted programs in MCPS but for my other 3 who are smart but not crazy smart I would rather we be in FCPS.

Tippy top genuinely off the charts gifted - MoCo. But for most kids looking for advanced paced in MoCo in ES they are screwed as it is a very small program.

FCPS is best if your kid is “gifted” in the sense that they are quick at picking things up and able to work above grade level since FCPS’s program is pretty big.

interesting thread. my husband and I both were in gifted programs as children and had IQs tested at around 145 (for me) and 150 (for him). we are wondering what to do with our kids... currently in DCPS schools where they are actually thriving -- they are very self-motivated -- but there are no gifted programs. how important is it for them to be in an actual gifted program?