Update: https://www.tysonsreporter.com/2019/01/29/school-board-kills-mclean-high-school-boundary-adjustments/?mc_cid=b3a7dc602f&mc_eid=8423d0301e

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The Fairfax County School Board approved the FY 2020-2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) on Jan. 24, and the much talked about boundary adjustment to relieve the overcrowded McLean High School didn’t make the cut.

The CIP shows that McLean High School is currently at 114 percent of its capacity, with projections showing the population increasing to 127 percent by 2022. Meanwhile, the nearby Langley High School sits at 82 percent capacity following an extensive renovation.

Jane Strauss, the Dranesville District representative on the School Board, had been spearheading the effort to make the boundary adjustments but faced pushback from other School Board members. Strauss confirmed that the boundary adjustment wasn’t docketed in the CIP and the boundary change won’t happen until the 2022-2023 school year at the earliest, and that’s assuming the item is successfully added to next year’s CIP.

Strauss said the growth of Tysons is going to continue fueling expansion in nearby schools, and the schools are caught between the urgency of that growth and taking time to start the shifts as early as possible to keep school groups together.

“The tall high-rises are not producing kids, but existing housing stock is,” said Strauss, nothing that committed workforce affordable housing included in some of the new developments will likely mean an increase in students as well. “Drive around the greater Tysons area and there are other apartment complexes now because of the Silver Line. As job opportunities grow, the whole region will be a better place to live.”

Other school board members said they were uncomfortable approving a spot-boundary change before the School Board conducts a broader boundary examination on Feb. 25.

“I do have concerns about doing a limited boundary change in one area without taking a more holistic analysis and approach,” said Tamara Derenak Kaufax, a representative from the Lee District, at a Jan. 14 work session. “We’re going to have to do what staff has been advocating, doing a holistic approach to [the] system and looking at the impacts.”

Some McLean High School parents were unenthusiastic about the School Board’s decision.

“Sadly, no concrete proposals to address [McLean High School] crowding were added with the final revisions,” said Susan Garrahan, a parent to a McLean High School sophomore. “Some other Board members countered that the McLean-Langley boundary adjustment study should be rolled into a countywide boundary project set to start in late February, and that is what happened. Perhaps this will lead to a remedy for MHS on the same timetable as if it were just a McLean-Langley boundary adjustment project, but if it takes longer as part of a countywide project — and I think that is likely — it will be the students and staff who pay the price of overcrowding every additional day that it takes.”

Strauss also noted that this boundary is a more specific adjustment between neighboring schools than what is usually covered in the broader boundary changes.

“In some cases, boundary changes cast a wide net across multiple schools,” said Strauss. “Looking at the CIP, it shows that Langley High School has room.”

Furthermore, if Langley High School remains below its capacity, Strauss said its class choices might be more limited than other high schools.

“When schools are under-enrolled, you start to have staffing concerns,” said Strauss. “If you’re under-enrolled and yet still have a desire to offer certain languages or electives, you have to hire teachers [for those classes]. But if you’re under-enrolled, you’re not automatically considered for hiring new teachers. There is a benefit [of the boundary change] for an under-enrolled school.”

Though the boundary changes aren’t on the table for short-term changes, Strauss said new modular additions are still possible for the school.

“We can take those out where they are no longer needed and move them,” said Strauss. “There’s always enough funding in the CIP for that.”

Whether or not the School Board is involved in official plans to make boundary changes, Strauss said she is still planning on meeting with the community to develop solutions.

A McLean High School Parent Teacher Student Association meeting on overcrowding is scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7 p.m. at McLean High School, though as happened earlier this month, icy conditions could postpone the meeting. Strauss said she plans to meet with Langley High School parents for a similar discussion in March.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:anyone have this benchmark data: # of kids to uva from marshall v mclean v langley v tj
?

2017 Saxon Scope (Langley) reported 22 to UVA

2018 Highlander (McLean) reported 35 to UVA

2018 Rank and File (Marshall) reported 19 to UVA

2018 TJ Today (TJHSST) reported 72 to UVA

Keep in mind this information may not be complete as it depends on self-reporting by students.

Thanks. To adjust for student population, I believe Langley has about 10pct less students overall than McLean/Marshall, and TJ about 20pct less than McLean/Marshall.

Anonymous wrote:anyone have this benchmark data: # of kids to uva from marshall v mclean v langley v tj
?

2017 Saxon Scope (Langley) reported 22 to UVA

2018 Highlander (McLean) reported 35 to UVA

2018 Rank and File (Marshall) reported 19 to UVA

2018 TJ Today (TJHSST) reported 72 to UVA

Keep in mind this information may not be complete as it depends on self-reporting by students.

accepted or enrolled? you can search this info on dcum or the schools' individual student publications

anyone have this benchmark data: # of kids to uva from marshall v mclean v langley v tj
?

The meeting to discuss overcrowding at McLean has been rescheduled for January 30th at 7 PM at McLean HS. Current and future parents and community members concerned about FCPS's delay in addressing the issue should come to the meeting and make their views heard. Jane Strauss will be there along with Kevin Sneed of the Facilities Staff.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever the boundaries that change I hope they don’t dump all the low income kids into Freedom Hill and then Marshall again.

Especially, after y'all worked so hard to get rid of them 6? years ago.

Some low income kids went to another school. FH is still 28-30 % Farms. Highest of any in Vienna.

Nope. Freedom Hill was close to 25% last year, not 28-30%. Cunningham Park, also in Vienna, was about 33%.

In the near term, Cunningham Park's boundaries will probably not change. If FCPS moves part of Shrevewood to Stenwood, as expected, it's possible that part of Stenwood could move to Freedom Hill.

Dunn Loring School being reopened will obviate the need for a lot of this tetris-playing. Seems to keep getting pushed back though.

It’s moving kids out of Shrevewood either way, which will probably happen before Dunn Loring is refurbished.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever the boundaries that change I hope they don’t dump all the low income kids into Freedom Hill and then Marshall again.

Especially, after y'all worked so hard to get rid of them 6? years ago.

Some low income kids went to another school. FH is still 28-30 % Farms. Highest of any in Vienna.

Nope. Freedom Hill was close to 25% last year, not 28-30%. Cunningham Park, also in Vienna, was about 33%.

In the near term, Cunningham Park's boundaries will probably not change. If FCPS moves part of Shrevewood to Stenwood, as expected, it's possible that part of Stenwood could move to Freedom Hill.

Dunn Loring School being reopened will obviate the need for a lot of this tetris-playing. Seems to keep getting pushed back though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people always complaining about the lack of FARMS at Langley? The school is literally surrounded by multi million dollar houses. We live in a $3m house down the road. Our house is quite average in the area.

Where would these low income people come from?

Even the dilapidated knock down houses go for 800k.

That being said, not everyone is rich. Plenty of middle class families. Just not low income free lunch kids.

How do you think it got that way? Rich people have advocated for decades to keep water/sewer out, large lots, no density, school boundary for just the wealthy large lots, etc. There is a reason why Great Falls Village is called a village and has little density.

The Langley boundaries definitely have some quirks.

Everything north of 123 from Arlington to the Dulles Toll Road is zoned for Langley, except for one area of more modest homes that is assigned to McLean. As it turns out, the biggest plot of land in that area is now being developed with houses that cost over $2.0 million. Maybe Langley will take it back now.

Also, everything on the north side of Leesburg Pike past the intersection of Leesburg Pike and the Toll Road all the way to the Loudoun border is zoned for Langley, except there are some random areas in Vienna, Reston, and Herndon on the south side of Route 7 zoned for Langley. Those areas are neighborhoods of single-family houses that got a School Board member to redistrict them to Langley decades ago.

In any event, such large boundaries have led to long commutes to Cooper and Langley for students living in Great Falls. The boundaries could have been more compact, and pulled in more neighborhoods from Vienna and Reston, but FCPS kept Great Falls zoned to Langley even as it was building new schools in the western part of the county.

With the complaints about the Beltway traffic near Cooper, the growing enrollments at McLean and Marshall, and the long-term plans to build a new high school in western Fairfax, the boundaries will change. What remains to be determined is when and how.

There are plenty of houses zoned for McLean high over $2m. We looked at several of them before buying a house in the Langley pyramid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people always complaining about the lack of FARMS at Langley? The school is literally surrounded by multi million dollar houses. We live in a $3m house down the road. Our house is quite average in the area.

Where would these low income people come from?

Even the dilapidated knock down houses go for 800k.

That being said, not everyone is rich. Plenty of middle class families. Just not low income free lunch kids.

How do you think it got that way? Rich people have advocated for decades to keep water/sewer out, large lots, no density, school boundary for just the wealthy large lots, etc. There is a reason why Great Falls Village is called a village and has little density.

The Langley boundaries definitely have some quirks.

Everything north of 123 from Arlington to the Dulles Toll Road is zoned for Langley, except for one area of more modest homes that is assigned to McLean. As it turns out, the biggest plot of land in that area is now being developed with houses that cost over $2.0 million. Maybe Langley will take it back now.

Also, everything on the north side of Leesburg Pike past the intersection of Leesburg Pike and the Toll Road all the way to the Loudoun border is zoned for Langley, except there are some random areas in Vienna, Reston, and Herndon on the south side of Route 7 zoned for Langley. Those areas are neighborhoods of single-family houses that got a School Board member to redistrict them to Langley decades ago.

In any event, such large boundaries have led to long commutes to Cooper and Langley for students living in Great Falls. The boundaries could have been more compact, and pulled in more neighborhoods from Vienna and Reston, but FCPS kept Great Falls zoned to Langley even as it was building new schools in the western part of the county.

With the complaints about the Beltway traffic near Cooper, the growing enrollments at McLean and Marshall, and the long-term plans to build a new high school in western Fairfax, the boundaries will change. What remains to be determined is when and how.

Where is this?

Retreat at McLean (former retreat for the Dominican Sisters).

https://www.tollbrothers.com/luxury-homes-for-sale/Virginia/Retreat-at-McLean-%26-Mehr-Farm

Mehr Farm, the development near Balls Hill and Old Dominion, is zoned for Langley.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people always complaining about the lack of FARMS at Langley? The school is literally surrounded by multi million dollar houses. We live in a $3m house down the road. Our house is quite average in the area.

Where would these low income people come from?

Even the dilapidated knock down houses go for 800k.

That being said, not everyone is rich. Plenty of middle class families. Just not low income free lunch kids.

How do you think it got that way? Rich people have advocated for decades to keep water/sewer out, large lots, no density, school boundary for just the wealthy large lots, etc. There is a reason why Great Falls Village is called a village and has little density.

The Langley boundaries definitely have some quirks.

Everything north of 123 from Arlington to the Dulles Toll Road is zoned for Langley, except for one area of more modest homes that is assigned to McLean. As it turns out, the biggest plot of land in that area is now being developed with houses that cost over $2.0 million. Maybe Langley will take it back now.

Also, everything on the north side of Leesburg Pike past the intersection of Leesburg Pike and the Toll Road all the way to the Loudoun border is zoned for Langley, except there are some random areas in Vienna, Reston, and Herndon on the south side of Route 7 zoned for Langley. Those areas are neighborhoods of single-family houses that got a School Board member to redistrict them to Langley decades ago.

In any event, such large boundaries have led to long commutes to Cooper and Langley for students living in Great Falls. The boundaries could have been more compact, and pulled in more neighborhoods from Vienna and Reston, but FCPS kept Great Falls zoned to Langley even as it was building new schools in the western part of the county.

With the complaints about the Beltway traffic near Cooper, the growing enrollments at McLean and Marshall, and the long-term plans to build a new high school in western Fairfax, the boundaries will change. What remains to be determined is when and how.

Where is this?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people always complaining about the lack of FARMS at Langley? The school is literally surrounded by multi million dollar houses. We live in a $3m house down the road. Our house is quite average in the area.

Where would these low income people come from?

Even the dilapidated knock down houses go for 800k.

That being said, not everyone is rich. Plenty of middle class families. Just not low income free lunch kids.

How do you think it got that way? Rich people have advocated for decades to keep water/sewer out, large lots, no density, school boundary for just the wealthy large lots, etc. There is a reason why Great Falls Village is called a village and has little density.

The Langley boundaries definitely have some quirks.

Everything north of 123 from Arlington to the Dulles Toll Road is zoned for Langley, except for one area of more modest homes that is assigned to McLean. As it turns out, the biggest plot of land in that area is now being developed with houses that cost over $2.0 million. Maybe Langley will take it back now.

Also, everything on the north side of Leesburg Pike past the intersection of Leesburg Pike and the Toll Road all the way to the Loudoun border is zoned for Langley, except there are some random areas in Vienna, Reston, and Herndon on the south side of Route 7 zoned for Langley. Those areas are neighborhoods of single-family houses that got a School Board member to redistrict them to Langley decades ago.

In any event, such large boundaries have led to long commutes to Cooper and Langley for students living in Great Falls. The boundaries could have been more compact, and pulled in more neighborhoods from Vienna and Reston, but FCPS kept Great Falls zoned to Langley even as it was building new schools in the western part of the county.

With the complaints about the Beltway traffic near Cooper, the growing enrollments at McLean and Marshall, and the long-term plans to build a new high school in western Fairfax, the boundaries will change. What remains to be determined is when and how.

Anonymous wrote:Why are people always complaining about the lack of FARMS at Langley? The school is literally surrounded by multi million dollar houses. We live in a $3m house down the road. Our house is quite average in the area.

Where would these low income people come from?

Even the dilapidated knock down houses go for 800k.

That being said, not everyone is rich. Plenty of middle class families. Just not low income free lunch kids.

How do you think it got that way? Rich people have advocated for decades to keep water/sewer out, large lots, no density, school boundary for just the wealthy large lots, etc. There is a reason why Great Falls Village is called a village and has little density.

Lots of families share apartments. It’s technically not legal but as long as rent is paid, apartment complexes look the other way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people always complaining about the lack of FARMS at Langley? The school is literally surrounded by multi million dollar houses. We live in a $3m house down the road. Our house is quite average in the area.

Where would these low income people come from?

Even the dilapidated knock down houses go for 800k.

That being said, not everyone is rich. Plenty of middle class families. Just not low income free lunch kids.

All you need to do is look at a map of the current Langley boundaries to know they could have been drawn differently. Some Langley parents like to emphasize that they aren’t personally responsible for those boundaries, which may be true but is also not especially relevant to this discussion.

Within the next few years, Langley’s boundaries will be expanded to pick up some of Tysons, which will increase the FARMS rate there slightly. FCPS has also signaled that, when the western high school is built in about a decade, it will move western Great Falls to Herndon. With these changes, Langley will continue to be among the smaller high schools in the county, unless more of the parents in the area stop sending their kids to privates.

Those Tysons apartments aren’t cheap. 2 bedrooms will cost $3000+. They aren’t low income housing.

The multi-family housing in Tysons varies in age and price. Rentals of two bedroom units could range from $1800 to over $3000. Two-bedroom condos for sale could range from $250K to $2.5 million.