Anonymous wrote:

Make me wonder what people think they are buying. Social cachet? Small class sizes? Segregation from the rabble? A community of shared beliefs? Relief from chronic concerns about budget cuts, standardized testing, etc.?

Small class sizes, teachers and administrators who care about, notice, and keep up with the lives of the students.

Seems like a really unfair characterization of public school teachers.

Anonymous wrote:move to va or md their wort public schools are better then the Best DC even charters. The quality of the private dc schools is on par with the better md/va public schools. You need to have HHI of about 400k a year to live normally without throwing your children's education down the toilet in DCPS.

Many people in the "best" suburban school boundaries choose private for high school. Some do it earlier. More go private than in smaller school districts outside other mta's. Some suburban public is better than DC - Horace Mann would be better at elementary than almost all FCPS.

Make me wonder what people think they are buying. Social cachet? Small class sizes? Segregation from the rabble? A community of shared beliefs? Relief from chronic concerns about budget cuts, standardized testing, etc.?

Small class sizes, teachers and administrators who care about, notice, and keep up with the lives of the students.

Anonymous wrote:NP here. What about one child in private school on $170-$190k. Is it even worth considering?

Should be quite doable, but depends on your other expenses/lifestyle.

move to va or md their wort public schools are better then the Best DC even charters. The quality of the private dc schools is on par with the better md/va public schools. You need to have HHI of about 400k a year to live normally without throwing your children's education down the toilet in DCPS.

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand your "outrage." What difference does it make to your child if there is one other kindergarten class or 10? I would actually think it could be a benefit b/c that school's administrators are tuned into the needs of that age group.

How is that - they still have 300 1st graders and 300 2nd graders and 300 3rd graders. It was like a little city.

Even if they were "tuned into the needs of the age group" are they "tuned into the needs of the child" - I doubt it.

My child goes to a school with 30 kids per grade, 15 per class and he has no chance of flying under the radar (like I did).

One out of 300+ kids - the administration can't even put a name to the face.

My administration knows their name, parents, siblings, hobbies, personality.

That is what we needed for our child - I bet some kids would hate that - and one in a sea of 300 would be a relief to them.

The point is I had a choice in education because I did not buy a really expensive house.

I don't understand your "outrage." What difference does it make to your child if there is one other kindergarten class or 10? I would actually think it could be a benefit b/c that school's administrators are tuned into the needs of that age group.

Anonymous wrote:I have to say I'm baffled by the apparently robust market for mediocre private schools in this area. Make me wonder what people think they are buying. Social cachet? Small class sizes? Segregation from the rabble? A community of shared beliefs? Relief from chronic concerns about budget cuts, standardized testing, etc.? Because it's hard to make the case that the answer "a better education."

Entering K our school had 12 K classes. I think that is outrageous - over 300 kids just in K.

Anonymous wrote:OP, a lot of people have done the math and decided it is better to spend more on a mortgage to move out to an area where public schools are acceptable rather than pay for private school. They conclude that the money spent on private school cannot be recaptured whereas the money spent on a higher mortgage can be recaptured when the house is sold. So, the house is a better "investment" (in a good enough school district) than the private school education. This analysis applies when financing the education is tough but do-able. Doesn't apply so much when parents have plenty of $$ for private school.

We did the math and taxes and interest did not come out to be less but we only pay 1/2 of the $32K - our private is $17K, 2 kids so $34K. Also, it is a total crap shoot if your public is a good fit for both your kids.

We live in the exburbs. Best decision ever. Our motgage is $200K because we made this decision years ago.

I have to say I'm baffled by the apparently robust market for mediocre private schools in this area. Make me wonder what people think they are buying. Social cachet? Small class sizes? Segregation from the rabble? A community of shared beliefs? Relief from chronic concerns about budget cuts, standardized testing, etc.? Because it's hard to make the case that the answer "a better education."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, a lot of people have done the math and decided it is better to spend more on a mortgage to move out to an area where public schools are acceptable rather than pay for private school. They conclude that the money spent on private school cannot be recaptured whereas the money spent on a higher mortgage can be recaptured when the house is sold. So, the house is a better "investment" (in a good enough school district) than the private school education. This analysis applies when financing the education is tough but do-able. Doesn't apply so much when parents have plenty of $$ for private school.

Hard to beleive that a house is a better "investment" than your children's eduction.

Hard to believe you don't think any publics, especially the suburban publics, can provide equally good "fits" and education as a private school. Particularly compared to a mediocre private school. But yes, we know there are ignorant snobs like you out there.

Anonymous wrote:OP, a lot of people have done the math and decided it is better to spend more on a mortgage to move out to an area where public schools are acceptable rather than pay for private school. They conclude that the money spent on private school cannot be recaptured whereas the money spent on a higher mortgage can be recaptured when the house is sold. So, the house is a better "investment" (in a good enough school district) than the private school education. This analysis applies when financing the education is tough but do-able. Doesn't apply so much when parents have plenty of $$ for private school.

Hard to beleive that a house is a better "investment" than your children's eduction.

Anonymous wrote:Different schools also have different levels at which they'll provide financial aid. B/c I know a family making more than that and receiving aid at a top three school.

Can you tell me the names of the schools that have more liberal financial assistance?

OP, a lot of people have done the math and decided it is better to spend more on a mortgage to move out to an area where public schools are acceptable rather than pay for private school. They conclude that the money spent on private school cannot be recaptured whereas the money spent on a higher mortgage can be recaptured when the house is sold. So, the house is a better "investment" (in a good enough school district) than the private school education. This analysis applies when financing the education is tough but do-able. Doesn't apply so much when parents have plenty of $$ for private school.

Forget it, these schools are for the ruling class