Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder about the timing - if McLean HS is in desperate need of a $100 million + renovation, is that the first bill you are going to ask a new city to pay? Or can the issue be solved by redistricting with Langley alone?

McLean isn't in desperate need of a $100M renovation. However, FCPS has stuck McLean with shitty trailers and a second-hand modular, when it is spending $20M to build additions at schools that are LESS overcrowded than McLean and were built AFTER McLean. It is also spending $40M for an even bigger addition at West Potomac, even though much of the overcrowding at West Potomac could be addressed by redistricting kids to under-enrolled Mount Vernon and the size of West Potomac following this addition (3000 kids) is well over what FCPS previously has said should be the maximum size of a high school. The Board of Supervisors is aware of these disparities - Jeff McKay and at least other member of BOS pointed out the absurdity when reviewing the FCPS budget a couple of years ago - but otherwise just rolls its eyes at the mismanagement.

They can alleviate some of the overcrowding at McLean by moving some kids to Langley. But the timing of that boundary change is uncertain, it won't alleviate all of the overcrowding, and both Langley and McLean could gain kids if FCPS moves to a lottery system for TJ that caps the number of students from Cooper and Longfellow who can attend TJ. Right now they run a high risk of messing it up: if they move too many kids, they'll turn McLean into the runt of FCPS (and it will have to shed electives and teachers), but if there is renewed growth in the area once we emerge from Covid-19 both Langley and McLean could end up over-crowded in a few years.

FCPS lied to McLean parents years ago and told them they'd build an addition at McLean before any kids were moved to Langley. Then they deviated from the numbers that had been in their Capital Improvement Plans for years, and expanded Langley during its renovation far more than had previously been disclosed (from an expansion to 2100 seats to over 2350 seats). After Langley's renovation/expansion was finished, School Board members blocked an initial attempt to authorize a Langley/McLean boundary study in 2018, citing the need for a "holistic review" of boundaries across the entire county. When some families took that to mean FCPS was considering a new county-wide busing scheme, the School Board reversed course and authorized the boundary study in 2019 shortly before the fall School Board elections, because the Democrats stood to lose several seats if they didn't do something. But then the boundary study stalled, first because they realized they'd given no thought to the middle school assignments in addition to the high school assignments, and then due to all the challenges associated with Covid-19.

Many of us are just fed up with how bad the planning has been, and the failure to have dealt with the challenges transparently. The School Board spends hours and hours on TJ admissions, but very little time focusing on growth in the county and the upcoming Capital Improvement Plans. By the time they do look at the CIPs, they are typically behind schedule, the reviews are perfunctory, and very little is changed from the draft prepared by FCPS staff. And the motivation of FCPS staff isn't always to do what makes the most sense, but rather what makes their own lives easiest.

In a smaller system, with fewer schools to manage, it seems like the schools could get more attention on a timely basis. They certainly couldn't do a worse job of managing their facilities than FCPS has done in recent years.

Things could always be worse. Look at Arlington, a smaller system with fewer schools to manage. How is that fourth high school coming along?

Anonymous wrote:I wonder about the timing - if McLean HS is in desperate need of a $100 million + renovation, is that the first bill you are going to ask a new city to pay? Or can the issue be solved by redistricting with Langley alone?

McLean isn't in desperate need of a $100M renovation. However, FCPS has stuck McLean with shitty trailers and a second-hand modular, when it is spending $20M to build additions at schools that are LESS overcrowded than McLean and were built AFTER McLean. It is also spending $40M for an even bigger addition at West Potomac, even though much of the overcrowding at West Potomac could be addressed by redistricting kids to under-enrolled Mount Vernon and the size of West Potomac following this addition (3000 kids) is well over what FCPS previously has said should be the maximum size of a high school. The Board of Supervisors is aware of these disparities - Jeff McKay and at least other member of BOS pointed out the absurdity when reviewing the FCPS budget a couple of years ago - but otherwise just rolls its eyes at the mismanagement.

They can alleviate some of the overcrowding at McLean by moving some kids to Langley. But the timing of that boundary change is uncertain, it won't alleviate all of the overcrowding, and both Langley and McLean could gain kids if FCPS moves to a lottery system for TJ that caps the number of students from Cooper and Longfellow who can attend TJ. Right now they run a high risk of messing it up: if they move too many kids, they'll turn McLean into the runt of FCPS (and it will have to shed electives and teachers), but if there is renewed growth in the area once we emerge from Covid-19 both Langley and McLean could end up over-crowded in a few years.

FCPS lied to McLean parents years ago and told them they'd build an addition at McLean before any kids were moved to Langley. Then they deviated from the numbers that had been in their Capital Improvement Plans for years, and expanded Langley during its renovation far more than had previously been disclosed (from an expansion to 2100 seats to over 2350 seats). After Langley's renovation/expansion was finished, School Board members blocked an initial attempt to authorize a Langley/McLean boundary study in 2018, citing the need for a "holistic review" of boundaries across the entire county. When some families took that to mean FCPS was considering a new county-wide busing scheme, the School Board reversed course and authorized the boundary study in 2019 shortly before the fall School Board elections, because the Democrats stood to lose several seats if they didn't do something. But then the boundary study stalled, first because they realized they'd given no thought to the middle school assignments in addition to the high school assignments, and then due to all the challenges associated with Covid-19.

Many of us are just fed up with how bad the planning has been, and the failure to have dealt with the challenges transparently. The School Board spends hours and hours on TJ admissions, but very little time focusing on growth in the county and the upcoming Capital Improvement Plans. By the time they do look at the CIPs, they are typically behind schedule, the reviews are perfunctory, and very little is changed from the draft prepared by FCPS staff. And the motivation of FCPS staff isn't always to do what makes the most sense, but rather what makes their own lives easiest.

In a smaller system, with fewer schools to manage, it seems like the schools could get more attention on a timely basis. They certainly couldn't do a worse job of managing their facilities than FCPS has done in recent years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Boston.

Every town has its own school system.

I grew up in Natick and they had their own schools. Wellesley, Newton, Framingham.etc...

Some of the smaller towns had combined schools.

It is so much easier to run a school system for one town than what is going on here in Fairfax County. Issues get resolved so much faster.

I believe most non-southern districts, and most not-tiny districts, are run that way. Far be it from this area to emulate how it actually works well in other areas. Next, sidewalks.

it works if you are in a well off district, if you aren't problems get magnified

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an immigrant, I could never understand why there was such a disparity in education quality across the U.S. I couldn't understand why poor black areas had such worse schools compared to more affluent (and usually white) areas. But this thread has been an eye-opener. I understand this much better now. It seems the more affluent folks want their money to benefit only them and their families. They don't see the benefit to society of elevating everyone and giving a good education to all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Don't people want the US to succeed long-term? How does keeping poor people less educated benefit a country in the long-run?

I am an immigrant as well and I live in McLean. Nobody here opposes other schools benefiting from a healthy tax base, what we have accepted is that “others” will be benefited at our expense while our kids sit in trailers. No, thanks!

Just move a couple streets over and your children can go to Langley in a lovely newly renovated building with no overcrowding.

What's the problem?

That is not the solution, to treat people in McLean with such dismissive attitude is the issue. You are happy to take our dollars but want us to shut up and never voice a concern. This Sorry, pocket dial attitude is driving this discussion.

The solution is to look at what you have and think about what the problem is.

Trailers aren't great but they're not a problem. McLean HS is a great high school. What is the problem?

who are you to decide what is a problem for other people's kids? if you are okay with your kids going to school in a trailer thats your business. Others are allowed to feel differently and act accordingly.

So are you saying you’re willing to do whatever it takes (re-drawing boundaries and/or increasing taxes to build buildings or additions) to ensure that no child - and not just no McLean child - is in a trailer in FCPS by a set date, say in 18 months from now? I would agree with that position, but somehow doubt that you care about children who don’t live in McLean...

Even then, would separating mean a new school is immediately built? Just starting the infrastructure of government- everything from offices for government to a town jail a court house... will require new construction or extensive renovation.

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Boston.

Every town has its own school system.

I grew up in Natick and they had their own schools. Wellesley, Newton, Framingham.etc...

Some of the smaller towns had combined schools.

It is so much easier to run a school system for one town than what is going on here in Fairfax County. Issues get resolved so much faster.

I believe most non-southern districts, and most not-tiny districts, are run that way. Far be it from this area to emulate how it actually works well in other areas. Next, sidewalks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an immigrant, I could never understand why there was such a disparity in education quality across the U.S. I couldn't understand why poor black areas had such worse schools compared to more affluent (and usually white) areas. But this thread has been an eye-opener. I understand this much better now. It seems the more affluent folks want their money to benefit only them and their families. They don't see the benefit to society of elevating everyone and giving a good education to all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Don't people want the US to succeed long-term? How does keeping poor people less educated benefit a country in the long-run?

I am an immigrant as well and I live in McLean. Nobody here opposes other schools benefiting from a healthy tax base, what we have accepted is that “others” will be benefited at our expense while our kids sit in trailers. No, thanks!

Just move a couple streets over and your children can go to Langley in a lovely newly renovated building with no overcrowding.

What's the problem?

That is not the solution, to treat people in McLean with such dismissive attitude is the issue. You are happy to take our dollars but want us to shut up and never voice a concern. This Sorry, pocket dial attitude is driving this discussion.

The solution is to look at what you have and think about what the problem is.

Trailers aren't great but they're not a problem. McLean HS is a great high school. What is the problem?

who are you to decide what is a problem for other people's kids? if you are okay with your kids going to school in a trailer thats your business. Others are allowed to feel differently and act accordingly.

So are you saying you’re willing to do whatever it takes (re-drawing boundaries and/or increasing taxes to build buildings or additions) to ensure that no child - and not just no McLean child - is in a trailer in FCPS by a set date, say in 18 months from now? I would agree with that position, but somehow doubt that you care about children who don’t live in McLean...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if fairfax water could charge McLean residents a high enough rate to make up for all of the lost tax revenue. I also wonder where they’ll locate their landfill - I doubt fairfax will continue to offer up theirs

Of course they will.

Am only halfway reading through this thread... my modest proposal is: if McLean secedes from Fairfax County, FCPS should demolish the schools in McLean and on their sites build affordable housing and create space for landfills; it’s absolutely arrogant to think FCPS should just give the buildings to a seceding McLean.

Uh, no. It’s not arrogant. It’s common sense. They’re ON McLean territory and fcps does not manta in them. But fcps is quick taking McLean $$. So sit down and stfu kiddo. Convo isn’t for dummies of your caliber. Dont you have some emo thousand-gender antipatriarchy points to spout elsewhere?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if fairfax water could charge McLean residents a high enough rate to make up for all of the lost tax revenue. I also wonder where they’ll locate their landfill - I doubt fairfax will continue to offer up theirs

Of course they will.

Am only halfway reading through this thread... my modest proposal is: if McLean secedes from Fairfax County, FCPS should demolish the schools in McLean and on their sites build affordable housing and create space for landfills; it’s absolutely arrogant to think FCPS should just give the buildings to a seceding McLean.

Anonymous wrote:I wonder about the timing - if McLean HS is in desperate need of a $100 million + renovation, is that the first bill you are going to ask a new city to pay? Or can the issue be solved by redistricting with Langley alone?

Fcps has made it clear they don’t care. At least this way, mclean will be funding its own high school rather than everyone else’s while theirs gets ignored.

Anonymous wrote:I wonder about the timing - if McLean HS is in desperate need of a $100 million + renovation, is that the first bill you are going to ask a new city to pay? Or can the issue be solved by redistricting with Langley alone?

It can be solved by making Langley pay for it. Lol

I wonder about the timing - if McLean HS is in desperate need of a $100 million + renovation, is that the first bill you are going to ask a new city to pay? Or can the issue be solved by redistricting with Langley alone?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know the School Board has a bunch of crazies but where has the Board of Supervisors been? It can’t be good for people like Jeff McKay and John Foust to know there is this level of dissatisfaction with FCPS. It seems like they’d be well served to throw their weight around a bit more and try to get FCPS to clean up their act. It won’t be any easier for the BOS to market whatever it is they are trying to do with Tysons if the immediate suburbs to the north are trying to break away from Fairfax County.

No. its easier for them to just block this from happening. FC/FCPS takes the easiest road.

Doesn’t seem to be working out too well for them right now. FCPS’s reputation is in the gutter and many of the School Board members are viewed with contempt.

Anonymous wrote:I know the School Board has a bunch of crazies but where has the Board of Supervisors been? It can’t be good for people like Jeff McKay and John Foust to know there is this level of dissatisfaction with FCPS. It seems like they’d be well served to throw their weight around a bit more and try to get FCPS to clean up their act. It won’t be any easier for the BOS to market whatever it is they are trying to do with Tysons if the immediate suburbs to the north are trying to break away from Fairfax County.

No. its easier for them to just block this from happening. FC/FCPS takes the easiest road.

I know the School Board has a bunch of crazies but where has the Board of Supervisors been? It can’t be good for people like Jeff McKay and John Foust to know there is this level of dissatisfaction with FCPS. It seems like they’d be well served to throw their weight around a bit more and try to get FCPS to clean up their act. It won’t be any easier for the BOS to market whatever it is they are trying to do with Tysons if the immediate suburbs to the north are trying to break away from Fairfax County.

Anonymous wrote:Taxation without representation. The only issue is doesn’t the City of Falls Church - even though it’s separate - still fall under FCPS? Agree on IG reporting! Curriculum choices, et al.

No. They are a separate district and not affiliated with FCPS.