best elementary/middle schools in md for kids with parents that commute to NOVA and DC (Bethesda: condos)

[zxcvbnm]

Family and me are moving to DC area this summer. I have lived in VA before and I think that I want to live in MD this time. I have read a lot about Howard and Montgomery county schools. Just wanted everyone's opinion! Our commutes are to Falls Church and near Reagan Airport. All help is appreciated! Oh, yeah sfh or townhouse is fine. Trying to spend around 450s.

[lscalder]

The best elementary schools in Montgomery county are schools in Chevy Chase.

Please do not get fooled, not all schools in Montgomery County are good schools. Its all about the area you live in. Not about the entire County.

[ellieb128]

Northern Calvert County has some very good schools and not an awful commute, fewer amenities, large lots, more rural, bay access. Mount Harmony, Sunderland and Huntingtown Elementary are as good as any.

[vanyali]

Are you sure you want to live in MD and commute to National Airport? Have you seen the traffic on that commute nowadays? I can understand not wanting to live in VA (me too), but you need to understand what you're getting yourself into.

Look at GreatSchools.net as a way to compare schools within the county.

I think in Chevy Chase, a smallish townhouse within walking distance of the Metro will run you in the $500's. It seems like most of the town houses in the area don't have yards for some reason. Maybe a little farther from the Metro you can find something for less that's still in the same school district. There are also lots of condos around Bethesda/Chevy Chase.

I've also heard people talk about living in NW DC and paying a fee to send their kids to public school in Montgomery County. I don't know anything about that, but a friend of mine got a single family house in a nice part of NW for what a townhouse typically goes for in Chevy Chase, so that might be worth looking into.

[silverspringer]

Howard County to Falls Church (or National Airport) sounds like a long haul to me. But if you've lived in the area before I guess you know what you're in for. Montgomery County School District has a lot of information on their web site. There's a one-page sheet for each school with statistics like test scores and percentage of children receiving free or reduced price lunch so you can compare across schools.