Are Falls Church schools underrated? (Arlington, Alexandria: house, established neighborhood, buying)

[Major Barbara]

Originally Posted by FCNova

He/she was saying the most expensive homes in Falls Church are in the part of Falls Church in the city boundaries, that goes to FC City schools. Or in the part in Fairfax county that's zoned to McLean HS. Or in the parts in Fairfax County that are zoned to Marshall HS. Which is absolutely correct.

Absolutely confused would be more like it. The City and County are distinct and separate and so are their school systems.

[FCNova]

Originally Posted by Major Barbara

Absolutely confused would be more like it. The City and County are distinct and separate and so are their school systems.

Nobody on here is disputing that.

[fcyolo]

Originally Posted by fcnotfcc

I went through the Stuart pyramid and graduated in the mid 2000s. My family and extended family put through about 15 graduates in the 90's and 2000"s. All went on to good colleges - UVA, JMU, Richmond, ODU, GM, VT, Syracuse etc - and are doing well by most measures. Friends that I graduated with also have done really well. The school is what you make of it. I understand they have had some leadership issues over the past 5 years or so.

There are a lot of very vested families in the Lake Barcroft / Sleepy Hollow area. Honestly Stuart is like two schools in one - ESL and IB couldn't more more different. Immigration isn't a new thing either - the school has been diverse since the mid 80s.

FWIW I just bought in the area and would put my kid's through the system - but I have BTDT so my view is not dictated by Great Schools.

True but those areas have experienced a major influx of immigrants and low income students, they even needed to build a school vertically in an office building to accommodate them all. It's not the same influx as of recent. No one is worried about legal tax paying immigrants but when a school is majority ESOL and FARMS you will have issues with education and imbalances with school budgets and services.

Fairfax County receives wave of immigrant children -- FairfaxTimes.com

High-rise elementary school opens in Va. - WTOP

In Fairfax County kindergarten classes, school system

[TheWatchmen]

Originally Posted by fcyolo

True but those areas have experienced a major influx of immigrants and low income students, they even needed to build a school vertically in an office building to accommodate them all. It's not the same influx as of recent. No one is worried about legal tax paying immigrants but when a school is majority ESOL and FARMS you will have issues with education and imbalances with school budgets and services.

Fairfax County receives wave of immigrant children -- FairfaxTimes.com

High-rise elementary school opens in Va. - WTOP

In Fairfax County kindergarten classes, school system

T. Rees Shapiro is a hack of a journalist. I don't read his pieces anymore. He has it out for Eastern Fairfax County. All of the post education reporters seem to be extremely pro-charter, as well, which I do not support. I cancelled my post subscription after reading one too many pro-charter "news" pieces.

What is supposed to be done about this issue? EVERYONE'S hands are tied. Also, a lot of ESOL students were born in the area.

This is why I fully support redevelopment and revitalization of my area. It is the ONLY way that schools will improve.

[SunnyDaz]

So Falls Church City schools are too good and Falls Church (Fairfax) seem bad....why not change the school boundary lines and mix things up so that you have two great school districts.

[fcyolo]

Originally Posted by SunnyDaz

So Falls Church City schools are too good and Falls Church (Fairfax) seem bad....why not change the school boundary lines and mix things up so that you have two great school districts.

There is a history behind this, it was based on segregation and falls church city pushing the blacks out of the city limits to fairfax county.
TinnerHill
The only high school in falls church city is George Mason which has a majority white population.

Also note that fairfax county "falls church" includes the following high schools

McLean (Very Well regarded)
Marshall (Well regarded)
Falls Church High (Poorly Regarded)
Stuart (Extremely Poorly Regarded).

The above mirror the amount of poverty and non english speaking minorities.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by fcyolo

Also note that fairfax county "falls church" includes the following high schools

McLean (Very Well regarded)
Marshall (Well regarded)
Falls Church High (Poorly Regarded)
Stuart (Extremely Poorly Regarded).

The above mirror the amount of poverty and non english speaking minorities.

Those are your labels. Not everyone shares that perspective. I've met some great kids at both Falls Church and Stuart.

[fcyolo]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Those are your labels. Not everyone shares that perspective. I've met some great kids at both Falls Church and Stuart.

Not labels just reasoning why sol and ratings are as stated. There will be some smart kids regardless but the higher rated schools will have more.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by fcyolo

Immediately outside of that area it is not very good and the schools are very poor and low performing. Most people do private. Sleepy hollow is not the same and is gone to pot, lake barcroft is like the barricaded city in waking dead or wayward pines.

Sleepy Hollow and Lake Barcroft are both part of the Lake Barcroft CDP. The census reports the area has a median household income of $127,700. That's lower than the median household incomes in McLean or Great Falls, but higher than in Falls Church City ($120,000), Arlington ($103,208) or the Pimmit Hills CDP ($96,500).

If Sleepy Hollow has "gone to pot" - which it has not - Pimmit Hills, which feeds entirely into Marshall HS, apparently remains a decrepit slum.

I think you can't get your arms around the idea that some higher-income people send their kids to schools with more diversity than you consider acceptable. The demographics at schools like Falls Church and Stuart do scare some people off, but I've met kids from both schools, and they were smart, well-spoken and respectful. Within the past 2-3 years alone, Stuart has sent students to both Harvard and Yale, not to mention the same Virginia schools that most FCPS graduates attend.

[fcyolo]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Sleepy Hollow and Lake Barcroft are both part of the Lake Barcroft CDP. The census reports the area has a median household income of $127,700. That's lower than the median household incomes in McLean or Great Falls, but higher than in Falls Church City ($120,000), Arlington ($103,208) or the Pimmit Hills CDP ($96,500).

If Sleepy Hollow has "gone to pot" - which it has not - Pimmit Hills, which feeds entirely into Marshall HS, apparently remains a decrepit slum.

I think you can't get your arms around the idea that some higher-income people send their kids to schools with more diversity than you consider acceptable. The demographics at schools like Falls Church and Stuart do scare some people off, but I've met kids from both schools, and they were smart, well-spoken and respectful. Within the past 2-3 years alone, Stuart has sent students to both Harvard and Yale, not to mention the same Virginia schools that most FCPS graduates attend.

You are disillusioned to believe that sleepy hollow is the same as it was in late 80s, it has gone down hill. Besides lake barcroft falls church high and stuart pyramids are the rated as the worst in the county. There is no doubt intelligent children may take advantage of the big fish in the small pond situation but those schools will not prepare your child as well as the other well rated schools.

The home prices, poverty and esol levels mirror the sentiment that in falls church the best schools pyramids are as follow

George Mason High
McLean
Marshall

Falls Church high and Stuart are considered subpar and no where near any of the above three schools.

Besides singling out pimmit hills which appears you have a personal issue with the facts are

Pimmit hills was a crap hole but the current trend with new houses being built is evidence that it has turned around and is on the uptick.

Can't say the same for any of the falls church areas zoned for stuart or falls church except for mosaic which caters to non families.

PS

I think falls church city is the best