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Old 08-12-2015, 10:50 PM
 
24 posts, read 30,665 times
Reputation: 42

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I'm rather new to the area and this forum. We are researching since we are planning to buy a house in the near future. We do like the city of Falls Church since it's pretty centrally located for our needs.
That being said there seems to be a consensus that its schools are not good. Feedback in this forum or in greatschools is not great. All our friends say we should buy in Fairfax county.
But then it comes this news that says that Falls Chuch schools have the best passing grades for Virginia’s Standards of Learning tests 2015 SOL tests: Best and worst Va. school systems - WTOP
Am I missing anything? How can the same schools have bad ratings but the best passing grades?
I appreciate your feedback.
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Old 08-13-2015, 05:59 AM
 
2,737 posts, read 5,437,558 times
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Are you confounding some Falls Church schools in the FFX Co system, with Falls Church City schools?

Comments on this forum about FCC schools have been positive generally, and the greatschools ratings are in the 9s.
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Old 08-13-2015, 06:42 AM
 
Location: West Hollywood, CA from Arlington, VA
2,768 posts, read 3,511,480 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ACWhite View Post
Are you confounding some Falls Church schools in the FFX Co system, with Falls Church City schools?

Comments on this forum about FCC schools have been positive generally, and the greatschools ratings are in the 9s.
Yeah I think this is the issue.

There are four "Falls Church" zip codes: 22040, 22042, 22044, and 22046. 22040 and 22046 are mostly in the City of Falls Church. 22042 and 22044 are mostly within Fairfax County. Two different school systems.
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Old 08-13-2015, 06:52 AM
 
24 posts, read 30,665 times
Reputation: 42
That could be the case. I was looking into 22042. I guess I need to do more research, since it that's the case, the the FFX county schools are the ones that are not that good. This is too complicated!! ☺
Thanks for your feedback!
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Old 08-13-2015, 07:03 AM
 
2,189 posts, read 3,303,810 times
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Falls Church City schools are very highly regarded, as are most of the Falls Church schools residing in Fairfax County. The only one that might give me pause is the Steurt HS pyramid. Falls Church HS used to be one that was criticized a lot but I think it's turned a corner over the past 5 years and is on par with all the others. Definitely do your own research and decide for yourself though.
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Old 08-13-2015, 07:03 AM
 
601 posts, read 589,848 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gomason View Post
Yeah I think this is the issue.

There are four "Falls Church" zip codes: 22040, 22042, 22044, and 22046. 22040 and 22046 are mostly in the City of Falls Church. 22042 and 22044 are mostly within Fairfax County. Two different school systems.
There is also 22043 - west falls church/pimmit hills area.
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Old 08-13-2015, 07:07 AM
 
1,820 posts, read 1,644,759 times
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The actual City of Falls Church is very small -- just two square miles. In some sense, it is a little like a gated community in that real estate prices help drive low-income populations outside the city limits. That said, FCCPS receives and deserves a strong reputation.
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Old 08-13-2015, 08:19 AM
 
Location: Falls Church, Fairfax County
5,162 posts, read 4,464,096 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dpiccolo View Post
That could be the case. I was looking into 22042. I guess I need to do more research, since it that's the case, the the FFX county schools are the ones that are not that good. This is too complicated!! ☺
Thanks for your feedback!
I purchased in 22042 and love it. I do not have any school age children. The only problem I would have is Stuart HS. Stuart High School is fed by some lower income areas and I feel that is where the problem and low scores come from. Speaking to one of my neighbors they raised their kids and sent them through the public school system and loved it. But they are a little older than I am so it must have been a while.

If you have any questions about the area I would be glad to give you my opinion. I walk a good deal of the area a lot so if you have a specific house or block that you are interested in let me know either here or in PM and I will tell you if I know that area well and what my impressions are.
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Old 08-13-2015, 09:08 AM
 
1,624 posts, read 4,858,517 times
Reputation: 1308
Quote:
Originally Posted by gomason View Post
Yeah I think this is the issue.

There are four "Falls Church" zip codes: 22040, 22042, 22044, and 22046. 22040 and 22046 are mostly in the City of Falls Church. 22042 and 22044 are mostly within Fairfax County. Two different school systems.
22041 covers the Bailey's Crossroads area and has Falls Church addresses as well. There are a lot of cheap apartments that cater to recent immigrant populations there, so the schools in the area have lower test scores. But then again, you see McMansions interspersed throughout the area.

The most expensive houses are in the City of Falls Church, the part of Falls Church zoned to McLean High School, and then the parts zoned to Marshall High School. Those are the pyramids with the highest test scores as well.

To make things more confusing, there is a neighborhood called East Falls Church (near the East Falls Church Metro Station), which is actually Arlington and districted in either the Yorktown or Washington-Lee school zones, which are both excellent schools. Some of the those houses have the border of Arlington and City of Falls Church split through their yards, so they get to choose which school district they send their kids too.
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Old 08-13-2015, 12:37 PM
 
9 posts, read 10,088 times
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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.
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