Help with GT program (high school, centers, bus)

[dlumpen]

Originally Posted by Denton56

There are ''slots'' in public schools? Where?

A lot of people don't know this, but you can move into a school district only to lean that there isn't a space for your child. As a consequence, they have to attend a different school. If you're buying or moving, you should find out in advance. It's a finite world we live in. Fairfax just went through a painful redistricting, where many children will now have to attend South Lakes instead of the better Oakton High School due to demographic shifts.

I only thought of parachute kids as being a bad thing in that parents were abandoning their children to weird old uncle Nygen when they should be raising them themselves.

But even illegal immigrants are on some kind of fair footing in the sense that families have to pay their way into a better school district. I know that I paid much more for my house to get into a good one. For people who don't even pay taxes to the county to get away with burdening the school system and then taking the cream of the crop in schools on top of that is criminal. Worse, it directly or indirectly denies citizen children the better schools, potentially hampering their success in life. I hope that the school board is addressing this. I know that there's a lot of controversy when it comes to immigration, but hopefully everyone can see how wrong this is. Depending how how common the problem is, it could really mess up the school system.

[live_strong28]

Originally Posted by Denton56

There are ''slots'' in public schools? Where?

Yes, there are slots. Slots in GT programs. GT programs can admit only a set # of kids, and it's not fair if a single slot is taken up by a non resident, unless they pay tuition.

[slduvall]

Someone just mentioned to me about a family that rents a basement apt in an area that goes to Langley HS (I think), anyway it is just a mother and daughter. They disappear every summer, to reappear when school starts. It is believed that the father and other family members live in either MD or the district. This neighborhood doesn't allow subletting or whatever you would call renting out your basement. The HOA was told it is a family member. Either way she doesn't pay any taxes, even though the home owner does it is still essentially wrong. The mother walks the 16-17 year old girl to the bus stop every morning and is there every afternoon. Never stops to talk, and the girl never speaks to anyone. Perhaps so she doesn't "spill the beans".

[live_strong28]

Originally Posted by dlumpen

A lot of people don't know this, but you can move into a school district only to lean that there isn't a space for your child. As a consequence, they have to attend a different school. If you're buying or moving, you should find out in advance. It's a finite world we live in. Fairfax just went through a painful redistricting, where many children will now have to attend South Lakes instead of the better Oakton High School due to demographic shifts.

I only thought of parachute kids as being a bad thing in that parents were abandoning their children to weird old uncle Nygen when they should be raising them themselves.

But even illegal immigrants are on some kind of fair footing in the sense that families have to pay their way into a better school district. I know that I paid much more for my house to get into a good one. For people who don't even pay taxes to the county to get away with burdening the school system and then taking the cream of the crop in schools on top of that is criminal. Worse, it directly or indirectly denies citizen children the better schools, potentially hampering their success in life. I hope that the school board is addressing this. I know that there's a lot of controversy when it comes to immigration, but hopefully everyone can see how wrong this is. Depending how how common the problem is, it could really mess up the school system.

It's a surprise to me when you say that it's possible "there is no space for your child."

I know about the South Lakes redistricting, but I would assume that if you buy into the Madison or Oakton districts that aren't affected by the redistricting, then there's absolutely no reason why your kids would be forced to attend South Lakes.

Which triangle/district did you end up in?

[claremarie]

"A lot of people don't know this, but you can move into a school district only to lean that there isn't a space for your child. As a consequence, they have to attend a different school."

In Fairfax County? I don't think so.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by live_strong28

Yes, there are slots. Slots in GT programs. GT programs can admit only a set # of kids, and it's not fair if a single slot is taken up by a non resident, unless they pay tuition.

Nope not true. GT center programs used to be 4.5% of the elementary population. Now they are 14.5%. They grow every year. Obviously if there were only a certain number of ''slots'' the program could never have grown by a factor of ten. If your principal has told you that there are a limited number of ''slots'' she's lying, probably thinks it will make you feel better about your child not be selected.

Anyone who is not a resident of Fairfax county must pay tuition to attend any county school, GT or non GT.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by claremarie

"A lot of people don't know this, but you can move into a school district only to lean that there isn't a space for your child. As a consequence, they have to attend a different school."

In Fairfax County? I don't think so.

You're right. If you live in a district, your child attends school in that district. If nothing else, it would be too costly to bus one child to another district. Public schools cannot turn children away just because a school is crowded. If they could, there would be no over enrolled schools with seas of trailers and no under enrolled schools with empty classrooms. FCPS has plenty of both.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by live_strong28

It's a surprise to me when you say that it's possible "there is no space for your child."

I know about the South Lakes redistricting, but I would assume that if you buy into the Madison or Oakton districts that aren't affected by the redistricting, then there's absolutely no reason why your kids would be forced to attend South Lakes.

Which triangle/district did you end up in?

His kid only has to attend South Lakes if his home is now located in South Lakes district. If his house is in Madison district, he would attend Madison. Ditto Oakton.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by slduvall

Someone just mentioned to me about a family that rents a basement apt in an area that goes to Langley HS (I think), anyway it is just a mother and daughter. They disappear every summer, to reappear when school starts. It is believed that the father and other family members live in either MD or the district. This neighborhood doesn't allow subletting or whatever you would call renting out your basement. The HOA was told it is a family member. Either way she doesn't pay any taxes, even though the home owner does it is still essentially wrong. The mother walks the 16-17 year old girl to the bus stop every morning and is there every afternoon. Never stops to talk, and the girl never speaks to anyone. Perhaps so she doesn't "spill the beans".

It's not illegal to own houses or rent apartments in two different places. Nor is it illegal to spend the summer in another state. If the Mom has a legal housing agreement, owns or rents, she can enroll her child in school in that district.

Renters don't pay real estate taxes, but that doesn't mean their children can't attend local schools.

[Yankeesfan]

From the FCPS website:

"Tuition is charged for students whose parents do not live in Fairfax County."