Pg county schools Vs Montgomery County school (Bowie, Potomac: low income, houses)

[Alanboy395]

Montgomery county schools are like fairfax county schools. OVERRATED.

[pythagras]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Montgomery county schools are like fairfax county schools. OVERRATED.

Do you have evidence or a personal story to back this up?

[Floridahater]

I graduated from the Montgomery Co. system years ago. Although the system is not as effective as it was years ago, it always has been and is currently better than the PG schools. I would never send a kid to school in PG Co (then or now, unless it's private school).

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by pythagras

Do you have evidence or a personal story to back this up?

i have a testimony from another post. This is not my story. I went to Alexandria City Schools.

Oh trust me, until you attend Fairfax County schools yourself, as I have for 4 years now, you'll never know what they are like at all. Many people swear up and down that they are the best schools but that couldn't be more far from the truth. I don't know much about Alexandria City schools, but I'm willing to bet that they are much better than Fairfax County. All the students who came to Edison from T.C. are praying that they can go back. I'm a junior this year, and I feel as though I'm not learning anything. The classes are supposed to be advanced, but that does nothing for the children who transfer here from other schools. If you grow up here, it's one thing, i would guess. But I didn't, I came from P.G. County schools and I actually feel as though I was learning more there than here no matter how bad people claim the school system to be. Fairfax County moves to fast; gives no chance to get caught up in anything and that's not a healthy education for a child, no matter what society says. And as for the "Big City" problems, Fairfax County definently isn't a small environment and we have just as many problems if not more. T.C. Williams is being renovated and made better for the students. Some schools in Fairfax County, like Edison, hasn't been renovated since they were first built in the 40's and 50's. They have leaky pipes, mismatched lockers, no windows in some of the classes, mice in the heaters, roaches in the science hallway, and an elevator that's handicapped accessible that always gets stuck. Higher dropout rate or not, you all know your children; you know whether they are in more danger of dropping out no matter what school you decide to put them in; that doesn't make a difference. A certain school doesn't determine whether or not your child will drop out. That depends on the relationship you have with them and how they feel about school, period. If your child feels strongly about school and making something out of themselves, they will NOT let anyone deter them from making the better decision. Check your kids before you start blaming a school system because the schools can't make your kids think what they want to think.

Based on what I've heard about T.C, I would say that it's the better school to enroll your children in. I also like that its the only high school in Alexandria City; they'll know almost everyone and that will help out in the future as far as employment connections and such go. Try to avoid Fairfax County schools also, they're extremely overrated and I attend one personally; I know.

[kjg1963]

The above reference to PG County schools and feeling like he learned more there seems to hold true. My son attended school in Carroll County during his Junior and Senior years (previously he was in PG) and he said he was way ahead compared to the students there. I think PG offers a more advanced curriculum and maybe this could be why many students fall behind.

[MDguySC]

Montgomery County's high schools are ALL in the top 3% nationwide... PG county can't say that... However, PG county schools are better than most other school districts in the nation. Part of the problem with PG's school is that people label the children as being "stupid, underachievers" and to what degree do these tests measure self-fulfilling prophecies?

With that said, Montgomery county does have better schools.

[jessy0780]

Originally Posted by kjg1963

I don't think test scores are a fair reflection of the PG county schools. There are students who excel at the same schools others fail. The achievers and non-achieving are getting the same instruction. Its the students who are failing themselves. You have to want to learn and many students as they get older would rather not apply themselves to school every day. Too often I see school-age children wandering the streets during school hours. This is reflected in the scores--the higher the grade level, the lower the scores. A 3rd grader is still bright-eyed and bushy tailed and wants to learn. Middle school and up is harder for some and pressure, rebellion, or circumstances at home may play a role in the lower scores. My point is, honor roll students and D students are all sitting in the same class learning the same thing, so is it the schools fault or the student's fault that the scores are low?

Actually that's not true- most schools make an effort to put kids in classes based on their skill level. I know at my (PG County) High School, there was the comprehensive program, which was the regular high school courses- but on a lower level than the other programs, then there was the University High School program, which was for kids who were on a higher level, and it offered honor classes, as well as Advanced Placement Courses, in which a student could earn college credit if they pass the the end of the tests. There was also the IB program, which was much more advanced and intense. Of course there were always a few kids that didn't meet they're potential, but the difference between the comprehensive classes and the UHS classes was incredible. I was in UHS, but took a comprehensive Spanish class- it was amazing how differently behaved the students AND teachers were. The kids were belligerent and lazy and teachers were resigned.

[kjg1963]

You're right jessy. My daughter is in the Sci-Tech at Roosevelt but still has to take courses that are open to all students (i.e., Health, computer graphics). She has made comments about the difference in this classes compared to her AP classes. However, when I made my previous comment about the same education, it applies at all levels. You can have an honor roll student in a comprehensive program. Being in a lower level class does not mean you are automatically going to fail. A student may not be a genius but that doesn't mean that they can't get good grades and have a solid knowledge of basic math and english. If a student is going to fail, a lot of the blame can be put on themselves. You are only going to learn if you want to.

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by kjg1963

The above reference to PG County schools and feeling like he learned more there seems to hold true. My son attended school in Carroll County during his Junior and Senior years (previously he was in PG) and he said he was way ahead compared to the students there. I think PG offers a more advanced curriculum and maybe this could be why many students fall behind.

that aint my thread. it's from ilovemaryland.

btw i went to alexandria city schools and saw a lot of PG kids who wanted to learn do well.

[Bigbluelandrover]

I was an education major for 1 year and have seen enough "tricks" with school testing that the scores mean nothing to me.
My kids were in a Ohio suburb that went from having a good school district to excellent in 2 years. Then my daughter comes home to tell me that the teacher was telling the kids the answers to the proficiency tests. Teacher's now have jobs on the line because of the tests and the more suburbian districts are doing whatever it takes to keep scores high.

As an African American parent I chose MoCo., over PG because 1. I don't care for most of PG county and 2. Perception is often reality when the kids are due to go to college and come out of school. Where I am from I often had people ask me where I went to H.S.- I went to the local districts in the 'bad' school district and I know there were jobs I did not get because of the negative perceptions.

I also keep hearing negative things about the riff-raff fromm SE DC moving into PG and crime and fighting in the PG schools. I have heard NOTHING positive about PG schools and I refuse to have my kids live with a bad stigma like that. Residents of PG county pay higher property taxes than and other county and yet the schools and crime are the worst...no thanks. -----I have YET to see what the big deal is with Bowie? It looks country and underdeveloped to me.