Relocating to Charlottesville (real estate, townhouse, transfer)

[CDM711]

We are relocating to Charlottesville. Any information on schools would be extremely helpful. I have a freshman and a fourth grader. I hear alot about Albemarle County schools. Is this still considered Charlottesville? What areas are nice to live in? We are considering a townhouse at first until we get fully settled. My husband is prior military so this relocation is much different then what we are used to. Thank you for your time.

[Geblank]

Charlottesville City and Albemarle County are separate and have separate schools. Where will you be working, does commute matter?

[CDM711]

Working and going to school in Charlottesville. Dont mind a commute of more then 20 miles.

[TinaTurnstone]

If you become a resident of the City of Charlottesville, your child absolutely will not be able to attend the surrounding Albemarle Country School System. Do not believe real estate agents that tell you otherwise. (one exception: employees of Albemarle County who do not live in that county may pay approx. $8,800/child tuition). Charlottesville City Schools continues to realize a decrease in student enrollment with a current excess capacity of over 1,000 students. As a result, the City has dropped the cost of tuition for out-of-division students to less than $1,000 (City employees pay even less). All of the City Schools are Title 1. Parents, who live in the surrounding areas and work in Charlottesville, find convenience in enrolling their K-4 age children in one of the six City schools (Venable and Greenbrier Elementary Schools would be at the top of my list) rather than organize long distance afterschool care or rushing home to meet the bus. (FYI: several private afterschool programs near the City, like ACAC, provide shuttle service from many Albemarle schools). All elementary schools in the City funnel into Walker Upper Elementary. I would strongly suggest you not send your children to the only 7-8 and 9-12 Charlottesville City schools (Buford Middle School and Charlottesville High School). If you do send your child to a City elementary school with the expectation of enrollment in a country school later – assist them with cultivating friends in their county school district during the summer to help with the transition. If you do decide to live in the City and enroll your children in that school system – seriously consider place your child’s name on the waiting list for several of the many many private middle schools in the area. Do your homework, some private schools will not accept transfer students during mid-program – even if your child suddenly refuses to attend their City school.

Interesting fact: Charlottesville City School system is required to maintain alternative schools with students that “need intensive behavioral and academic interventions”. Albemarle County Schools is not.

[GustavoFring]

Originally Posted by TinaTurnstone

If you become a resident of the City of Charlottesville, your child absolutely will not be able to attend the surrounding Albemarle Country School System. Do not believe real estate agents that tell you otherwise. (one exception: employees of Albemarle County who do not live in that county may pay approx. $8,800/child tuition). Charlottesville City Schools continues to realize a decrease in student enrollment with a current excess capacity of over 1,000 students. As a result, the City has dropped the cost of tuition for out-of-division students to less than $1,000 (City employees pay even less). All of the City Schools are Title 1. Parents, who live in the surrounding areas and work in Charlottesville, find convenience in enrolling their K-4 age children in one of the six City schools (Venable and Greenbrier Elementary Schools would be at the top of my list) rather than organize long distance afterschool care or rushing home to meet the bus. (FYI: several private afterschool programs near the City, like ACAC, provide shuttle service from many Albemarle schools). All elementary schools in the City funnel into Walker Upper Elementary. I would strongly suggest you not send your children to the only 7-8 and 9-12 Charlottesville City schools (Buford Middle School and Charlottesville High School). If you do send your child to a City elementary school with the expectation of enrollment in a country school later – assist them with cultivating friends in their county school district during the summer to help with the transition. If you do decide to live in the City and enroll your children in that school system – seriously consider place your child’s name on the waiting list for several of the many many private middle schools in the area. Do your homework, some private schools will not accept transfer students during mid-program – even if your child suddenly refuses to attend their City school.

Interesting fact: Charlottesville City School system is required to maintain alternative schools with students that “need intensive behavioral and academic interventions”. Albemarle County Schools is not.

Yet, despite all of the trash talked about Charlottesville City Schools, CHS's rankings blow all of the other Albermarle High Schools' rankings out of the water.

If your kid is mildly smart, they will self-segregate into the upper class classes. All of the ghetto kids end up in the "practical" and "standard" classes. All of the rich kids end up in the "advanced" and "honors" classes. The only interactions with each other will be seeing them from afar during lunch or break.

This happens at Albermarle schools as well.

[Green Irish Eyes]

For specific data on different schools, go to the Virginia DoE website and review the report card for each one.

[VaNative]

My siblings and I went to Charlotesville city schools and turned out OK.

[TinaTurnstone]

From what I have observed - an “OK” education continues to be the expectation of most CHS parents and students. (FYI: The Oxford Dictionary defines OK as “satisfactory but not exceptionally or especially good”.)