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So as I said, relative to the other Arlington schools Wakefield doesn't look so hot. But compared against other schools nationwide it is still a very good school. That list only shows the top 1300 schools nationwide as judged by their criteria. There are thousands more that didn't even make the list (my high school included).
Wakefield has done some interesting things to challenge its largely lower-income (mostly Hispanic) students to take AP classes, which is why it ranks higher on the Challenge Index than one would expect from a school with its demographics.
However, AP courses were never intended for ALL high school students, especially those for whom English is not their first language. Opening these courses to all students will change the experience for more gifted students, who can't move ahead because so many of their classmates struggle with the material.
If you go to the National Zoo via the Metro, get off at Cleveland Park rather than Adams Morgan; the walk to the zoo is downhill from Cleveland Park and uphill from Adams Morgan.
Wakefield is an excellent school, but it isn't for everyone. 55% of the students receive subsidized lunches, so the school is mostly children of poor to middle class families. Their parents often lack any secondary education or even H.S. diplomas (not the whole school, just a substantial amount).
The excellent faculty and staff basically take a school filled with many students that probably wouldn't even consider going to college and eventually get them to earn college degrees. The teachers really take an interest in the students and don't let them get lost in the crowd. I find this very commendable and wholeheartedly believe they earned their rankings.
However, if you have a pretty smart child in a high achieving, well educated family, this school probably isn't the best. It simply doesn't have a large number of students taking the most difficult classes, as compared to Yorktown or McLean. Sure they can get a decent education there, but it is likely they will be more challenged and learn at a faster pace elsewhere.
This was based on a conversation I had with an Arlington E.S. teacher who loves Wakefield for it has been able to achieve.
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