If quality of education is your only priority, are there any reasons to live in DC...

[Anonymous]

OP your thread reads like a troll because I have never met anyone in my life for whom quality of education (By which you meant quality of school, by which you meant test scores) is the *only* priority in life.

Nevertheless, a couple of points from another perspective:

1) we have a particular language that is important to us. immersion in that language is more important than test scores

2) we got our house cheap-ish and rent the basement. The result is a nice house and neighborhood with a mortgage payment net of rental income that is small and shrinking over time. This opens up possibilities for travel, enrichment activities, not to mention college!! that wouldn't otherwise be possible on our income.

Point is, there are myriad factors that go into a decision of where to live.

Finally, to the other PP who essentially said that when you share resources with the poor, you may end up with poor resources:

Your post was insightful and in many parts of the US this rings true. However DC is famous for attracting some very motivated educators and not just at charters. People teach in DC because they want to make a difference.

I remember that NPR story about the majority black school in Ferguson MO where the teachers didn't bother showing up to class. that does NOT happen at most high-poverty schools in DC. On the contrary, you get some great educators at Title I schools in DC, both DCPS and charter, plus money for extras.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wasn't raised in a suburb, I don't like suburbs, I don't want to raise children in a suburb. My children are all smart, and will succeed no matter what--in fact, I would prefer them not to be in an environment chock full of kumon, travel sports, and AP classes for the sake of "rigor." Life is rigor. Living it should be interesting. Being ferried by school bus or suv from one subdivision to another, with the occasional meal at le pain quotidien or the cheesecake factory, sounds like hell.

That's fine. You don't prioritize education in the same way OP does.

NP with a similar philosophy to the don't like suburbs poster.

My child is at a charter that is majority AA (my son is the only white student, there are a handful of asian and hispanic students), and his education in the early years has exceeded my expectations by a lot. He's been at this school for several years now, and we have no plans to move before 5th grade, and probably won't move then.

I do prioritize my son's education - I just prioritize different things. I don't care if he gets into an ivy league college, I do care that he grows up to treat people with kindness no matter what they look like or where they work or how much education they have. I also care that he lives a full life, and isn't only exposed to people "just like him" which tends to happen more often in the suburbs.

There are many different ways to educate a child and make sure that they get a solid start in school. Straight A's in the suburbs is only one of them.

This. I think the "quality of education" argument is misleading. If my child is taking six AP classes and volunteering after school and doing sports, are they experiencing "quality of education" or are they leading an overscheduled life that will burn them out? My children go to a Title I DCPS elementary school, score at the top of the PARCC tests, participate in extracurricular activities they enjoy (not those that were chosen to "academically stimulate them"), and are generally happy and relaxed kids. I have no desire to move to a suburb to enter into the competitive rat race that exists there. My kids will get into college somewhere, and will do well in life, having learned to associate with a broad cross-section of people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wasn't raised in a suburb, I don't like suburbs, I don't want to raise children in a suburb. My children are all smart, and will succeed no matter what--in fact, I would prefer them not to be in an environment chock full of kumon, travel sports, and AP classes for the sake of "rigor." Life is rigor. Living it should be interesting. Being ferried by school bus or suv from one subdivision to another, with the occasional meal at le pain quotidien or the cheesecake factory, sounds like hell.

That's fine. You don't prioritize education in the same way OP does.

NP with a similar philosophy to the don't like suburbs poster.

My child is at a charter that is majority AA (my son is the only white student, there are a handful of asian and hispanic students), and his education in the early years has exceeded my expectations by a lot. He's been at this school for several years now, and we have no plans to move before 5th grade, and probably won't move then.

I do prioritize my son's education - I just prioritize different things. I don't care if he gets into an ivy league college, I do care that he grows up to treat people with kindness no matter what they look like or where they work or how much education they have. I also care that he lives a full life, and isn't only exposed to people "just like him" which tends to happen more often in the suburbs.

There are many different ways to educate a child and make sure that they get a solid start in school. Straight A's in the suburbs is only one of them.

This. I think the "quality of education" argument is misleading. If my child is taking six AP classes and volunteering after school and doing sports, are they experiencing "quality of education" or are they leading an overscheduled life that will burn them out? My children go to a Title I DCPS elementary school, score at the top of the PARCC tests, participate in extracurricular activities they enjoy (not those that were chosen to "academically stimulate them"), and are generally happy and relaxed kids. I have no desire to move to a suburb to enter into the competitive rat race that exists there. My kids will get into college somewhere, and will do well in life, having learned to associate with a broad cross-section of people.

I work in a DC school and live in MoCo. This whole thread is so stupid. Tons of misconceptions on both sides. FWIW I have 4 kids and none of them has entered the competitive rat race yet, though I guess the 1 year old and the 3 year old still have time. The 16 year old and the 18 year old are generally happy and relaxed, just like your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP your thread reads like a troll because I have never met anyone in my life for whom quality of education (By which you meant quality of school, by which you meant test scores) is the *only* priority in life.

Nevertheless, a couple of points from another perspective:

1) we have a particular language that is important to us. immersion in that language is more important than test scores

2) we got our house cheap-ish and rent the basement. The result is a nice house and neighborhood with a mortgage payment net of rental income that is small and shrinking over time. This opens up possibilities for travel, enrichment activities, not to mention college!! that wouldn't otherwise be possible on our income.

Point is, there are myriad factors that go into a decision of where to live.

Finally, to the other PP who essentially said that when you share resources with the poor, you may end up with poor resources:

Your post was insightful and in many parts of the US this rings true. However DC is famous for attracting some very motivated educators and not just at charters. People teach in DC because they want to make a difference.

I remember that NPR story about the majority black school in Ferguson MO where the teachers didn't bother showing up to class. that does NOT happen at most high-poverty schools in DC. On the contrary, you get some great educators at Title I schools in DC, both DCPS and charter, plus money for extras.

Oh there are absolutely people out there (on other boards in DCUM) who feel top schools are the only priority, but agree the OP reads trollish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Quality of education is my top (not my only) priority, and we live in the city. The charter school that my child attends is a perfect fit for our family. It is not a perfect school, nor should it be viewed as a complete educational solution. But it is just right for us. And I don't view school as the sole factor in a good education. In fact, it is one of the least important, in my opinion. School is just a very small part.

By living in the city, we are able to capitalize in many other aspects of education. First, I have more time with my child, and she learns a lot through being with me. Second, she is exposed to a diversity of people, from extraordinarily educated young people who view her as a their outlet for teaching to homeless people who she sees on a daily basis and through whom she learns about the complexities of life. Third, we have fast access to museums, which we still visit with regularity. Fourth, by staying in a small, central location, we are able to travel a great deal, exposing her to geography, science, language, culture and so much more. For us, living in DC is a very important part of achieving our educational goals.

Your kid is how old, 6?

9. But she has a path through a great charter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Quality of education is my top (not my only) priority, and we live in the city. The charter school that my child attends is a perfect fit for our family. It is not a perfect school, nor should it be viewed as a complete educational solution. But it is just right for us. And I don't view school as the sole factor in a good education. In fact, it is one of the least important, in my opinion. School is just a very small part.

By living in the city, we are able to capitalize in many other aspects of education. First, I have more time with my child, and she learns a lot through being with me. Second, she is exposed to a diversity of people, from extraordinarily educated young people who view her as a their outlet for teaching to homeless people who she sees on a daily basis and through whom she learns about the complexities of life. Third, we have fast access to museums, which we still visit with regularity. Fourth, by staying in a small, central location, we are able to travel a great deal, exposing her to geography, science, language, culture and so much more. For us, living in DC is a very important part of achieving our educational goals.

100% agree with this. For us the benefit of living in "dc" is living in DC. We are in a charter we are very happy with that goes through middle school. If that stopped working for us we would consider moving out of the area, closer to family, instead of the burbs.

[Anonymous]

I think a lot of young parents in DCPS who live WOTP are betting that in 10 years the demographics and performance of Wilson and BCC/WJ will be almost indistinguishable. Based on population trends, it's a fairly safe bet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of young parents in DCPS who live WOTP are betting that in 10 years the demographics and performance of Wilson and BCC/WJ will be almost indistinguishable. Based on population trends, it's a fairly safe bet.

There are certain neighborhoods EOTP for which this could be said as well.

[Anonymous]

Anyone making the argument that DC schools are more diverse than many of the local suburbs is wrong:
https://k12.niche.com/rankings/public-school-districts/most-diverse/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

Anyone making the argument that DC schools are equivalent to their grade-level counterparts, I'm interested in your data. Here's a small selection of mine that says you're wrong:
https://k12.niche.com/t/washington-dc-district-of-columbia-dc/ (click nearby towns and look at the profiles of local districts)
http://schoolgrades.org/ (Punch in your DC address and look at schools within a 10-mile radius. Note all the green that appears west of the District. Scroll down to see a relative ranking of schools. All the schools receiving honors are outside of the District. By the way, this methodology gives weight for FARMS kids.).

There may be many reasons to live in the city over the 'burbs, but quality of education ain't one of them. If you're happy at your in-bounds JKLM, super magnet, or high performing charter - that's great. For what it's worth, I teach in a DC public school and I very much want to see it be successful. However, even leaving aside middle and high school (which is a big thing to leave aside), the honest answer to OP's question is "no."

[Anonymous]

Thanks a lot for these links. Fascinating!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of young parents in DCPS who live WOTP are betting that in 10 years the demographics and performance of Wilson and BCC/WJ will be almost indistinguishable. Based on population trends, it's a fairly safe bet.

Yup yup yup. There are a lot of trollish suburban biddies who didn't get the memo. The young educated money is buying in DC. Scores largely reflect demographics and the demographics are shifting. Just look at how long it takes to sell in Bethesda vs DC in the upper brackets ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone making the argument that DC schools are more diverse than many of the local suburbs is wrong:
https://k12.niche.com/rankings/public-school-districts/most-diverse/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

Anyone making the argument that DC schools are equivalent to their grade-level counterparts, I'm interested in your data. Here's a small selection of mine that says you're wrong:
https://k12.niche.com/t/washington-dc-district-of-columbia-dc/ (click nearby towns and look at the profiles of local districts)
http://schoolgrades.org/ (Punch in your DC address and look at schools within a 10-mile radius. Note all the green that appears west of the District. Scroll down to see a relative ranking of schools. All the schools receiving honors are outside of the District. By the way, this methodology gives weight for FARMS kids.).

There may be many reasons to live in the city over the 'burbs, but quality of education ain't one of them. If you're happy at your in-bounds JKLM, super magnet, or high performing charter - that's great. For what it's worth, I teach in a DC public school and I very much want to see it be successful. However, even leaving aside middle and high school (which is a big thing to leave aside), the honest answer to OP's question is "no."

The K12 website seems off. Janney, Shepherd (shows farm as 99% when its 34%), have a score of B+, Wilson and Latin have A, Walls A+. Shows avg teacher salary of $117k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Flee DC if school is a priority

Not for early childhood and elementary. If you can afford to, buy in the catchment area of a decent by-right school, supplement at home and around town (e.g. spend a lot of time in the Smithsonians) and you come out ahead of those choosing suburban schools. The biggest classes in our neighborhood school have two dozen kids, a teacher and an aide. Pals who did as PP advised and fled from DC to far more desirable school district report lower grades classes with nearly 30 kids and a single adult in the room. Ech!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone making the argument that DC schools are more diverse than many of the local suburbs is wrong:
https://k12.niche.com/rankings/public-school-districts/most-diverse/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

Anyone making the argument that DC schools are equivalent to their grade-level counterparts, I'm interested in your data. Here's a small selection of mine that says you're wrong:
https://k12.niche.com/t/washington-dc-district-of-columbia-dc/ (click nearby towns and look at the profiles of local districts)
http://schoolgrades.org/ (Punch in your DC address and look at schools within a 10-mile radius. Note all the green that appears west of the District. Scroll down to see a relative ranking of schools. All the schools receiving honors are outside of the District. By the way, this methodology gives weight for FARMS kids.).

There may be many reasons to live in the city over the 'burbs, but quality of education ain't one of them. If you're happy at your in-bounds JKLM, super magnet, or high performing charter - that's great. For what it's worth, I teach in a DC public school and I very much want to see it be successful. However, even leaving aside middle and high school (which is a big thing to leave aside), the honest answer to OP's question is "no."

So me punch in we b above and me get 2 schools my kids are in and me schools are both A's, yes? Kids are in 2 different WOTP schools and me poor, very poor. "A" is good, yes? Or is it the other way around this time?
OP has 1 kid, so to answer OP's question, move next to one of the A schools for K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Quality of education is my top (not my only) priority, and we live in the city. The charter school that my child attends is a perfect fit for our family. It is not a perfect school, nor should it be viewed as a complete educational solution. But it is just right for us. And I don't view school as the sole factor in a good education. In fact, it is one of the least important, in my opinion. School is just a very small part.

By living in the city, we are able to capitalize in many other aspects of education. First, I have more time with my child, and she learns a lot through being with me. Second, she is exposed to a diversity of people, from extraordinarily educated young people who view her as a their outlet for teaching to homeless people who she sees on a daily basis and through whom she learns about the complexities of life. Third, we have fast access to museums, which we still visit with regularity. Fourth, by staying in a small, central location, we are able to travel a great deal, exposing her to geography, science, language, culture and so much more. For us, living in DC is a very important part of achieving our educational goals.

100% agree with this. For us the benefit of living in "dc" is living in DC. We are in a charter we are very happy with that goes through middle school. If that stopped working for us we would consider moving out of the area, closer to family, instead of the burbs.

We have had similar thoughts, that DC area makes sense so long as we can live in urban DC. Same with NYC, I wouldn't live there if it meant living an hour into NJ. If parents and other family were here it'd be different.