Why isn't there another academic charter middle school?

[Anonymous]

With it being increasingly difficult to get into Latin or BASIS, and with increased demand as more UMC families hit middle school, and with all the uncertainty around selective high school admissions, it seems like there would be a lot of interest in a new charter middle and/or high school whose value prop was differentiation/advanced classes. I know there's Latin Cooper. But are there not more attempts at this because they wouldn't get approved, or because it's very difficult to get the real estate, or something else? Thank you.

[Anonymous]

How about we rephrase the question:

Why doesn't DC do anything to make DCPS middle and high schools stronger and attract more families that are looking for academic rigor?

[Anonymous]

Because parents don't believe that a school with lottery admissions can actually deliver that.

[Anonymous]

I think many would say DCI fills that gap, and there are many, many immersion families at feeders that are there as much for the DCI feed as the language itself. We could debate whether DCI really really provides “differentiation/advanced classes”, but I think the buy in from MC EOTP families shows that they see the academics as “good enough.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about we rephrase the question:

Why doesn't DC do anything to make DCPS middle and high schools stronger and attract more families that are looking for academic rigor?

But I know the answer to that already!

[Anonymous]

but isn't the question, why aren't there enough EXCLUSIVE or TRACKED academically oriented middle school programs?

Meaning, "how can I get my child away from poor performers, because having them in class with my child is a problem or at least I assume it is because this is America and race, class, and achievement in America have never not be commingled and confounded?"

[Anonymous]

There aren't that many middle schoolers who are academically advanced. Between those who want to attend their inbound school or follow the feeder pattern they're already in and the charters that start with ms, most of the need is met. And the dcpcsb is not interested in granting charters to cherry pick rich, white, or high-scoring kids...they want to close the achievement gap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There aren't that many middle schoolers who are academically advanced. Between those who want to attend their inbound school or follow the feeder pattern they're already in and the charters that start with ms, most of the need is met. And the dcpcsb is not interested in granting charters to cherry pick rich, white, or high-scoring kids...they want to close the achievement gap.

This. After BASIS, Latin, Latin, DCI, Deal, Hardy, and those who genuinely want their IB, and Inspired Teaching (which does consistently have a high-scoring group of kids and some people are very much into it), plus the people who always planned on private, there aren't that many high-achieving kids left. And those kids are not localized in any one area. And their parents won't necessarily have confidence in a brand new school with no track record, and it'll be small and that really limits the offerings. I really think so much of the demand is met, especially when Cooper is at full size, that there just isn't the appetite for more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:but isn't the question, why aren't there enough EXCLUSIVE or TRACKED academically oriented middle school programs?

Meaning, "how can I get my child away from poor performers, because having them in class with my child is a problem or at least I assume it is because this is America and race, class, and achievement in America have never not be commingled and confounded?"

I know it's a problem because I witness it being a problem for my actual, real-life kids. But regardless of whether YOU think is a problem, the waitlist numbers for BASIS and Latin show that there are many parents for whom their neighborhood MSs are not an option and who are looking for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With it being increasingly difficult to get into Latin or BASIS, and with increased demand as more UMC families hit middle school, and with all the uncertainty around selective high school admissions, it seems like there would be a lot of interest in a new charter middle and/or high school whose value prop was differentiation/advanced classes. I know there's Latin Cooper. But are there not more attempts at this because they wouldn't get approved, or because it's very difficult to get the real estate, or something else? Thank you.

Do those schools actually provide tracking/advanced classes? Or is it just that their school population is self-selective and primarily UMC, with all the benefits that come from that? DCI has a level of tracking in math and languages (but it is not a G&T set-up at all), but it doesn't apply across the whole curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There aren't that many middle schoolers who are academically advanced. Between those who want to attend their inbound school or follow the feeder pattern they're already in and the charters that start with ms, most of the need is met. And the dcpcsb is not interested in granting charters to cherry pick rich, white, or high-scoring kids...they want to close the achievement gap.

This. After BASIS, Latin, Latin, DCI, Deal, Hardy, and those who genuinely want their IB, and Inspired Teaching (which does consistently have a high-scoring group of kids and some people are very much into it), plus the people who always planned on private, there aren't that many high-achieving kids left. And those kids are not localized in any one area. And their parents won't necessarily have confidence in a brand new school with no track record, and it'll be small and that really limits the offerings. I really think so much of the demand is met, especially when Cooper is at full size, that there just isn't the appetite for more.

The wait lists show otherwise! I think there is *absolutely* demand for an academically rigorous MS/HS charter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With it being increasingly difficult to get into Latin or BASIS, and with increased demand as more UMC families hit middle school, and with all the uncertainty around selective high school admissions, it seems like there would be a lot of interest in a new charter middle and/or high school whose value prop was differentiation/advanced classes. I know there's Latin Cooper. But are there not more attempts at this because they wouldn't get approved, or because it's very difficult to get the real estate, or something else? Thank you.

Very simple--DC probably has the highest percentage of kids in private schools in the country. Until privates become too cost prohibitive, I really don't think the middle and high school landscape will change. It's ingrained in the culture vs demanding something better. I don't think anywhere else in the country is like this. Pretty sad...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:but isn't the question, why aren't there enough EXCLUSIVE or TRACKED academically oriented middle school programs?

Meaning, "how can I get my child away from poor performers, because having them in class with my child is a problem or at least I assume it is because this is America and race, class, and achievement in America have never not be commingled and confounded?"

No, the question is about MS/HS where the classes are at a minimum on grade level. Get back to me when you send your own kid to a HS where 0% pass PARCC math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With it being increasingly difficult to get into Latin or BASIS, and with increased demand as more UMC families hit middle school, and with all the uncertainty around selective high school admissions, it seems like there would be a lot of interest in a new charter middle and/or high school whose value prop was differentiation/advanced classes. I know there's Latin Cooper. But are there not more attempts at this because they wouldn't get approved, or because it's very difficult to get the real estate, or something else? Thank you.

Do those schools actually provide tracking/advanced classes? Or is it just that their school population is self-selective and primarily UMC, with all the benefits that come from that? DCI has a level of tracking in math and languages (but it is not a G&T set-up at all), but it doesn't apply across the whole curriculum.

Both Latin and BASIS are successfully providing advanced math coursework to middle schoolers beyond algebra in a way that you're not getting at most DCPS middle schools, where there's not a strong enough cohort of students to even have that with algebra. Their student populations allow them to do this. Outside of math, I would guess that the major benefit, at least during middle school, is the self-selection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With it being increasingly difficult to get into Latin or BASIS, and with increased demand as more UMC families hit middle school, and with all the uncertainty around selective high school admissions, it seems like there would be a lot of interest in a new charter middle and/or high school whose value prop was differentiation/advanced classes. I know there's Latin Cooper. But are there not more attempts at this because they wouldn't get approved, or because it's very difficult to get the real estate, or something else? Thank you.

The answer is Latin Cooper. A whole bunch of 4th graders from our DCPS on Capitol Hill who didn't get into BASIS or the original Latin wound up there for 5th grade, although this is Latin Cooper's first year. The Latin Cooper 2022 waiting list was short, almost everybody willing to give it a try for 5th grade got it. This fall, there will be lots more spots for 5th and 6th grade, and new spots for 7th. The current building in warehouse isn't too hot, but the school will move to the Kirov Ballet site in two years.