Why is SWS so white?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I-Ready probably asks some questions on subject matter that has not been taught yet at the beginning of the year so lots of kids miss those questions early on and answer them correctly later. But that is not really self-serving. It is certainly possible to test above grade level at the start of the year on I-Ready and then just stagnate.

That’s what happened with both my kids. Worked with them over the summer. They were above grade level coming in this year. Then slowly slid backwards. Thanks SWS!

SWS has among the best math PARCC scores on the Hill excluding Brent which is a higher SES population. Don't think you're getting much better anywhere else in DCPS. Everything taught was appropriate grade level and they got a math worksheet for homework every week which had the same kinds of grade appropriate questions as Khan academy, etc.

You are certainly going to get better at JKLMM schools. The math worksheets are a joke. They’re maybe 8 problems for the entire week. I’m not a big advocate for more homework, but the math instruction is weak.

what is a JKLMM school? Is it somewhere a non-rich person can lottery into without paying for a $1M home or $3K+ rent? Otherwise, why bother posting? That's just obnoxious.

I struggle with the type A DCUM types who freak that their kid isn't above grade level already. My kid tests at/above grade level with no help from me, so I take it the math instruction is fine for my kid.

[Anonymous]

Because some people on here are trying to figure out whether it is worth paying $1m+ for a house IB for a better school, and this information might be helpful to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I-Ready probably asks some questions on subject matter that has not been taught yet at the beginning of the year so lots of kids miss those questions early on and answer them correctly later. But that is not really self-serving. It is certainly possible to test above grade level at the start of the year on I-Ready and then just stagnate.

That’s what happened with both my kids. Worked with them over the summer. They were above grade level coming in this year. Then slowly slid backwards. Thanks SWS!

SWS has among the best math PARCC scores on the Hill excluding Brent which is a higher SES population. Don't think you're getting much better anywhere else in DCPS. Everything taught was appropriate grade level and they got a math worksheet for homework every week which had the same kinds of grade appropriate questions as Khan academy, etc.

You are certainly going to get better at JKLMM schools. The math worksheets are a joke. They’re maybe 8 problems for the entire week. I’m not a big advocate for more homework, but the math instruction is weak.

Actually better or just find a higher percentage of very high SES kids with type A parents who freak out about test scores and immediately/automatically ensure their kid has tutoring on top of 7 extracurriculars? SWS is a bit different in that SES may be lower across ALL ethnicities. It's a city wide school so many people are there because they cannot afford to live in a school district with better performing scores. Take the median SES at SWS even among the caucasian ethnicity and I promise you, it's going to be lower than Maury.

However, DCUM talks like 100% of parents could have chosen Brent or JKLMM. Do you understand the wealth bubble you live in to make that type of claim?

[Anonymous]

Well, I freaked out about nothing until Mathasium tested my kid thoroughly right before 5th grade and reported inconvenient truths. He was almost a year and a half behind grade level in math post Covid and damage done by an iffy 4th grade math teacher. Mathnasium's caught him up. He's now doing 6th grade math at the end of 5th grade. Just not impressed with DCPS ES math instruction, or writing instruction either. Whiteness bothers me much less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, I freaked out about nothing until Mathasium tested my kid thoroughly right before 5th grade and reported inconvenient truths. He was almost a year and a half behind grade level in math post Covid and damage done by an iffy 4th grade math teacher. Mathnasium's caught him up. He's now doing 6th grade math at the end of 5th grade. Just not impressed with DCPS ES math instruction, or writing instruction either. Whiteness bothers me much less.

Were they testing on level in other standardized testing like mid/end Iready (not Beginning of year) or PARCC? I question Mathnasium showing your kid substantially behind grade level and this being a surprise if your kid was testing fine on other standardized testing.

[Anonymous]

We didn’t get 4th grade PARCC scores until Oct. IReady scores showed kid was behind but not much. The Mathnasium test was a hardcopy test where the kid had to show the work. We were shown the results, shown where the kid was falling down. He needed a lot more support and drill than we’d realized. Nobody at school seemed to give a hoot. Our $350/month at Mathnasium has paid off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We didn’t get 4th grade PARCC scores until Oct. IReady scores showed kid was behind but not much. The Mathnasium test was a hardcopy test where the kid had to show the work. We were shown the results, shown where the kid was falling down. He needed a lot more support and drill than we’d realized. Nobody at school seemed to give a hoot. Our $350/month at Mathnasium has paid off.

I know a couple of families whose kids were behind on iready and the school pulled them into additional, more intensive math sessions and work in school. The school specifically staffs additional teachers for this support. Not sure why your kid wasn't? If you tested at Beginning of Year, does Mathnasium work like I-ready where it shows your kid behind on grade level material they haven't learned yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We didn’t get 4th grade PARCC scores until Oct. IReady scores showed kid was behind but not much. The Mathnasium test was a hardcopy test where the kid had to show the work. We were shown the results, shown where the kid was falling down. He needed a lot more support and drill than we’d realized. Nobody at school seemed to give a hoot. Our $350/month at Mathnasium has paid off.

I know a couple of families whose kids were behind on iready and the school pulled them into additional, more intensive math sessions and work in school. The school specifically staffs additional teachers for this support. Not sure why your kid wasn't? If you tested at Beginning of Year, does Mathnasium work like I-ready where it shows your kid behind on grade level material they haven't learned yet?

In our school, you have to be *way* behind to get this support. Like in 3rd grade but still doing math on a K level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We didn’t get 4th grade PARCC scores until Oct. IReady scores showed kid was behind but not much. The Mathnasium test was a hardcopy test where the kid had to show the work. We were shown the results, shown where the kid was falling down. He needed a lot more support and drill than we’d realized. Nobody at school seemed to give a hoot. Our $350/month at Mathnasium has paid off.

I know a couple of families whose kids were behind on iready and the school pulled them into additional, more intensive math sessions and work in school. The school specifically staffs additional teachers for this support. Not sure why your kid wasn't? If you tested at Beginning of Year, does Mathnasium work like I-ready where it shows your kid behind on grade level material they haven't learned yet?

In our school, you have to be *way* behind to get this support. Like in 3rd grade but still doing math on a K level.

What school does your child attend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you expect your kid to perform above grade level, you will do much better at JKLM or in VA/MD. I speak from experience. I think it is a combination of the fact that the JKLMs and VA/MD use a science-based curriculum (in contrast to the roundly criticized Lucy Calkins for ELA and California/San Fran math at SWS) and that they tend to have a culture of high expectations/test scores (in contrast to the "let's not be advanced, because you're privileged so you'll be fine anyhow" culture at SWS).

If your goal is for your kid to perform at grade level, and you are also ok if they perform slightly below grade level, then SWS might be the place for you, if you otherwise like the culture.

This is relevant, however, only if your other options are JLKM or VA/MD. If your other options are the progressive DC charters, it is probably a much closer call. My sense is that Brent/Maury/Ludlow are going to be slightly better for more advanced kids but perhaps not significantly.

Signed, parent of a neuro-typical and well-rounded kid who was performing at or below grade level at SWS (which was not a concern at all to their teachers), but is now performing 3 or more grade levels ahead in math and ELA after a few years at a well-regarded public. This child is also much much happier in their new environment, where there are more extra-curricular options, fewer kids on meds, and the expectations for performance are much more clear.

You are a repeat poster of inaccurate information. SWS uses Heggerty and Fundations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I-Ready probably asks some questions on subject matter that has not been taught yet at the beginning of the year so lots of kids miss those questions early on and answer them correctly later. But that is not really self-serving. It is certainly possible to test above grade level at the start of the year on I-Ready and then just stagnate.

That’s what happened with both my kids. Worked with them over the summer. They were above grade level coming in this year. Then slowly slid backwards. Thanks SWS!

SWS has among the best math PARCC scores on the Hill excluding Brent which is a higher SES population. Don't think you're getting much better anywhere else in DCPS. Everything taught was appropriate grade level and they got a math worksheet for homework every week which had the same kinds of grade appropriate questions as Khan academy, etc.

I don’t see any PARCC that stand out from SWS given their demographics. They only have 10% at risk so I wouldn’t paint it a diverse and poor school.

It’s 54% and has 56% ELA and 58% Math.

ITS, a city wide charter school that is 41% white has 58% ELA and 51% Math.

Ross, a school that is 49% white has 65% Math and 83% ELA.

Shepherd, a school that is 26% white has 65% ELA and 46% Math.

Oyster, a school that is 34% white has 60% ELA and 51% Math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We didn’t get 4th grade PARCC scores until Oct. IReady scores showed kid was behind but not much. The Mathnasium test was a hardcopy test where the kid had to show the work. We were shown the results, shown where the kid was falling down. He needed a lot more support and drill than we’d realized. Nobody at school seemed to give a hoot. Our $350/month at Mathnasium has paid off.

I know a couple of families whose kids were behind on iready and the school pulled them into additional, more intensive math sessions and work in school. The school specifically staffs additional teachers for this support. Not sure why your kid wasn't? If you tested at Beginning of Year, does Mathnasium work like I-ready where it shows your kid behind on grade level material they haven't learned yet?

We weren't pulled into more intensive math sessions at school. No, Mathnasium tests grade level math calibrated to the current point in the school year. In our case, kid took the assessment a week before 5th grade started. No math past 4th grade Common Core was tested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I-Ready probably asks some questions on subject matter that has not been taught yet at the beginning of the year so lots of kids miss those questions early on and answer them correctly later. But that is not really self-serving. It is certainly possible to test above grade level at the start of the year on I-Ready and then just stagnate.

That’s what happened with both my kids. Worked with them over the summer. They were above grade level coming in this year. Then slowly slid backwards. Thanks SWS!

SWS has among the best math PARCC scores on the Hill excluding Brent which is a higher SES population. Don't think you're getting much better anywhere else in DCPS. Everything taught was appropriate grade level and they got a math worksheet for homework every week which had the same kinds of grade appropriate questions as Khan academy, etc.

I don’t see any PARCC that stand out from SWS given their demographics. They only have 10% at risk so I wouldn’t paint it a diverse and poor school.

It’s 54% and has 56% ELA and 58% Math.

ITS, a city wide charter school that is 41% white has 58% ELA and 51% Math.

Ross, a school that is 49% white has 65% Math and 83% ELA.

Shepherd, a school that is 26% white has 65% ELA and 46% Math.

Oyster, a school that is 34% white has 60% ELA and 51% Math.

I hate that PARCC scores aren't broken down by general HHI brackets because I do think this really matters on a city wide school. Many - not all, but many - attend a city wide school such as SWS specifically because they cannot afford to live in bounds for a better performing school, so they do what they can w/ the lottery. People use race as a proxy for SES level, but I don't think it quite gets you there. I don't think SWS is any sort of impoverished population, but I also don't think the population at a city wide school can be analyzed by race alone, there are multiple factors at play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I-Ready probably asks some questions on subject matter that has not been taught yet at the beginning of the year so lots of kids miss those questions early on and answer them correctly later. But that is not really self-serving. It is certainly possible to test above grade level at the start of the year on I-Ready and then just stagnate.

That’s what happened with both my kids. Worked with them over the summer. They were above grade level coming in this year. Then slowly slid backwards. Thanks SWS!

SWS has among the best math PARCC scores on the Hill excluding Brent which is a higher SES population. Don't think you're getting much better anywhere else in DCPS. Everything taught was appropriate grade level and they got a math worksheet for homework every week which had the same kinds of grade appropriate questions as Khan academy, etc.

I don’t see any PARCC that stand out from SWS given their demographics. They only have 10% at risk so I wouldn’t paint it a diverse and poor school.

It’s 54% and has 56% ELA and 58% Math.

ITS, a city wide charter school that is 41% white has 58% ELA and 51% Math.

Ross, a school that is 49% white has 65% Math and 83% ELA.

Shepherd, a school that is 26% white has 65% ELA and 46% Math.

Oyster, a school that is 34% white has 60% ELA and 51% Math.

I hate that PARCC scores aren't broken down by general HHI brackets because I do think this really matters on a city wide school. Many - not all, but many - attend a city wide school such as SWS specifically because they cannot afford to live in bounds for a better performing school, so they do what they can w/ the lottery. People use race as a proxy for SES level, but I don't think it quite gets you there. I don't think SWS is any sort of impoverished population, but I also don't think the population at a city wide school can be analyzed by race alone, there are multiple factors at play.

On the flip side, kids who are by definition lotterying into a school should be at a huge advantage relative to a randomly selected otherwise demographically similar bunch of kids where you can't guarantee parental involvement/competence with a bureaucratic process/ interest in academics. In real terms, charters and city-wide lottery schools *should* be doing much better than DCPSes with equivalent demographics. They get away with murder that this fact isn't highlighted more frequently. SWS gets ZERO kids randomly arriving in the middle of the year. It's basically a charter from a population-control perspective. In that light, it's failure to outperform local DCPSes that get kids showing up from foster placements a week before the PARCC is given is sort of embarrassing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I-Ready probably asks some questions on subject matter that has not been taught yet at the beginning of the year so lots of kids miss those questions early on and answer them correctly later. But that is not really self-serving. It is certainly possible to test above grade level at the start of the year on I-Ready and then just stagnate.

That’s what happened with both my kids. Worked with them over the summer. They were above grade level coming in this year. Then slowly slid backwards. Thanks SWS!

SWS has among the best math PARCC scores on the Hill excluding Brent which is a higher SES population. Don't think you're getting much better anywhere else in DCPS. Everything taught was appropriate grade level and they got a math worksheet for homework every week which had the same kinds of grade appropriate questions as Khan academy, etc.

You are certainly going to get better at JKLMM schools. The math worksheets are a joke. They’re maybe 8 problems for the entire week. I’m not a big advocate for more homework, but the math instruction is weak.

[bActually better or just find a higher percentage of very high SES kids with type A parents who freak out about test scores and immediately/automatically ensure their kid has tutoring on top of 7 extracurriculars? SWS is a bit different in that SES may be lower across ALL ethnicities.[/b] It's a city wide school so many people are there because they cannot afford to live in a school district with better performing scores. Take the median SES at SWS even among the caucasian ethnicity and I promise you, it's going to be lower than Maury.

However, DCUM talks like 100% of parents could have chosen Brent or JKLMM. Do you understand the wealth bubble you live in to make that type of claim?

You’re asserting that there are LMC or poor white kids at SWS? Seriously? That is laughable.

PARCC scores are broken out by race. Compare the SWS UMC white kid scores to the NW or Brent UMC white kid scores. And yes, they are UMC by any metric.