Banneker versus School Without Walls

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Neither take kids with IEPs. Equal opportunity discrimination!

Wow, I just looked up the stats, and both schools say “0 %” IEPs. My 2E child is only in middle school, but when high school application time comes I’ll be very tempted to bring a law-suit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neither take kids with IEPs. Equal opportunity discrimination!

Wow, I just looked up the stats, and both schools say “0 %” IEPs. My 2E child is only in middle school, but when high school application time comes I’ll be very tempted to bring a law-suit.

Yeah it’s pretty bad. Apparently the former SWW principal outright states that IEPs were not supported by the school. DCPS has very, very little for 2e kids as far as I can tell. I did hear that DCI is good with supports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmm...seems something is missing:

SWW: mostly white
Banneker: mostly black

Not sure what that says to you OP, if anything, but it's what most people seem to talk about a lot on here.

To be fair: SWW is actually only ~half white, not mostly white. But this statement is otherwise correct. Banneker is ~2% white.
I also believe the demographics are different gender-wise, too--my impression is that SWW is closer to 50/50, whereas Banneker is 2/3 or 3/4 girls.

The PP who give a list early in this thread seems right on. My family has had experience with both schools.

Both have a lot of AP classes, but SWW offers more (for instance, Banneker only has AB Calculus, not BC.)
SWW has more clubs and sports.
Both give a lot of homework. Banneker seems to include some busywork in that chunk, including a lot of summer homework.
Banneker requires more community service.
Banneker has much better facilities, with the new building and grounds. It's also easier to get to by Metro and bus.
SWW is nominally humanities-focused while Banneker is general academics focused.
Banneker requires a year of Latin and three years of another language; I think SWW requires three years total of foreign languages.
Both seem to have hard-working, achievement-focused kids who are in general supportive of each other.

Hope this helps, OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neither take kids with IEPs. Equal opportunity discrimination!

Wow, I just looked up the stats, and both schools say “0 %” IEPs. My 2E child is only in middle school, but when high school application time comes I’ll be very tempted to bring a law-suit.

Your 2e DC can go to either school. They just won't have an IEP. Which many 2e kids don't need in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm...seems something is missing:

SWW: mostly white
Banneker: mostly black

Not sure what that says to you OP, if anything, but it's what most people seem to talk about a lot on here.

To be fair: SWW is actually only ~half white, not mostly white. But this statement is otherwise correct. Banneker is ~2% white.
I also believe the demographics are different gender-wise, too--my impression is that SWW is closer to 50/50, whereas Banneker is 2/3 or 3/4 girls.

The PP who give a list early in this thread seems right on. My family has had experience with both schools.

Both have a lot of AP classes, but SWW offers more (for instance, Banneker only has AB Calculus, not BC.)
SWW has more clubs and sports.
Both give a lot of homework. Banneker seems to include some busywork in that chunk, including a lot of summer homework.
Banneker requires more community service.
Banneker has much better facilities, with the new building and grounds. It's also easier to get to by Metro and bus.
SWW is nominally humanities-focused while Banneker is general academics focused.
Banneker requires a year of Latin and three years of another language; I think SWW requires three years total of foreign languages.
Both seem to have hard-working, achievement-focused kids who are in general supportive of each other.

Hope this helps, OP!

NP. Just to clarify PP’s assessment: Banneker requires Latin for AP track students and 4 years of French/Spanish for IB track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neither take kids with IEPs. Equal opportunity discrimination!

Wow, I just looked up the stats, and both schools say “0 %” IEPs. My 2E child is only in middle school, but when high school application time comes I’ll be very tempted to bring a law-suit.

Your 2e DC can go to either school. They just won't have an IEP. Which many 2e kids don't need in high school.

It's not legal to have a school that technically anyone can go to except not if they have an IEP or 504 plan. DCPS seems to skate under the radar on this because magically the kids with disabilities (or English Language Learners, for that matter) just don't get offered a place through the "holistic" admissions process but I would love to see a lawsuit on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neither take kids with IEPs. Equal opportunity discrimination!

Wow, I just looked up the stats, and both schools say “0 %” IEPs. My 2E child is only in middle school, but when high school application time comes I’ll be very tempted to bring a law-suit.

Your 2e DC can go to either school. They just won't have an IEP. Which many 2e kids don't need in high school.

It's not legal to have a school that technically anyone can go to except not if they have an IEP or 504 plan. DCPS seems to skate under the radar on this because magically the kids with disabilities (or English Language Learners, for that matter) just don't get offered a place through the "holistic" admissions process but I would love to see a lawsuit on this.

I think they want to avoid the extra time on test provision. I have an LD and by the time I got to college it was very clear that LD students were accommodated but discouraged from requesting extra time for exams. But perhaps this is outdated? It’s been a while since I’ve been in school.

[Anonymous]

We have a Walls student. Several of his/her teachers have been fantastic, a cut about the rest, including our other kids' teachers at DC privates. Some haven't been so great but what has been across the board exceptional is his/her friends and classmates - highly motivated, non-competitive, funny, and kind. It is a terrific place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a Walls student. Several of his/her teachers have been fantastic, a cut about the rest, including our other kids' teachers at DC privates. Some haven't been so great but what has been across the board exceptional is his/her friends and classmates - highly motivated, non-competitive, funny, and kind. It is a terrific place.

Your other kid wasn't denied a French teacher until 6+ weeks into school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm...seems something is missing:

SWW: mostly white
Banneker: mostly black

Not sure what that says to you OP, if anything, but it's what most people seem to talk about a lot on here.

To be fair: SWW is actually only ~half white, not mostly white. But this statement is otherwise correct. Banneker is ~2% white.
I also believe the demographics are different gender-wise, too--my impression is that SWW is closer to 50/50, whereas Banneker is 2/3 or 3/4 girls.

The PP who give a list early in this thread seems right on. My family has had experience with both schools.

Both have a lot of AP classes, but SWW offers more (for instance, Banneker only has AB Calculus, not BC.)
SWW has more clubs and sports.
Both give a lot of homework. Banneker seems to include some busywork in that chunk, including a lot of summer homework.
Banneker requires more community service.
Banneker has much better facilities, with the new building and grounds. It's also easier to get to by Metro and bus.
SWW is nominally humanities-focused while Banneker is general academics focused.
Banneker requires a year of Latin and three years of another language; I think SWW requires three years total of foreign languages.
Both seem to have hard-working, achievement-focused kids who are in general supportive of each other.

Hope this helps, OP!

any DCPS student requiring more advanced math has university level options, including BC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm...seems something is missing:

SWW: mostly white
Banneker: mostly black

Not sure what that says to you OP, if anything, but it's what most people seem to talk about a lot on here.

To be fair: SWW is actually only ~half white, not mostly white. But this statement is otherwise correct. Banneker is ~2% white.
I also believe the demographics are different gender-wise, too--my impression is that SWW is closer to 50/50, whereas Banneker is 2/3 or 3/4 girls.

The PP who give a list early in this thread seems right on. My family has had experience with both schools.

Both have a lot of AP classes, but SWW offers more (for instance, Banneker only has AB Calculus, not BC.)
SWW has more clubs and sports.
Both give a lot of homework. Banneker seems to include some busywork in that chunk, including a lot of summer homework.
Banneker requires more community service.
Banneker has much better facilities, with the new building and grounds. It's also easier to get to by Metro and bus.
SWW is nominally humanities-focused while Banneker is general academics focused.
Banneker requires a year of Latin and three years of another language; I think SWW requires three years total of foreign languages.
Both seem to have hard-working, achievement-focused kids who are in general supportive of each other.

Hope this helps, OP!

any DCPS student requiring more advanced math has university level options, including BC

Dual enrollment is not as easy as you make it out to be. Students have to apply and be accepted into dual enrollment. Some colleges only offer a limited choice as to what dual enrollment students can take. Students also then have to commute to the college and coordinate the college class with their other HS courses. The logistical challenges are not minor. This is why not many students take advantage of dual enrollment

[Anonymous]

I’m very surprised that Banneker does not offer AP Calculus BC or AP Physics. That puts you at a big disadvantage applying to Engineering school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neither take kids with IEPs. Equal opportunity discrimination!

Wow, I just looked up the stats, and both schools say “0 %” IEPs. My 2E child is only in middle school, but when high school application time comes I’ll be very tempted to bring a law-suit.

Your 2e DC can go to either school. They just won't have an IEP. Which many 2e kids don't need in high school.

It's not legal to have a school that technically anyone can go to except not if they have an IEP or 504 plan. DCPS seems to skate under the radar on this because magically the kids with disabilities (or English Language Learners, for that matter) just don't get offered a place through the "holistic" admissions process but I would love to see a lawsuit on this.

Then file a lawsuit! What are you waiting for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neither take kids with IEPs. Equal opportunity discrimination!

Wow, I just looked up the stats, and both schools say “0 %” IEPs. My 2E child is only in middle school, but when high school application time comes I’ll be very tempted to bring a law-suit.

Your 2e DC can go to either school. They just won't have an IEP. Which many 2e kids don't need in high school.

And many do. If the schools reject kids with IEPs and refuse to support them … then no, they can’t go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neither take kids with IEPs. Equal opportunity discrimination!

Wow, I just looked up the stats, and both schools say “0 %” IEPs. My 2E child is only in middle school, but when high school application time comes I’ll be very tempted to bring a law-suit.

Your 2e DC can go to either school. They just won't have an IEP. Which many 2e kids don't need in high school.

It's not legal to have a school that technically anyone can go to except not if they have an IEP or 504 plan. DCPS seems to skate under the radar on this because magically the kids with disabilities (or English Language Learners, for that matter) just don't get offered a place through the "holistic" admissions process but I would love to see a lawsuit on this.

NP but to clarify that while Walls has very few IEPs they have lots of kids with 504 plans.