what are the various pro-neighborhood public school organizations out there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It should be DCPS, but they actually seen to be anti-neighborhood schools.

This! The biggest bottle neck to improving neighborhood schools are... Neighborhood schools and DCPS. Shameful!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be DCPS, but they actually seen to be anti-neighborhood schools.

This! The biggest bottle neck to improving neighborhood schools are... Neighborhood schools and DCPS. Shameful!

Agreed about fundamental DCPS deficiency, but also agreed that FOCUS is anti-neighborhood school. They are the coordinating force behind the Latin/Eagle Academy lawsuit that would turn over so much money to charters (in the name of 'equity') that Wilson's cuts this year completely pale in comparison.

[Anonymous]

^^^wait a sec. You do know that almost HALF of DC public schools families have CHOSEN charter schools. And you do know that those students require by law the same funding as those who are in the DCPS system? It's not like the charter sector is stealing students or money at gunpoint. DCPS has lost its students to charters in droves and city government withholds equal funding and facilities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree. I knew exactly what OP was talking about. Great question. The sad answer is that there's not any. The pro charter movement is so well funded everywhere that they easily set up to lobby for more charters in DC and other cities, at the expense of neighborhood schools. The cap hill public school group led by Suzanne wells and others is about as close as it gets. It's too bad because I have always felt that there should be a local advocacy group for exactly what you describe not just to counter the pro-charter rhetoric, but also to bring some balance and rational planning for a comprehensive school system. Also, a group like that could put more organized pressure on DCPS to tout their successes and strengths, while still pushing Dcps to improve.

It's not just charters. DCPS manage,eat pays lip service to neighborhood schools but then refuses to cut back OOB enrollment even as The IB population rises and the school's become overcrowded. Or they enlarge schools beyond local needs in contemplation that they will largely serve an OOB population for the indefinite future (Hearst for example). I get it to some extent, because a lot of the DCPS population expects access to what are perceived as "better" schools in other areas, as well as feeder stack rights into places like Deal and Wilson, and there is little political will to mess with the status Quo.

[Anonymous]

PP here - typo alert: DCPS managers, not manage eat

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of Anti-neighborhood public school organizations, becuase there's a lot more money at stake in the privatization racket.

For instance, check out FOCUS:

http://focusdc.org/charter-facts

Fact is, neighborhood schools will never be safe until DCPS decides it wants to build a System that serves DC residents as opposed to parochial political interests (including charters).

The fact that every single charter is on par with DCPS with LEA status gives every single one of them just as much pull politically (if they want it) and even more power when the jointly hire lobbyists and trade groups....and file lawsuits.

Straw man attempt failure! FOCUS is not anti-neighborhood schools. People with axes to grind because they didn't get admission to their choice charter always beleaguer this fake point. FOCUS is there to help charters whose mission it is to serve children get off the ground. DCPS has undermined itself for years, with the WTU at the helm, and they resent the fact that child-centered groups aren't just going to bend over. As a charter parent, my child deserves (as do all children) a top notch education. I can't let his education fall through the cracks because our neighborhood school is terrible. It brakes my heart that any child would be sent there and many are. I'm grateful for the public option- a fantastic charter. At any point DCPS can get off it's ass and pull it all together. I've been here for 20 years and have seen lots of malarkey from them and nothing more. It's not okay. Charters stood up to that. Don't blame charters for being a part of the solution. Blame DCPS for its disgraceful inadequacies.

FOCUS is a lobby shop just like all of the others. No need to be offended.

[Anonymous]

+1 Agree with 12:04

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't FOCUS the group that opposes Grosso's bill to prevent expulsions of 3 and 4 year olds?

And how many three and four-year olds were expelled from a DC public school last year? This is what passes for political leadership and courage in the field of education?

[Anonymous]

Many of the ward-level education councils are pro-DCPS. They have a coalition group now that you can find out more about at http://www.c4dcpublicschools.org/

[Anonymous]

What about those idiots who wrote the Op Ed in the Post at the beginning of the boundary revision process suggesting that we equally distribute all the FARMS kids? 21st Century Fund? I think they were arguing about keeping kids within a certain distance of schools.

You all remember - the guy who had moved his children out of DC because the schools weren't good enough?
It is a think tank?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about those idiots who wrote the Op Ed in the Post at the beginning of the boundary revision process suggesting that we equally distribute all the FARMS kids? 21st Century Fund? I think they were arguing about keeping kids within a certain distance of schools.

You all remember - the guy who had moved his children out of DC because the schools weren't good enough?
It is a think tank?

That was not 21st Century Fund (which mostly works on school construction issues, including capacity and student population size). That was Michael Petrilli. http://www.hoover.org/profiles/michael-j-petrilli

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of Anti-neighborhood public school organizations, becuase there's a lot more money at stake in the privatization racket.

For instance, check out FOCUS:

http://focusdc.org/charter-facts

Fact is, neighborhood schools will never be safe until DCPS decides it wants to build a System that serves DC residents as opposed to parochial political interests (including charters).

The fact that every single charter is on par with DCPS with LEA status gives every single one of them just as much pull politically (if they want it) and even more power when the jointly hire lobbyists and trade groups....and file lawsuits.

Straw man attempt failure! FOCUS is not anti-neighborhood schools. People with axes to grind because they didn't get admission to their choice charter always beleaguer this fake point. FOCUS is there to help charters whose mission it is to serve children get off the ground. DCPS has undermined itself for years, with the WTU at the helm, and they resent the fact that child-centered groups aren't just going to bend over. As a charter parent, my child deserves (as do all children) a top notch education. I can't let his education fall through the cracks because our neighborhood school is terrible. It brakes my heart that any child would be sent there and many are. I'm grateful for the public option- a fantastic charter. At any point DCPS can get off it's ass and pull it all together. I've been here for 20 years and have seen lots of malarkey from them and nothing more. It's not okay. Charters stood up to that. Don't blame charters for being a part of the solution. Blame DCPS for its disgraceful inadequacies.

FOCUS is a lobby shop just like all of the others. No need to be offended.

DCPS will not improve much anytime soon outside of rich areas. More proven charters that the middle class will accept, please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

DCPS will not improve much anytime soon outside of rich areas. More proven charters that the middle class will accept, please.

But that's just the thing - these charter schools are not 'proven'

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

DCPS will not improve much anytime soon outside of rich areas. More proven charters that the middle class will accept, please.

But that's just the thing - these charter schools are not 'proven'

No adult on DCUM has ever pined for the days of when they were at a charter school because they never went to one. Most charters are still relatively new in DC.

DCPS has been around a very, very long time. Proven indeed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

DCPS will not improve much anytime soon outside of rich areas. More proven charters that the middle class will accept, please.

But that's just the thing - these charter schools are not 'proven'

No adult on DCUM has ever pined for the days of when they were at a charter school because they never went to one. Most charters are still relatively new in DC.

DCPS has been around a very, very long time. Proven indeed.

Most DCPS have been proven to fail. I would be happy to see more national charters who are proven elsewhere set up shop here.

Signed,
DC native who went to private schools who thought we would be in Md by now, but instead have our kids at a charter...