New to DCPS/charters, but a simple question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The city buses don't have adequate transportation options to the schools. There's at least one area of the city that has five or six charters clustered together and almost no bus service. Even with the public transit options available, commuting by public transit makes some students have 2 hour plus commutes to their schools (DCPS OR Charter). That already stops access for a large number of students whose parents don't have the time or the means to take them on epic multi-bus and metro trips across the city.

Every other city in the country, pretty much, is capable of organizing bus service. The surrounding burbs are capable of organizing bus service.

This is not a charter school only issue. This is a city-wide issue, and should be at the forefront of anyone who actually believes in more than lip service to the idea that charters are there to provide equal opportunities to all students.

If DCPS would turn over the 1.5 million square feet of unused school buildings to the charters that would help. They already have excellent transportation routes, and have had them for years. They just don't have students.

It's remarkable how people criticize charters for being located inconveniently - when they locate where they are because it's what they can afford. You don't want to give them the buildings to which they're entitled by law, and then you resent them for finding alternatives. The hypocrisy is mind-boggling.

[Anonymous]

No one is criticizing charters on this thread. The title has DCPS and charters in it.

The conversation turned to access, providing busing would provide real access to a crazy lottery system, DCPS or charter no matter the location.

Even DCPS that are located near city buses are not accessible to a single parent or a family with two working parents who cannot spend 2 hours in the morning going all over the city to where they lotteried and then getting to their job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The city buses don't have adequate transportation options to the schools. There's at least one area of the city that has five or six charters clustered together and almost no bus service. Even with the public transit options available, commuting by public transit makes some students have 2 hour plus commutes to their schools (DCPS OR Charter). That already stops access for a large number of students whose parents don't have the time or the means to take them on epic multi-bus and metro trips across the city.

Every other city in the country, pretty much, is capable of organizing bus service. The surrounding burbs are capable of organizing bus service.

This is not a charter school only issue. This is a city-wide issue, and should be at the forefront of anyone who actually believes in more than lip service to the idea that charters are there to provide equal opportunities to all students.

Every other city in the country does not have a bus system that will transport my child to one of hundreds of schools that we choose/could get into. I can't imagine how it would be logistically possible to transport 80k kids to hundreds of different schools on a budget where a couple hundred thousand of taxpayers are paying into the system. The only thing the city should provide is bus transportation to A) your neighborhood school if it is further than a mile walking distance (which in that case there are many city buses that provide that), B) bus for your special needs child in cases your neighborhood school does not meet his/her needs. I am the only family in my neighborhood that attends a charter across town. I do not expect the city to even think how to logistically bus my kid to school and then create another way when he gets into another charter that I like better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one is criticizing charters on this thread. The title has DCPS and charters in it.

The conversation turned to access, providing busing would provide real access to a crazy lottery system, DCPS or charter no matter the location.

Even DCPS that are located near city buses are not accessible to a single parent or a family with two working parents who cannot spend 2 hours in the morning going all over the city to where they lotteried and then getting to their job.

Have you even seen a map where is shows a school and where kids travel to come to that school? Multiply that by hundreds and tell me how a city can begin to have a bus system to accommodate school choice in this city without is paying 50% tax rate to City?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city buses don't have adequate transportation options to the schools. There's at least one area of the city that has five or six charters clustered together and almost no bus service. Even with the public transit options available, commuting by public transit makes some students have 2 hour plus commutes to their schools (DCPS OR Charter). That already stops access for a large number of students whose parents don't have the time or the means to take them on epic multi-bus and metro trips across the city.

Every other city in the country, pretty much, is capable of organizing bus service. The surrounding burbs are capable of organizing bus service.

This is not a charter school only issue. This is a city-wide issue, and should be at the forefront of anyone who actually believes in more than lip service to the idea that charters are there to provide equal opportunities to all students.

Every other city in the country does not have a bus system that will transport my child to one of hundreds of schools that we choose/could get into. I can't imagine how it would be logistically possible to transport 80k kids to hundreds of different schools on a budget where a couple hundred thousand of taxpayers are paying into the system. The only thing the city should provide is bus transportation to A) your neighborhood school if it is further than a mile walking distance (which in that case there are many city buses that provide that), B) bus for your special needs child in cases your neighborhood school does not meet his/her needs. I am the only family in my neighborhood that attends a charter across town. I do not expect the city to even think how to logistically bus my kid to school and then create another way when he gets into another charter that I like better.

I grew up in a large city, it's a satellite city to one of the 10 largest cities in the country. Starting in 6th grade (which was elementary school) I walked half a mile to my bus stop (it was not uphill though, either one or both ways).

Where in this city is either any house or any school more than half a mile from a bus stop?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city buses don't have adequate transportation options to the schools. There's at least one area of the city that has five or six charters clustered together and almost no bus service. Even with the public transit options available, commuting by public transit makes some students have 2 hour plus commutes to their schools (DCPS OR Charter). That already stops access for a large number of students whose parents don't have the time or the means to take them on epic multi-bus and metro trips across the city.

Every other city in the country, pretty much, is capable of organizing bus service. The surrounding burbs are capable of organizing bus service.

This is not a charter school only issue. This is a city-wide issue, and should be at the forefront of anyone who actually believes in more than lip service to the idea that charters are there to provide equal opportunities to all students.

Every other city in the country does not have a bus system that will transport my child to one of hundreds of schools that we choose/could get into. I can't imagine how it would be logistically possible to transport 80k kids to hundreds of different schools on a budget where a couple hundred thousand of taxpayers are paying into the system. The only thing the city should provide is bus transportation to A) your neighborhood school if it is further than a mile walking distance (which in that case there are many city buses that provide that), B) bus for your special needs child in cases your neighborhood school does not meet his/her needs. I am the only family in my neighborhood that attends a charter across town. I do not expect the city to even think how to logistically bus my kid to school and then create another way when he gets into another charter that I like better.

I grew up in a large city, it's a satellite city to one of the 10 largest cities in the country. Starting in 6th grade (which was elementary school) I walked half a mile to my bus stop (it was not uphill though, either one or both ways).

Where in this city is either any house or any school more than half a mile from a bus stop?

What should kids do prior to 6th grade?

It's fine to argue there cannot be buses for every kid to every charter, but at least to their DCPS if it is more than a half-mile away? I think DCPS could find the money and it would decrease missed school days in all ages to have a safe, reliable method of transportation.

[Anonymous]

Go to your neighborhood school or move. Enough with this transportation talk, gesh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city buses don't have adequate transportation options to the schools. There's at least one area of the city that has five or six charters clustered together and almost no bus service. Even with the public transit options available, commuting by public transit makes some students have 2 hour plus commutes to their schools (DCPS OR Charter). That already stops access for a large number of students whose parents don't have the time or the means to take them on epic multi-bus and metro trips across the city.

Every other city in the country, pretty much, is capable of organizing bus service. The surrounding burbs are capable of organizing bus service.

This is not a charter school only issue. This is a city-wide issue, and should be at the forefront of anyone who actually believes in more than lip service to the idea that charters are there to provide equal opportunities to all students.

Every other city in the country does not have a bus system that will transport my child to one of hundreds of schools that we choose/could get into. I can't imagine how it would be logistically possible to transport 80k kids to hundreds of different schools on a budget where a couple hundred thousand of taxpayers are paying into the system. The only thing the city should provide is bus transportation to A) your neighborhood school if it is further than a mile walking distance (which in that case there are many city buses that provide that), B) bus for your special needs child in cases your neighborhood school does not meet his/her needs. I am the only family in my neighborhood that attends a charter across town. I do not expect the city to even think how to logistically bus my kid to school and then create another way when he gets into another charter that I like better.

I grew up in a large city, it's a satellite city to one of the 10 largest cities in the country. Starting in 6th grade (which was elementary school) I walked half a mile to my bus stop (it was not uphill though, either one or both ways).

Where in this city is either any house or any school more than half a mile from a bus stop?

What should kids do prior to 6th grade?

It's fine to argue there cannot be buses for every kid to every charter, but at least to their DCPS if it is more than a half-mile away? I think DCPS could find the money and it would decrease missed school days in all ages to have a safe, reliable method of transportation.

Somehow, Europeans manage without school buses. Way too much of the American school budget goes into transportation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city buses don't have adequate transportation options to the schools. There's at least one area of the city that has five or six charters clustered together and almost no bus service. Even with the public transit options available, commuting by public transit makes some students have 2 hour plus commutes to their schools (DCPS OR Charter). That already stops access for a large number of students whose parents don't have the time or the means to take them on epic multi-bus and metro trips across the city.

Every other city in the country, pretty much, is capable of organizing bus service. The surrounding burbs are capable of organizing bus service.

This is not a charter school only issue. This is a city-wide issue, and should be at the forefront of anyone who actually believes in more than lip service to the idea that charters are there to provide equal opportunities to all students.

Every other city in the country does not have a bus system that will transport my child to one of hundreds of schools that we choose/could get into. I can't imagine how it would be logistically possible to transport 80k kids to hundreds of different schools on a budget where a couple hundred thousand of taxpayers are paying into the system. The only thing the city should provide is bus transportation to A) your neighborhood school if it is further than a mile walking distance (which in that case there are many city buses that provide that), B) bus for your special needs child in cases your neighborhood school does not meet his/her needs. I am the only family in my neighborhood that attends a charter across town. I do not expect the city to even think how to logistically bus my kid to school and then create another way when he gets into another charter that I like better.

I grew up in a large city, it's a satellite city to one of the 10 largest cities in the country. Starting in 6th grade (which was elementary school) I walked half a mile to my bus stop (it was not uphill though, either one or both ways).

Where in this city is either any house or any school more than half a mile from a bus stop?

What should kids do prior to 6th grade?

It's fine to argue there cannot be buses for every kid to every charter, but at least to their DCPS if it is more than a half-mile away? I think DCPS could find the money and it would decrease missed school days in all ages to have a safe, reliable method of transportation.

Then you make choices. It's "opportunity cost" - it's life. Better get used to the fact that you can't have everything you want for free with absolutely no trade-offs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is criticizing charters on this thread. The title has DCPS and charters in it.

The conversation turned to access, providing busing would provide real access to a crazy lottery system, DCPS or charter no matter the location.

Even DCPS that are located near city buses are not accessible to a single parent or a family with two working parents who cannot spend 2 hours in the morning going all over the city to where they lotteried and then getting to their job.

Have you even seen a map where is shows a school and where kids travel to come to that school? Multiply that by hundreds and tell me how a city can begin to have a bus system to accommodate school choice in this city without is paying 50% tax rate to City?

NYC does it. Moco does it. It is really not as complicated as you think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is criticizing charters on this thread. The title has DCPS and charters in it.

The conversation turned to access, providing busing would provide real access to a crazy lottery system, DCPS or charter no matter the location.

Even DCPS that are located near city buses are not accessible to a single parent or a family with two working parents who cannot spend 2 hours in the morning going all over the city to where they lotteried and then getting to their job.

Have you even seen a map where is shows a school and where kids travel to come to that school? Multiply that by hundreds and tell me how a city can begin to have a bus system to accommodate school choice in this city without is paying 50% tax rate to City?

NYC does it. Moco does it. It is really not as complicated as you think.

Except that NYC has over 9 million people and Moco doesn't have charters. (So - completely irrelevant.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is criticizing charters on this thread. The title has DCPS and charters in it.

The conversation turned to access, providing busing would provide real access to a crazy lottery system, DCPS or charter no matter the location.

Even DCPS that are located near city buses are not accessible to a single parent or a family with two working parents who cannot spend 2 hours in the morning going all over the city to where they lotteried and then getting to their job.

Have you even seen a map where is shows a school and where kids travel to come to that school? Multiply that by hundreds and tell me how a city can begin to have a bus system to accommodate school choice in this city without is paying 50% tax rate to City?

NYC does it. Moco does it. It is really not as complicated as you think.

Except that NYC has over 9 million people and Moco doesn't have charters. (So - completely irrelevant.)

It is really rude to say someone's argument is "irrelevant", why not think of ways for it to work?

NYC makes it work in a busier city with more people and charters, I think we can make it work here given we have less public transportation options in DC. NYC is a relevant example. Also, I am a family that lives near my school and walks, but I think school buses would help many families and cut down on traffic of parents carting their kids all over.

[Anonymous]

Also, I am a NP, not the NYC and Moco poster but agreeing with their NYC example.

[Anonymous]

The transportation budget for SpEd students alone is about $100 million. We already have the most expensive school district (per pupil) in the country.

There is no budget for this. Walk to your neighborhood school. If you don't like it, metro/bus/bike/uber to your school of choice.

If you want to live in one part of town and send your child to school on the other side of town, that really should be on you. Get your DC One Card and deal with it. The rest of us are already subsidizing your choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The transportation budget for SpEd students alone is about $100 million. We already have the most expensive school district (per pupil) in the country.

There is no budget for this. Walk to your neighborhood school. If you don't like it, metro/bus/bike/uber to your school of choice.

If you want to live in one part of town and send your child to school on the other side of town, that really should be on you. Get your DC One Card and deal with it. The rest of us are already subsidizing your choices.

Some of us who can walk to our neighborhood school have some thoughtful concern for others who may not be able to walk to their own neighborhood school, just to add another perspective.