DCPS made Deal take dozens of OOB, despite overcrowding

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This didn't just happen at Deal. It happened at lots of schools that feed into Wilson. Principals were required to pull off the waitlist to boost numbers. I suspect DCPS realised that their total enrollment numbers were falling relative to last year, and despite these schools being quite overcrowded, they use what tools they had to get overall enrollment up.

You mean relative to charters?

Jesus, this is so depressing.

Bingo. Relative to charters and relative to DCPS growth in prior years.

Why? Why do they care if enrollment goes down so that it is slightly overcrowded versus really overcrowded?

[Anonymous]

Whatever they did or didn't do on count day (Oct 5) DCPS' total enrollment fell for 2017-18, after having increased slightly for 2016-17.

Enrollment by year by sector over past 3 years --

SY2015-16
DCPS 48,439
Charter 38,905
Total 87,344

SY2016-17
DCPS 48,555
Charter 41,506
Total 90,061

SY2017-18
DCPS 48,169
Charter 43,429
Total 91,537

https://osse.dc.gov/release/more-families-choose-dc%E2%80%99s-public-schools-ninth-consecutive-year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This didn't just happen at Deal. It happened at lots of schools that feed into Wilson. Principals were required to pull off the waitlist to boost numbers. I suspect DCPS realised that their total enrollment numbers were falling relative to last year, and despite these schools being quite overcrowded, they use what tools they had to get overall enrollment up.

You mean relative to charters?

Jesus, this is so depressing.

Bingo. Relative to charters and relative to DCPS growth in prior years.

Why? Why do they care if enrollment goes down so that it is slightly overcrowded versus really overcrowded?

They care a lot.

For starters, the city is investing billions in capital improvements for DCPS schools and yet charter enrollment is still surpassing DCPS. Apparently fancy buildings, athletic fields and programs, robust extra curriculars, free study abroad, bicyles, SEM isn't enough to keep parents from choosing the "other" sector.

[Anonymous]

Also charters have many more students in adult education programs (3846) than DCPS (1080) does at this time.

http://www.dcpcsb.org/data/evaluating-student-enrollment/student-enrollment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This didn't just happen at Deal. It happened at lots of schools that feed into Wilson. Principals were required to pull off the waitlist to boost numbers. I suspect DCPS realised that their total enrollment numbers were falling relative to last year, and despite these schools being quite overcrowded, they use what tools they had to get overall enrollment up.

You mean relative to charters?

Jesus, this is so depressing.

Bingo. Relative to charters and relative to DCPS growth in prior years.

Why? Why do they care if enrollment goes down so that it is slightly overcrowded versus really overcrowded?

They care a lot.

For starters, the city is investing billions in capital improvements for DCPS schools and yet charter enrollment is still surpassing DCPS. Apparently fancy buildings, athletic fields and programs, robust extra curriculars, free study abroad, bicyles, SEM isn't enough to keep parents from choosing the "other" sector.

Also because the way it's set up, Charters and DCPS are pitted against each other for funding dollars. So, so, so stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This didn't just happen at Deal. It happened at lots of schools that feed into Wilson. Principals were required to pull off the waitlist to boost numbers. I suspect DCPS realised that their total enrollment numbers were falling relative to last year, and despite these schools being quite overcrowded, they use what tools they had to get overall enrollment up.

You mean relative to charters?

Jesus, this is so depressing.

Bingo. Relative to charters and relative to DCPS growth in prior years.

Why? Why do they care if enrollment goes down so that it is slightly overcrowded versus really overcrowded?

They care a lot.

For starters, the city is investing billions in capital improvements for DCPS schools and yet charter enrollment is still surpassing DCPS. Apparently fancy buildings, athletic fields and programs, robust extra curriculars, free study abroad, bicyles, SEM isn't enough to keep parents from choosing the "other" sector.

Meant enrollment growth rate is surpassing DCPS. DCPS still has more students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This didn't just happen at Deal. It happened at lots of schools that feed into Wilson. Principals were required to pull off the waitlist to boost numbers. I suspect DCPS realised that their total enrollment numbers were falling relative to last year, and despite these schools being quite overcrowded, they use what tools they had to get overall enrollment up.

You mean relative to charters?

Jesus, this is so depressing.

Bingo. Relative to charters and relative to DCPS growth in prior years.

Why? Why do they care if enrollment goes down so that it is slightly overcrowded versus really overcrowded?

They care a lot.

For starters, the city is investing billions in capital improvements for DCPS schools and yet charter enrollment is still surpassing DCPS. Apparently fancy buildings, athletic fields and programs, robust extra curriculars, free study abroad, bicyles, SEM isn't enough to keep parents from choosing the "other" sector.

More because funding follows the kid...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This didn't just happen at Deal. It happened at lots of schools that feed into Wilson. Principals were required to pull off the waitlist to boost numbers. I suspect DCPS realised that their total enrollment numbers were falling relative to last year, and despite these schools being quite overcrowded, they use what tools they had to get overall enrollment up.

You mean relative to charters?

Jesus, this is so depressing.

Bingo. Relative to charters and relative to DCPS growth in prior years.

Why? Why do they care if enrollment goes down so that it is slightly overcrowded versus really overcrowded?

They care a lot.

For starters, the city is investing billions in capital improvements for DCPS schools and yet charter enrollment is still surpassing DCPS. Apparently fancy buildings, athletic fields and programs, robust extra curriculars, free study abroad, bicyles, SEM isn't enough to keep parents from choosing the "other" sector.

Also because the way it's set up, Charters and DCPS are pitted against each other for funding dollars. So, so, so stupid.

Oh geez, seriously??? This is not at all sustainable. They can't be poised to compete with each other for students forever! This does not bode well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This didn't just happen at Deal. It happened at lots of schools that feed into Wilson. Principals were required to pull off the waitlist to boost numbers. I suspect DCPS realised that their total enrollment numbers were falling relative to last year, and despite these schools being quite overcrowded, they use what tools they had to get overall enrollment up.

You mean relative to charters?

Jesus, this is so depressing.

Bingo. Relative to charters and relative to DCPS growth in prior years.

Why? Why do they care if enrollment goes down so that it is slightly overcrowded versus really overcrowded?

They care a lot.

For starters, the city is investing billions in capital improvements for DCPS schools and yet charter enrollment is still surpassing DCPS. Apparently fancy buildings, athletic fields and programs, robust extra curriculars, free study abroad, bicyles, SEM isn't enough to keep parents from choosing the "other" sector.

Also because the way it's set up, Charters and DCPS are pitted against each other for funding dollars. So, so, so stupid.

Oh geez, seriously??? This is not at all sustainable. They can't be poised to compete with each other for students forever! This does not bode well.

Actually competition between sectors extends far beyond enrollment numbers, and it hasn't turned out to be such a bad thing.

There is serious competition for student achievement and growth. And that has helped kids. But there's also beginning to be collaboration over best practices - and that's good too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dozens? When?

That is certainly not what MSDC is showing -- which is as of Oct they called 26 people on the 6th grade wait list. Of course it doesn't say how many of those students enrolled.
None were called for 7th or 8th.

Sounds like Deal over-projected last year. It happens. Wasn't it the principal's first year in this role?

Why do you assume they went through MSDC? Surely they would go around it if DCPS wants that.

No, they would not. Not after the brouhaha about Henderson and the special placements.

Don't be silly. DCPS puts kids into schools all the time outside of the lottery process. The brouhaha was about special placements for special people.

Not dozens. And not into Deal. If they had, surely people would have heard about it by now.

As it is, no one realized it until disclosed in a public meeting because the class sizes have not swelled beyond expectations.

Yes, they have. I noticed. My 8th grader's classes are huge this year; much bigger than the last two years. I just didn't know THIS might have been the reason. And frankly it is irresponsible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dozens? When?

That is certainly not what MSDC is showing -- which is as of Oct they called 26 people on the 6th grade wait list. Of course it doesn't say how many of those students enrolled.
None were called for 7th or 8th.

Sounds like Deal over-projected last year. It happens. Wasn't it the principal's first year in this role?

Why do you assume they went through MSDC? Surely they would go around it if DCPS wants that.

No, they would not. Not after the brouhaha about Henderson and the special placements.

Don't be silly. DCPS puts kids into schools all the time outside of the lottery process. The brouhaha was about special placements for special people.

Not dozens. And not into Deal. If they had, surely people would have heard about it by now.

As it is, no one realized it until disclosed in a public meeting because the class sizes have not swelled beyond expectations.

Yes, they have. I noticed. My 8th grader's classes are huge this year; much bigger than the last two years. I just didn't know THIS might have been the reason. And frankly it is irresponsible.

There's no evidence they added any OOB students at 7th or 8th. Of course new IB folks could have moved in, or switched from another school to Deal. Can't fault DCPS for that.

There is, however, data saying they added some OOB students at 6th.

[Anonymous]

This is after DCPS kicked John Eaton out of the Deal feeder pattern, citing overcrowding. Eaton had fed to Deal for 80 years or so. Eaton sent fewer than 40 students a year to Deal.

[Anonymous]

Did Kaya steer the Deal slots to favored cronies, of did this fiasco happen after she was shown the door?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dozens? When?

That is certainly not what MSDC is showing -- which is as of Oct they called 26 people on the 6th grade wait list. Of course it doesn't say how many of those students enrolled.
None were called for 7th or 8th.

Sounds like Deal over-projected last year. It happens. Wasn't it the principal's first year in this role?

Sure, but the idea that DCPS would force them to take more students just to teach them a lesson or whatever in an overcrowded school is insane.

It's not about 'teaching them a lesson' -- it's about maintaining class size parity across the district.

Given the number of students stuffed into honors classes at Hardy (~30), for example it would be unfair if Deal had classes of just 20.

If Hardy honors classes are so crowded, then why is DCPS forcing students who formerly would have gone to Deal to settle for Hardy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This didn't just happen at Deal. It happened at lots of schools that feed into Wilson. Principals were required to pull off the waitlist to boost numbers. I suspect DCPS realised that their total enrollment numbers were falling relative to last year, and despite these schools being quite overcrowded, they use what tools they had to get overall enrollment up.

You mean relative to charters?

Jesus, this is so depressing.

Every time I think that DC has really turned the corner, the DC government does something so stupid and infuriating that it seems that the ethos of the Barry era lives on still.