How are the academics at Duke Ellington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm always curious about this "good academics" question in regard to DCPS. The curriculum is standard across the board and across schools. Some schools may offer slight more or fewer resources, but what's being taught is the same. So "good academics" appears to be a measure of students, not the school itself. There are students who get it and those who don't at every school in America. If you have a kid who wants to learn and be the best they can be, they will, and there will be ample support for that to happen. If your kid will benefit from a pre-professional, rigorous arts education. a 9-hour school day with many evenings of work,10 classes, plus homework on top, and a culture that supports the decision to choose the arts --then apply. If your kid just "likes the arts" please do not.

OP here, I asked about academics and academic culture and those do vary by school, even those with the same curriculum. The quality of teaching and how content is taught can and does vary a lot. Is the teacher reading powerpoint slides to the class or is there an engaging discussion about the topic. How good are the math teachers, do they spend their time doing worksheets in class, my child has experienced a wide variety of skill on that front in middle school.

I find your post pretty condescending really, about as condescending as the posts stating that it is an academic wasteland based on bias and test scores written by people that clearly would never send their children so have no real experience with the school.

+1

Yes DCPS has a standard curriculum. But if you really think the content covered in all schools is at the same pace and rigor you clearly have never set foot in these schools ( side note I have observed many DCPS schools. No they are not covering the same content. And not all teachers teach the same way.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm always curious about this "good academics" question in regard to DCPS. The curriculum is standard across the board and across schools. Some schools may offer slight more or fewer resources, but what's being taught is the same. So "good academics" appears to be a measure of students, not the school itself. There are students who get it and those who don't at every school in America. If you have a kid who wants to learn and be the best they can be, they will, and there will be ample support for that to happen. If your kid will benefit from a pre-professional, rigorous arts education. a 9-hour school day with many evenings of work,10 classes, plus homework on top, and a culture that supports the decision to choose the arts --then apply. If your kid just "likes the arts" please do not.

OP here, I asked about academics and academic culture and those do vary by school, even those with the same curriculum. The quality of teaching and how content is taught can and does vary a lot. Is the teacher reading powerpoint slides to the class or is there an engaging discussion about the topic. How good are the math teachers, do they spend their time doing worksheets in class, my child has experienced a wide variety of skill on that front in middle school.

I find your post pretty condescending really, about as condescending as the posts stating that it is an academic wasteland based on bias and test scores written by people that clearly would never send their children so have no real experience with the school.

OP you probably want to get in touch with the Ellington parent organization, called SHADE, or go to an Ellington event and chat with some actual parents.

There's a concert coming up:

"Fall Concert on Friday November 30, 2018 at 7 pm in the Ellington Theater.
Admission is donation-based; we're asking for donations of $5 or more.
Piano Ensemble, Jazz Orchestra and Wind Ensemble will all perform."

[Anonymous]

DE is a great school if your kid is curious and committed. Because of its unique arrangement, many teachers are non-union and get paid less, so they are there out of passion for the school and that passion comes out in the teaching I have found. Not always the best at communication to parents, but in the last couple of years parents have been much more involved, which is great for accountability. As a PP suggested, the choice needs to be very focused on your child's passion for the art they choose. It is a long day of school and much more rigorous than many kids imagine. A good number of kids but wind up eventually in law school and use the public speaking training as a platform.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, PP here. Meant to say a good number of kids DO NOT pursue arts but....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm always curious about this "good academics" question in regard to DCPS. The curriculum is standard across the board and across schools. Some schools may offer slight more or fewer resources, but what's being taught is the same. So "good academics" appears to be a measure of students, not the school itself. There are students who get it and those who don't at every school in America. If you have a kid who wants to learn and be the best they can be, they will, and there will be ample support for that to happen. If your kid will benefit from a pre-professional, rigorous arts education. a 9-hour school day with many evenings of work,10 classes, plus homework on top, and a culture that supports the decision to choose the arts --then apply. If your kid just "likes the arts" please do not.

OP here, I asked about academics and academic culture and those do vary by school, even those with the same curriculum. The quality of teaching and how content is taught can and does vary a lot. Is the teacher reading powerpoint slides to the class or is there an engaging discussion about the topic. How good are the math teachers, do they spend their time doing worksheets in class, my child has experienced a wide variety of skill on that front in middle school.

I find your post pretty condescending really, about as condescending as the posts stating that it is an academic wasteland based on bias and test scores written by people that clearly would never send their children so have no real experience with the school.

Thanks for your clarification and that was not the intent, so apologies. It was really a legit question about what we are asking when we ask that question --and not an assumption that all schools are the same. But given a standard curriculum. how do we determine empirically whether "good academics" means teachers are doing well or students come in prepared, or conversely does "bad academics" mean one or the other, or both? What is the most accurate determination of that, and how does one resolve that? A real question for another forum, but sorry if it came out wrong.

[Anonymous]

It's not rocket science, simply check PARCC scores.

They are beyond dismal, especially in math.

[Anonymous]

Duke Ellington is primarily about the arts first and foremost, the academic rigor is lacking and has almost always lacked. I say this as a DC native that is an Ellington alum from the 80s. That said if your kid is serious about pursing the arts, they will have amazing connections all across the world. But I would suggest you get a tutor for the academic side as my parents had done for me.

[Anonymous]

Former alum here. It truly depends on your kid. Kids who care about academics will work hard, thrive and get good grades. Those who don't, won't. I took as many honors and AP classes as I could and did great in college. And as an artistic person, being in an arts environment actually helped me do better in school. It's hard to explain, but being around so much creativity really energized me and helped motivate me to excel in my art and in academics, unlike in a regular school environment where I felt extremely stifled and unmotivated.

[Anonymous]

To the Duke Ellington alums - just curious, what are you doing now? Did you pursue the art that you studied at Ellington, or incorporate it into your career somehow?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not rocket science, simply check PARCC scores.

They are beyond dismal, especially in math.

Come on, a lot of HS kids in this city blow off the 10th grade PARCC. They don't necessarily try to answer questions correctly, or don't try very hard anyway. They and their families care about AP scores and SAT scores. Why should they care about PARCC scores? What's in it for them? I say this without defending DE's standardized test scores or academics!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not rocket science, simply check PARCC scores.

They are beyond dismal, especially in math.

Come on, a lot of HS kids in this city blow off the 10th grade PARCC. They don't necessarily try to answer questions correctly, or don't try very hard anyway. They and their families care about AP scores and SAT scores. Why should they care about PARCC scores? What's in it for them? I say this without defending DE's standardized test scores or academics!

Fair point and interesting theory.

Now go and look up AP and SAT scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not rocket science, simply check PARCC scores.

They are beyond dismal, especially in math.

Come on, a lot of HS kids in this city blow off the 10th grade PARCC. They don't necessarily try to answer questions correctly, or don't try very hard anyway. They and their families care about AP scores and SAT scores. Why should they care about PARCC scores? What's in it for them? I say this without defending DE's standardized test scores or academics!

Fair point and interesting theory.

Now go and look up AP and SAT scores.

Ellington's average SAT scores is higher than the DCPS average (which is 913).

DESA - 955
McKinley - 1005
Banneker - 1109
SWW - 1272

APs are reported as the % of graduating seniors who passed 1 or more AP exams with a score of 3.

DESA 29%
McKinley 20%
Banneker 62%
SWW 80%

[Anonymous]

Yeah those are terrible at best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah those are terrible at best.

And yet, year after year significant numbers of Ellington students go on to good colleges, with significant scholarship money.

Test scores, especially average test scores, are not everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah those are terrible at best.

And yet, year after year significant numbers of Ellington students go on to good colleges, with significant scholarship money.

Test scores, especially average test scores, are not everything.

I think Ballou proved that all kids can get into college regardless of actual amount learned.

And they did it with worst scores than Ellington.