Parent Essay critical of DCI

[Anonymous]

It’s not that we just need gifted classes. What about the 30% of kids that might be above grade level stuck on classes with kids two grades behind. At a minimum, any kid scoring 1 and 2 on thebPARCC needs to be pulled out of the classroom for at least half the day. Why punish the other kids byblspwing them down? To the Howard county teacher you should an AMA. Too many parents in DC are kidding themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker. [/quothigj

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker. [/quothigj

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker. [/quothigj

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

Don’t be ridiculous. It is just as much of a tragedy to under-educate a gifted kid as an academically struggling kid. And you are kidding yourself if you think most of the gifted kids are somehow magically in private schools.

It is the school system’s job to educate all kids — poor, rich, gifted, struggling, high achieving, low achieving, whatever.

DCPS, in conjunction with the larger DC government, has the money. They just don’t have the will nor, perhaps, the competence to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker. [/quothigj

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

Who's giving kids IQ tests in 2019? I thought that they went out in the last century for favoring test takers with strong spatial reasoning and pattern recognition skills and little else over others.

Your school doesn't actually have bigger fish to try. Push your bright kid and he might grow up to provide jobs for hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker. [/quothigj

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

Who's giving kids IQ tests in 2019? I thought that they went out in the last century for favoring test takers with strong spatial reasoning and pattern recognition skills and little else over others.

Your school doesn't actually have bigger fish to try. Push your bright kid and he might grow up to provide jobs for hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands.

Neuropsychologists (PhD psychologists with additional training) use it as one clinical tool to measure cognitive abilities. It is a standard part of an assessment for learning disabilities as it can show a gap between functional academic tasks and performance and innate capabilities. https://wechsleriqtest.com/wechsler-intelligence-scale-for-children/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker.

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

Wow, I'm sorry for your kid! Great advocate his parent is! He absolutely is as important as an at risk kid.

This is exactly EXACTLY why DC, yes filled with overachievers whose IQ may be average but who certainly were in honors and advanced level classes and know how to push their kids to excel, are not getting what their kids need. It's because of their (white) guilt. When you grew up as the leader of the pack, you may end up as an "everyone is special in their own way" parent. That's fine but sometimes it veers into "other kids are even more special than you". I totally get it and yet I think it's wrong. We need honors and G&T to be a priority as well.

[Anonymous]

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

This is the most absurd statement that I have read. You can perhaps afford enriching activities and supplementation but what about the poor children (white, brown or black) who cannot afford the same. Those students who are GT are languishing in DC classrooms while no one cares. It is the role of public education in the District to provide access and challenging curricula to ALL students. Which is why some states have mandates regarding GT education. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like DC does not has a mandate or guidelines for those students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker.

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

Wow, I'm sorry for your kid! Great advocate his parent is! He absolutely is as important as an at risk kid.

This is exactly EXACTLY why DC, yes filled with overachievers whose IQ may be average but who certainly were in honors and advanced level classes and know how to push their kids to excel, are not getting what their kids need. It's because of their (white) guilt. When you grew up as the leader of the pack, you may end up as an "everyone is special in their own way" parent. That's fine but sometimes it veers into "other kids are even more special than you". I totally get it and yet I think it's wrong. We need honors and G&T to be a priority as well.

NP. It has nothing to do with white guilt. All available data, without exception, shows that bright kids from high SES homes will be fine pretty much regardless of the school. You are clearly totally unaware of the data in this field. Please go read something. Meanwhile, my kid's school literally has bigger fish to fry than my bright kid's need for supplementation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker.

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

Wow, I'm sorry for your kid! Great advocate his parent is! He absolutely is as important as an at risk kid.

This is exactly EXACTLY why DC, yes filled with overachievers whose IQ may be average but who certainly were in honors and advanced level classes and know how to push their kids to excel, are not getting what their kids need. It's because of their (white) guilt. When you grew up as the leader of the pack, you may end up as an "everyone is special in their own way" parent. That's fine but sometimes it veers into "other kids are even more special than you". I totally get it and yet I think it's wrong. We need honors and G&T to be a priority as well.

NP. It has nothing to do with white guilt. All available data, without exception, shows that bright kids from high SES homes will be fine pretty much regardless of the school. You are clearly totally unaware of the data in this field. Please go read something. Meanwhile, my kid's school literally has bigger fish to fry than my bright kid's need for supplementation.

Your school fries fish?

But, seriously, the “they’ll be fine” thinking towards our brightest kids needs is why many other countries run circles around us education-wise (metaphorically, not literally).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker.

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

Wow, I'm sorry for your kid! Great advocate his parent is! He absolutely is as important as an at risk kid.

This is exactly EXACTLY why DC, yes filled with overachievers whose IQ may be average but who certainly were in honors and advanced level classes and know how to push their kids to excel, are not getting what their kids need. It's because of their (white) guilt. When you grew up as the leader of the pack, you may end up as an "everyone is special in their own way" parent. That's fine but sometimes it veers into "other kids are even more special than you". I totally get it and yet I think it's wrong. We need honors and G&T to be a priority as well.

NP. It has nothing to do with white guilt. All available data, without exception, shows that bright kids from high SES homes will be fine pretty much regardless of the school. You are clearly totally unaware of the data in this field. Please go read something. Meanwhile, my kid's school literally has bigger fish to fry than my bright kid's need for supplementation.

Your school fries fish?

But, seriously, the “they’ll be fine” thinking towards our brightest kids needs is why many other countries run circles around us education-wise (metaphorically, not literally).

I agree.

BTW as a scientist, the “studies” in education is crap so take it with a grain of salt. No good controls or rigorous standards, poor sample size, not statistically significant, etc... I could go on and on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker.

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

Wow, I'm sorry for your kid! Great advocate his parent is! He absolutely is as important as an at risk kid.

This is exactly EXACTLY why DC, yes filled with overachievers whose IQ may be average but who certainly were in honors and advanced level classes and know how to push their kids to excel, are not getting what their kids need. It's because of their (white) guilt. When you grew up as the leader of the pack, you may end up as an "everyone is special in their own way" parent. That's fine but sometimes it veers into "other kids are even more special than you". I totally get it and yet I think it's wrong. We need honors and G&T to be a priority as well.

NP. It has nothing to do with white guilt. All available data, without exception, shows that bright kids from high SES homes will be fine pretty much regardless of the school. You are clearly totally unaware of the data in this field. Please go read something. Meanwhile, my kid's school literally has bigger fish to fry than my bright kid's need for supplementation.

I don't want my kid to be "fine". I want my kid to be challenged. You do you, then. Your studies are BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker.

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

Wow, I'm sorry for your kid! Great advocate his parent is! He absolutely is as important as an at risk kid.

This is exactly EXACTLY why DC, yes filled with overachievers whose IQ may be average but who certainly were in honors and advanced level classes and know how to push their kids to excel, are not getting what their kids need. It's because of their (white) guilt. When you grew up as the leader of the pack, you may end up as an "everyone is special in their own way" parent. That's fine but sometimes it veers into "other kids are even more special than you". I totally get it and yet I think it's wrong. We need honors and G&T to be a priority as well.

NP. It has nothing to do with white guilt. All available data, without exception, shows that bright kids from high SES homes will be fine pretty much regardless of the school. You are clearly totally unaware of the data in this field. Please go read something. Meanwhile, my kid's school literally has bigger fish to fry than my bright kid's need for supplementation.

I don't want my kid to be "fine". I want my kid to be challenged. You do you, then. Your studies are BS.

I went to a vaunted FCPS and the education was overrated. Beyond the bare basics, I learned what has made me successful outside of school. Maybe 10% of what I learned in college was useful too. Public schools great at churning out mediocrity.

For example, except for the top magnetim FCPS or MCPS, your kid is probably going to be taught advanced math by someone who barely understands the math themselves, who maxed out their higher math education at or near the level they teached. Better off supplementing regardless of where your kid is. If at some superficially good public school, chances are the kid will be buried with homework and supplementing will be more difficult.

Too many parents rely on universally bad public schools to educate their kids. Instead of taking up the responsibility of promoting a love of self directed learning at home, with targeted supplementation by true experts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not that we just need gifted classes. What about the 30% of kids that might be above grade level stuck on classes with kids two grades behind. At a minimum, any kid scoring 1 and 2 on thebPARCC needs to be pulled out of the classroom for at least half the day. Why punish the other kids byblspwing them down? To the Howard county teacher you should an AMA. Too many parents in DC are kidding themselves.

That's what happens at Stuart Hobson these days, helping explain why we bailed for Hobson from DCI. We can afford to pay for a parochial HS.

If a kid scores 1 or 2 on the PARCC, they don't have access to honors classes in related subjects. That is unless they can pass a school subject placement test they can take. Not so at DCI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no one is really talking about the numbers here... Deal had over 450 sixth graders last year, DCI over 250. this is well above the average number of sixth graders most DC middle schools in DC are charged with managing.

if your kid goes to a school with a large class, you cant expect a huge amount of differentiation, you have to supplement.

Why can’t DC parents expect differentiation? They are entitled to it because they pay taxes. Without a true GT curriculum, people in DC are being taxed without representation. Surely, with all the overachievers in the Nations Capital we should have a vast amount of GT kids in the diamond dimensional space called DC. DC needs to reimplement a Board of Education representing all eight wards with the Mayor being the tie breaker.

High achieving parents does not necessarily mean gifted children. There are 90000 public school students in the city and about 2% will be gifted.

The priority in the city has to be to help the tens of thousands who are underrepresented and poor. Stop whining.

And low income doesn’t necessarily mean stupid. Stop short-changing those poor, smart kids.

No one is. But that’s a tiny fraction of students, regardless of their SES. The ones with means are largely out of the public school world. And the smart but not wealthy kids have an extra burden to bear just getting to DCI or whatever school they go to.

I just don’t think the top 2% (actually gifted) are as important as the at-risk. And my oldest has been tested, is 2e with an IQ of 135. His school has bigger fish to fry.

Wow, I'm sorry for your kid! Great advocate his parent is! He absolutely is as important as an at risk kid.

This is exactly EXACTLY why DC, yes filled with overachievers whose IQ may be average but who certainly were in honors and advanced level classes and know how to push their kids to excel, are not getting what their kids need. It's because of their (white) guilt. When you grew up as the leader of the pack, you may end up as an "everyone is special in their own way" parent. That's fine but sometimes it veers into "other kids are even more special than you". I totally get it and yet I think it's wrong. We need honors and G&T to be a priority as well.

NP. It has nothing to do with white guilt. All available data, without exception, shows that bright kids from high SES homes will be fine pretty much regardless of the school. You are clearly totally unaware of the data in this field. Please go read something. Meanwhile, my kid's school literally has bigger fish to fry than my bright kid's need for supplementation.

I don't want my kid to be "fine". I want my kid to be challenged. You do you, then. Your studies are BS.

I went to a vaunted FCPS and the education was overrated. Beyond the bare basics, I learned what has made me successful outside of school. Maybe 10% of what I learned in college was useful too. Public schools great at churning out mediocrity.

For example, except for the top magnetim FCPS or MCPS, your kid is probably going to be taught advanced math by someone who barely understands the math themselves, who maxed out their higher math education at or near the level they teached. Better off supplementing regardless of where your kid is. If at some superficially good public school, chances are the kid will be buried with homework and supplementing will be more difficult.

Too many parents rely on universally bad public schools to educate their kids. Instead of taking up the responsibility of promoting a love of self directed learning at home, with targeted supplementation by true experts.

My mother was no true expert academically, but she was patient, loved literature, history and politics, and taking us to libraries, national parks, museums and zoos. Our small town public schools, which ranked in the bottom third in the state, weren't too hot, yet my siblings went to Harvard, and I to another Ivy. Supplementing can take many forms. My favorite type is comes in the form of supporting kids in running with their particular interests as best you can, whether or not "true experts" are directly involved.

The author of the essay critical of DCI seems to be looking for a magic bullet in the charter realm without finding the kids a strong school, if just a home school.