Middle and high school on Capitol Hill

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great, use Jefferson for your children. I don't want my sweet, bright, book-hungry kids there in class there with lots of tough students who are far behind academically, even if mine were to go on to score 5s on PARCC tests. A good mix of kids at a neighborhood middle school would be great. But Jefferson doesn't have a good mix of kids and won't for who knows how long, probably 10 or 15 years. Most of the students are from families who aren't just poor, they've been in desperate circumstances for generations. I'm not white but I am a product of hard-charging, uplifting, heavily Asian NYC middle and high school test-in programs. I'd use BASIS before Jefferson.

Schools aren't something you personally "use." They are community institutions. Sorry you think that most of your community is lesser than your "sweet, bright, book-hungry kids."

Different PP. Christ, you really are an insufferable, holier than thou bleeding heart. You're not helping your cause by putting down rational sounding posters. Hint: American parents with graduate degree and good jobs almost never send their kids to schools where almost all the other students are poor and minority, wherever they live.

you should have fcking thought of this before you MOVED TO DC. you don't get special treatment in public institutions for having gone to grad school and being white. sorry you can't accept the consequences of gentrification.

How are lousy schools the consequences of gentrification? Weren't we told that "flipping" schools was racial code for "too white/gentrification"?

Somebody wants it both ways.

what? no. my point is that gentrification by defintion means you are sharing public institutions with everyone including the poor who live in projects. you can rehab your house, but your control does not extend to everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great, use Jefferson for your children. I don't want my sweet, bright, book-hungry kids there in class there with lots of tough students who are far behind academically, even if mine were to go on to score 5s on PARCC tests. A good mix of kids at a neighborhood middle school would be great. But Jefferson doesn't have a good mix of kids and won't for who knows how long, probably 10 or 15 years. Most of the students are from families who aren't just poor, they've been in desperate circumstances for generations. I'm not white but I am a product of hard-charging, uplifting, heavily Asian NYC middle and high school test-in programs. I'd use BASIS before Jefferson.

Schools aren't something you personally "use." They are community institutions. Sorry you think that most of your community is lesser than your "sweet, bright, book-hungry kids."

Different PP. Christ, you really are an insufferable, holier than thou bleeding heart. You're not helping your cause by putting down rational sounding posters. Hint: American parents with graduate degree and good jobs almost never send their kids to schools where almost all the other students are poor and minority, wherever they live.

you should have fcking thought of this before you MOVED TO DC. you don't get special treatment in public institutions for having gone to grad school and being white. sorry you can't accept the consequences of gentrification.

So you're telling that poster "hey! YOU chose to move here! Yes it's a total dump but we aren't changing a thing! Don't you dare bring any new ideas or except any change. Now just hand over those tax dollars and shut up!"

- brown gentrifier

no, you misunderstand. I think Hill parents absolutely have a right to push for improved Hill schools. I object to the ones who demand segregation/special treatment because they can't possibly have their kids go to school with their brown neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great, use Jefferson for your children. I don't want my sweet, bright, book-hungry kids there in class there with lots of tough students who are far behind academically, even if mine were to go on to score 5s on PARCC tests. A good mix of kids at a neighborhood middle school would be great. But Jefferson doesn't have a good mix of kids and won't for who knows how long, probably 10 or 15 years. Most of the students are from families who aren't just poor, they've been in desperate circumstances for generations. I'm not white but I am a product of hard-charging, uplifting, heavily Asian NYC middle and high school test-in programs. I'd use BASIS before Jefferson.

Schools aren't something you personally "use." They are community institutions. Sorry you think that most of your community is lesser than your "sweet, bright, book-hungry kids."

Different PP. Christ, you really are an insufferable, holier than thou bleeding heart. You're not helping your cause by putting down rational sounding posters. Hint: American parents with graduate degree and good jobs almost never send their kids to schools where almost all the other students are poor and minority, wherever they live.

you should have fcking thought of this before you MOVED TO DC. you don't get special treatment in public institutions for having gone to grad school and being white. sorry you can't accept the consequences of gentrification.

So you're telling that poster "hey! YOU chose to move here! Yes it's a total dump but we aren't changing a thing! Don't you dare bring any new ideas or except any change. Now just hand over those tax dollars and shut up!"

- brown gentrifier

no, you misunderstand. I think Hill parents absolutely have a right to push for improved Hill schools. I object to the ones who demand segregation/special treatment because they can't possibly have their kids go to school with their brown neighbors.

No, you misunderstand. Hill parents aren't demanding segregation/special treatment because they can't possibly have their kids go to school with their brown neighbors. Claiming that this is true doesn't make it true. What parents are asking for are pleasant and safe school environments, decent facilities and, above all, suitably challenging academics and strong instruction for the children of a large new professional class in the city, and other children who work above grade level, a demographic DCPS prefers to ignore. Urban public school programs catering to students working above grade level exist from Chicago to New York, from Boston to Miami.

When DCPS insists on dumping middle school-age kids working at an 8th grade level in math, English, science, social studies etc. classes with kids working at a 3rd or 4th grade level, everybody suffers, particularly educators. We know many families on the Hill, including "brown people," where the parents are ridiculous braniacs, designing Mars rovers and satellites for NASA, writing legislation for Reps and Senators, serving as senior military officers, civil servants, judges etc. Their children tend to be working ahead of grade level, sometimes far ahead. Other than BASIS, with no guaranteed spots and chronically weak facilities, DC public isn't trying to meet the educational needs of these families at the middle school level, although parents pay hefty property and income tax to the city.

The arrangement isn't helping advance the city's development trajectory. Nobody wins. PC control freaks think they're winning by cheer leading for the dismal status quo, decrying the racism supposedly fueling demands for serious middle school test-in programs, but they aren't. Boo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great, use Jefferson for your children. I don't want my sweet, bright, book-hungry kids there in class there with lots of tough students who are far behind academically, even if mine were to go on to score 5s on PARCC tests. A good mix of kids at a neighborhood middle school would be great. But Jefferson doesn't have a good mix of kids and won't for who knows how long, probably 10 or 15 years. Most of the students are from families who aren't just poor, they've been in desperate circumstances for generations. I'm not white but I am a product of hard-charging, uplifting, heavily Asian NYC middle and high school test-in programs. I'd use BASIS before Jefferson.

Schools aren't something you personally "use." They are community institutions. Sorry you think that most of your community is lesser than your "sweet, bright, book-hungry kids."

Different PP. Christ, you really are an insufferable, holier than thou bleeding heart. You're not helping your cause by putting down rational sounding posters. Hint: American parents with graduate degree and good jobs almost never send their kids to schools where almost all the other students are poor and minority, wherever they live.

you should have fcking thought of this before you MOVED TO DC. you don't get special treatment in public institutions for having gone to grad school and being white. sorry you can't accept the consequences of gentrification.

So you're telling that poster "hey! YOU chose to move here! Yes it's a total dump but we aren't changing a thing! Don't you dare bring any new ideas or except any change. Now just hand over those tax dollars and shut up!"

- brown gentrifier

no, you misunderstand. I think Hill parents absolutely have a right to push for improved Hill schools. I object to the ones who demand segregation/special treatment because they can't possibly have their kids go to school with their brown neighbors.

No, you misunderstand. Hill parents aren't demanding segregation/special treatment because they can't possibly have their kids go to school with their brown neighbors. Claiming that this is true doesn't make it true. What parents are asking for are pleasant and safe school environments, decent facilities and, above all, suitably challenging academics and strong instruction for the children of a large new professional class in the city, and other children who work above grade level, a demographic DCPS prefers to ignore. Urban public school programs catering to students working above grade level exist from Chicago to New York, from Boston to Miami.

When DCPS insists on dumping middle school-age kids working at an 8th grade level in math, English, science, social studies etc. classes with kids working at a 3rd or 4th grade level, everybody suffers, particularly educators. We know many families on the Hill, including "brown people," where the parents are ridiculous braniacs, designing Mars rovers and satellites for NASA, writing legislation for Reps and Senators, serving as senior military officers, civil servants, judges etc. Their children tend to be working ahead of grade level, sometimes far ahead. Other than BASIS, with no guaranteed spots and chronically weak facilities, DC public isn't trying to meet the educational needs of these families at the middle school level, although parents pay hefty property and income tax to the city.

The arrangement isn't helping advance the city's development trajectory. Nobody wins. PC control freaks think they're winning by cheer leading for the dismal status quo, decrying the racism supposedly fueling demands for serious middle school test-in programs, but they aren't. Boo.

You are right about all of those things. So if they all showed up, don't think the school could create a learning environment that would allow these kids to succeed and still reach the 20% that might be behind? If just half of the students in each ES came, you would basically have a 100% IB school based on the current numbers. Let's say it was 75% IB, you really think they couldn't challenge the high SES kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great, use Jefferson for your children. I don't want my sweet, bright, book-hungry kids there in class there with lots of tough students who are far behind academically, even if mine were to go on to score 5s on PARCC tests. A good mix of kids at a neighborhood middle school would be great. But Jefferson doesn't have a good mix of kids and won't for who knows how long, probably 10 or 15 years. Most of the students are from families who aren't just poor, they've been in desperate circumstances for generations. I'm not white but I am a product of hard-charging, uplifting, heavily Asian NYC middle and high school test-in programs. I'd use BASIS before Jefferson.

Schools aren't something you personally "use." They are community institutions. Sorry you think that most of your community is lesser than your "sweet, bright, book-hungry kids."

Different PP. Christ, you really are an insufferable, holier than thou bleeding heart. You're not helping your cause by putting down rational sounding posters. Hint: American parents with graduate degree and good jobs almost never send their kids to schools where almost all the other students are poor and minority, wherever they live.

you should have fcking thought of this before you MOVED TO DC. you don't get special treatment in public institutions for having gone to grad school and being white. sorry you can't accept the consequences of gentrification.

So you're telling that poster "hey! YOU chose to move here! Yes it's a total dump but we aren't changing a thing! Don't you dare bring any new ideas or except any change. Now just hand over those tax dollars and shut up!"

- brown gentrifier

But it IS changing. Look at Hardy. Look at the gradual changes in over a dozen elementary schools (some only in lower grades, some already in upper grades). Its just not changing on the Hill fast enough for a considerable number of higher SES Hill families. While their personal frustration is sort of understandable, that DCPS is not prioritizing their concerns (especially when the Hill situation has not been a barrier to further economic transformation) is also understandable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The arrangement isn't helping advance the city's development trajectory.

Do you think there is any substantial constituency that things DC's development trajectory is TOO SLOW? Really? That there is a surplus of houses suitable for families? That the pace of neighborhood transformation is just not fast enough?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:The only way their "quick" solution works is if a bunch of 4th grade parents return for 5th, then send their children to a ms with proficiency pass rates in the low 20s. It's a hard sell, and the boosters really want to recruit your family, so 4th grade parents get pestered to jump on board. Can't count how many times I've been asked if we're coming back for 5th if the last few weeks. We have zero interest in Jeff Ac, but aren't talking about what we're planning. Being left alone would rock.

I didn't say it would be easy, but sounds like these parents are working hard on the most feasible option. good for them. I am zoned for EH (Maury) and would probably consider it if there were an organized group of parents planning to try it.

I'm a social worker by training who's served families in SW housing projects over the years. Privately, I'm not seeing a "feasible option" at Jefferson Academy, given the awful conditions many of the students face in nearby housing projects. I see well-intentioned Brent parents determined to stay in their neighborhood dramatically over-estimating how OK the demographics and academics of Jefferson Academy will be because they don't spend time in the projects...

Could you please explain what you are foreseeing in terms of challenges with demographics and academics given your work as a social worker? I've heard lots of people speculate but none of them seem to have real-world experience for their beliefs. It sounds like you do.

Jefferson's dismal 6th grade PARCC scores tell the story. Many of the SW project kids come from multi-generational families in which all the adults--great-grandparents, grandparents and parents- are functionally illiterate. The adults in the home didn't read to the kids as toddlers because they couldn't. Public preschool programs help fill the gap, but they can only do so much for families without books in the home (I've seen this many times). Sexual, verbal and physical abuse of preteens is rife in the SW housing projects despite aggressive intervention by the city, though not to the same extent as in the projects in Wards 7 and 8. At least two-thirds of middle school-age kids in the SW projects do not live with a father, and at least a third don't have a father in the picture. It's common for grandmothers in their early to mid 30s to be raising middle school-age kids in local projects. If the kids arriving at MS working two or three years below grade level (very common) were put into remedial classes, while the Brent graduates were put in different classes, I'd say OK, maybe Jefferson could work for Brent. But academic tracking at the MS level isn't DCPS policy. Even at Stuart Hobson, where there are "honors" (grade level) classes in several subjects, kids are not separated into higher and lower classes across the board.

I hope you are not playing the lottery for a Washington Latin slot. Some of the very kids you dismiss are attending Latin, and are in the same classes with kids you want to distance them from academically. I cannot speak about Basis as I do not have children in attendance at Basis. I supposed you are moving or going private with your MS kids based on your above suggestions/requirements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only way their "quick" solution works is if a bunch of 4th grade parents return for 5th, then send their children to a ms with proficiency pass rates in the low 20s. It's a hard sell, and the boosters really want to recruit your family, so 4th grade parents get pestered to jump on board. Can't count how many times I've been asked if we're coming back for 5th if the last few weeks. We have zero interest in Jeff Ac, but aren't talking about what we're planning. Being left alone would rock.

I didn't say it would be easy, but sounds like these parents are working hard on the most feasible option. good for them. I am zoned for EH (Maury) and would probably consider it if there were an organized group of parents planning to try it.

I'm a social worker by training who's served families in SW housing projects over the years. Privately, I'm not seeing a "feasible option" at Jefferson Academy, given the awful conditions many of the students face in nearby housing projects. I see well-intentioned Brent parents determined to stay in their neighborhood dramatically over-estimating how OK the demographics and academics of Jefferson Academy will be because they don't spend time in the projects...

Could you please explain what you are foreseeing in terms of challenges with demographics and academics given your work as a social worker? I've heard lots of people speculate but none of them seem to have real-world experience for their beliefs. It sounds like you do.

Jefferson's dismal 6th grade PARCC scores tell the story. Many of the SW project kids come from multi-generational families in which all the adults--great-grandparents, grandparents and parents- are functionally illiterate. The adults in the home didn't read to the kids as toddlers because they couldn't. Public preschool programs help fill the gap, but they can only do so much for families without books in the home (I've seen this many times). Sexual, verbal and physical abuse of preteens is rife in the SW housing projects despite aggressive intervention by the city, though not to the same extent as in the projects in Wards 7 and 8. At least two-thirds of middle school-age kids in the SW projects do not live with a father, and at least a third don't have a father in the picture. It's common for grandmothers in their early to mid 30s to be raising middle school-age kids in local projects. If the kids arriving at MS working two or three years below grade level (very common) were put into remedial classes, while the Brent graduates were put in different classes, I'd say OK, maybe Jefferson could work for Brent. But academic tracking at the MS level isn't DCPS policy. Even at Stuart Hobson, where there are "honors" (grade level) classes in several subjects, kids are not separated into higher and lower classes across the board.

I hope you are not playing the lottery for a Washington Latin slot. Some of the very kids you dismiss are attending Latin, and are in the same classes with kids you want to distance them from academically. I cannot speak about Basis as I do not have children in attendance at Basis. I supposed you are moving or going private with your MS kids based on your above suggestions/requirements.

NP here-- So why did you decide on Washington Latin rather than your IB middle school? (No judgment here-- I did the same.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only way their "quick" solution works is if a bunch of 4th grade parents return for 5th, then send their children to a ms with proficiency pass rates in the low 20s. It's a hard sell, and the boosters really want to recruit your family, so 4th grade parents get pestered to jump on board. Can't count how many times I've been asked if we're coming back for 5th if the last few weeks. We have zero interest in Jeff Ac, but aren't talking about what we're planning. Being left alone would rock.

I didn't say it would be easy, but sounds like these parents are working hard on the most feasible option. good for them. I am zoned for EH (Maury) and would probably consider it if there were an organized group of parents planning to try it.

I'm a social worker by training who's served families in SW housing projects over the years. Privately, I'm not seeing a "feasible option" at Jefferson Academy, given the awful conditions many of the students face in nearby housing projects. I see well-intentioned Brent parents determined to stay in their neighborhood dramatically over-estimating how OK the demographics and academics of Jefferson Academy will be because they don't spend time in the projects...

Could you please explain what you are foreseeing in terms of challenges with demographics and academics given your work as a social worker? I've heard lots of people speculate but none of them seem to have real-world experience for their beliefs. It sounds like you do.

Jefferson's dismal 6th grade PARCC scores tell the story. Many of the SW project kids come from multi-generational families in which all the adults--great-grandparents, grandparents and parents- are functionally illiterate. The adults in the home didn't read to the kids as toddlers because they couldn't. Public preschool programs help fill the gap, but they can only do so much for families without books in the home (I've seen this many times). Sexual, verbal and physical abuse of preteens is rife in the SW housing projects despite aggressive intervention by the city, though not to the same extent as in the projects in Wards 7 and 8. At least two-thirds of middle school-age kids in the SW projects do not live with a father, and at least a third don't have a father in the picture. It's common for grandmothers in their early to mid 30s to be raising middle school-age kids in local projects. If the kids arriving at MS working two or three years below grade level (very common) were put into remedial classes, while the Brent graduates were put in different classes, I'd say OK, maybe Jefferson could work for Brent. But academic tracking at the MS level isn't DCPS policy. Even at Stuart Hobson, where there are "honors" (grade level) classes in several subjects, kids are not separated into higher and lower classes across the board.

I hope you are not playing the lottery for a Washington Latin slot. Some of the very kids you dismiss are attending Latin, and are in the same classes with kids you want to distance them from academically. I cannot speak about Basis as I do not have children in attendance at Basis. I supposed you are moving or going private with your MS kids based on your above suggestions/requirements.

NP here-- So why did you decide on Washington Latin rather than your IB middle school? (No judgment here-- I did the same.)

IB MS is a stupid EC with no foreign language or science. Latin, along with SH, Hardy, and McKinley MS were our lottery selections. The kid got lucky and Latin popped. I would have been happy with any of the four, but I was not sending my kid to the neighborhood elementary school slash middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only way their "quick" solution works is if a bunch of 4th grade parents return for 5th, then send their children to a ms with proficiency pass rates in the low 20s. It's a hard sell, and the boosters really want to recruit your family, so 4th grade parents get pestered to jump on board. Can't count how many times I've been asked if we're coming back for 5th if the last few weeks. We have zero interest in Jeff Ac, but aren't talking about what we're planning. Being left alone would rock.

I didn't say it would be easy, but sounds like these parents are working hard on the most feasible option. good for them. I am zoned for EH (Maury) and would probably consider it if there were an organized group of parents planning to try it.

I'm a social worker by training who's served families in SW housing projects over the years. Privately, I'm not seeing a "feasible option" at Jefferson Academy, given the awful conditions many of the students face in nearby housing projects. I see well-intentioned Brent parents determined to stay in their neighborhood dramatically over-estimating how OK the demographics and academics of Jefferson Academy will be because they don't spend time in the projects...

Could you please explain what you are foreseeing in terms of challenges with demographics and academics given your work as a social worker? I've heard lots of people speculate but none of them seem to have real-world experience for their beliefs. It sounds like you do.

Jefferson's dismal 6th grade PARCC scores tell the story. Many of the SW project kids come from multi-generational families in which all the adults--great-grandparents, grandparents and parents- are functionally illiterate. The adults in the home didn't read to the kids as toddlers because they couldn't. Public preschool programs help fill the gap, but they can only do so much for families without books in the home (I've seen this many times). Sexual, verbal and physical abuse of preteens is rife in the SW housing projects despite aggressive intervention by the city, though not to the same extent as in the projects in Wards 7 and 8. At least two-thirds of middle school-age kids in the SW projects do not live with a father, and at least a third don't have a father in the picture. It's common for grandmothers in their early to mid 30s to be raising middle school-age kids in local projects. If the kids arriving at MS working two or three years below grade level (very common) were put into remedial classes, while the Brent graduates were put in different classes, I'd say OK, maybe Jefferson could work for Brent. But academic tracking at the MS level isn't DCPS policy. Even at Stuart Hobson, where there are "honors" (grade level) classes in several subjects, kids are not separated into higher and lower classes across the board.

I hope you are not playing the lottery for a Washington Latin slot. Some of the very kids you dismiss are attending Latin, and are in the same classes with kids you want to distance them from academically. I cannot speak about Basis as I do not have children in attendance at Basis. I supposed you are moving or going private with your MS kids based on your above suggestions/requirements.

NP here-- So why did you decide on Washington Latin rather than your IB middle school? (No judgment here-- I did the same.)

IB MS is a stupid EC with no foreign language or science. Latin, along with SH, Hardy, and McKinley MS were our lottery selections. The kid got lucky and Latin popped. I would have been happy with any of the four, but I was not sending my kid to the neighborhood elementary school slash middle school.

I forgot to add, our backup plan was to hopefully send DC to St Jerome in Hyattsville, MD for 6-8, and back to DCPS for SWW or Banneker for HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only way their "quick" solution works is if a bunch of 4th grade parents return for 5th, then send their children to a ms with proficiency pass rates in the low 20s. It's a hard sell, and the boosters really want to recruit your family, so 4th grade parents get pestered to jump on board. Can't count how many times I've been asked if we're coming back for 5th if the last few weeks. We have zero interest in Jeff Ac, but aren't talking about what we're planning. Being left alone would rock.

I didn't say it would be easy, but sounds like these parents are working hard on the most feasible option. good for them. I am zoned for EH (Maury) and would probably consider it if there were an organized group of parents planning to try it.

I'm a social worker by training who's served families in SW housing projects over the years. Privately, I'm not seeing a "feasible option" at Jefferson Academy, given the awful conditions many of the students face in nearby housing projects. I see well-intentioned Brent parents determined to stay in their neighborhood dramatically over-estimating how OK the demographics and academics of Jefferson Academy will be because they don't spend time in the projects...

Could you please explain what you are foreseeing in terms of challenges with demographics and academics given your work as a social worker? I've heard lots of people speculate but none of them seem to have real-world experience for their beliefs. It sounds like you do.

Jefferson's dismal 6th grade PARCC scores tell the story. Many of the SW project kids come from multi-generational families in which all the adults--great-grandparents, grandparents and parents- are functionally illiterate. The adults in the home didn't read to the kids as toddlers because they couldn't. Public preschool programs help fill the gap, but they can only do so much for families without books in the home (I've seen this many times). Sexual, verbal and physical abuse of preteens is rife in the SW housing projects despite aggressive intervention by the city, though not to the same extent as in the projects in Wards 7 and 8. At least two-thirds of middle school-age kids in the SW projects do not live with a father, and at least a third don't have a father in the picture. It's common for grandmothers in their early to mid 30s to be raising middle school-age kids in local projects. If the kids arriving at MS working two or three years below grade level (very common) were put into remedial classes, while the Brent graduates were put in different classes, I'd say OK, maybe Jefferson could work for Brent. But academic tracking at the MS level isn't DCPS policy. Even at Stuart Hobson, where there are "honors" (grade level) classes in several subjects, kids are not separated into higher and lower classes across the board.

I hope you are not playing the lottery for a Washington Latin slot. Some of the very kids you dismiss are attending Latin, and are in the same classes with kids you want to distance them from academically. I cannot speak about Basis as I do not have children in attendance at Basis. I supposed you are moving or going private with your MS kids based on your above suggestions/requirements.

Right, not interested in Latin, perhaps because I went to the original Latin, in Boston, coming from a low SES background. Leaning toward returning to my home town so our learners can try to can test into one of that city's several excellent 7th grade+ test in programs. I was well prepped for the entrance exam at a city run prep center. If your kids are really bright and you don't have the time, money and energy to supplement extensively at home, life is probably too short to use DC public schools after elementary, other than BASIS and Deal.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:It isn't a question of segregation. How is a teacher suppose to teach kids who are above grade level alongside those who are below when kids reach MS age. Does the teacher assign 2-3 different books for students to read? Do the students who are at or above grade level review long division with the kids who haven't mastered the basics? Practically speaking, I would love to know how having kids performing at so man different levels would work. 11:56, please share your ideas instead of just accusing parents of supporting segregation. I wonder if you even have an older ES age kid because I can't think of one parent who would risk the education of their kid just to prove they don't believe in segregation.

Ask Jefferson -- they currently do this and they're making progress.

Too much in this post to break down, but as a practical matter this is not how the classrooms function. The curriculum is on grade level. They don't teach a 4th grade curriculum to 7th graders just because a majority are not 7th grade proficient. The students who struggle likely get additional supports to help them make up the difference. The classroom is not dialed back to make accomodations -- the benchmark is 7th grade learning objectives.

and yes -- students can and do read different levels books for independent reading (ie approved books rated for appropriate level of proficiency). That's how the schools address the range of proficiency levels common throughout the system.

in theory but practice no. If the slow kids were truly getting the support they need they would not be in the 6th grade reading at a 3rd grade level. DC just keeps passing them along. Jefferson teachers are attempting the impossible but they are not serving the advanced kids.

if a student starts at 2nd grade level and move to 4th in one year that's a big leap even if they still test well below grade level. DC does hold back students in some grades, but that often reflects lack of progress in addition to lack of proficiency.

Again -- there are at least 5 students who scored 5 on PARCC in math and ELA (not necessarily the same 5 students on each). If Jefferson is such academic suicide how do these students manage to score highly?

You're going to get outliers. I've been helping a FARMs student at a failing DCPS HS who attended Eliot-Hine apply to colleges, as a volunteer for a non-profit. She scored remarkably well on the SATs for a kid in her situation, loves to read and has taken advantage of DC Public Libraries, DCPS and OSSE summer school programs over the years, including an all-expenses-paid residential program at an Ivy League school. She comes from a very religious family, enabling her to learn a great deal of vocabulary from scripture and spent time in public libraries on Khan Academy to prep for the SATs. When admissions results come out next week, I'm expecting big things.

Was it merit-based? There are a lot of middle-income families who would benefit from all-expenses-paid programs locally, much less at an Ivy. They don't have a low enough family income level to apply. They make too much money for nice opportunities. And then people wonder why they resent the poor and flee to the suburbs where the schools are good and the crime is low.

SMH.

As a professional, middle-income person living in DC with kids: You are incredibly lame. People who resent poor people who WORK HARD and get somewhere are the reason this country is starting to lose its moral standing in the world.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only way their "quick" solution works is if a bunch of 4th grade parents return for 5th, then send their children to a ms with proficiency pass rates in the low 20s. It's a hard sell, and the boosters really want to recruit your family, so 4th grade parents get pestered to jump on board. Can't count how many times I've been asked if we're coming back for 5th if the last few weeks. We have zero interest in Jeff Ac, but aren't talking about what we're planning. Being left alone would rock.

I didn't say it would be easy, but sounds like these parents are working hard on the most feasible option. good for them. I am zoned for EH (Maury) and would probably consider it if there were an organized group of parents planning to try it.

I'm a social worker by training who's served families in SW housing projects over the years. Privately, I'm not seeing a "feasible option" at Jefferson Academy, given the awful conditions many of the students face in nearby housing projects. I see well-intentioned Brent parents determined to stay in their neighborhood dramatically over-estimating how OK the demographics and academics of Jefferson Academy will be because they don't spend time in the projects...

Could you please explain what you are foreseeing in terms of challenges with demographics and academics given your work as a social worker? I've heard lots of people speculate but none of them seem to have real-world experience for their beliefs. It sounds like you do.

Jefferson's dismal 6th grade PARCC scores tell the story. Many of the SW project kids come from multi-generational families in which all the adults--great-grandparents, grandparents and parents- are functionally illiterate. The adults in the home didn't read to the kids as toddlers because they couldn't. Public preschool programs help fill the gap, but they can only do so much for families without books in the home (I've seen this many times). Sexual, verbal and physical abuse of preteens is rife in the SW housing projects despite aggressive intervention by the city, though not to the same extent as in the projects in Wards 7 and 8. At least two-thirds of middle school-age kids in the SW projects do not live with a father, and at least a third don't have a father in the picture. It's common for grandmothers in their early to mid 30s to be raising middle school-age kids in local projects. If the kids arriving at MS working two or three years below grade level (very common) were put into remedial classes, while the Brent graduates were put in different classes, I'd say OK, maybe Jefferson could work for Brent. But academic tracking at the MS level isn't DCPS policy. Even at Stuart Hobson, where there are "honors" (grade level) classes in several subjects, kids are not separated into higher and lower classes across the board.

I hope you are not playing the lottery for a Washington Latin slot. Some of the very kids you dismiss are attending Latin, and are in the same classes with kids you want to distance them from academically. I cannot speak about Basis as I do not have children in attendance at Basis. I supposed you are moving or going private with your MS kids based on your above suggestions/requirements.

Right, not interested in Latin, perhaps because I went to the original Latin, in Boston, coming from a low SES background. Leaning toward returning to my home town so our learners can try to can test into one of that city's several excellent 7th grade+ test in programs. I was well prepped for the entrance exam at a city run prep center. If your kids are really bright and you don't have the time, money and energy to supplement extensively at home, life is probably too short to use DC public schools after elementary, other than BASIS and Deal.

So if your kid is not "really bright", Washington Latin is OK? Whew! My kid's lack of being "really bright" is finally paying off! I don't need to move to Boston!

[Anonymous]

Glad you're happy with Washington Latin, but Boston Latin it isn't. I'm a difficult person to vilify for my snobbery, racism and elitism being brown, having been born in a housing project, and having attended an Ivy League school on a Pell Grant. But go for it if you it makes you feel better. If your kid was in a position to take advantage of excellent, unlimited free tutoring at city "exam school" test prep centers like Bostonian youth can, would they be worse off? If not, maybe think twice about championing a system actively shortchanging the city's best and brightest in the public school system. At a recent Washington Latin open house, I wasn't remotely impressed to learn that 6th graders reading at a 3rd grade level are shoved into the very same English classes as those reading at the high school level. Same for math and other subjects. My children are not instructional tools DC public schools can harness to raise standards for the poorly prepped and/or none too academic. Pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Glad you're happy with Washington Latin, but Boston Latin it isn't. I'm a difficult person to vilify for my snobbery, racism and elitism being brown, having been born in a housing project, and having attended an Ivy League school on a Pell Grant. But go for it if you it makes you feel better. If your kid was in a position to take advantage of excellent, unlimited free tutoring at city "exam school" test prep centers like Bostonian youth can, would they be worse off? If not, maybe think twice about championing a system actively shortchanging the city's best and brightest in the public school system. At a recent Washington Latin open house, I wasn't remotely impressed to learn that 6th graders reading at a 3rd grade level are shoved into the very same English classes as those reading at the high school level. Same for math and other subjects. My children are not instructional tools DC public schools can harness to raise standards for the poorly prepped and/or none too academic. Pass.

Slow your roll, dude! I'm not "championing" anything. I'm just a parent trying to do the best with the situation at hand. And Washington Latin is far superior than the rural middle school I attended. You went to Boston Latin-- good on you! I wish we had a Boston Latin here! I do! I've asked for it and rallied for it-- but it isn't happening.

Maybe if my kid were as "really bright" as yours I'd also be tempted to go to Boston to get some of that yummy, yummy Boston Latin experience, but he is not. So we are all happy at Washington Latin.

However, I think many kids at Washington Latin are in fact "really bright" kids and are doing very well there. So I take some umbrage to you implying that no kids at Washington Latin are "really bright". Maybe try to not be so insulting of kids (and parents) who are just trying to the best with the situation at hand, while they are also working to make the situation better.