Upper elementary in Title 1 schools Wards 4-5

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are some Ward 4 families currently doing/planning for elementary and middle school?

Trying to lottery repeatedly into charters that feed to DCI?

Doing elementary at one of the public neighborhood schools and then trying to get into BASIS or Latin?

What about other middle school options like Cap City?

We’re in a bilingual MacFarland feeder going into second. Only lotterying for Bancroft and OA for now. Not interested in DCI feeders when we’re happy where we are. Around fourth (unless we have a bad year and our feelings change), we’ll start lotterying for Wilson feeders. Don’t want to lose the language until upper elementary at the earliest. In fifth we’ll try for Basis and Latin, or move IB for a Wilson feeder, depending on what will be the best fit at that time. If DCI improves, we could offer DC the choice of starting a third language and lotterying for there. French would be easy with the amount of Spanish they have and some limited French at home, Mandarin would be only if they’re interested. For us, I’m not sold on so-so middle school options, including DCI at this point, so it will probably be a choice between a Wilson feeder or private.

A lot of it hinges on whether you see DCI as a viable option. If so, there are MV seats for everyone. That gives you a preference though, so you may pass on Latin/Basis only to be left with a bad lottery draw in sixth. Then what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are some Ward 4 families currently doing/planning for elementary and middle school?

Trying to lottery repeatedly into charters that feed to DCI?

Doing elementary at one of the public neighborhood schools and then trying to get into BASIS or Latin?

What about other middle school options like Cap City?

We’re in a bilingual MacFarland feeder going into second. Only lotterying for Bancroft and OA for now. Not interested in DCI feeders when we’re happy where we are. Around fourth (unless we have a bad year and our feelings change), we’ll start lotterying for Wilson feeders. Don’t want to lose the language until upper elementary at the earliest. In fifth we’ll try for Basis and Latin, or move IB for a Wilson feeder, depending on what will be the best fit at that time. If DCI improves, we could offer DC the choice of starting a third language and lotterying for there. French would be easy with the amount of Spanish they have and some limited French at home, Mandarin would be only if they’re interested. For us, I’m not sold on so-so middle school options, including DCI at this point, so it will probably be a choice between a Wilson feeder or private.

A lot of it hinges on whether you see DCI as a viable option. If so, there are MV seats for everyone. That gives you a preference though, so you may pass on Latin/Basis only to be left with a bad lottery draw in sixth. Then what?

What are MV seats for everyone?

What do you not like about DCI?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are some Ward 4 families currently doing/planning for elementary and middle school?

Trying to lottery repeatedly into charters that feed to DCI?

Doing elementary at one of the public neighborhood schools and then trying to get into BASIS or Latin?

What about other middle school options like Cap City?

We’re in a bilingual MacFarland feeder going into second. Only lotterying for Bancroft and OA for now. Not interested in DCI feeders when we’re happy where we are. Around fourth (unless we have a bad year and our feelings change), we’ll start lotterying for Wilson feeders. Don’t want to lose the language until upper elementary at the earliest. In fifth we’ll try for Basis and Latin, or move IB for a Wilson feeder, depending on what will be the best fit at that time. If DCI improves, we could offer DC the choice of starting a third language and lotterying for there. French would be easy with the amount of Spanish they have and some limited French at home, Mandarin would be only if they’re interested. For us, I’m not sold on so-so middle school options, including DCI at this point, so it will probably be a choice between a Wilson feeder or private.

A lot of it hinges on whether you see DCI as a viable option. If so, there are MV seats for everyone. That gives you a preference though, so you may pass on Latin/Basis only to be left with a bad lottery draw in sixth. Then what?

What are MV seats for everyone?

What do you not like about DCI?

Sorry. I meant that MV starts clearing its waitlist in kindergarten, so if you wanted a seat at MV, you could get in by kindergarten if not earlier. DCI is new and improving, but seems to be in the same rut of low standards and “good enough” as many DC schools. I have a child that does very well when pushed by peers, but needs more rigor than DCI offers right now. Maybe Deal/Hardy/Latin will be a good fit, maybe we’ll go private. Maybe DCI will be what we need by the time we get there. Not saying it’s impossible, just saying that elementary school is one thing, but middle/high school is a different can of worms. It really depends on your child and their individual strengths and weaknesses.

[Anonymous]

OP I really want to ask why you care, but I guess I already know the answer....

Anyway, people don't leave after 3rd grade because of "test scores", they leave to get their kids in a better feed pattern for middle and high school. The longer you wait to move, the less chance you have to lottery in somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I really want to ask why you care, but I guess I already know the answer....

Anyway, people don't leave after 3rd grade because of "test scores", they leave to get their kids in a better feed pattern for middle and high school. The longer you wait to move, the less chance you have to lottery in somewhere.

+1. This is exactly right. You leave because of “test scores” in kindergarten or first. If you stick around until third, you’re fine with the school. You leave because you have concerns over middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seaton.

I do know a middle class kid who graduated Langley and went on to Inspired Teaching, and I think that's a reasonable plan.

I suggest West and Whittier if you like that area.

Seaton is ward 2.

It's actually in the NW dogleg of ward 6.

No, it's Ward 2. https://ward2edcouncil.org/ward-2-dc-public-schools

Don’t you love how people are so loud and wrong?!

According to myschooldc, filter by ward, it is ward 6. https://find.myschooldc.org/ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seaton.

I do know a middle class kid who graduated Langley and went on to Inspired Teaching, and I think that's a reasonable plan.

I suggest West and Whittier if you like that area.

Seaton is ward 2.

It's actually in the NW dogleg of ward 6.

No, it's Ward 2. https://ward2edcouncil.org/ward-2-dc-public-schools

Don’t you love how people are so loud and wrong?!

According to myschooldc, filter by ward, it is ward 6. https://find.myschooldc.org/ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ha! It's so DC that DCPS.gov says ward 2 and myschooldc says ward 6.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seaton.

I do know a middle class kid who graduated Langley and went on to Inspired Teaching, and I think that's a reasonable plan.

I suggest West and Whittier if you like that area.

Seaton is ward 2.

It's actually in the NW dogleg of ward 6.

No, it's Ward 2. https://ward2edcouncil.org/ward-2-dc-public-schools

Don’t you love how people are so loud and wrong?!

According to myschooldc, filter by ward, it is ward 6. https://find.myschooldc.org/ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ha! It's so DC that DCPS.gov says ward 2 and myschooldc says ward 6.

It’s Ward 2. But either way it’s not 4-5 like OP asked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I really want to ask why you care, but I guess I already know the answer....

Anyway, people don't leave after 3rd grade because of "test scores", they leave to get their kids in a better feed pattern for middle and high school. The longer you wait to move, the less chance you have to lottery in somewhere.

+1. This is exactly right. You leave because of “test scores” in kindergarten or first. If you stick around until third, you’re fine with the school. You leave because you have concerns over middle school.

Yep yep 1000 times this. I am heartbroken at the thought of pulling my kid out of our Ward 5 school and I'd happily keep them there the whole time, but I just can't deal with the prospect of trying my luck at the MS lottery. We might just end up staying through 5th and then moving, honestly, because I don't want to play this lottery game.

But it's misguided to think.people are leaving because the quality declines or test scores or anything like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I really want to ask why you care, but I guess I already know the answer....

Anyway, people don't leave after 3rd grade because of "test scores", they leave to get their kids in a better feed pattern for middle and high school. The longer you wait to move, the less chance you have to lottery in somewhere.

+1. This is exactly right. You leave because of “test scores” in kindergarten or first. If you stick around until third, you’re fine with the school. You leave because you have concerns over middle school.

Yep yep 1000 times this. I am heartbroken at the thought of pulling my kid out of our Ward 5 school and I'd happily keep them there the whole time, but I just can't deal with the prospect of trying my luck at the MS lottery. We might just end up staying through 5th and then moving, honestly, because I don't want to play this lottery game.

But it's misguided to think.people are leaving because the quality declines or test scores or anything like that.

I think about this a lot. Is it better to move in elementary and let them get settled in the new school zone, or better to switch at middle school when social groups and merging and shuffling anyways? We’re likely to stay in the city, so not a suburban area where kids go from K to 12th anyways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I really want to ask why you care, but I guess I already know the answer....

Anyway, people don't leave after 3rd grade because of "test scores", they leave to get their kids in a better feed pattern for middle and high school. The longer you wait to move, the less chance you have to lottery in somewhere.

+1. This is exactly right. You leave because of “test scores” in kindergarten or first. If you stick around until third, you’re fine with the school. You leave because you have concerns over middle school.

Yep yep 1000 times this. I am heartbroken at the thought of pulling my kid out of our Ward 5 school and I'd happily keep them there the whole time, but I just can't deal with the prospect of trying my luck at the MS lottery. We might just end up staying through 5th and then moving, honestly, because I don't want to play this lottery game.

But it's misguided to think.people are leaving because the quality declines or test scores or anything like that.

Even at supposedly HRCS, things tend to deteriorate in upper elementary. Behavior problems become more serious. The academic gap widens relentlessly and it's harder and harder to catch up. Even if a school is really trying and doing a good job on their end, as kids approach middle school they become more complex and big kids big problems. If people are on the tipping point about their school, just entering that age range can be enough to nudge them out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I really want to ask why you care, but I guess I already know the answer....

Anyway, people don't leave after 3rd grade because of "test scores", they leave to get their kids in a better feed pattern for middle and high school. The longer you wait to move, the less chance you have to lottery in somewhere.

+1. This is exactly right. You leave because of “test scores” in kindergarten or first. If you stick around until third, you’re fine with the school. You leave because you have concerns over middle school.

Yep yep 1000 times this. I am heartbroken at the thought of pulling my kid out of our Ward 5 school and I'd happily keep them there the whole time, but I just can't deal with the prospect of trying my luck at the MS lottery. We might just end up staying through 5th and then moving, honestly, because I don't want to play this lottery game.

But it's misguided to think.people are leaving because the quality declines or test scores or anything like that.

+100
Behavior issues, changing principals etc in upper ES can mean that a school that worked in PK, K, 1 all of a sudden doesn’t work at all and you want to get your child out ASAP. Things can change fast at DCPS schools but not in a good way.

Even at supposedly HRCS, things tend to deteriorate in upper elementary. Behavior problems become more serious. The academic gap widens relentlessly and it's harder and harder to catch up. Even if a school is really trying and doing a good job on their end, as kids approach middle school they become more complex and big kids big problems. If people are on the tipping point about their school, just entering that age range can be enough to nudge them out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I really want to ask why you care, but I guess I already know the answer....

Anyway, people don't leave after 3rd grade because of "test scores", they leave to get their kids in a better feed pattern for middle and high school. The longer you wait to move, the less chance you have to lottery in somewhere.

+1. This is exactly right. You leave because of “test scores” in kindergarten or first. If you stick around until third, you’re fine with the school. You leave because you have concerns over middle school.

Yep yep 1000 times this. I am heartbroken at the thought of pulling my kid out of our Ward 5 school and I'd happily keep them there the whole time, but I just can't deal with the prospect of trying my luck at the MS lottery. We might just end up staying through 5th and then moving, honestly, because I don't want to play this lottery game.

But it's misguided to think.people are leaving because the quality declines or test scores or anything like that.

+100
Behavior issues, changing principals etc in upper ES can mean that a school that worked in PK, K, 1 all of a sudden doesn’t work at all and you want to get your child out ASAP. Things can change fast at DCPS schools but not in a good way.

Even at supposedly HRCS, things tend to deteriorate in upper elementary. Behavior problems become more serious. The academic gap widens relentlessly and it's harder and harder to catch up. Even if a school is really trying and doing a good job on their end, as kids approach middle school they become more complex and big kids big problems. If people are on the tipping point about their school, just entering that age range can be enough to nudge them out.

Also, it's harder to find good teachers as the kids grow older, so less skilled teachers are more tolerated by principals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are some Ward 4 families currently doing/planning for elementary and middle school?

Trying to lottery repeatedly into charters that feed to DCI?

Doing elementary at one of the public neighborhood schools and then trying to get into BASIS or Latin?

What about other middle school options like Cap City?

Every family that I know from my children’s day care in Ward 4 end up at a DCI feeder (LAMB, MV, and DCB) since preK3 or preK4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I really want to ask why you care, but I guess I already know the answer....

Anyway, people don't leave after 3rd grade because of "test scores", they leave to get their kids in a better feed pattern for middle and high school. The longer you wait to move, the less chance you have to lottery in somewhere.

+1. This is exactly right. You leave because of “test scores” in kindergarten or first. If you stick around until third, you’re fine with the school. You leave because you have concerns over middle school.

Yep yep 1000 times this. I am heartbroken at the thought of pulling my kid out of our Ward 5 school and I'd happily keep them there the whole time, but I just can't deal with the prospect of trying my luck at the MS lottery. We might just end up staying through 5th and then moving, honestly, because I don't want to play this lottery game.

But it's misguided to think.people are leaving because the quality declines or test scores or anything like that.

+100
Behavior issues, changing principals etc in upper ES can mean that a school that worked in PK, K, 1 all of a sudden doesn’t work at all and you want to get your child out ASAP. Things can change fast at DCPS schools but not in a good way.

Even at supposedly HRCS, things tend to deteriorate in upper elementary. Behavior problems become more serious. The academic gap widens relentlessly and it's harder and harder to catch up. Even if a school is really trying and doing a good job on their end, as kids approach middle school they become more complex and big kids big problems. If people are on the tipping point about their school, just entering that age range can be enough to nudge them out.

Also, it's harder to find good teachers as the kids grow older, so less skilled teachers are more tolerated by principals.

LOL what? Please show the data behind this claim.