Opinions about Bancroft

[Anonymous]

I also go to Bancroft because it feeds to Deal. I am saddened that my child is not being challenged though. The principal is not around much.

[Anonymous]

Have you complained?

[Anonymous]

This entire thread is nonsense. Bancroft has grown leaps and bounds for the last 4 years due in large part to admin.

[Anonymous]

Deal's boundaries are likely to change. Analysis for all Ward 3 schools begins in 2013.
It seems very likely that Bancroft will only feed Lincoln and not Deal. Right now it feeds both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Deal's boundaries are likely to change. Analysis for all Ward 3 schools begins in 2013.
It seems very likely that Bancroft will only feed Lincoln and not Deal. Right now it feeds both.

I hope parents and council members will lobby to prevent this from happening. Shepherd feeds Deal and is further away (4 mi, vs. 3 mi for Bancroft). Here's the current Deal boundary map

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Files/downloads/SCHOOLS/Boundary%20Maps%20-%202009/DCPS-Attendance-Zones-Middle-Schools-September-2009.pdf

I've also heard mention of having Bancroft feed into Oyster Adams.

[Anonymous]

It is better then a charter school, but not better then upper-NW publics though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is better then a charter school, but not better then upper-NW publics though.

Better than what charter school? It is certainly better than many, maybe even most, but not all by any stretch of the imagination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This entire thread is nonsense. Bancroft has grown leaps and bounds for the last 4 years due in large part to admin.

Based on what empirical evidence? It doesn't show up in the testing results.

Reading Math
2009 31% 32%
2010 27% 29%
2011 27% 35%
2012 21% 34%


Not even 1/3 of students performing proficiently? Yikes, that sounds more like a detention center than an elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is better then a charter school, but not better then upper-NW publics though.

No, not better than any of the charters that are talked about in this forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire thread is nonsense. Bancroft has grown leaps and bounds for the last 4 years due in large part to admin.

Based on what empirical evidence? It doesn't show up in the testing results.

Reading Math
2009 31% 32%
2010 27% 29%
2011 27% 35%
2012 21% 34%


Not even 1/3 of students performing proficiently? Yikes, that sounds more like a detention center than an elementary school.

Where are you getting these data? From Bancroft's DCPS profile (http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Bancroft+Elementary+School)

2011 reading: 38%, math 53%
2012 reading: 35%, math 49%

Not stellar, but remember that 59% of Bancroft kids are English language learners and 80% are low income. That compares to 24% low income at LAMB, 25% low income at Oyster (which only has 16% ELL), etc. Huge differences in demographics.

[Anonymous]

Main concern w Bancroft is families leaving for better schools after the early years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Main concern w Bancroft is families leaving for better schools after the early years

That's a legitimate concern in any DCPS school, but especially low-performers. High SES families only use them for free PS/PK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is better then a charter school, but not better then upper-NW publics though.

Wrong. Don't lie to the OP. Other than Oyster, the ONLY good Spanish Immersion schools are charters.

[Anonymous]

OP we had Bancroft on our list, didn't get into LAMB, considered Marie Reed for PS-3, ended up elsewhere at a school with a terrific principal but not a language immersion school like Stokes or Oyster. We got the same feeling, vibe, whatever you want to call it, from visiting Bancroft that other parents had. Bad grammar & confusion from the admin staff, an overwhelming number of low-income Hispanics, terrible test scores. Also nightmarish drop-off traffic. Powell Elementary has many similar issues. It's got some very gung-ho parents and Michelle Obama has taken an interest in the school for the White House kitchen garden project. I think people are confused about why Mount Pleasant is such an expensive/desirable place to live but Bancroft is not a better school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people are confused about why Mount Pleasant is such an expensive/desirable place to live but Bancroft is not a better school.

As has been noted on other threads, it's the chicken/egg problem.