Moving from Dallas - Need recommendations on best DC Spanish Immersion Schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm in bounds for Bruce Monroe and we are not even considering it for elem. we MIGHT for pre K. I can't believe you read anything positive that was accurate. Yes the scores are rising but the bar is so low. If you are whie and/or high SES you will be one of two or three in the entire school. There not 9 high SES kids around me and they all go to charters. BM is really "immersion" by default. The majority of kids are ESL to begin with so I think the school is trying rebrand themselves. I hope it continues to improve but when educated families in the neighborhood refuse to commit past age 5, that should tell you something.

I was surprised to see that “praising” thread about BM and I’m AA and would not send my child there.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like OP is interested in Bancroft, so I'll just give you a quick caution:

Mt. Pleasant is now insanely expensive. 900,000 rowhouses, etc., pretty ordinary houses over $1M. I don't know Texas, but I am always under the impression that $900,000 gets you a heckuva lot more there than it does in 1920s city housing stock in Mt. Pleasant. Also I worry that prices may be unnecessarily high, which could hurt you if you buy now and want to sell in the future.

Bancroft has had a little "diversity" (in DCPS terms this is unfortunately code for less than 100% poor and 100% nonwhite) for a few years, but this has not changed the school much. The neighborhood may seem high status, but the school doesn't seem that way.

Bancroft is not the greatest success in terms of test scores, you decide whether that matters to you.

And its bilingual program seems kind of in flux. They have a new principal, and the word is positive. Though it's hard to say what the long-term impact of the change is at this point. I'll just say from my experience during a tour, classes I thought would be somewhat bilingual seemed exclusively English-oriented.

Bancroft has extreme demand from out-of-boundary, so enteing the lottery from out-of-bounds is not a great prospect, though to be fair it gets easier as you move up in grades, when the few higher socioeconomic status children seem to be moving out of the school unfortunately.

That said, it sems to have an active PTA and community support that is better than that of other schools in the area.

[Anonymous]

We live in Mount Pleasant and our children go to Bancroft. We love our neighborhood and our children are happy. It is a joy to walk to school and to see and chat with so many members of our community. We are very excited about Bancroft's direction. Life is good.
Yes, real estate is expensive but then again, my friend is selling her 2 bedroom one level condo (with high fees) in Alexandria (Old Towne - near Whole Foods) for $600,000!

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure if there are any 50/50 DCPS schools or 60/40 other than OA as from what I hear. The two charters LAMB and MV have a better balance than DCPS or the dual language Spanish programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If we moved mid-year, would our chances of getting into the Dual schools be better or worse? I'm guessing my kids would have to be tested for fluency in both languages.

It's all luck unless you are in-boundary for a DCPS. Oyster-Adams says it tests kids coming in after 1st for "grade level proficiency" in both languages. It's not really a "test". The assistant principal will chat with them in Spanish just to make sure they understand what's being said to them. Your kids will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 2nd grader and a kindergartner in a 2-way dual language school in Dallas. I've read good reviews on Bancroft and Bruce-Monroe. I don't think we can afford homes in Oyster school district. Any opinions on Bancroft or Bruce-Monroe or Dual Language in Alexandria. Thank you for your time!
~Andrea

She's looking for other options. Posters are still talking about OA.

[Anonymous]

I think you are best off moving to Fairfax County - they have tons of spanish immersion options/schools, and you can ride the metro to work or drive.

[Anonymous]

I'd rent in the Tyler area. Great neighborhood to raise kids in. Higher grades in spanish immersion are made of very small classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd rent in the Tyler area. Great neighborhood to raise kids in. Higher grades in spanish immersion are made of very small classes.

Don't do it. The test scores are TERRIBLE at Tyler. Further, when I toured the school, I witnessed several behavioral issues among the older students (i.e, cursing and yelling in the hallways).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we moved mid-year, would our chances of getting into the Dual schools be better or worse? I'm guessing my kids would have to be tested for fluency in both languages.

Testing isn't allowed for either Public or Charter schools. If you love inbounds for one of the DC public dual language schools you are guaranteed a spot either way. You will have a hard time getting into a Charter mid year but a public school has to take you.

Let me add that Charters are all lottery and the dual language Charters are the most popular with 900+ on their waiting list. LAMB which is a dual Charter doesn't take kids passed the entry grade, however this may change once they move to the new location.

LAMB won't take you after Pre-k 4. OP's best bet is to try for Stokes, which takes higher grades. The app. Is time stamped, so if she puts it in right at 12noon, she's got a good chance. Speaking from experience

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd rent in the Tyler area. Great neighborhood to raise kids in. Higher grades in spanish immersion are made of very small classes.

The reason the upper grades are small is that so many leave because the program loses momentum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd rent in the Tyler area. Great neighborhood to raise kids in. Higher grades in spanish immersion are made of very small classes.

The classes are smaller because parents leave after a certain grade for better schools. The kids just peel off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 2nd grader and a kindergartner in a 2-way dual language school in Dallas. I've read good reviews on Bancroft and Bruce-Monroe. I don't think we can afford homes in Oyster school district. Any opinions on Bancroft or Bruce-Monroe or Dual Language in Alexandria. Thank you for your time!
~Andrea

She's looking for other options. Posters are still talking about OA.

OP Im posted earlier on the issues of BM. But Im also a resident of the Park View (In bound for Bruce Monroe) neighborhood which I generally like very much. Nice homes, lots of tree lined streets, lots of family activities on the stunning grounds of the Old Soldiers Home/Lincoln Cottage and easy access to petworth metro station. And renovated houses in Parkview now start around $650 but get bid up to around 700k, average days on market is about 7. I just wanted to add that to the concversation since you have to factor in what you can afford and then what public school you will be in bound for. Its frustrating to pay so much money for housing and still be in bounds for such a challenged school. In DC, very few neighborhoods have house prices that are "affordable" and get you a good school. West of Rock Creek park, you are looking at 800-1mil for a lot of homes that needs updates and are small or not close to metro. On Cap Hill, to be IB for Brent you are looking at probably 900k. I love DC and I want more families to move here but previous posters are probably being fair when they suggest you look in VA instead. And if the lottery doesn't work for us in a few years, we will head to VA as well.

[Anonymous]

I know it's not DC, but there is also an immersion program atRolling Terrace ES in Takoma Park, MD and if you live in the neighborhood, you are practically gauranteed a spot in the immersion program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd rent in the Tyler area. Great neighborhood to raise kids in. Higher grades in spanish immersion are made of very small classes.

Don't do it. The test scores are TERRIBLE at Tyler. Further, when I toured the school, I witnessed several behavioral issues among the older students (i.e, cursing and yelling in the hallways).

GASP!!!! YOU MEAN KIDS CURSE????? Well my god. Who'd have thunk it????
Yes, by all means, let's try to find a school where no kids have ever uttered a curse word.