experience at a title one school

[Anonymous]

Being a middle class parent at a Title I school means you may be more involved than other parents, or at least can be.

On the other hand, be very careful to try to always be inclusive. Always, always.

[Anonymous]

When my oldest started at Brent it was a Title I school.

I had both my younger children at Payne for a semester of Pre-K 3, and we were very happy with the education, their classrooms, the principal, the other kids, everything. The aftercare was just OK, but not bad. I would have definitely kept them there for 3 or 4 years if they hadn't got slots mid-year at Brent. My younger kids are both bright and unusually social, but did not stand out as being ahead of the other kids. My sons had come from one of the best preschools in DC prior to Payne. They transitioned seemlessly into Brent.

I don't know why our experience was different from others. I think a lot of it may have been an exceptional Principal at Payne and very very strong preschool teachers.

At neither school were my children negatively impacted by the fact that the schools are/were Title I.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I spent 4 years at Thomson. Question is where to start. It taught me that school reform is way more complicated than Rhee & company want to believe. Teachers were in constant tredmill that is exhausting, don't assume your child will get supports because they know you will provide them & their are a ton kids that need help. DC has no clue how to deal with esl kids so they face constant regression. Forget PTA's about 5 people will carry it and become increasing bitter. Your principal & teaching staff will turnover all the time. Your kid will have a program that is likely to be a full grade level below what they are teaching in other parts of the city. Putting your kid into a title one school is a not just being there for other poor kids. There is a reason so many of us have fled.

This sums up at the end of the day why I left. We were enrolled in our IB school (title I) my child was to be in PS-3 and as I was dropping off the paperwork the principal asked me if I would be president of the PTA.

I'm sure this is a little extreme and there is Title I and Title I, but what you say highlights something else about what you may have going for yourself at a Title I school. You may actually have a true say. This isn't something all parents are looking for and not what everyone is cut out to do but if you are, know a thing or two, and have an ability to communicate and deliberate with others, a Title I is a likelier place to have a say than your typical upper NW school.

These schools are under so much pressure because of testing and scores and real crisis like a parent with mental health issues and unable to manage the homeless shelter system. Children bringing crack to class. Yes, I got the call from the principal that it had happened. I can tell you that there is so much more input and real consideration in a Ward 3 school. My point is that these schools struggle for a lot of reasons and good people work really hard to stop kids from losing, it is hard to pull them ahead. More needs to be done, but don't walk in assuming that there won't be issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Um. Is Janney's PTA really only bringing in $40k per year?

No way. The average contribution at Janney is thousands of dollars per student.

that is the line item in the total expenses for running the PTA - not the amount the PTA brings in each year.

[Anonymous]

So far we are happy at Tyler - and we are NOT in the Spanish immersion. But there is a stong have/have not divide between Spanish immersion and the traditional program.

[Anonymous]

Loving Powell, however you can tell the gentrifiers are trying to run the school. DS is currently in 2nd and now things are moving at a rapid pace. I tried to be involved but parents weren't that committed in previous years.

[Anonymous]

I will probably send my kid to the local Title One school, but wouldn't be inclined to stay past K. The preschool program looks good. When I looked at the upper grade classes, they were very well-managed, and the kids were well-behaved and industriously working. They were also working on content that was rather far behind what I would expect middle class kids to be doing. I'd like my kid to be challenged, and beyond the lower grades, I don't know if that will happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Loving Powell, however you can tell the gentrifiers are trying to run the school. DS is currently in 2nd and now things are moving at a rapid pace. I tried to be involved but parents weren't that committed in previous years.

can you expand more about powell? what do you mean about "moving at a rapid pace"? it seems like you say "gentrifiers running school" but that other parents not involved. do you think the "gentrifiers" are contributing or disrupting something? i am considering powell to start at PS3. thank you for your insight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but PP equates them - "what's it gonna be? Extra parent raised funds or federal funds?" I am Ib for a title 1, 99% FARMS school and am considering it--but to say the level of resources between a school like my IB school and JKLM schools is the same is ridiculous.

Using HD Cooke and Janney as examples:

For FY14, per-pupil expenditures will be (from: http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/About+DCPS/Budget+and+Finance/FY14+Fiscal+Report+Card)

H.S. Cooke: $13,070u?,
Janney: $ 8,739

So the question might be whether the additional funds allcoated to Cooke cover its increased needs. In terms of just Title funds, HD Cooke receives $177 K to Janney's $15 K.

Fortunately, schools may be poised to receive an additional $3 K per low-income student.

But then how much money does the janney pta raise vs the cooke pta?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but PP equates them - "what's it gonna be? Extra parent raised funds or federal funds?" I am Ib for a title 1, 99% FARMS school and am considering it--but to say the level of resources between a school like my IB school and JKLM schools is the same is ridiculous.

Using HD Cooke and Janney as examples:

For FY14, per-pupil expenditures will be (from: http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/About+DCPS/Budget+and+Finance/FY14+Fiscal+Report+Card)

H.S. Cooke: $13,070u?,
Janney: $ 8,739

So the question might be whether the additional funds allocated to Cooke cover its increased needs. In terms of just Title funds, HD Cooke receives $177 K to Janney's $15 K.

Fortunately, schools may be poised to receive an additional $3 K per low-income student.

But then how much money does the janney pta raise vs the cooke pta?

The 2nd teacher in the class room is needed b/c the behavior of the students is significantly different. Children at Janney come to school every morning ready to learn. They are fed, dressed, have the supplies they need. They did not spend an hour on public transportation to get to school. They come to school when it rains, when it snows and are dressed appropriately. They have had more books read to them before age 2 than many children in Title 1 schools will read through elementary school. Janney parents are not working 3 jobs to pay the bills. Janney parents are engaged so that the teachers do not need to check homework every morning since there are parent volunteer homework helpers.

These are 2 different worlds - title 1 funds will not create an equal stage.

[Anonymous]

Janney: gifts, grants & contributions - $207,000
Gross receipts - $260,000

[Anonymous]

Could not locate Form 990 for Cooke on Guidestar

[Anonymous]

The Janney PTA budget is for $1000 per student.

http://janneyschool.org/community/pta/budget/201-2/