I would not count on this. Bancroft (not the whole school btw, just certain parts of the neighborhood) is one of the schools that should be dropped from Deal, along with Eaton and Oyster. Allowing Bancroft to feed Adams with Oyster makes a lot of sense. Deal? Not so much. That will probably not survive. |
Adams seems like a decent option compared to DCI, which is a complete unknown at this point. |
Wouldn't there need to be a lot more space at Adams to accommodate even some of Bancroft? |
As I understand it they are underenrolled. I think there are only about 70 kids in 5th at Bancroft. |
| Test scores in 2nd grade at Bancroft are showing that, at this point in the year, 70% of the kids are on track to finish where they are supposed to be for math and English. The upper grades are less diverse from an ses standpoint than the lower grades, but there are enough advanced kids to keep each other challenged. That combined with my adversion to commuting make it a viable option. And, I will bet that will have access to DCI too due to language fluency, even if we are not feeder schools. Based on attrition rates in current charters that go through high school, I'm betting DCI will have a harder time filling its slots than it is anticipating. |
| I find that 70% on track a little hard to square with the assessment scores on the DC My Schools site, which list Bancroft at 52% proficient or better in math and only 43% in reading. Granted that is a test not taken until 3rd grade and above so they are not directly comparable. |
Having language fluency will not get you into DCI. Being in a feeder school will. Getting a spot via the lottery will. |
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70% on track in the second grade does not surprise me. Bravo! The school is changing.
Who knows what the policy will be for DCI admission in a few years. Perhaps they will fill their spots with the feeder schools. Perhaps they won't. And if they won't, they will likely accept students who are proficient in a second language. Those students are likely to be those who attended a dual language program over those who did not. |
They won't be able to screen for proficiency under current law. |
The new location is in fact in a neighborhood called Truxton Circle. NoMa is in NE. |
| If they cannot screen for proficiency, if there are spots available and if there is a lottery, families are more likely to apply for a spot if their child is proficient in a second language than if they are not proficient. I would not consider DCI for middle or high school if my child only had introductory Spanish taught in a non dual language school. |
It's hard to keep track, what with the real estate agents inventing new neighborhoods every few years. |
| ^referring to "NoMa" (not Truxton Circle) |
This is so true. |
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Maybe I am just too cynical. But the "70% on track" is based on what? To believe this, that 70% of kids will go into third "on track" you have to believe in one year there is an approximately 30 percentage point improvement. What is the explanation for this transformation?
I have heard that "Bancroft is changing" for a long time. I hope it is so. I hope that in the next few years we see this reflected in test scores. Because the kids deserve To learn and, in my view, a school where the majority of the kids is not proficient in reading is not acceptable. And if it is indeed improving, I hope it is because the kids who previously were not at grade level are being taught. |