How to replicate Ross's success?

[Anonymous]

This thread morphed into a discussion of SWW@FS for a bit.. I think the SWW@FS numbers are more OOB and more AA than Ross right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which high school? There is no affiliation with SWW for applications.

No, but the school has seen a major change of staff and admin since SWW took over. There has been some negative feedback from high school families but it has been a win for the PK-8 school which is doing well. I would go as far as saying FS@SWW is the next Ross.

It may take a few years since it's a larger school but SWWFS a has momentum. The leadership at both schools, as well as Thomson (who's ranking wasn't shabby at all!) are all friendly and supportive of each other, too. The middle school option at FS certainly sweetens the pot for the Logan/Shaw families in the area vs Garrsion.

[Anonymous]

We don't attend Ross but live very close by and would have proximity status. However, it's very hard to get in OOB, and for prek it's impossible. They likely won't go through their top 5 on the WL this year. Ross has one class per grade with an extremely active parent association. But, primarily, as others have stated, it's a very wealthy area with very wealthy families. You take any school with 22 kids per grade, most of whom live in million dollar plus homes, and the outcome is likely to be success.

[Anonymous]

^^this.

[Anonymous]

So the answer to OP is to have neighborhoods with more million dollar homes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the answer to OP is to have neighborhoods with more million dollar homes?

Or to convince more people in those million dollar home neighborhoods to actually send their kids to their neighborhood school. Not all of them--some will always choose private or charter (if they snag a spot at LAMB, YY, etc.)--but enough to fill up 1-2 PK classes (having PK3 available is key to get more in-boundary folks). And then, each grade needs to be kept relatively small so that the school can maintain as high an in-boundary percentage as possible. The good test scores will follow when these higher in-boundary cohorts reach testing grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don't attend Ross but live very close by and would have proximity status. However, it's very hard to get in OOB, and for prek it's impossible. They likely won't go through their top 5 on the WL this year. Ross has one class per grade with an extremely active parent association. But, primarily, as others have stated, it's a very wealthy area with very wealthy families. You take any school with 22 kids per grade, most of whom live in million dollar plus homes, and the outcome is likely to be success.

You do know the new proximity requirements right? I can think of a street/neighborhood that episode qualify for Ross (their IB is > 1 mile).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don't attend Ross but live very close by and would have proximity status. However, it's very hard to get in OOB, and for prek it's impossible. They likely won't go through their top 5 on the WL this year. Ross has one class per grade with an extremely active parent association. But, primarily, as others have stated, it's a very wealthy area with very wealthy families. You take any school with 22 kids per grade, most of whom live in million dollar plus homes, and the outcome is likely to be success.

This is simply not true. Yes, there are families who live in $$$ row houses, but it's not "most" families at Ross.

[Anonymous]

Okay, but renting an apartment for 3k is the same think basically...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You just need families who can afford to live near DuPont Circle. Easy.

This is the correct answer. Operational practices at schools are a marginal effect compared to the demographics of the student body, which dominates educational outcomes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, but renting an apartment for 3k is the same think basically...

Point taken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, but renting an apartment for 3k is the same think basically...

Point taken.

It's not even close to the same thing in terms of cost

[Anonymous]

There are people who live in small apartments. ! bed/den for less than $2000 in Dupont Circle.

[Anonymous]

OP, Ross was turned around nearly 10 years ago through parents like Mary Siddal. She also brought BASIS to DC. She do these things by all by herself, but her examples show the Herculean efforts needed to create a sustainable "success." It's much more than "investing" in your local school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So the answer to OP is to have neighborhoods with more million dollar homes?

Or to convince more people in those million dollar home neighborhoods to actually send their kids to their neighborhood school. Not all of them--some will always choose private or charter (if they snag a spot at LAMB, YY, etc.)--but enough to fill up 1-2 PK classes (having PK3 available is key to get more in-boundary folks). And then, each grade needs to be kept relatively small so that the school can maintain as high an in-boundary percentage as possible. The good test scores will follow when these higher in-boundary cohorts reach testing grades.

Thing is the Ross example worked the other way around. Increases in test scores have been for grades that are majority OOB. Only once the scores increased did IB families fill up the lower grades.