Application Middle School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things like this should be in Wards 7,8,4 and/or 5 - which are underserved by DCPS to a far greater degree than Ward 6 - and proximity to transit should be a criteria for any city-wide option.

Which is why Winston is a good location for it--east of the river, half a mile from the metro, and on the 36 bus route.

Let's face it -- there aren't enough advanced DCPS students in Wards 5, 7, 8 to not be dependent on Ward 6 and beyond. Only 1/4 Ward 5, 7 & 8 DCPS MS students are proficient in ELA and half that for math. A statistically insignificant number are advanced in either and can be counted on a single hand.

Expand the universe to students who get 4s and 5s at KIPP or DC Prep. That's who DCPS would really be trying to get into this test-in school, assuming it's in Ward 7/8.

They want to show they too can close the achievement gap -- which means attracting some/more minority students back from the charters.

This. They need to do this to get those kids back from charter elementary schools.

which is it? do you want to close the achievement gap or serve Ward 5/7/8 students? Are we talking about an advanced school or a social experiment?

[Anonymous]

What I want and what DCPS wants are two different things.

Despite all teh chatter on this thread, and talk of a building that's been mentioned for this unicorn test-in middle school, no one seems to know who is in charge, when it might open or how one can leran more about it.

DCPS has a strategic goal of closing the achievement gap city wide. The quickest way to do that is to lure high performing students back from charters.

If this unicorn school comes to pass rest assured that the admissions policy will be such that at least half the seats go to students of color -- just as always happens at SWW.

Those who think it's going to be a BASIS-type accelerated school with all high-SES students, better facilities and foreign trips are going to be disappointed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I want and what DCPS wants are two different things.

Despite all teh chatter on this thread, and talk of a building that's been mentioned for this unicorn test-in middle school, no one seems to know who is in charge, when it might open or how one can leran more about it.

DCPS has a strategic goal of closing the achievement gap city wide. The quickest way to do that is to lure high performing students back from charters.

If this unicorn school comes to pass rest assured that the admissions policy will be such that at least half the seats go to students of color -- just as always happens at SWW.

Those who think it's going to be a BASIS-type accelerated school with all high-SES students, better facilities and foreign trips are going to be disappointed.

DCPS doesn't have an achievement gap because the achievement gap is a far broader issue and it starts well before MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are planning one. In Ward 7. Will you send your child there?

That depends. Application-only like SWW or Application-only like McKinley? If one could be confident it would be like the former then it's worth considering, but it's more likely to be like the latter.

Remember when Hardy was a combination of application-only and IB Ward 2? Ward 2 didn't like it because it wasn't IB enough. Rhee/DCPS didn't like it because it filtered out less-motivated students. They ended up canning Principal Pope.

I'll be interested to follow this story but I have 0.001% faith in the quality of the outcome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Things like this should be in Wards 7,8,4 and/or 5 - which are underserved by DCPS to a far greater degree than Ward 6 - and proximity to transit should be a criteria for any city-wide option.

Ward 5 got Brookland Middle, and by and large higher SES families are staying away in droves. Ward 4 is being promised McFarland. Considering the demographics of the surrounding neighborhoods vs. actual students at Hardy and SH, I wouldn't get too excited about the prospects at McF.

Ward(s) 7/8 may deserve it, though it's hard to see DCPS doing a better job than KIPP is doing over there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things like this should be in Wards 7,8,4 and/or 5 - which are underserved by DCPS to a far greater degree than Ward 6 - and proximity to transit should be a criteria for any city-wide option.

Which is why Winston is a good location for it--east of the river, half a mile from the metro, and on the 36 bus route.

Let's face it -- there aren't enough advanced DCPS students in Wards 5, 7, 8 to not be dependent on Ward 6 and beyond. Only 1/4 Ward 5, 7 & 8 DCPS MS students are proficient in ELA and half that for math. A statistically insignificant number are advanced in either and can be counted on a single hand.

Higher SES families in Wards 5 & 4 are like those in Ward 6 - go charter, go private or move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things like this should be in Wards 7,8,4 and/or 5 - which are underserved by DCPS to a far greater degree than Ward 6 - and proximity to transit should be a criteria for any city-wide option.

Ward 5 got Brookland Middle, and by and large higher SES families are staying away in droves. Ward 4 is being promised McFarland. Considering the demographics of the surrounding neighborhoods vs. actual students at Hardy and SH, I wouldn't get too excited about the prospects....[/quote

Ward 5 families with means are not using DCPS elementary schools by and large, certainly not in the upper grades. We didn't get any reason to trust our kids to Brookland Middle. It needs to start with elementary schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I want and what DCPS wants are two different things.

Despite all teh chatter on this thread, and talk of a building that's been mentioned for this unicorn test-in middle school, no one seems to know who is in charge, when it might open or how one can leran more about it.

DCPS has a strategic goal of closing the achievement gap city wide. The quickest way to do that is to lure high performing students back from charters.

If this unicorn school comes to pass rest assured that the admissions policy will be such that at least half the seats go to students of color -- just as always happens at SWW.

Those who think it's going to be a BASIS-type accelerated school with all high-SES students, better facilities and foreign trips are going to be disappointed.

Please, just move out of DC. Your racism is gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I want and what DCPS wants are two different things.

Despite all teh chatter on this thread, and talk of a building that's been mentioned for this unicorn test-in middle school, no one seems to know who is in charge, when it might open or how one can leran more about it.

DCPS has a strategic goal of closing the achievement gap city wide. The quickest way to do that is to lure high performing students back from charters.

If this unicorn school comes to pass rest assured that the admissions policy will be such that at least half the seats go to students of color -- just as always happens at SWW.

Those who think it's going to be a BASIS-type accelerated school with all high-SES students, better facilities and foreign trips are going to be disappointed.

Exactly, PP. Thanks a lot for this clear-headed post. It's the reverse racism that's "gross." Urban school systems must decide if their overriding goal is to serve truly gifted kids or to promote affirmative action. Trying to do both in equal measure invariably leads to parent-initiated lawsuits and the eventual dismantling of affirmative action-based admissions regimes. This happened at Boston Latin in the mid 1990s and with NYC's famous magnet schools in the early 2000s. Until DC has moved beyond the current hopelessly political correct school system development trajectory, a firmly merit-based admission system at an accelerated middle school is pie in the sky. We would need a new mayor, mostly new faces on the city council, and around ten years to have a shot, far too late for our own children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I want and what DCPS wants are two different things.

Despite all teh chatter on this thread, and talk of a building that's been mentioned for this unicorn test-in middle school, no one seems to know who is in charge, when it might open or how one can leran more about it.

DCPS has a strategic goal of closing the achievement gap city wide. The quickest way to do that is to lure high performing students back from charters.

If this unicorn school comes to pass rest assured that the admissions policy will be such that at least half the seats go to students of color -- just as always happens at SWW.

Those who think it's going to be a BASIS-type accelerated school with all high-SES students, better facilities and foreign trips are going to be disappointed.

Exactly, PP. Thanks a lot for this clear-headed post. It's the reverse racism that's "gross." Urban school systems must decide if their overriding goal is to serve truly gifted kids or to promote affirmative action. Trying to do both in equal measure invariably leads to parent-initiated lawsuits and the eventual dismantling of affirmative action-based admissions regimes. This happened at Boston Latin in the mid 1990s and with NYC's famous magnet schools in the early 2000s. Until DC has moved beyond the current hopelessly political correct school system development trajectory, a firmly merit-based admission system at an accelerated middle school is pie in the sky. We would need a new mayor, mostly new faces on the city council, and around ten years to have a shot, far too late for our own children.

This line of reasoning makes little sense. There are a finite number of high performing students and this is zero sum thinking. If advanced students are well served at some charters then drawing from that pool simply dilutes the pool. How does attracting high performing charter students back to DCPS serve overall public education goals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I want and what DCPS wants are two different things.

Despite all teh chatter on this thread, and talk of a building that's been mentioned for this unicorn test-in middle school, no one seems to know who is in charge, when it might open or how one can leran more about it.

DCPS has a strategic goal of closing the achievement gap city wide. The quickest way to do that is to lure high performing students back from charters.

If this unicorn school comes to pass rest assured that the admissions policy will be such that at least half the seats go to students of color -- just as always happens at SWW.

Those who think it's going to be a BASIS-type accelerated school with all high-SES students, better facilities and foreign trips are going to be disappointed.

Exactly, PP. Thanks a lot for this clear-headed post. It's the reverse racism that's "gross." Urban school systems must decide if their overriding goal is to serve truly gifted kids or to promote affirmative action. Trying to do both in equal measure invariably leads to parent-initiated lawsuits and the eventual dismantling of affirmative action-based admissions regimes. This happened at Boston Latin in the mid 1990s and with NYC's famous magnet schools in the early 2000s. Until DC has moved beyond the current hopelessly political correct school system development trajectory, a firmly merit-based admission system at an accelerated middle school is pie in the sky. We would need a new mayor, mostly new faces on the city council, and around ten years to have a shot, far too late for our own children.

Btw there is no such thing as reverse racism. It's just racism, regardless of target.

DCPS is one lawsuit away from being blown up -- SWW anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I want and what DCPS wants are two different things.

Despite all teh chatter on this thread, and talk of a building that's been mentioned for this unicorn test-in middle school, no one seems to know who is in charge, when it might open or how one can leran more about it.

DCPS has a strategic goal of closing the achievement gap city wide. The quickest way to do that is to lure high performing students back from charters.

If this unicorn school comes to pass rest assured that the admissions policy will be such that at least half the seats go to students of color -- just as always happens at SWW.

Those who think it's going to be a BASIS-type accelerated school with all high-SES students, better facilities and foreign trips are going to be disappointed.

Exactly, PP. Thanks a lot for this clear-headed post. It's the reverse racism that's "gross." Urban school systems must decide if their overriding goal is to serve truly gifted kids or to promote affirmative action. Trying to do both in equal measure invariably leads to parent-initiated lawsuits and the eventual dismantling of affirmative action-based admissions regimes. This happened at Boston Latin in the mid 1990s and with NYC's famous magnet schools in the early 2000s. Until DC has moved beyond the current hopelessly political correct school system development trajectory, a firmly merit-based admission system at an accelerated middle school is pie in the sky. We would need a new mayor, mostly new faces on the city council, and around ten years to have a shot, far too late for our own children.

This line of reasoning makes little sense. There are a finite number of high performing students and this is zero sum thinking. If advanced students are well served at some charters then drawing from that pool simply dilutes the pool. How does attracting high performing charter students back to DCPS serve overall public education goals?

Attracting high performing students back from charters will increase the achievement gap on paper, at least initially. Not in Kaya's interest.

[Anonymous]

Btw there is no such thing as reverse racism. It's just racism, regardless of target.

DCPS is one lawsuit away from being blown up -- SWW anyone?

What does that mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things like this should be in Wards 7,8,4 and/or 5 - which are underserved by DCPS to a far greater degree than Ward 6 - and proximity to transit should be a criteria for any city-wide option.

Which is why Winston is a good location for it--east of the river, half a mile from the metro, and on the 36 bus route.

Let's face it -- there aren't enough advanced DCPS students in Wards 5, 7, 8 to not be dependent on Ward 6 and beyond. Only 1/4 Ward 5, 7 & 8 DCPS MS students are proficient in ELA and half that for math. A statistically insignificant number are advanced in either and can be counted on a single hand.

Higher SES families in Wards 5 & 4 are like those in Ward 6 - go charter, go private or move.

That's what we did. But there's no reason trying to discuss that matter with Ward 6 parents, for they believe themselves to be special

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things like this should be in Wards 7,8,4 and/or 5 - which are underserved by DCPS to a far greater degree than Ward 6 - and proximity to transit should be a criteria for any city-wide option.

Which is why Winston is a good location for it--east of the river, half a mile from the metro, and on the 36 bus route.

Let's face it -- there aren't enough advanced DCPS students in Wards 5, 7, 8 to not be dependent on Ward 6 and beyond. Only 1/4 Ward 5, 7 & 8 DCPS MS students are proficient in ELA and half that for math. A statistically insignificant number are advanced in either and can be counted on a single hand.

Higher SES families in Wards 5 & 4 are like those in Ward 6 - go charter, go private or move.

That's what we did. But there's no reason trying to discuss that matter with Ward 6 parents, for they believe themselves to be special

oh please. First of all, Wards 4 and 5 are hardly interchangeable. Affluent Ward 4 = Chevy Chase and even less affluent areas to the east get a Deal feed. Last I checked Brookland has a brand new state of the art MS. The Hill has more established elementary schools across the board than Ward 5 and has historically higher levels of parent engagement. For some reason anyone NOT on the Hill thinks it deserves to get totally dumped on. There's a structural divide which prevents any MS from succeeding as a neighborhood school, even one gifted with a full modernization like Stuart Hobson.

The charter/private/move mantra is weak -- sounds like defeat conceded by families who haven't tried or been able to establish strong neighborhood schools at any level.