Implications of a Trump presidency for DC schools

[Anonymous]

Vouchers would have no impact in DC. first of all, they are need based. Most of us who would love to send out kid to sidwell won't qualify. And what is 10k going to get you? If tuition is easily 35k of most private, that is still a big gap to cover. Unless you get financial aid. Maybe some of the top schools would use voucher programs to recruit low income minority students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not inconceivable that DC will be forced to implement a much more broad-based school voucher program than it currently has. That could result in a lot more kids leaving DCPS and charters for private schools, and resources being drained from the public sector.

no private schools worth a damn are taking vouchers and the ones that do are not really any more attractive than many public/charter options. The bargain basement privates are parochial and a total mixed bag. School choice already has a firm place in the DC education landscape. This wouldn't change anything.

My bigger question -- how would the Feds administer this when they're supposed to be eliminating the Dept of Ed? I know 99.9% of what passes through his lips is utter BS, but how do you propose programs with no means of actually administering them?

I think you are dismissing this too easily. The Department of Education wouldn't have to administer anything. This would be the Feds forcing DC to cut a check to any resident of DC with a child in a private school. You think even high-end private schools would turn down $10K+ in a cash transfer? Highly unlikely.

Will the new school choice law be dependent on income? With the huge number of kids at Lafayette and others could I actually get money for a private? Frankly from my individual selfish side this would be awesome. If it were needs based that still would be good but wouldn't help me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not inconceivable that DC will be forced to implement a much more broad-based school voucher program than it currently has. That could result in a lot more kids leaving DCPS and charters for private schools, and resources being drained from the public sector.

no private schools worth a damn are taking vouchers and the ones that do are not really any more attractive than many public/charter options. The bargain basement privates are parochial and a total mixed bag. School choice already has a firm place in the DC education landscape. This wouldn't change anything.

My bigger question -- how would the Feds administer this when they're supposed to be eliminating the Dept of Ed? I know 99.9% of what passes through his lips is utter BS, but how do you propose programs with no means of actually administering them?

I think you are dismissing this too easily. The Department of Education wouldn't have to administer anything. This would be the Feds forcing DC to cut a check to any resident of DC with a child in a private school. You think even high-end private schools would turn down $10K+ in a cash transfer? Highly unlikely.

Will the new school choice law be dependent on income? With the huge number of kids at Lafayette and others could I actually get money for a private? Frankly from my individual selfish side this would be awesome. If it were needs based that still would be good but wouldn't help me.

No one knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not inconceivable that DC will be forced to implement a much more broad-based school voucher program than it currently has. That could result in a lot more kids leaving DCPS and charters for private schools, and resources being drained from the public sector.

no private schools worth a damn are taking vouchers and the ones that do are not really any more attractive than many public/charter options. The bargain basement privates are parochial and a total mixed bag. School choice already has a firm place in the DC education landscape. This wouldn't change anything.

My bigger question -- how would the Feds administer this when they're supposed to be eliminating the Dept of Ed? I know 99.9% of what passes through his lips is utter BS, but how do you propose programs with no means of actually administering them?

I think you are dismissing this too easily. The Department of Education wouldn't have to administer anything. This would be the Feds forcing DC to cut a check to any resident of DC with a child in a private school. You think even high-end private schools would turn down $10K+ in a cash transfer? Highly unlikely.

Will the new school choice law be dependent on income? With the huge number of kids at Lafayette and others could I actually get money for a private? Frankly from my individual selfish side this would be awesome. If it were needs based that still would be good but wouldn't help me.

No one knows.

yeah. . . rainbow colored unicorns for everyone! glad to see republicans are so fiscally responsible

[Anonymous]

Did Sidwell suddenly decide to accept all comers? Get real, y'all. How many private schools have tons of vacancies?

If they repeal the common core that means we can scrap PARRC testing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did Sidwell suddenly decide to accept all comers? Get real, y'all. How many private schools have tons of vacancies?

If they repeal the common core that means we can scrap PARRC testing?

We could scrap Common Core and PARCC already - other states have.

[Anonymous]

I do wonder about the future of Title 1 and Head Start funding. DC could probably cover the cost of the Head Start grants if it comes to that (to keep the PK3 and PK4 classes going..and frankly it might loosen up some arcane requirements we must meet there) but it would be nice not to have to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did Sidwell suddenly decide to accept all comers? Get real, y'all. How many private schools have tons of vacancies?

If they repeal the common core that means we can scrap PARRC testing?

LOL, the feds have nothing to do with common core. They can't repeal it because they didn't "enact" it. CC is set of educational standards created by and adopted by states.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not inconceivable that DC will be forced to implement a much more broad-based school voucher program than it currently has. That could result in a lot more kids leaving DCPS and charters for private schools, and resources being drained from the public sector.

no private schools worth a damn are taking vouchers and the ones that do are not really any more attractive than many public/charter options. The bargain basement privates are parochial and a total mixed bag. School choice already has a firm place in the DC education landscape. This wouldn't change anything.

My bigger question -- how would the Feds administer this when they're supposed to be eliminating the Dept of Ed? I know 99.9% of what passes through his lips is utter BS, but how do you propose programs with no means of actually administering them?

I think you are dismissing this too easily. The Department of Education wouldn't have to administer anything. This would be the Feds forcing DC to cut a check to any resident of DC with a child in a private school. You think even high-end private schools would turn down $10K+ in a cash transfer? Highly unlikely.

Will the new school choice law be dependent on income? With the huge number of kids at Lafayette and others could I actually get money for a private? Frankly from my individual selfish side this would be awesome. If it were needs based that still would be good but wouldn't help me.

Do you not know that DC already has a voucher law? No, because it has had zero effect on you or on education in DC generally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did Sidwell suddenly decide to accept all comers? Get real, y'all. How many private schools have tons of vacancies?

If they repeal the common core that means we can scrap PARRC testing?

As if Sidwell want all and sundry, that's why they are a private school folks in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Everyone (especially in the area you mentioned) has those concerns. I think most who are PS advocates will continue to be. Vouchers are not the answer and we see that charters are hit or miss. Considering the fact that interest rates will lower people will hold on to their homes and continue to want to buy in those hot neighborhoods and possible venture out into other neighborhoods and the "poors" get poorer and get pushed out.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure if this has been brought up before, but I'm curious what others think about implications of Trump's presidency for DC schools. I'm one of those who moved to DC during the Obama years, and many of my neighbors in our EOTP neighborhood are also fairly new transplants. Many work in fields related to social justice, education, etc.

I'm wondering if there will be downstream effects of a Trump administration on schools. Will the influx of highly educated, liberal professionals into DC slow? Will gentrification of many EOTP neighborhoods slow, and as a result, will there be less willingness to try out neighborhood schools? What will the effects of school choice be, as stated in his 100 day plan:

"School Choice And Education Opportunity Act. Redirects education dollars to give parents the right to send their kid to the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school of their choice. Ends common core, brings education supervision to local communities. It expands vocational and technical education, and make 2 and 4-year college more affordable."

http://www.vox.com/2016/11/10/13584390/donald-trump-first-100-days

Does this mean that more young families will choose charter or private instead of neighborhood schools?

I'm not trying to start any heated political or DCPS vs. charter arguments here--just trying to understand the implications for DC schools, and whether people think that gentrification or buy-in for neighborhood schools may slow as a result. I know none of us have a crystal ball, but wondering if there are any longtime residents or policy wonks out there who could offer some insight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not inconceivable that DC will be forced to implement a much more broad-based school voucher program than it currently has. That could result in a lot more kids leaving DCPS and charters for private schools, and resources being drained from the public sector.

no private schools worth a damn are taking vouchers and the ones that do are not really any more attractive than many public/charter options. The bargain basement privates are parochial and a total mixed bag. School choice already has a firm place in the DC education landscape. This wouldn't change anything.

My bigger question -- how would the Feds administer this when they're supposed to be eliminating the Dept of Ed? I know 99.9% of what passes through his lips is utter BS, but how do you propose programs with no means of actually administering them?

I think you are dismissing this too easily. The Department of Education wouldn't have to administer anything. This would be the Feds forcing DC to cut a check to any resident of DC with a child in a private school. You think even high-end private schools would turn down $10K+ in a cash transfer? Highly unlikely.

Are you on crack. High end schools here don't need the subsidy. There are more than enough people willing to pay the full price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did Sidwell suddenly decide to accept all comers? Get real, y'all. How many private schools have tons of vacancies?

If they repeal the common core that means we can scrap PARRC testing?

We could scrap Common Core and PARCC already - other states have.

Common Core and PARCC are state initiatives. Geez.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did Sidwell suddenly decide to accept all comers? Get real, y'all. How many private schools have tons of vacancies?

If they repeal the common core that means we can scrap PARRC testing?

We could scrap Common Core and PARCC already - other states have.

Common Core and PARCC are state initiatives. Geez.

They were implemented because the federal government offered substantial incentives. Will not be at all sad to see them go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No implications. Seriously, every four years people get stressed out about how schools and real estate are going to change, but they don't. The government jobs, contractors, NGOs, lawyers and lobbyists are all the same regardless.

I think this is different. A Trump administration is going to draw a particular breed. In addition, many Democratic Liberals who work for the government or government contractors - from USAID to EPA to Labor to Justice - are just not going to have the stomach to work for organizations that ultimately report to Donald Trump. I think you're going to see a lot of these people move out of DC. It's nowhere near as appealing to live in DC and be part of the "DC scene" when it's going to be led by a bigoted demagogue. East Coasters are just not going to want to be part of it at all. I already hear people talking about leaving; some aren't serious and won't, but MANY 20 and 30 somethings without mortgages or kids can easily pick up and move to NY, Boston, Philly, the West Coast, or any other place that isn't "where Donald Trump lives."

If Cruz or Rubio or Jeb won, I wouldn't be saying this. But there is something very tangibly, palpably different about this.

A lot of the people who you think may want to move to some other city can't work in their fields if they don't work for the federal government. If you're a climate scientist or a health care policy specialist, what's the job you're going to go get in Philadelphia?