Coveted DC Public Charter School - Not so excited

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, the reasons for moving from private to public could be special needs, financial concerns, or a myriad of other issues that have nothing to do with objective educational quality. Having done both, I second that even the best public elementary school experiences (which are, frankly, by-and-large found in very wealthy enclaves with low socio-economic diversity) do not objectively measure up to the best private options. This is a shame, but true.

Well, that's the rub--my child is at a great public charter in DC. Heck ya, if I was paying 30,000 a year I would expect the school to have more of everything--more extras, nicer facilities, better lunches, etc. So in that sense, I agree that the best public options will never really equal the best privates since everything can be nicer. However.....

I am unconvinced and haven't seen compelling evidence that my child is losing out academically (she has educated parents, a loving homelife, and great teachers at school). Plus she has friendships with all types of kids from all socio-economic levels and quadrants from the city. You can't replicate that in any private school and what makes living in DC such a rich experience anyway.

[Anonymous]

I hate to say it but the only compelling evidence is direct experience. It's a very personal decision and of course there are tradeoffs. We planned to return to public after private middle school. Now we are not so sure. DC has never been happier in school. We balance this narrower school demographic out by living in a very mixed apartment building in a very mixed neighborhood.

Also, one bugaboo for me is parents who extol the socioeconomic diversity of public school while aiming to get their child into a top college or university. The exposure to a range of socioenomic backgrounds pretty much ends at that point, it's really all privilege after that! That said, I am really appreciative that DC attended public for eight years (and may well return). Children who only attend private are growing up in a bubble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:. Children who only attend private are growing up in a bubble.

Not really. I discovered that when my son came home from his private school with black eye.

[Anonymous]

12:19 I know privates aren't utopia but having sent my child to both and knowing some children who've only gone to private, that's my conclusion. Chacun a son gout!

[Anonymous]

Please send your kid to private school and free up a spot at a good public school for one of us who does not have a choice about whether to send to private or public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please send your kid to private school and free up a spot at a good public school for one of us who does not have a choice about whether to send to private or public.

We all have choices. Sacrifice and resourcefulness have allowed a great many non-wealthy families to access privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I am unconvinced and haven't seen compelling evidence that my child is losing out academically (she has educated parents, a loving homelife, and great teachers at school). Plus she has friendships with all types of kids from all socio-economic levels and quadrants from the city. You can't replicate that in any private school and what makes living in DC such a rich experience anyway.

The evidence is that the District has the lowest test scores in the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I am unconvinced and haven't seen compelling evidence that my child is losing out academically (she has educated parents, a loving homelife, and great teachers at school). Plus she has friendships with all types of kids from all socio-economic levels and quadrants from the city. You can't replicate that in any private school and what makes living in DC such a rich experience anyway.

The evidence is that the District has the lowest test scores in the country.

On average yes. That hardly means that certain individual schools do not offer a good education. See DC's number one position for white students (a proxy for upper NW schools) on a national ranking of 4th grade math scores:

http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2007/10/a_different_loo.php

There are good educational opportunities in DC if you make the effort to find them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please send your kid to private school and free up a spot at a good public school for one of us who does not have a choice about whether to send to private or public.

We all have choices. Sacrifice and resourcefulness have allowed a great many non-wealthy families to access privates.

are you for real?

[Anonymous]

I went to both public and private DC schools. Even if we could afford it, I would not want to send my kid to private school because of the lack of economic diversity. I'm guessing that problem is even worse now due to the fact that tuition at DC private schools has more than tripled since I was in high school, while DC's median household income has not.