Class Size at DCPS Brent Elementary in Capitol Hill

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP can talk to the LSAT all she wants without the LSAT being able to fix the crowding. Brent is out of real estate and in the possession of a 10 million budget to build a six-classroom addition the school can't spend, because DCPS no longer renovates piecemeal. Ditching PS3 would make little difference - ECE classes are far too small to serve as regular classes. The principal is hardly allowing any OOB kids to enroll - its a myth that a bunch of OOB siblings are coming in. THere were only 3 in 1st grade this year. The issue is that too many IB kids are coming into the lower grades for class sizes to stay small and there's really no room on campus for more classroom trailers. Only DCPS can fix the problem by adding classroom space.

Take out the PK3 and then you can do some remodeling to get the room sizes you need.

https://public.tableau.com/profile/aaron2446#!/vizhome/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay

Who is getting all the waitlist offers displayed on this site? IB kids would not be waitlisted in K and above, so is has to be OOB.

If not IB kids, who is receiving these waitlist offers? Better yet, why is an already crowded school even making offers? No waitlist offers would definitely relieve some of this pressure...

There could be a number of reasons. Admitting a handful of OOB kids could mean the difference between 29 vs 21 kids per class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP can talk to the LSAT all she wants without the LSAT being able to fix the crowding. Brent is out of real estate and in the possession of a 10 million budget to build a six-classroom addition the school can't spend, because DCPS no longer renovates piecemeal. Ditching PS3 would make little difference - ECE classes are far too small to serve as regular classes. The principal is hardly allowing any OOB kids to enroll - its a myth that a bunch of OOB siblings are coming in. THere were only 3 in 1st grade this year. The issue is that too many IB kids are coming into the lower grades for class sizes to stay small and there's really no room on campus for more classroom trailers. Only DCPS can fix the problem by adding classroom space.

Take out the PK3 and then you can do some remodeling to get the room sizes you need.

https://public.tableau.com/profile/aaron2446#!/vizhome/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay

Who is getting all the waitlist offers displayed on this site? IB kids would not be waitlisted in K and above, so is has to be OOB.

OOB siblings and military kids got those waitlist offers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP can talk to the LSAT all she wants without the LSAT being able to fix the crowding. Brent is out of real estate and in the possession of a 10 million budget to build a six-classroom addition the school can't spend, because DCPS no longer renovates piecemeal. Ditching PS3 would make little difference - ECE classes are far too small to serve as regular classes. The principal is hardly allowing any OOB kids to enroll - its a myth that a bunch of OOB siblings are coming in. THere were only 3 in 1st grade this year. The issue is that too many IB kids are coming into the lower grades for class sizes to stay small and there's really no room on campus for more classroom trailers. Only DCPS can fix the problem by adding classroom space.

Take out the PK3 and then you can do some remodeling to get the room sizes you need.

https://public.tableau.com/profile/aaron2446#!/vizhome/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay

Who is getting all the waitlist offers displayed on this site? IB kids would not be waitlisted in K and above, so is has to be OOB.

OOB siblings and military kids got those waitlist offers.

Seems like a vast quantity of offers, though:

K 28
1st 8
2nd 22
3rd 20
4th 16
5th 21

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP can talk to the LSAT all she wants without the LSAT being able to fix the crowding. Brent is out of real estate and in the possession of a 10 million budget to build a six-classroom addition the school can't spend, because DCPS no longer renovates piecemeal. Ditching PS3 would make little difference - ECE classes are far too small to serve as regular classes. The principal is hardly allowing any OOB kids to enroll - its a myth that a bunch of OOB siblings are coming in. THere were only 3 in 1st grade this year. The issue is that too many IB kids are coming into the lower grades for class sizes to stay small and there's really no room on campus for more classroom trailers. Only DCPS can fix the problem by adding classroom space.

Take out the PK3 and then you can do some remodeling to get the room sizes you need.

https://public.tableau.com/profile/aaron2446#!/vizhome/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay

Who is getting all the waitlist offers displayed on this site? IB kids would not be waitlisted in K and above, so is has to be OOB.

If not IB kids, who is receiving these waitlist offers? Better yet, why is an already crowded school even making offers? No waitlist offers would definitely relieve some of this pressure...

There could be a number of reasons. Admitting a handful of OOB kids could mean the difference between 29 vs 21 kids per class.

In K through 4th, Brent has 3 classes per grade. Are you suggesting that Brent is letting in 24 OOB students per grade?

However parents also need to be realistic about where they live. DCPS has no interest is creating a 100% IB school. There are several schools in the city that could be 100% IB but they are not.

[Anonymous]

Instead of complaining here, why don't you Brent parents attend PTA Board, LSAT and SIT (School Improvement Team) meetings to voice your concerns about crowding? The dates are advertised on the Brent web site ("calendar") and all stakeholders are free to attend.

Parents leaders and the principal are trying hard to manage capacity, but it's an uphill struggle in the current political climate. Trying to axe preschool and to keep a small number of OOB kids (most of whom live on the Hill) only sound good. The reality is that working toward those goals would really piss off DCPS leaders off without solving mounting problems with the 60s building. No gain for Brent. Not only is the building size not keeping up with demand, the place has many infrastructure issues. The HVAC and heating systems are troubled, the roof leaks year after year etc.

[Anonymous]

I understand that cutting PK3 won't solve the problems, but it's a start. I know it will upset some people with younger children, but it's the right thing to do. There's no reason why high SES parents should get free preschool (in boundary -- they could still get it elsewhere).

[Anonymous]

Cutting PreS3 at Brent, just 28 or 30 spots per year, would create a lot more problems than it would solve. You know this if you're served on the PTA Board, or the LSAT or the SIT (I've served on two of these parent committees on and off for the past five years). It just sounds good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cutting PreS3 at Brent, just 28 or 30 spots per year, would create a lot more problems than it would solve. You know this if you're served on the PTA Board, or the LSAT or the SIT (I've served on two of these parent committees on and off for the past five years). It just sounds good.

What problems? I'm all for cutting PK4 too, thus freeing up the classrooms entirely. Yes, it might require some remodeling of the classrooms, but it's a beginning. Admittedly, it's not as easy as doing nothing and blaming DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cutting PreS3 at Brent, just 28 or 30 spots per year, would create a lot more problems than it would solve. You know this if you're served on the PTA Board, or the LSAT or the SIT (I've served on two of these parent committees on and off for the past five years). It just sounds good.

Specifically what problems would it create? The problem of rich people cut off from their freebie? What makes Brent different from other schools that have chosen this route?

[Anonymous]

DCPS definitely doesn't want Brent to cut PreS3, partly because in-boundary special ed kids get first dibs on entry to ECE programs. DCPS doesn't want these kids to develop more expensive-to-address academic/developmental problems for lack of access to high quality ECE.

Brent can't expect to convince DCPS to pony up for a massive renovation (either total gut job or raze the building and start over on the foundation) that will cost tens of millions of dollars if they're pushing for changes system leaders are hostile to. That's just not how renovation budgets are secured in DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cutting PreS3 at Brent, just 28 or 30 spots per year, would create a lot more problems than it would solve. You know this if you're served on the PTA Board, or the LSAT or the SIT (I've served on two of these parent committees on and off for the past five years). It just sounds good.

Specifically what problems would it create? The problem of rich people cut off from their freebie? What makes Brent different from other schools that have chosen this route?

Which crowded DCPS schools have been able to do away with ECE? Contrary to popular belief, with one or two exceptions, the high-performing DCPS schools in Upper NW never offered PreS3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS definitely doesn't want Brent to cut PreS3, partly because in-boundary special ed kids get first dibs on entry to ECE programs. DCPS doesn't want these kids to develop more expensive-to-address academic/developmental problems for lack of access to high quality ECE.

Brent can't expect to convince DCPS to pony up for a massive renovation (either total gut job or raze the building and start over on the foundation) that will cost tens of millions of dollars if they're pushing for changes system leaders are hostile to. That's just not how renovation budgets are secured in DCPS.

So make it just for the special ed kids. It could be an inclusion model with a very high proportion of special ed and more teachers.

There has to be a better solution than lavishing tons of money on free preschool for mostly high-income kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS definitely doesn't want Brent to cut PreS3, partly because in-boundary special ed kids get first dibs on entry to ECE programs. DCPS doesn't want these kids to develop more expensive-to-address academic/developmental problems for lack of access to high quality ECE.

Brent can't expect to convince DCPS to pony up for a massive renovation (either total gut job or raze the building and start over on the foundation) that will cost tens of millions of dollars if they're pushing for changes system leaders are hostile to. That's just not how renovation budgets are secured in DCPS.

I’m skeptical. Aren’t most special ed children identified after they start school? How does Brent know DCPS is so hostile to this? Have they officially suggested it and been refused? In years past, hasn’t most of the hostility come from Brent PTA parents with younger children who would benefit from ECE?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS definitely doesn't want Brent to cut PreS3, partly because in-boundary special ed kids get first dibs on entry to ECE programs. DCPS doesn't want these kids to develop more expensive-to-address academic/developmental problems for lack of access to high quality ECE.

Brent can't expect to convince DCPS to pony up for a massive renovation (either total gut job or raze the building and start over on the foundation) that will cost tens of millions of dollars if they're pushing for changes system leaders are hostile to. That's just not how renovation budgets are secured in DCPS.

So make it just for the special ed kids. It could be an inclusion model with a very high proportion of special ed and more teachers.

There has to be a better solution than lavishing tons of money on free preschool for mostly high-income kids.

+1. And not just money... space, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS definitely doesn't want Brent to cut PreS3, partly because in-boundary special ed kids get first dibs on entry to ECE programs. DCPS doesn't want these kids to develop more expensive-to-address academic/developmental problems for lack of access to high quality ECE.

Brent can't expect to convince DCPS to pony up for a massive renovation (either total gut job or raze the building and start over on the foundation) that will cost tens of millions of dollars if they're pushing for changes system leaders are hostile to. That's just not how renovation budgets are secured in DCPS.

I’m skeptical. Aren’t most special ed children identified after they start school? How does Brent know DCPS is so hostile to this? Have they officially suggested it and been refused? In years past, hasn’t most of the hostility come from Brent PTA parents with younger children who would benefit from ECE?

Yes, several parents have suggested this and there is absolutely desire to do it. Note that there are several schools on Capitol Hill with similar issues (over crowded, huge IB ECE wait lists) and DCPS has never done this.