Is angst about PK3 mostly from families who want to stay in DC long term?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There is a certain type of family in DC, where both parents likely have advanced through life's ladders, ….make in the $200-300k range. …..There are probably tens of thousands of these types of families in DC- not lobbyist level paychecks, but solid and enough to afford a $700-900K house. Now these types of people are living east of Rock Creek, …. they are simply not where their predecessor cohort was, because of how expensive property has become in DC.

So here is what I don't understand, as an affluent, educated Gen-Xer who's lived in DC since the 90s and has all the things you cite in your [edited] post: why aren't the schools better in your D.C. neighborhood? You're right — there are so. many. of. you 30-somethings now in DC and you are most definitely concentrated in several neighborhoods. Like Petworth, or Brookland. You have the numbers to make Elementary School XYZ decent from K-5th grade. So why isn't it / why the angst over just going to your IB school when Archer turns 5 y.o.?

(for a primer on how that happens over a period of < 10 years see e.g. Brent, Maury, LT, Ross, Hearst. In fact, see Deal MS — a place where _none_ of my ward 3 neighbors sent their kids in the 90s and which now has, what? 2,000 kids and is the do-or-die for most of the city).

First of all, the schools around Petworth are pretty good already. Parents have put a ton of work into Powell and Barnard, and those are just the ones I know of. I can't really speak to Brookland, but Langdon has four stars, and you have to remember that area has a ton of charter competition as well as many Catholic school families. Parents have worked very hard for Langley and Seaton and Miner and Payne, maybe you just haven't happened to meet them. The really hard part is getting DCPS to work with you on creating a decent middle school, and without that, there's only so far an elementary school can progress. Stuart-Hobson is making progress and I'm optimistic about Brookland.

The angst is because the schools still aren't that great for upper elementary and the middle school is unacceptable in most parts of the city. It isn't really about PK3 at all, it's about wanting to secure a long-term path.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is a certain type of family in DC, where both parents likely have advanced through life's ladders, ….make in the $200-300k range. …..There are probably tens of thousands of these types of families in DC- not lobbyist level paychecks, but solid and enough to afford a $700-900K house. Now these types of people are living east of Rock Creek, …. they are simply not where their predecessor cohort was, because of how expensive property has become in DC.

So here is what I don't understand, as an affluent, educated Gen-Xer who's lived in DC since the 90s and has all the things you cite in your [edited] post: why aren't the schools better in your D.C. neighborhood? … You have the numbers to make Elementary School XYZ decent from K-5th grade. So why isn't it / why the angst over just going to your IB school when Archer turns 5 y.o.?

First of all, the schools around Petworth are pretty good already. — Langdon has four stars, and you have to remember that area has a ton of charter competition as well as many Catholic school families. Parents have worked very hard for Langley and Seaton and Miner and Payne, maybe you just haven't happened to meet them. The really hard part is getting DCPS to work with you on creating a decent middle school, and without that, there's only so far an elementary school can progress. Stuart-Hobson is making progress and I'm optimistic about Brookland.

The angst is because the schools still aren't that great for upper elementary and the middle school is unacceptable in most parts of the city. It isn't really about PK3 at all, it's about wanting to secure a long-term path.

This doesn't actually answer the question, though. Given that there are so many thousands of millennial adults now in DC with children < 10 y.o., per 1st PP's point, why aren't (more) schools solid for upper elementary? You have the numbers at this point, at least along the Green Line. If all the families that have moved into Petworth since 2012 sent their kids to Bruce Monroe — all of them — Bruce Monroe would be not so different than Hearst until 5th grade.

And if everyone wasn't trying to flee Middle School X on the horizon, ie, wasn't trying to "secure a long-term path that doesn't include Middle School X for their 4.5 year olds," then Middle School X will be solid when your 4.5 year old turns 11. That's how it works. That's how you got Deal, then Hardy, then perhaps S.H., and now Wilson. aka, Long-Term Path Schools.

Hint: DCPS didn't "work with parents" to create a super special Deal and roll it out for comment and consideration It just … happened. When parents just like you abruptly started sending their kids there en masse, just as it was (because they had few other options, because 2008 financial crisis meant no more fleeing to Maret or NCS anymore)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is a certain type of family in DC, where both parents likely have advanced through life's ladders, ….make in the $200-300k range. …..There are probably tens of thousands of these types of families in DC- not lobbyist level paychecks, but solid and enough to afford a $700-900K house. Now these types of people are living east of Rock Creek, …. they are simply not where their predecessor cohort was, because of how expensive property has become in DC.

So here is what I don't understand, as an affluent, educated Gen-Xer who's lived in DC since the 90s and has all the things you cite in your [edited] post: why aren't the schools better in your D.C. neighborhood? … You have the numbers to make Elementary School XYZ decent from K-5th grade. So why isn't it / why the angst over just going to your IB school when Archer turns 5 y.o.?

First of all, the schools around Petworth are pretty good already. — Langdon has four stars, and you have to remember that area has a ton of charter competition as well as many Catholic school families. Parents have worked very hard for Langley and Seaton and Miner and Payne, maybe you just haven't happened to meet them. The really hard part is getting DCPS to work with you on creating a decent middle school, and without that, there's only so far an elementary school can progress. Stuart-Hobson is making progress and I'm optimistic about Brookland.

The angst is because the schools still aren't that great for upper elementary and the middle school is unacceptable in most parts of the city. It isn't really about PK3 at all, it's about wanting to secure a long-term path.

This doesn't actually answer the question, though. Given that there are so many thousands of millennial adults now in DC with children < 10 y.o., per 1st PP's point, why aren't (more) schools solid for upper elementary? You have the numbers at this point, at least along the Green Line. If all the families that have moved into Petworth since 2012 sent their kids to Bruce Monroe — all of them — Bruce Monroe would be not so different than Hearst until 5th grade.

And if everyone wasn't trying to flee Middle School X on the horizon, ie, wasn't trying to "secure a long-term path that doesn't include Middle School X for their 4.5 year olds," then Middle School X will be solid when your 4.5 year old turns 11. That's how it works. That's how you got Deal, then Hardy, then perhaps S.H., and now Wilson. aka, Long-Term Path Schools.

Hint: DCPS didn't "work with parents" to create a super special Deal and roll it out for comment and consideration It just … happened. When parents just like you abruptly started sending their kids there en masse, just as it was (because they had few other options, because 2008 financial crisis meant no more fleeing to Maret or NCS anymore)

It’s obvious PP doesn’t have a kid in elementary EOTP. So easy to judge when you are not going thru it. DCPS is dysfunctional and doesn’t care about the higher performing kids. It’s all about the bottom and that’s the pressures that school leaders face from DCPS.

But when day after day you see your kid bored and not learning or hear about all the disruptive behaviors in class that prevents learning, you reach a breaking point and leave. It doesn’t matter the big picture. It matters what you see with your child. And you are not willing to sacrifice years of learning to stick it out just so some more parents stay past ECE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is a certain type of family in DC, where both parents likely have advanced through life's ladders, ….make in the $200-300k range. …..There are probably tens of thousands of these types of families in DC- not lobbyist level paychecks, but solid and enough to afford a $700-900K house. Now these types of people are living east of Rock Creek, …. they are simply not where their predecessor cohort was, because of how expensive property has become in DC.

So here is what I don't understand, as an affluent, educated Gen-Xer who's lived in DC since the 90s and has all the things you cite in your [edited] post: why aren't the schools better in your D.C. neighborhood? … You have the numbers to make Elementary School XYZ decent from K-5th grade. So why isn't it / why the angst over just going to your IB school when Archer turns 5 y.o.?

First of all, the schools around Petworth are pretty good already. — Langdon has four stars, and you have to remember that area has a ton of charter competition as well as many Catholic school families. Parents have worked very hard for Langley and Seaton and Miner and Payne, maybe you just haven't happened to meet them. The really hard part is getting DCPS to work with you on creating a decent middle school, and without that, there's only so far an elementary school can progress. Stuart-Hobson is making progress and I'm optimistic about Brookland.

The angst is because the schools still aren't that great for upper elementary and the middle school is unacceptable in most parts of the city. It isn't really about PK3 at all, it's about wanting to secure a long-term path.

This doesn't actually answer the question, though. Given that there are so many thousands of millennial adults now in DC with children < 10 y.o., per 1st PP's point, why aren't (more) schools solid for upper elementary? You have the numbers at this point, at least along the Green Line. If all the families that have moved into Petworth since 2012 sent their kids to Bruce Monroe — all of them — Bruce Monroe would be not so different than Hearst until 5th grade.

And if everyone wasn't trying to flee Middle School X on the horizon, ie, wasn't trying to "secure a long-term path that doesn't include Middle School X for their 4.5 year olds," then Middle School X will be solid when your 4.5 year old turns 11. That's how it works. That's how you got Deal, then Hardy, then perhaps S.H., and now Wilson. aka, Long-Term Path Schools.

Hint: DCPS didn't "work with parents" to create a super special Deal and roll it out for comment and consideration It just … happened. When parents just like you abruptly started sending their kids there en masse, just as it was (because they had few other options, because 2008 financial crisis meant no more fleeing to Maret or NCS anymore)

It’s obvious PP doesn’t have a kid in elementary EOTP. So easy to judge when you are not going thru it. DCPS is dysfunctional and doesn’t care about the higher performing kids. It’s all about the bottom and that’s the pressures that school leaders face from DCPS.

But when day after day you see your kid bored and not learning or hear about all the disruptive behaviors in class that prevents learning, you reach a breaking point and leave. It doesn’t matter the big picture. It matters what you see with your child. And you are not willing to sacrifice years of learning to stick it out just so some more parents stay past ECE.

Right, many people aren’t willing to be martyrs just to try to build up a big a bigger cohort to help the next generation coming through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is a certain type of family in DC, where both parents likely have advanced through life's ladders, ….make in the $200-300k range. …..There are probably tens of thousands of these types of families in DC- not lobbyist level paychecks, but solid and enough to afford a $700-900K house. Now these types of people are living east of Rock Creek, …. they are simply not where their predecessor cohort was, because of how expensive property has become in DC.

So here is what I don't understand, as an affluent, educated Gen-Xer who's lived in DC since the 90s and has all the things you cite in your [edited] post: why aren't the schools better in your D.C. neighborhood? … You have the numbers to make Elementary School XYZ decent from K-5th grade. So why isn't it / why the angst over just going to your IB school when Archer turns 5 y.o.?

First of all, the schools around Petworth are pretty good already. — Langdon has four stars, and you have to remember that area has a ton of charter competition as well as many Catholic school families. Parents have worked very hard for Langley and Seaton and Miner and Payne, maybe you just haven't happened to meet them. The really hard part is getting DCPS to work with you on creating a decent middle school, and without that, there's only so far an elementary school can progress. Stuart-Hobson is making progress and I'm optimistic about Brookland.

The angst is because the schools still aren't that great for upper elementary and the middle school is unacceptable in most parts of the city. It isn't really about PK3 at all, it's about wanting to secure a long-term path.

This doesn't actually answer the question, though. Given that there are so many thousands of millennial adults now in DC with children < 10 y.o., per 1st PP's point, why aren't (more) schools solid for upper elementary? You have the numbers at this point, at least along the Green Line. If all the families that have moved into Petworth since 2012 sent their kids to Bruce Monroe — all of them — Bruce Monroe would be not so different than Hearst until 5th grade.

And if everyone wasn't trying to flee Middle School X on the horizon, ie, wasn't trying to "secure a long-term path that doesn't include Middle School X for their 4.5 year olds," then Middle School X will be solid when your 4.5 year old turns 11. That's how it works. That's how you got Deal, then Hardy, then perhaps S.H., and now Wilson. aka, Long-Term Path Schools.

Hint: DCPS didn't "work with parents" to create a super special Deal and roll it out for comment and consideration It just … happened. When parents just like you abruptly started sending their kids there en masse, just as it was (because they had few other options, because 2008 financial crisis meant no more fleeing to Maret or NCS anymore)

It’s obvious PP doesn’t have a kid in elementary EOTP. So easy to judge when you are not going thru it. DCPS is dysfunctional and doesn’t care about the higher performing kids. It’s all about the bottom and that’s the pressures that school leaders face from DCPS.

But when day after day you see your kid bored and not learning or hear about all the disruptive behaviors in class that prevents learning, you reach a breaking point and leave. It doesn’t matter the big picture. It matters what you see with your child. And you are not willing to sacrifice years of learning to stick it out just so some more parents stay past ECE.

Right, many people aren’t willing to be martyrs just to try to build up a big a bigger cohort to help the next generation coming through.

+1 when things don’t change when you raise concerns.....when you are constantly told your child will be fine with above....you vote with your feet.