Why are HRCS so popular? Test scores stink.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do families not know what CMI's mission is for middle school? It's crazy that people only start realizing that the MS is not meant for their kid years after being in the school.

NP. We are not at CMI but I have read a lot about CMI on DCUM and this is the first that I have heard that the middle school is entirely unsuitable for high-SES or high-performing kids. To the contrary, many many many CMI parents have gone on DCUM saying how happy they are that they're all set until high school.

That's when we were promised advanced Spanish 5x/week, algebra, and free after school sports program. Where is the science lab?

[Anonymous]

I'm on and off this forum. Don't remember CMI parents being stoked about MS. Remember a lot of parents having concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm on and off this forum. Don't remember CMI parents being stoked about MS. Remember a lot of parents having concern.

Did anyone express those concerns to the DCPCSB during spring 2015 when the application was under review? No one weighed in on the public comments with reservations? Why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if any one here is an actual CMI parent. Starting in 5th grade, there is only one language and it's only twice a week so language basically drops out for the parent who said there was too many focii. Exposure to any language is minimised. It becomes a joke. But...

No one is at CMI for the academics. Only a few kids stayed for 6th grade. The (those with options and not severe special needs) rest moved to better middle schools. Talking to the upper grades (3rd, 4th, 5th), that's the plan except for some kids with IEPs or who don't have a choice. Once IB schools (Deal, etc) and private middle start in 6th, the students will pursue academics.

CMI parents are there exactly for the carefree elementary school that allows our children to be sheltered from the pressure they'll face in a few years. I don't care about the PARCC and I never have. I originally chose CMI for the premise and stayed years later for the new campus. My child will go IB to deal or private to Georgetown Day eventually. I've drunk the koolaid of CMI but I'm not stupid.

Yes, there is a meeting on parcc but it's just so people continue to say they'll stay for middle school (it wasn't anonymous so 100% of parents said they'd stay, myself included, so our kid doesn't get penalized, but no one stayed for 6th and most won't). The "whole child" sales pitch doesn't work for a middle school that won't spend money on a language elective or real science curriculum. I'll go, applaud, pretend to agree, and stay on the inside.

This actually sounds pretty similar to what I've heard about ITS (I know someone who left for middle school elsewhere due to concerns re: academic rigor, etc.). Nonetheless, both schools still seem to have a lot to like for the early grades.

So it's 2Rivers all over again.

Can't imagine anyone at CMI or ITS would "penalize" someone for admitting you are already out the door and why.

Another long-time CMI parent here. The survey (whether or not I'd be there for MS) was required in order to return to school this year. So, it was not anonymous. Maybe I wouldn't have been penalized, but it wouldn't have been good. I joked with the founder that I felt silly making a decision about 6th grade in 2nd grade. She got very serious and shot me down. I backtracked, and she said something like "Great. I wouldn't want to question your loyalty." CMI can be a fishbowl.

The survey was not required. And who calls her the "founder"? This sounds made up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if any one here is an actual CMI parent. Starting in 5th grade, there is only one language and it's only twice a week so language basically drops out for the parent who said there was too many focii. Exposure to any language is minimised. It becomes a joke. But...

No one is at CMI for the academics. Only a few kids stayed for 6th grade. The (those with options and not severe special needs) rest moved to better middle schools. Talking to the upper grades (3rd, 4th, 5th), that's the plan except for some kids with IEPs or who don't have a choice. Once IB schools (Deal, etc) and private middle start in 6th, the students will pursue academics.

CMI parents are there exactly for the carefree elementary school that allows our children to be sheltered from the pressure they'll face in a few years. I don't care about the PARCC and I never have. I originally chose CMI for the premise and stayed years later for the new campus. My child will go IB to deal or private to Georgetown Day eventually. I've drunk the koolaid of CMI but I'm not stupid.

Yes, there is a meeting on parcc but it's just so people continue to say they'll stay for middle school (it wasn't anonymous so 100% of parents said they'd stay, myself included, so our kid doesn't get penalized, but no one stayed for 6th and most won't). The "whole child" sales pitch doesn't work for a middle school that won't spend money on a language elective or real science curriculum. I'll go, applaud, pretend to agree, and stay on the inside.

This actually sounds pretty similar to what I've heard about ITS (I know someone who left for middle school elsewhere due to concerns re: academic rigor, etc.). Nonetheless, both schools still seem to have a lot to like for the early grades.

So it's 2Rivers all over again.

Can't imagine anyone at CMI or ITS would "penalize" someone for admitting you are already out the door and why.

Another long-time CMI parent here. The survey (whether or not I'd be there for MS) was required in order to return to school this year. So, it was not anonymous. Maybe I wouldn't have been penalized, but it wouldn't have been good. I joked with the founder that I felt silly making a decision about 6th grade in 2nd grade. She got very serious and shot me down. I backtracked, and she said something like "Great. I wouldn't want to question your loyalty." CMI can be a fishbowl.

The survey was not required. And who calls her the "founder"? This sounds made up.

Not the poster you're responding too...I know! That's why I mentioned in a previous post there is so much misinformation here. I have never heard another parent call Golnar anything, but her name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do families not know what CMI's mission is for middle school? It's crazy that people only start realizing that the MS is not meant for their kid years after being in the school.

NP. We are not at CMI but I have read a lot about CMI on DCUM and this is the first that I have heard that the middle school is entirely unsuitable for high-SES or high-performing kids. To the contrary, many many many CMI parents have gone on DCUM saying how happy they are that they're all set until high school.

+1. How are families -- especially families not already attending the school -- expected to know that a school's mission changes midstream if this information is not something the school makes known? (For example, I wouldn't guess that the middle school diverged radically from the elementary school based on the website -- http://www.creativemindspcs.org/programs.php .) We don't know the secret handshake that reveals the Hidden Book.

+ 2

CMI parents get huffy when asked if their school is designed for special needs kids.

Only until you get in. We all love the SN focus. We even have a SN mom's group! You will totes fit in if you have a SN kid!

Totes? Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Why are HRCS so popular? Test scores stink.

Depends on the school, obviously. By way of example, I have a child at an HRCS. She scored 94th percentile on the PARCC Math, which is average for her school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are HRCS so popular? Test scores stink.

Depends on the school, obviously. By way of example, I have a child at an HRCS. She scored 94th percentile on the PARCC Math, which is average for her school.

So nice you got to share that story with everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do families not know what CMI's mission is for middle school? It's crazy that people only start realizing that the MS is not meant for their kid years after being in the school.

NP. We are not at CMI but I have read a lot about CMI on DCUM and this is the first that I have heard that the middle school is entirely unsuitable for high-SES or high-performing kids. To the contrary, many many many CMI parents have gone on DCUM saying how happy they are that they're all set until high school.

That's when we were promised advanced Spanish 5x/week, algebra, and free after school sports program. Where is the science lab?

Isn't there a STEAM lab?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are HRCS so popular? Test scores stink.

Depends on the school, obviously. By way of example, I have a child at an HRCS. She scored 94th percentile on the PARCC Math, which is average for her school.

So nice you got to share that story with everyone.

How is that not a legitimate answer to the question? I'm not bragging about my child and identifying her or her school, she's in average range. I'm pointing out that test scores do not, in fact, universally "stink" at all HRCs as the subject line implied.

Apparently you're the sort of person who prefers less information instead of more, and gross generalizations over specifics. Fine for you, but not everyone takes such a limited view.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are HRCS so popular? Test scores stink.

Depends on the school, obviously. By way of example, I have a child at an HRCS. She scored 94th percentile on the PARCC Math, which is average for her school.

So nice you got to share that story with everyone.

How is that not a legitimate answer to the question? I'm not bragging about my child and identifying her or her school, she's in average range. I'm pointing out that test scores do not, in fact, universally "stink" at all HRCs as the subject line implied.

Apparently you're the sort of person who prefers less information instead of more, and gross generalizations over specifics. Fine for you, but not everyone takes such a limited view.

So what was your DD's score on the PARCC English and the avg for the school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are HRCS so popular? Test scores stink.

Depends on the school, obviously. By way of example, I have a child at an HRCS. She scored 94th percentile on the PARCC Math, which is average for her school.

So nice you got to share that story with everyone.

How is that not a legitimate answer to the question? I'm not bragging about my child and identifying her or her school, she's in average range. I'm pointing out that test scores do not, in fact, universally "stink" at all HRCs as the subject line implied.

Apparently you're the sort of person who prefers less information instead of more, and gross generalizations over specifics. Fine for you, but not everyone takes such a limited view.

So what was your DD's score on the PARCC English and the avg for the school?

88th for PARCC English. It's also in average range for the school, but on the lower end of the group than the Math score. The students only spend half their time in English, and the school isn't a "teach to the test" environment, so I can live with it, but I'm going to have her do more outside reading here at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are HRCS so popular? Test scores stink.

Depends on the school, obviously. By way of example, I have a child at an HRCS. She scored 94th percentile on the PARCC Math, which is average for her school.

So nice you got to share that story with everyone.

How is that not a legitimate answer to the question? I'm not bragging about my child and identifying her or her school, she's in average range. I'm pointing out that test scores do not, in fact, universally "stink" at all HRCs as the subject line implied.

Apparently you're the sort of person who prefers less information instead of more, and gross generalizations over specifics. Fine for you, but not everyone takes such a limited view.

So what was your DD's score on the PARCC English and the avg for the school?

88th for PARCC English. It's also in average range for the school, but on the lower end of the group than the Math score. The students only spend half their time in English, and the school isn't a "teach to the test" environment, so I can live with it, but I'm going to have her do more outside reading here at home.

Is this a public charter immersion school in DC? What was the school's overall PARCC scores in math and English (scores of 4 and above)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are HRCS so popular? Test scores stink.

Depends on the school, obviously. By way of example, I have a child at an HRCS. She scored 94th percentile on the PARCC Math, which is average for her school.

So nice you got to share that story with everyone.

How is that not a legitimate answer to the question? I'm not bragging about my child and identifying her or her school, she's in average range. I'm pointing out that test scores do not, in fact, universally "stink" at all HRCs as the subject line implied.

Apparently you're the sort of person who prefers less information instead of more, and gross generalizations over specifics. Fine for you, but not everyone takes such a limited view.

So what was your DD's score on the PARCC English and the avg for the school?

88th for PARCC English. It's also in average range for the school, but on the lower end of the group than the Math score. The students only spend half their time in English, and the school isn't a "teach to the test" environment, so I can live with it, but I'm going to have her do more outside reading here at home.

Is this a public charter immersion school in DC? What was the school's overall PARCC scores in math and English (scores of 4 and above)?

This can't be in DC. I don't think any charters had scores in that high of a range.

[Anonymous]

The original question was why certain HRCS are so popular despite the low test scores. Schools were specifically mentioned (IT, MV, CMI) and the original post did not say that ALL HRCS have low test scores. So the PP may be at what is considered a "HRCS" with high test scores but that's not what the OP was asking about.