public vs. charter

[Anonymous]

Is it possible for a charter school to be a better school then a public school JKLM (and oyster)? I ask this because the test scores all indicate that it is not happening - and though they don't paint the full picture - what is all the hype about Inspired, YY, MV etc. Why do some parents choose to take a risk for these schools when there are so many other good options?

[Anonymous]

Why not both? Why not go year to year? This is what many parents do, anyway.

BTW, Basis did better than Hardy on its first CAS, and Basis almost equaled Deal!

[Anonymous]

Charter schools ARE public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible for a charter school to be a better school then a public school JKLM (and oyster)? I ask this because the test scores all indicate that it is not happening - and though they don't paint the full picture - what is all the hype about Inspired, YY, MV etc. Why do some parents choose to take a risk for these schools when there are so many other good options?

immersion schools are very comme il faut with the high SES crowd

and also define "other good options": when buying into the right district is requires buying a million dollar home. Or you get lucky and make it off the waitlist.

[Anonymous]

Buying in the right area does not mean a million dollars- have you heard of apartments? What is a high SES to you?

[Anonymous]

I believe that our charter is a better fit for our family than any of the DCPS schools you mention.

[Anonymous]

If a charter is better- then why? As a parent of a child in Janney (1st grade) we are happy but al1wys curious!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe that our charter is a better fit for our family than any of the DCPS schools you mention.

+1. Also, many new charters (Basis, IT, MV) are brand new schools. Lastly, you've got to take scores with a grain of salt. JKLM schools have almost zero FARM schools. I know my high SES kid will have the sane test scores as LAMB, IT or MV than he would at Janey plus he'll have exposure to more creative learning, possible language, diverse friends and much more. To each his own.

[Anonymous]

what is a farm school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what is a farm school?

FARM = free and reduced meals, which are offered at every school under federal statute to individual students in need. There are no FARM schools per se, that's a misnomer or typo. However, some schools have more FARM students than others. Frequently, higher CAS scores coincide with lower proportions of students who qualify for FARM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If a charter is better- then why? As a parent of a child in Janney (1st grade) we are happy but al1wys curious!

We are at a charter and have friends who are in the JKLMs. I think my situation is better for our family for a lot of subjective reasons, but one objective reason would be the class size issue. We are set at a certain number and that number will not change. Meanwhile, those in the more desirable DCPS schools have to expand to serve all the IB kids they get throughout the year. This, plus many teachers don't even have an aide to help them. Our charter puts junior teachers and inclusion specialists in each ES classroom. There are two-to-three teachers in the room at all times and for PK that was for 18 kids. A very strong ratio that absolutely has an impact on a kid's overall experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe that our charter is a better fit for our family than any of the DCPS schools you mention.

+1. Also, many new charters (Basis, IT, MV) are brand new schools. Lastly, you've got to take scores with a grain of salt. JKLM schools have almost zero FARM schools. I know my high SES kid will have the sane test scores as LAMB, IT or MV than he would at Janey plus he'll have exposure to more creative learning, possible language, diverse friends and much more. To each his own.

\

Allow me to retort: my high SES kids do well at both charters and DCPS schools. Success is not limited to kids from high SES backgrounds. Neither myself nor DH came from high SES backgrounds. We were both from poor families. The test is whether families of any SES can get their kids to read and do math. Teachers and schools are an element, too, but frankly are far less important than parental influences.

[Anonymous]

Who! 18 kids in a prek? And more then 1 teacher? Where is this magical school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a charter is better- then why? As a parent of a child in Janney (1st grade) we are happy but al1wys curious!

We are at a charter and have friends who are in the JKLMs. I think my situation is better for our family for a lot of subjective reasons, but one objective reason would be the class size issue. We are set at a certain number and that number will not change. Meanwhile, those in the more desirable DCPS schools have to expand to serve all the IB kids they get throughout the year. This, plus many teachers don't even have an aide to help them. Our charter puts junior teachers and inclusion specialists in each ES classroom. There are two-to-three teachers in the room at all times and for PK that was for 18 kids. A very strong ratio that absolutely has an impact on a kid's overall experience.

This is exactly it for us too right now. The early education classes at our charter have 3 adults (two teachers and an aide) to 22 kids. I am concerned that of we went to a DCPS school or in the suburbs, there would be many more kids per class and fewer teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who! 18 kids in a prek? And more then 1 teacher? Where is this magical school?

Yu Ying. For K, it was 17/18:3. We chose YY because we really wanted Mandarin and it's the only school in the area that offers Chinese immersion. If DC had not got in, it would be private school. YY was the only public school or charter we applied to.