Hill Middle Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know a bunch of Hill families of students who went through Stuart Hobson, now in HS (mostly at Walls) or college, who seem to be doing just fine. Some of these SH grads attend elite SLACs, Amherst, Middlebury, Swarthmore. We also know Brent students who went through Jefferson Academy and Maury students who went through Eliot-Hine, now top students at Walls or Banneker. These families coped and supplemented uncomplainingly, living their values by sending their children to neighborhood middle schools to stay in the community they love. More power to them. We've known these sweet kids since they were tiny tots. Come on, middle school is a tough age no matter where kids land. Our family isn't OK with DCPS after ES so we choose a parochial MS, but I'm not going to slam fellow Hill parents for having made a different choice, coming here to accuse them of poor parenting.

lol. they only “lived their values” because their kids got into Walls …

Also, they "lived their values"...by having the money to pay for private as a backup in case Walls didn't work out.

I think it is great if people want to send their kids to SH, of Jefferson or any other school. What is just dumb is people who make that about some larger social point, instead of what it is: parents making the best decision for their kid in light of their individual circumstances. This is the same old DCUM two step:

Poster #1: I choose public schools because charter schools are evil and people who send their kids there are evil and intentionally destabilizing schools. Also, I am also morally superior.

Poster #2: I send my kid to [BASIS/Latin] because I want to guarantee them a quality HS education and I can't afford private schools. SH is not an option for me because it does not offer truly advanced classes and has no guaranteed HS feed.

Poster #1: SH is an excellent school. A great school. A fine school. As long as you supplement out of pocket to keep your kid on grade level. Never mind that though, because people like you who don't have money to supplement or to afford private HS are entitled and. In fact your unwillingness to put your kid's future at risk to improve schools for the greater good is responsible for the fact that SH and other schools aren't great. The only possible explanation for you wanting a guaranteed HS path is hatred of public schools. Why don't people less entitled than me understand how much damage they are doing by putting their kids first?

Poster #2: So with all your moral superiority and commitment to public schools, are you going to send your kid to Eastern if they aren't admitted to Walls?

Poster #1: H*LL NO! If we don't get into walls we'll pay for private or move to a new state. Now let me lecture you some more about how you are destabilizing public education.

[Scene]

This is exactly the case. And it also creates situations in real life where white Karen’s and Susan’s and Christine’s feel the need to lecture everyone (including brown/black families) on enrolling their kids in Stuart Hobson/Jefferson/Eliot Hine. There is no moral high ground for those who choose their local school. There isn’t.

You can do what you want with your kids but I am not putting my kids in schools where their academic needs aren’t met. And for the record, even though it’s been stated many times in this and other threads, high achieving brown kids are treated way worse than white kids. Every single parent I know of brown kids knows that charter schools who cater to those seeking excellence are the safest bet for non-white children. Regardless of what your local Karen/Jennnifer/Christine/Susan will say to you.

How many do you know? Because the ones I know actually don't feel that Deal, Basis or Latin are that amazing for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know a bunch of Hill families of students who went through Stuart Hobson, now in HS (mostly at Walls) or college, who seem to be doing just fine. Some of these SH grads attend elite SLACs, Amherst, Middlebury, Swarthmore. We also know Brent students who went through Jefferson Academy and Maury students who went through Eliot-Hine, now top students at Walls or Banneker. These families coped and supplemented uncomplainingly, living their values by sending their children to neighborhood middle schools to stay in the community they love. More power to them. We've known these sweet kids since they were tiny tots. Come on, middle school is a tough age no matter where kids land. Our family isn't OK with DCPS after ES so we choose a parochial MS, but I'm not going to slam fellow Hill parents for having made a different choice, coming here to accuse them of poor parenting.

lol. they only “lived their values” because their kids got into Walls …

Also, they "lived their values"...by having the money to pay for private as a backup in case Walls didn't work out.

I think it is great if people want to send their kids to SH, of Jefferson or any other school. What is just dumb is people who make that about some larger social point, instead of what it is: parents making the best decision for their kid in light of their individual circumstances. This is the same old DCUM two step:

Poster #1: I choose public schools because charter schools are evil and people who send their kids there are evil and intentionally destabilizing schools. Also, I am also morally superior.

Poster #2: I send my kid to [BASIS/Latin] because I want to guarantee them a quality HS education and I can't afford private schools. SH is not an option for me because it does not offer truly advanced classes and has no guaranteed HS feed.

Poster #1: SH is an excellent school. A great school. A fine school. As long as you supplement out of pocket to keep your kid on grade level. Never mind that though, because people like you who don't have money to supplement or to afford private HS are entitled and. In fact your unwillingness to put your kid's future at risk to improve schools for the greater good is responsible for the fact that SH and other schools aren't great. The only possible explanation for you wanting a guaranteed HS path is hatred of public schools. Why don't people less entitled than me understand how much damage they are doing by putting their kids first?

Poster #2: So with all your moral superiority and commitment to public schools, are you going to send your kid to Eastern if they aren't admitted to Walls?

Poster #1: H*LL NO! If we don't get into walls we'll pay for private or move to a new state. Now let me lecture you some more about how you are destabilizing public education.

[Scene]

This is exactly the case. And it also creates situations in real life where white Karen’s and Susan’s and Christine’s feel the need to lecture everyone (including brown/black families) on enrolling their kids in Stuart Hobson/Jefferson/Eliot Hine. There is no moral high ground for those who choose their local school. There isn’t.

You can do what you want with your kids but I am not putting my kids in schools where their academic needs aren’t met. And for the record, even though it’s been stated many times in this and other threads, high achieving brown kids are treated way worse than white kids. Every single parent I know of brown kids knows that charter schools who cater to those seeking excellence are the safest bet for non-white children. Regardless of what your local Karen/Jennnifer/Christine/Susan will say to you.

How many do you know? Because the ones I know actually don't feel that Deal, Basis or Latin are that amazing for them.

Ummm I’m speaking about my own family and nearly all their friends. And btw there are more charters than deal and basis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know a bunch of Hill families of students who went through Stuart Hobson, now in HS (mostly at Walls) or college, who seem to be doing just fine. Some of these SH grads attend elite SLACs, Amherst, Middlebury, Swarthmore. We also know Brent students who went through Jefferson Academy and Maury students who went through Eliot-Hine, now top students at Walls or Banneker. These families coped and supplemented uncomplainingly, living their values by sending their children to neighborhood middle schools to stay in the community they love. More power to them. We've known these sweet kids since they were tiny tots. Come on, middle school is a tough age no matter where kids land. Our family isn't OK with DCPS after ES so we choose a parochial MS, but I'm not going to slam fellow Hill parents for having made a different choice, coming here to accuse them of poor parenting.

lol. they only “lived their values” because their kids got into Walls …

Also, they "lived their values"...by having the money to pay for private as a backup in case Walls didn't work out.

I think it is great if people want to send their kids to SH, of Jefferson or any other school. What is just dumb is people who make that about some larger social point, instead of what it is: parents making the best decision for their kid in light of their individual circumstances. This is the same old DCUM two step:

Poster #1: I choose public schools because charter schools are evil and people who send their kids there are evil and intentionally destabilizing schools. Also, I am also morally superior.

Poster #2: I send my kid to [BASIS/Latin] because I want to guarantee them a quality HS education and I can't afford private schools. SH is not an option for me because it does not offer truly advanced classes and has no guaranteed HS feed.

Poster #1: SH is an excellent school. A great school. A fine school. As long as you supplement out of pocket to keep your kid on grade level. Never mind that though, because people like you who don't have money to supplement or to afford private HS are entitled and. In fact your unwillingness to put your kid's future at risk to improve schools for the greater good is responsible for the fact that SH and other schools aren't great. The only possible explanation for you wanting a guaranteed HS path is hatred of public schools. Why don't people less entitled than me understand how much damage they are doing by putting their kids first?

Poster #2: So with all your moral superiority and commitment to public schools, are you going to send your kid to Eastern if they aren't admitted to Walls?

Poster #1: H*LL NO! If we don't get into walls we'll pay for private or move to a new state. Now let me lecture you some more about how you are destabilizing public education.

[Scene]

This is exactly the case. And it also creates situations in real life where white Karen’s and Susan’s and Christine’s feel the need to lecture everyone (including brown/black families) on enrolling their kids in Stuart Hobson/Jefferson/Eliot Hine. There is no moral high ground for those who choose their local school. There isn’t.

You can do what you want with your kids but I am not putting my kids in schools where their academic needs aren’t met. And for the record, even though it’s been stated many times in this and other threads, high achieving brown kids are treated way worse than white kids. Every single parent I know of brown kids knows that charter schools who cater to those seeking excellence are the safest bet for non-white children. Regardless of what your local Karen/Jennnifer/Christine/Susan will say to you.

How many do you know? Because the ones I know actually don't feel that Deal, Basis or Latin are that amazing for them.

The ones I know = “my cleaning lady’s kids”

Trust me no one is clamoring for any hill middle school unless it is better than the alternative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know a bunch of Hill families of students who went through Stuart Hobson, now in HS (mostly at Walls) or college, who seem to be doing just fine. Some of these SH grads attend elite SLACs, Amherst, Middlebury, Swarthmore. We also know Brent students who went through Jefferson Academy and Maury students who went through Eliot-Hine, now top students at Walls or Banneker. These families coped and supplemented uncomplainingly, living their values by sending their children to neighborhood middle schools to stay in the community they love. More power to them. We've known these sweet kids since they were tiny tots. Come on, middle school is a tough age no matter where kids land. Our family isn't OK with DCPS after ES so we choose a parochial MS, but I'm not going to slam fellow Hill parents for having made a different choice, coming here to accuse them of poor parenting.

lol. they only “lived their values” because their kids got into Walls …

Also, they "lived their values"...by having the money to pay for private as a backup in case Walls didn't work out.

I think it is great if people want to send their kids to SH, of Jefferson or any other school. What is just dumb is people who make that about some larger social point, instead of what it is: parents making the best decision for their kid in light of their individual circumstances. This is the same old DCUM two step:

Poster #1: I choose public schools because charter schools are evil and people who send their kids there are evil and intentionally destabilizing schools. Also, I am also morally superior.

Poster #2: I send my kid to [BASIS/Latin] because I want to guarantee them a quality HS education and I can't afford private schools. SH is not an option for me because it does not offer truly advanced classes and has no guaranteed HS feed.

Poster #1: SH is an excellent school. A great school. A fine school. As long as you supplement out of pocket to keep your kid on grade level. Never mind that though, because people like you who don't have money to supplement or to afford private HS are entitled and. In fact your unwillingness to put your kid's future at risk to improve schools for the greater good is responsible for the fact that SH and other schools aren't great. The only possible explanation for you wanting a guaranteed HS path is hatred of public schools. Why don't people less entitled than me understand how much damage they are doing by putting their kids first?

Poster #2: So with all your moral superiority and commitment to public schools, are you going to send your kid to Eastern if they aren't admitted to Walls?

Poster #1: H*LL NO! If we don't get into walls we'll pay for private or move to a new state. Now let me lecture you some more about how you are destabilizing public education.

[Scene]

This is exactly the case. And it also creates situations in real life where white Karen’s and Susan’s and Christine’s feel the need to lecture everyone (including brown/black families) on enrolling their kids in Stuart Hobson/Jefferson/Eliot Hine. There is no moral high ground for those who choose their local school. There isn’t.

You can do what you want with your kids but I am not putting my kids in schools where their academic needs aren’t met. And for the record, even though it’s been stated many times in this and other threads, high achieving brown kids are treated way worse than white kids. Every single parent I know of brown kids knows that charter schools who cater to those seeking excellence are the safest bet for non-white children. Regardless of what your local Karen/Jennnifer/Christine/Susan will say to you.

How many do you know? Because the ones I know actually don't feel that Deal, Basis or Latin are that amazing for them.

Ummm I’m speaking about my own family and nearly all their friends. And btw there are more charters than deal and basis.

Wrote deal meant Latin. There are more charters than Latin and Basis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One big problem for the Hill middle schools is that 5th is the only significant entry year for Latin and Basis. You can always “try” Latin or Basis for a year or two and then switch back to your in-bound middle school. But you cannot do the reverse. This results in a lot of people with some inclination to attend the nearby school gradually deciding to at least participate in the 5th grade charter school lottery and then further deciding to try Latin/Basis for 5th grade. Repeat.

100%. The biggest change I’d like to see to DC schools is ending DCPS & charter ESes in the same year. The current model is absurd and terrible for DCPS, which should frankly be the priority.

That said, this is exactly us. Our IB is SH and we’re actually not sure if we’d prefer it or BASIS, but will send our kid to BASIS if we lottery in, because if she hates it, she could still not only go to SH but start on time.

Yes, and? It is called school choice, not design your own school. You have an option to match at BASIS or Latin in 5th. You also have an option to return to SH if you are unhappy. What is laughable is the ignorance of your unbridled privilege in having SH as a fall back and objecting to BASIS and Latin having the audacity to cater to all kids in DC, and not just those privileged enough to be IB for SH.

The point is that it's a bad design for school choice for what's best for DC overall. It creates an added incentive for kids to leave their IB schools that is bad for DC overall. My whole point is that I will take advantage of it and it is, in fact, good for me personally (i.e., despite what you say, it *does* cater for SH families with good lottery luck). But it is not good for DC. In any case, I don't fault BASIS or Latin at all for starting in 5th when it's an available option. I fault the city for setting it up that way. (And FWIW I would also be fine with all DCPS / DCPCS middle schools starting in 5th instead, I just think the two different entry years is a bad model. DC *has* moved towards standardizing entry and exit years at DCPSes, they should just do it for DCPCSes as well.)

Your self-centeredness astounds. You view the world through the prism of your own experience and opportunity. BASIS and Latin do NOT exist for the benefit and pleasure of SH. You want kids to remain in 5th at their ES because your ES is good (for you). There are a lot of ES in DC that kids cannot escape fast enough. You can't see that with your "me" blinders on. You see only your path, your ES, your SH path.

You are also ignorant of actual enrollment data. Yes, there are a lot of SH catchment kids at BASIS and Latin. But, notwithstanding what your neighbors tell you, it isn't remotely comprised of all those kids. Not remotely. I find it amusing that you and the Deal/JR/W3 fool both have impressions of BASIS and Latin that don't reflect reality. Yet you both speak with certainty formed from your own experience and and hubris and ignorance that simply won't let you for a moment consider that not everyone is you or your similalry situated neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One big problem for the Hill middle schools is that 5th is the only significant entry year for Latin and Basis. You can always “try” Latin or Basis for a year or two and then switch back to your in-bound middle school. But you cannot do the reverse. This results in a lot of people with some inclination to attend the nearby school gradually deciding to at least participate in the 5th grade charter school lottery and then further deciding to try Latin/Basis for 5th grade. Repeat.

100%. The biggest change I’d like to see to DC schools is ending DCPS & charter ESes in the same year. The current model is absurd and terrible for DCPS, which should frankly be the priority.

That said, this is exactly us. Our IB is SH and we’re actually not sure if we’d prefer it or BASIS, but will send our kid to BASIS if we lottery in, because if she hates it, she could still not only go to SH but start on time.

Yes, and? It is called school choice, not design your own school. You have an option to match at BASIS or Latin in 5th. You also have an option to return to SH if you are unhappy. What is laughable is the ignorance of your unbridled privilege in having SH as a fall back and objecting to BASIS and Latin having the audacity to cater to all kids in DC, and not just those privileged enough to be IB for SH.

The point is that it's a bad design for school choice for what's best for DC overall. It creates an added incentive for kids to leave their IB schools that is bad for DC overall. My whole point is that I will take advantage of it and it is, in fact, good for me personally (i.e., despite what you say, it *does* cater for SH families with good lottery luck). But it is not good for DC. In any case, I don't fault BASIS or Latin at all for starting in 5th when it's an available option. I fault the city for setting it up that way. (And FWIW I would also be fine with all DCPS / DCPCS middle schools starting in 5th instead, I just think the two different entry years is a bad model. DC *has* moved towards standardizing entry and exit years at DCPSes, they should just do it for DCPCSes as well.)

Your self-centeredness astounds. You view the world through the prism of your own experience and opportunity. BASIS and Latin do NOT exist for the benefit and pleasure of SH. You want kids to remain in 5th at their ES because your ES is good (for you). There are a lot of ES in DC that kids cannot escape fast enough. You can't see that with your "me" blinders on. You see only your path, your ES, your SH path.

You are also ignorant of actual enrollment data. Yes, there are a lot of SH catchment kids at BASIS and Latin. But, notwithstanding what your neighbors tell you, it isn't remotely comprised of all those kids. Not remotely. I find it amusing that you and the Deal/JR/W3 fool both have impressions of BASIS and Latin that don't reflect reality. Yet you both speak with certainty formed from your own experience and and hubris and ignorance that simply won't let you for a moment consider that not everyone is you or your similalry situated neighbors.

Excellent. Agree 100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One big problem for the Hill middle schools is that 5th is the only significant entry year for Latin and Basis. You can always “try” Latin or Basis for a year or two and then switch back to your in-bound middle school. But you cannot do the reverse. This results in a lot of people with some inclination to attend the nearby school gradually deciding to at least participate in the 5th grade charter school lottery and then further deciding to try Latin/Basis for 5th grade. Repeat.

100%. The biggest change I’d like to see to DC schools is ending DCPS & charter ESes in the same year. The current model is absurd and terrible for DCPS, which should frankly be the priority.

That said, this is exactly us. Our IB is SH and we’re actually not sure if we’d prefer it or BASIS, but will send our kid to BASIS if we lottery in, because if she hates it, she could still not only go to SH but start on time.

Yes, and? It is called school choice, not design your own school. You have an option to match at BASIS or Latin in 5th. You also have an option to return to SH if you are unhappy. What is laughable is the ignorance of your unbridled privilege in having SH as a fall back and objecting to BASIS and Latin having the audacity to cater to all kids in DC, and not just those privileged enough to be IB for SH.

The point is that it's a bad design for school choice for what's best for DC overall. It creates an added incentive for kids to leave their IB schools that is bad for DC overall. My whole point is that I will take advantage of it and it is, in fact, good for me personally (i.e., despite what you say, it *does* cater for SH families with good lottery luck). But it is not good for DC. In any case, I don't fault BASIS or Latin at all for starting in 5th when it's an available option. I fault the city for setting it up that way. (And FWIW I would also be fine with all DCPS / DCPCS middle schools starting in 5th instead, I just think the two different entry years is a bad model. DC *has* moved towards standardizing entry and exit years at DCPSes, they should just do it for DCPCSes as well.)

Your self-centeredness astounds. You view the world through the prism of your own experience and opportunity. BASIS and Latin do NOT exist for the benefit and pleasure of SH. You want kids to remain in 5th at their ES because your ES is good (for you). There are a lot of ES in DC that kids cannot escape fast enough. You can't see that with your "me" blinders on. You see only your path, your ES, your SH path.

You are also ignorant of actual enrollment data. Yes, there are a lot of SH catchment kids at BASIS and Latin. But, notwithstanding what your neighbors tell you, it isn't remotely comprised of all those kids. Not remotely. I find it amusing that you and the Deal/JR/W3 fool both have impressions of BASIS and Latin that don't reflect reality. Yet you both speak with certainty formed from your own experience and and hubris and ignorance that simply won't let you for a moment consider that not everyone is you or your similalry situated neighbors.

You don't seem great at reading comprehension. The part you bolded and what you replied with have almost nothing to do with each other. I said that the current approach *was* good for families w/ passable DCPS MS options (including, FWIW, Deal) & good lottery luck, but not for others. You appear to think I said the opposite. Schools having 50% turnover in the final year of ES are good for no one, least of all the students left behind. I also noted that I'd be equally happy with DCPSes ending in 4th, so I'm not looking to necessarily keep kids in DCPS ES longer. That said, you don't even once think about the kids who want to "escape" to charter MSes and can't, so if anyone has blinders it's you. There is literally not a single word in what you wrote that explains why it benefits they system to have different starting years for MSes.

[Anonymous]

Late to this thread but just saw “living their values.”

/dead

[Anonymous]

Living their values sounds ridiculous and absurdly holier than though. But there were a lot of earlier posts that parents who choose to attend the allegedly terrible Hill DCPS middle schools supposedly just dont care at all about academics or their children. And it sort of devolved from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One big problem for the Hill middle schools is that 5th is the only significant entry year for Latin and Basis. You can always “try” Latin or Basis for a year or two and then switch back to your in-bound middle school. But you cannot do the reverse. This results in a lot of people with some inclination to attend the nearby school gradually deciding to at least participate in the 5th grade charter school lottery and then further deciding to try Latin/Basis for 5th grade. Repeat.

100%. The biggest change I’d like to see to DC schools is ending DCPS & charter ESes in the same year. The current model is absurd and terrible for DCPS, which should frankly be the priority.

That said, this is exactly us. Our IB is SH and we’re actually not sure if we’d prefer it or BASIS, but will send our kid to BASIS if we lottery in, because if she hates it, she could still not only go to SH but start on time.

Yes, and? It is called school choice, not design your own school. You have an option to match at BASIS or Latin in 5th. You also have an option to return to SH if you are unhappy. What is laughable is the ignorance of your unbridled privilege in having SH as a fall back and objecting to BASIS and Latin having the audacity to cater to all kids in DC, and not just those privileged enough to be IB for SH.

The point is that it's a bad design for school choice for what's best for DC overall. It creates an added incentive for kids to leave their IB schools that is bad for DC overall. My whole point is that I will take advantage of it and it is, in fact, good for me personally (i.e., despite what you say, it *does* cater for SH families with good lottery luck). But it is not good for DC. In any case, I don't fault BASIS or Latin at all for starting in 5th when it's an available option. I fault the city for setting it up that way. (And FWIW I would also be fine with all DCPS / DCPCS middle schools starting in 5th instead, I just think the two different entry years is a bad model. DC *has* moved towards standardizing entry and exit years at DCPSes, they should just do it for DCPCSes as well.)

Your self-centeredness astounds. You view the world through the prism of your own experience and opportunity. BASIS and Latin do NOT exist for the benefit and pleasure of SH. You want kids to remain in 5th at their ES because your ES is good (for you). There are a lot of ES in DC that kids cannot escape fast enough. You can't see that with your "me" blinders on. You see only your path, your ES, your SH path.

You are also ignorant of actual enrollment data. Yes, there are a lot of SH catchment kids at BASIS and Latin. But, notwithstanding what your neighbors tell you, it isn't remotely comprised of all those kids. Not remotely. I find it amusing that you and the Deal/JR/W3 fool both have impressions of BASIS and Latin that don't reflect reality. Yet you both speak with certainty formed from your own experience and and hubris and ignorance that simply won't let you for a moment consider that not everyone is you or your similalry situated neighbors.

You don't seem great at reading comprehension. The part you bolded and what you replied with have almost nothing to do with each other. I said that the current approach *was* good for families w/ passable DCPS MS options (including, FWIW, Deal) & good lottery luck, but not for others. You appear to think I said the opposite. Schools having 50% turnover in the final year of ES are good for no one, least of all the students left behind. I also noted that I'd be equally happy with DCPSes ending in 4th, so I'm not looking to necessarily keep kids in DCPS ES longer. That said, you don't even once think about the kids who want to "escape" to charter MSes and can't, so if anyone has blinders it's you. There is literally not a single word in what you wrote that explains why it benefits they system to have different starting years for MSes.

There’s definitely this weird vibe from lottery winners in general that they did something to deserve their luck. You see it at both the ES and MS levels and it’s definitely not charter-specific. The better luck you need to get into a school, the more you see it typically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One big problem for the Hill middle schools is that 5th is the only significant entry year for Latin and Basis. You can always “try” Latin or Basis for a year or two and then switch back to your in-bound middle school. But you cannot do the reverse. This results in a lot of people with some inclination to attend the nearby school gradually deciding to at least participate in the 5th grade charter school lottery and then further deciding to try Latin/Basis for 5th grade. Repeat.

100%. The biggest change I’d like to see to DC schools is ending DCPS & charter ESes in the same year. The current model is absurd and terrible for DCPS, which should frankly be the priority.

That said, this is exactly us. Our IB is SH and we’re actually not sure if we’d prefer it or BASIS, but will send our kid to BASIS if we lottery in, because if she hates it, she could still not only go to SH but start on time.

Yes, and? It is called school choice, not design your own school. You have an option to match at BASIS or Latin in 5th. You also have an option to return to SH if you are unhappy. What is laughable is the ignorance of your unbridled privilege in having SH as a fall back and objecting to BASIS and Latin having the audacity to cater to all kids in DC, and not just those privileged enough to be IB for SH.

The point is that it's a bad design for school choice for what's best for DC overall. It creates an added incentive for kids to leave their IB schools that is bad for DC overall. My whole point is that I will take advantage of it and it is, in fact, good for me personally (i.e., despite what you say, it *does* cater for SH families with good lottery luck). But it is not good for DC. In any case, I don't fault BASIS or Latin at all for starting in 5th when it's an available option. I fault the city for setting it up that way. (And FWIW I would also be fine with all DCPS / DCPCS middle schools starting in 5th instead, I just think the two different entry years is a bad model. DC *has* moved towards standardizing entry and exit years at DCPSes, they should just do it for DCPCSes as well.)

Your self-centeredness astounds. You view the world through the prism of your own experience and opportunity. BASIS and Latin do NOT exist for the benefit and pleasure of SH. You want kids to remain in 5th at their ES because your ES is good (for you). There are a lot of ES in DC that kids cannot escape fast enough. You can't see that with your "me" blinders on. You see only your path, your ES, your SH path.

You are also ignorant of actual enrollment data. Yes, there are a lot of SH catchment kids at BASIS and Latin. But, notwithstanding what your neighbors tell you, it isn't remotely comprised of all those kids. Not remotely. I find it amusing that you and the Deal/JR/W3 fool both have impressions of BASIS and Latin that don't reflect reality. Yet you both speak with certainty formed from your own experience and and hubris and ignorance that simply won't let you for a moment consider that not everyone is you or your similalry situated neighbors.

You don't seem great at reading comprehension. The part you bolded and what you replied with have almost nothing to do with each other. I said that the current approach *was* good for families w/ passable DCPS MS options (including, FWIW, Deal) & good lottery luck, but not for others. You appear to think I said the opposite. Schools having 50% turnover in the final year of ES are good for no one, least of all the students left behind. I also noted that I'd be equally happy with DCPSes ending in 4th, so I'm not looking to necessarily keep kids in DCPS ES longer. That said, you don't even once think about the kids who want to "escape" to charter MSes and can't, so if anyone has blinders it's you. There is literally not a single word in what you wrote that explains why it benefits they system to have different starting years for MSes.

There’s definitely this weird vibe from lottery winners in general that they did something to deserve their luck. You see it at both the ES and MS levels and it’s definitely not charter-specific. The better luck you need to get into a school, the more you see it typically.

I totally agree that there is a weird vibe with lottery winners but I would prefer that any day over people who arrogantly say enrolling their kid in their not so great dcps is “living their values”.

[Anonymous]

It’s obvious that many people on here don’t know the history of DCPS.

Charters benefitted the city immensely because of school choice and it kept middle class families in the city. Otherwise they would move to the burbs once they had kids.

If Basis, Latin, DCI was not an option, the majority of these families, such as ours, would move to the burbs and not stay for failing DCPS middle and high school.

Charters are what’s keeping alot if families in the city. If not for then, they would move, not go to their IB DCPS school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s obvious that many people on here don’t know the history of DCPS.

Charters benefitted the city immensely because of school choice and it kept middle class families in the city. Otherwise they would move to the burbs once they had kids.

If Basis, Latin, DCI was not an option, the majority of these families, such as ours, would move to the burbs and not stay for failing DCPS middle and high school.

Charters are what’s keeping alot if families in the city. If not for then, they would move, not go to their IB DCPS school.

I feel like many of us know this, but it bears repeating to the newbies.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:One big problem for the Hill middle schools is that 5th is the only significant entry year for Latin and Basis. You can always “try” Latin or Basis for a year or two and then switch back to your in-bound middle school. But you cannot do the reverse. This results in a lot of people with some inclination to attend the nearby school gradually deciding to at least participate in the 5th grade charter school lottery and then further deciding to try Latin/Basis for 5th grade. Repeat.

100%. The biggest change I’d like to see to DC schools is ending DCPS & charter ESes in the same year. The current model is absurd and terrible for DCPS, which should frankly be the priority.

That said, this is exactly us. Our IB is SH and we’re actually not sure if we’d prefer it or BASIS, but will send our kid to BASIS if we lottery in, because if she hates it, she could still not only go to SH but start on time.

Yes, and? It is called school choice, not design your own school. You have an option to match at BASIS or Latin in 5th. You also have an option to return to SH if you are unhappy. What is laughable is the ignorance of your unbridled privilege in having SH as a fall back and objecting to BASIS and Latin having the audacity to cater to all kids in DC, and not just those privileged enough to be IB for SH.

The point is that it's a bad design for school choice for what's best for DC overall. It creates an added incentive for kids to leave their IB schools that is bad for DC overall. My whole point is that I will take advantage of it and it is, in fact, good for me personally (i.e., despite what you say, it *does* cater for SH families with good lottery luck). But it is not good for DC. In any case, I don't fault BASIS or Latin at all for starting in 5th when it's an available option. I fault the city for setting it up that way. (And FWIW I would also be fine with all DCPS / DCPCS middle schools starting in 5th instead, I just think the two different entry years is a bad model. DC *has* moved towards standardizing entry and exit years at DCPSes, they should just do it for DCPCSes as well.)

Your self-centeredness astounds. You view the world through the prism of your own experience and opportunity. BASIS and Latin do NOT exist for the benefit and pleasure of SH. You want kids to remain in 5th at their ES because your ES is good (for you). There are a lot of ES in DC that kids cannot escape fast enough. You can't see that with your "me" blinders on. You see only your path, your ES, your SH path.

You are also ignorant of actual enrollment data. Yes, there are a lot of SH catchment kids at BASIS and Latin. But, notwithstanding what your neighbors tell you, it isn't remotely comprised of all those kids. Not remotely. I find it amusing that you and the Deal/JR/W3 fool both have impressions of BASIS and Latin that don't reflect reality. Yet you both speak with certainty formed from your own experience and and hubris and ignorance that simply won't let you for a moment consider that not everyone is you or your similalry situated neighbors.

You don't seem great at reading comprehension. The part you bolded and what you replied with have almost nothing to do with each other. I said that the current approach *was* good for families w/ passable DCPS MS options (including, FWIW, Deal) & good lottery luck, but not for others. You appear to think I said the opposite. Schools having 50% turnover in the final year of ES are good for no one, least of all the students left behind. I also noted that I'd be equally happy with DCPSes ending in 4th, so I'm not looking to necessarily keep kids in DCPS ES longer. That said, you don't even once think about the kids who want to "escape" to charter MSes and can't, so if anyone has blinders it's you. There is literally not a single word in what you wrote that explains why it benefits they system to have different starting years for MSes.

There’s definitely this weird vibe from lottery winners in general that they did something to deserve their luck. You see it at both the ES and MS levels and it’s definitely not charter-specific. The better luck you need to get into a school, the more you see it typically.

Totally accurate! These same people judge you for your school decisions (such as going private) that don't align with their values, when their values were never tested because of their amazing lottery luck.

[Anonymous]

I realize this may be a moot point since everybody seems to be fiercely defending their choices in their corners. I feel strongly that parents can share their personal experiences and reasons if they so choose, but generalizing about decisions of all public school parents, all charter parents, all private parents, or all parents of certain backgrounds isn't just unhelpful, but it is not ever accurate. It would help everybody (not to mention the kids, who overhear adults saying these things and say them to each other at sports, camps etc -- the things my child has come home saying other kids have said is not good). Anyway - as a parent who has enrolled her rising 6th grader at EH, I don't need to read all these posts about 'all people who send their kids to DCPS middles are sacrificing their kids, holier than thou, and will supplement, etc'. I do not generalize about all of the families who choose to go charter or private, I know families make their decisions for a variety of reasons. We did not strike out in the lottery, we did not do the lottery, nor did many of my child's classmates. Based on conversations we have had with current families at the middle school, and learning about the programs, clubs, etc - we chose this school intentionally. My son has done well with strong teachers during the past 8 years, and despite there being a range of scores/grade levels in his classes in later elementary, his teachers were still able to meet and push students from different levels. I know not every teacher will be perfect and some may struggle more with the differentiation, but I also know that as a child in a sought after public school district in IL, I had some less than stellar teachers, it happens everywhere.
Anyway - again this will probably not change the tone on this forum, but it would be great if we could all be genuinely interested in all of the students and schools instead of pitting people/schools against each other.