Feedback/Experiences with DC Bilingual

[Anonymous]

I've been trying to get more information on this school, but they haven't announced any open houses, and the website still has lottery information on it from last year. I'm very interested in bilingual education for my daughter and live near the current location, though I have heard that the school might move. Given that we only have 12 choices total this year, I'm not quite sure that this would make my list, especially without being able to see it in an open house. However, that it feeds to DCI is a real draw for me.

Would love to hear feedback from those who send their kids there and those who considered it but didn't ultimately do so. Thanks for any info you can provide.

[Anonymous]

Also interested, thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

Anyone?

[Anonymous]

I asked this question last year, and never got much feedback. I was offered a spot two days before school started (I was about 25 on the waiting list). I decided to decline and go with the school we had already settled on, which is a bilingual DC Public School. I don't know why no one responds to this. I will say that I asked other places as well and never heard much positive about it.

[Anonymous]

Mayans there aren't any computer savvy parents from the school on this tread

[Anonymous]

The demographics of the school is not interested in a forum

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The demographics of the school is not interested in a forum

I don't think it's just about that, although I suspect you are correct. They also don't do much recruitment/advertising. Case in point: They are one of the few schools that has not yet scheduled open houses. (I've now called twice to ask about this, and they say they'll decide soon.) They only just updated their website w/info on the common lottery. The website has very little information on the program. They are not going to be at the DC Education Festival tomorrow, and every other charter I am considering will be there. I think they just rely on word of mouth to get around, which means they are probably not getting a very diverse set of applicants.

[Anonymous]

If its this hard to get info NOW from the school imagine having a kid there and trying to regularly get info and communication from the school. There was previous thread on what a pain in the ass this is at Bancroft. Just something to think about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If its this hard to get info NOW from the school imagine having a kid there and trying to regularly get info and communication from the school. There was previous thread on what a pain in the ass this is at Bancroft. Just something to think about.

PP, and I completely agree. The location is great for me, and I am very interested in dual language (and especially with the DCI feed), but I think these communication issues would really frustrate me.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, if they didn't have the DCI feeder status, hardly anyone on this forum would be seriously considering them as one of their precious 12 choices at all. I live very close to them, was excited to explore them last year, and did explore them... in the end our waitlist number meant we wouldn't have been offered a spot anyway, but we were WAY ok with that. We would not have taken it anyway, and we won't be applying this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, if they didn't have the DCI feeder status, hardly anyone on this forum would be seriously considering them as one of their precious 12 choices at all. I live very close to them, was excited to explore them last year, and did explore them... in the end our waitlist number meant we wouldn't have been offered a spot anyway, but we were WAY ok with that. We would not have taken it anyway, and we won't be applying this year.

I agree that the main attraction is DCI. I wonder whether that will change who applies/gets in. Can you share what concerns you had when you did explore them? I am also nearby but without any open houses thus far, and without them attending the charter school expo tomorrow, I don't know how much info I will have to make a decision. Are they on par pretty much with schools like Bancroft, Powell, and Marie-Reed, in your assessment?

[Anonymous]

I called DC Bilingual yesterday to try to schedule a visit. I was given the principal's email address; she hasn't answered me yet. The receptionist said they would be attending the education fair tomorrow, and given the amount of publicity on Spanish-language radio, I'd be surprised if they weren't there. Also, DC Bilingual is a Tier 1 school this year (at the bottom end).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I called DC Bilingual yesterday to try to schedule a visit. I was given the principal's email address; she hasn't answered me yet. The receptionist said they would be attending the education fair tomorrow, and given the amount of publicity on Spanish-language radio, I'd be surprised if they weren't there. Also, DC Bilingual is a Tier 1 school this year (at the bottom end).

They are not listed in the PCSB list above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I called DC Bilingual yesterday to try to schedule a visit. I was given the principal's email address; she hasn't answered me yet. The receptionist said they would be attending the education fair tomorrow, and given the amount of publicity on Spanish-language radio, I'd be surprised if they weren't there. Also, DC Bilingual is a Tier 1 school this year (at the bottom end).

They are not listed in the PCSB list above.

Sorry, should have said the PCSB list of attendees from the education fair thread. I'm getting my threads confused. It will be great if they are there, but I'm surprised that they haven't registered for a booth. (The list had all booths.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, if they didn't have the DCI feeder status, hardly anyone on this forum would be seriously considering them as one of their precious 12 choices at all. I live very close to them, was excited to explore them last year, and did explore them... in the end our waitlist number meant we wouldn't have been offered a spot anyway, but we were WAY ok with that. We would not have taken it anyway, and we won't be applying this year.

I agree that the main attraction is DCI. I wonder whether that will change who applies/gets in. Can you share what concerns you had when you did explore them? I am also nearby but without any open houses thus far, and without them attending the charter school expo tomorrow, I don't know how much info I will have to make a decision. Are they on par pretty much with schools like Bancroft, Powell, and Marie-Reed, in your assessment?

No, not on par with Bancroft or Powell. Both are (IMHO) better than DC Bilingual. Better leadership, better in-class and in-school environments (although maybe at Bancroft it varies a bit more from classroom to classroom - still I'd say Bancroft is better than DC Bilingual). With Marie-Reed I'd say they're probably on par in terms of, if I tally up what I liked and what I worried about each, they'd be about even, but I am very clear I"d go to Marie-Reed over DC Bilingual if those were my only 2 choices (and if I wasn't thinking about DCI).