The Promise of Socio-Economically Integrated Schools in DC

[Anonymous]

Here is an elementary school on Capitol Hill that has been socio-economically integrated for several decades. It now stands at around 40% of the students eligible for Free and Reduced Meals.

The absolutely shocking achievement gap shows little educational benefit accruing to the poor ( or numerous middle class AA ) in the school,

The percentage of white students scoring proficient or advanced in math and reading is in the high 90s. Surpassing the district average for white students

The percentage of students eligible for FARM scoring proficient is exactly average for the district as a whole: mid-40s

The percentage of black students, including many middle class families, is just a touch above the district average: around 50%

http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/pdf/2013_Equity_Report_DCPS_External_Watkins%20Elementary%20School.pdf



I would look for more robust evidence of the EDUCATIONAL benefits of some big changes to assure socio-economic integration in elementary schools before supporting any such plan for DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Another one on Capitol Hill- Maury

Evenly split black and white, FARMS rate 30%

No benefits accrue above district average for black or poor students on proficiency rates.

http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/pdf/2013_Equity_Report_DCPS_External_Maury%20Elementary%20School.pdf

[Anonymous]

So you want to purge your school of the poors?

OP, Will you home school them?

[Anonymous]

No way. But I am looking for some educational benefit for the poor children being in school with a large number middle/upper class students. So far seeing none. At least in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No way. But I am looking for some educational benefit for the poor children being in school with a large number middle/upper class students. So far seeing none. At least in DC.

Maybe their performance would have been worse at a segregated schools.

But I agree with your point - we need to focus on how to actually improve learning for everyone,
not diversity in and of itself. Equal access is not be relevant goal if it is not access to resources that actually help!!!

[Anonymous]

Agree, OP. I have nothing against socioeconomic integration but anyone who thinks it is a high priority issue we must enact policy on, because of some misguided belief that it will benefit the poor or close the achievement gap is seriously mistaken. It would probably cause far more harm than good. There already is far more choice in the system now than there was a decade ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way. But I am looking for some educational benefit for the poor children being in school with a large number middle/upper class students. So far seeing none. At least in DC.

Maybe their performance would have been worse at a segregated schools.

But I agree with your point - we need to focus on how to actually improve learning for everyone,
not diversity in and of itself. Equal access is not be relevant goal if it is not access to resources that actually help!!!

The average DC score doesn't suggest that, given the large number of schools that are segregated by economic status

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you want to purge your school of the poors?

OP, Will you home school them?

Not OP, but I think OP's point is why try so hard to get low-SES kids into high-SES schools when there seems to be so little educational benefit.

[Anonymous]

at least in DC and at least at the elementary school level.

[Anonymous]

Takoma Park Elementary School (PK4-2) in MD has a similiar achievement gap. By the time the students transition to Piney Branch ES (3-5), the gap is significantly reduced.

My question, how are these students performing in middle school?

[Anonymous]

hardly scientific or significant sample size, but anecdotally the poor kids in these schools are not benefitting from proximity to more students from more affluent families.

It's also too simple to take overall enrollment for a school when the test scores referenced don't begin until 3rd grade. To use DC CAS testing to quantify achievement you'd need to focus exclusively on the demographics of testing grades, not the overall school.

[Anonymous]

These are good points. clearly more data is needed to determine either way before sweeping changes are made that make socio-economic integration the highest value in how students are assigned to schools in DC.

[Anonymous]

right when it's your school get the poors out but when it's someone else's you don't care

[Anonymous]

On the converse of this, I certainly believe the case needs to be made that having poor students with middle class students improves student performance for the middle class students.

I know some like diversity from the middle class perspective so they don't feel so isolated from those who are struggling, but the case for the benefit to the poor would resonate and justify a lot of what might be considered in student assignment.

If someone were only making such a case...

[Anonymous]

i meant, improves student performance of the poorer students. and I am drinking a coffee right now! happy it's friday.