Public and Charter Schools that are like Private Schools

[Anonymous]

In DC, for elementary, middle, and high school, can you tell me which public and charter schools would most resemble a private school experience? I realize it's not the same but what is the closest that you can find? First hand experience detailing why is appreciated. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In DC, for elementary, middle, and high school, can you tell me which public and charter schools would most resemble a private school experience? I realize it's not the same but what is the closest that you can find? First hand experience detailing why is appreciated. Thanks.

Please define the "private school experience" you're looking for.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure I know what you mean by "resemble a private school experience." My definition is something above and beyond what a standard public school generally offers, but that doesn't mean it's yours. And even having said that, "above and beyond" can still mean many things to many people. For me it's academic rigor, unique or special educational offerings, a small and tightly knit community and culture. OTOH, for some people it's uniforms and a fancy building.

My picks (and mine alone) in alpha order would be:

Banneker H.S. (DCPS) for its merit-based entry and IB program
Oyster-Adams (DCPS) for its generally high academics and Spanish Immersion
School Without Walls H.S. (DCPS) for its merit-based entry and classes at GW
Washington Latin (Charter) for its classical curriculum
Washington Yu Ying (Charter) for its Mandarin Immersion

[Anonymous]

OP here. PP, thank you, your list is exactly what I am looking for. Any other opinions?

[Anonymous]

Among DCPS elementary schools, Key has rich-private-worthy building and grounds and Mann is a small school with great student-to-teacher ratios. Both are full of rich white kids from all over the world. Among the charters, Cap City is very small and has great student-to-teacher ratios, but with a much more socioeconomically diverse student body than you'd find at most private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Among DCPS elementary schools... Mann is a small school with great student-to-teacher ratios....

This is a very interesting comment. I'm not sure it matters whether or not it is empirically true, as long as the PP believes it is true.

Mann is a DCPS school. I could be wrong about this, but shouldn't it have the same student:teacher ratios as every other DCPS school (that is at full capacity)? If it is true that Mann has lower student:teacher ratios, then shouldn't it be accepting more OOB students? To raise it to full capacity? I can't imagine how it could be politically acceptable for one desirable DCPS elementary to have different student:teacher ratios than the others; that strikes me as politically imprudent in the extreme. OTOH, perhaps the PTA has raised sufficient funds for extra teachers specifically for Mann? But then where is the line in what a PTA can provide above and beyond DCPS offerings? I am under the impression that a PTA can provide facilities improvements (i.e., a computer lab or new playing field or library) but that faculty was a DCPS central decision.

If Mann does not in fact have different student:teacher ratios than other schools, then what is it doing that creates the illusion of (and/or more importantly, the results of) lower student:teacher ratios? Is it parents volunteers? Is it PTA-funded assistant teachers?

Can anyone elaborate? Because if the PP's statement is true, then there is something very interesting going on at Mann.

[Anonymous]

I believe DCPS HSAs are allowed to fund specialist and teacher aide positions.

[Anonymous]

I don't know about Mann, but during my Eaton tour, it was made cleared that the PTA does fund an extra teacher in each of the classrooms during the younger years. HTH.

[Anonymous]

Fascinating. I wonder how one goes about getting a list of student:teacher ratios at each DCPS school. Does anyone know?

[Anonymous]

Chiming in for Oyster, School Without Walls, and Banneker for the reasons described. I'm an Oyster parent and wouldn't describe it as similar to Maret or Sidwell, but to a specialized private school because of the language immersion.

Also:
Hyde Elementary has a special program for writing and reading designed by Columbia Teachers' College
Wilson High School has five "academies" with merit-based selection processes.
Deal Middle School has started an IB program.


I would not describe Mann as like a private school, but like a very good wealthy suburban public school (think Bethesda). It does not have a lower student-teacher ratio than the other DCPS, but draws almost entirely from such a privileged demographic with great parent involvement that the student-body makeup would be very similar to an elite private school. Other elementaries close to this profile (but not quite this wealthy a neighborhood) are: Lafayette, Murch, and Key.

[Anonymous]

OP - The School Chooser document at http://fightforchildren.org/pdf/SchoolChooser.pdf has data like teacher-student ratios, scores, graduation rates, application deadlines, demographics, facility types, etc for public, charter and private schools. The introduction seems to explain pretty much everything about picking a school in DC.

DC gov't site used to have this in a searchable database, but it seems to be "under construction".

Like anywhere, it's kind of apples and oranges because there is no requirement for consistent data reporting across school types. By definition, charters are "like private" schools because they can set their own mission, etc.

[Anonymous]

Mann's PTA funds relatively more positions than other DCPS PTAs, and Mann also has a very tight relationship with AU's MAT program, placing student teachers as the third adult in many classrooms and the second adult in others. It truly does have better student-teacher ratios than other DCPS schools. That, its dedicated science room, its small size (just one or two classes per grade), etc. make it feel more like Sidwell than like a Bethesda public school. The other top DCPS schools metioned on this board -- Lafayette, Key, Murch -- are larger and less well-staffed (but with other points in their favor): they feel more like Bethesda public schools. Oyster is its own creature: worse student-teacher ratios than any of the above, but real diversity and dual immersion. It doesn't feel like a private school or like a suburban public school; it feels like a good, interesting urban school.

[Anonymous]

Hyde is very small too with usually 1 class per grade. That can be good and bad. I loved it when dd was there because everyone in the school knew her. And when she stayed for aftercare with Mr. C, it was just like hanging out in the neighborhood with her friends. On the other hand, if you don't like your child's teacher you can't move him/her to another class.

[Anonymous]

PTAs can certainly fund teachers, aides, after school programs, etc.
Oyster has a few teachers funded by the PTA (the science teacher, for one). These schools (MAnn, Lafayette, Oyster) have VERY involved and savvy parents. If the school doesn't have it, they GET IT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure I know what you mean by "resemble a private school experience." My definition is something above and beyond what a standard public school generally offers, but that doesn't mean it's yours. And even having said that, "above and beyond" can still mean many things to many people. For me it's academic rigor, unique or special educational offerings, a small and tightly knit community and culture. OTOH, for some people it's uniforms and a fancy building.

My picks (and mine alone) in alpha order would be:

Banneker H.S. (DCPS) for its merit-based entry and IB program
Oyster-Adams (DCPS) for its generally high academics and Spanish Immersion
School Without Walls H.S. (DCPS) for its merit-based entry and classes at GW
Washington Latin (Charter) for its classical curriculum
Washington Yu Ying (Charter) for its Mandarin Immersion

New Poster here. This is a good list, but I would also add LAMB (Latin American Montessori Bilingual) charter school because of the Montessori element as well as the goal of bilingualism/biliteracy in English and Spanish. The new facility is supposed to be quite nice, too.