Question About DCPS And Elementary School Ratings

[Anonymous]

Another thing to add to the mix: middle school. I know of a child moving from Watkins to Janney for 4th grade. The parents prefer Watkins (inboundary for them), but are worried about middle school and willing to start the commute now so that DC will be set for Deal in 6th.

A lot of the Brookland complaints seem to be about no good middle school option.

Capital Hill parents are trying to come up with some good middle school options.

But if grades 3 to 5 are testing one week a month, and there's a dead end at 6th grade anyway, parents pick a new option, and jump off the train before the middle school train wreck.

whether it be a move to Md, VA, charter (by the way I think charters like Cap City, Haynes, also have middle schools that are less desirable), parochial, private, or OOB to NW DC as in my opening story.

[Anonymous]

I've been participating, but I'm not a Brent or Maury parent.

Children in my child's school struggle with the DC-CAS because of poverty and/or lack of English language skills.

As a result, the things that drew me to the school originally (language, arts, inspired teaching and leadership) increasingly got shoved aside for test prep.

My child who was delighted to attend school is now dreading the process because instead of instructing students, the classroom teacher is in the hallway administering another round of DIBELS tests. We haven't even made it to third grade yet, but if the DIBELS is a taste of what's to come, we won't be around much longer.

So 12:57, raising test scores isn't enough. It's not even close.

[Anonymous]

This is depressing and makes me realize that unless we get into a charter, I suppose we'll be leaving the U st. neighborhood in a few years.

[Anonymous]

13:28, it is depressing, but I'm hopeful that if DCPS gets a new leader who has more experience and a more nuanced understanding of achievement, things could get better.

Some interesting programs in DCPS were started under Clifford Janey and I'm hopeful that a new leader could foster those that have managed to hang on and grow new programs that would appeal to all sorts of parents and all sorts of students.

[Anonymous]

Brent parent here -

Brent parents are sticking with Brent through the 5th grade In-bounds surge is hitting 3rd grade this upcoming year so we will see testing results for those students next July.

The lack of a strong middle school option is hurting us (in the sense of keeping parents positive and actively engaged) but I think we still have a lot of fight left in us so hopefully we can work to get a better option.

Brent is implementing a full accelerated learning program in the Fall as well. Brent does have the challenge of working with children who are one or two grades below grade level and working with children who are working one, two or three grade levels above. Dr. Wilhoyte is doing a great job at supporting the teachers on that -

[Anonymous]

PP, what is this accelerated learning program? How did you get it funded through DCPS?

Anonymous wrote:Brent parent here -

Brent parents are sticking with Brent through the 5th grade In-bounds surge is hitting 3rd grade this upcoming year so we will see testing results for those students next July.

The lack of a strong middle school option is hurting us (in the sense of keeping parents positive and actively engaged) but I think we still have a lot of fight left in us so hopefully we can work to get a better option.

Brent is implementing a full accelerated learning program in the Fall as well. Brent does have the challenge of working with children who are one or two grades below grade level and working with children who are working one, two or three grade levels above. Dr. Wilhoyte is doing a great job at supporting the teachers on that -

[Anonymous]

14:46, it sounds like Brent is further along than Maury in terms of parents sticking it out. Most of the kids in 1st thru 5th are in-bounds, but are from among the poorer households in that neighborhood.

There is an unbelievably enormous difference in parental involvement in K and below vs. 1st and above.

Hope that changes, but it will take at least 2 years to know whether or not it will.

Maury's principal was new this year, and had been at her last school (Muarch) only one year. She seems good, but who knows whether she will stay.

[Anonymous]

Muarch?

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I meant Murch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I meant Murch.

What's her name?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I meant Murch.

What's her name?

Carolyne Albert-Garvey

[Anonymous]

Brookland parent here. I have lived in the neighborhood over ten years. I was the only white person on my block when I moved here, now over half the block is white. None of the parents plan on sending their child to the local school. I will be honest and say none of us wants our kids to be the only white kid in the school. The school blocks from me is 97% black it was 100% when I looked 4 years ago. When I chose to go out of boundry that weighed very heavily on me, still does. I question a lot about what it says about myself. My child is one of 3 white kids in her class now but there is far greater variety of Hispanic and African American kids there also. I just felt it was one thing to be different, but to be the only one seemed just too much. The segregation in the system is still very intense. I am not sure how enough of us become brave enough. But I think that is the honest answer to the Brookland question, we are all sending our kids to schools with not better test scores, but we are too afraid our kids or maybe ourselves just won't fit in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brookland parent here. I have lived in the neighborhood over ten years. I was the only white person on my block when I moved here, now over half the block is white. None of the parents plan on sending their child to the local school. I will be honest and say none of us wants our kids to be the only white kid in the school. The school blocks from me is 97% black it was 100% when I looked 4 years ago. When I chose to go out of boundry that weighed very heavily on me, still does. I question a lot about what it says about myself. My child is one of 3 white kids in her class now but there is far greater variety of Hispanic and African American kids there also. I just felt it was one thing to be different, but to be the only one seemed just too much. The segregation in the system is still very intense. I am not sure how enough of us become brave enough. But I think that is the honest answer to the Brookland question, we are all sending our kids to schools with not better test scores, but we are too afraid our kids or maybe ourselves just won't fit in.

I appreciate your honesty. The test scores are meaningless. We make our choices based on what we think will be best for our children.

[Anonymous]

I have to politely (totally) disagree that test scores are meaningless. Perhaps when you are comparing a school with 80% kids scoring proficient (i.e., meeting standards) versus 90%, but when comparing schools which score 30% versus 90%... that absolutely reflects something very important. It does not necessarily reflect poor teaching (though that is certainly happening). It most certainly reflects a fundamental difference in the average needs of the children being tested, which is itself the result of many years of underinvestment in their human capital.

It is very, very sad. But it is a fact. And DCPS won't change that fact until the parents of these children change, and that won't happen without much more profound societal changes and meaningful support for low income families.

[Anonymous]

I wonder when Brookland DCPS schools will become more integrated- 3 years ago that was Maury. It was a good school serving 97% African American children- I think at that time all teachers, staff and the Principal were African American. The Principal (I don't remember his name) was wonderful- really welcoming to all perspective parents. Some white parents were interested in the school, but they didn't want their kid to be the only white kid. I have heard anecdotaly from more than one parent that a few years ago when they looked at Payne, another hill school, they were told implicitly by the principal and staff that it was a black school and others were not welcome. I've heard the new principal there is wonderful and welcoming to all families, but that's a really hard legacy to move forward from if you want to integrate a school.