Is anybody actually freaking out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not gonna take 10-20 years any more. Too much is changing in DC now for it to take that kind of time. We went from a demographic slump to surge.

If this were true, then Hardy and SH should be thriving instead of places that Hill families still avoid. Don't even bother with Jefferson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not gonna take 10-20 years any more. Too much is changing in DC now for it to take that kind of time. We went from a demographic slump to surge.

If this were true, then Hardy and SH should be thriving instead of places that Hill families still avoid. Don't even bother with Jefferson.

See WAMU's reporting. This is exactly why no-one in upper NW has any faith in Unicorn McFarland.

http://wamu.org/news/16/03/02/5th_grade_dropoff

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not gonna take 10-20 years any more. Too much is changing in DC now for it to take that kind of time. We went from a demographic slump to surge.

If this were true, then Hardy and SH should be thriving instead of places that Hill families still avoid. Don't even bother with Jefferson.

LOL. Quite a few Hill families at Hardy. Hardy has the benefit of drawing from several high-performing feeders and may have already reached the tipping point. But I agree that it will be difficult for other middle schools to get there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not gonna take 10-20 years any more. Too much is changing in DC now for it to take that kind of time. We went from a demographic slump to surge.

Sadly I agree with this and the more charters that open each year makes it more difficult, especially if they are K-8.

You've got the order wrong. Charters are the only reason that higher SES families stayed in the city, and the only reason that DCPS had to be forced to improve. Without charters, every school east of the park would like the schools east of the river. Mind you, I still wouldn't send my children to an EOTP DCPS, but the fact that you're comfortable with it is a gift for which you should thank the families who send their children to HRCs and have tempted other families to stay in the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not gonna take 10-20 years any more. Too much is changing in DC now for it to take that kind of time. We went from a demographic slump to surge.

If this were true, then Hardy and SH should be thriving instead of places that Hill families still avoid. Don't even bother with Jefferson.

LOL. Quite a few Hill families at Hardy. Hardy has the benefit of drawing from several high-performing feeders and may have already reached the tipping point. But I agree that it will be difficult for other middle schools to get there.

Latin, Basis, and now DCI are the real Hill middle schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not gonna take 10-20 years any more. Too much is changing in DC now for it to take that kind of time. We went from a demographic slump to surge.

Sadly I agree with this and the more charters that open each year makes it more difficult, especially if they are K-8.

You've got the order wrong. Charters are the only reason that higher SES families stayed in the city, and the only reason that DCPS had to be forced to improve. Without charters, every school east of the park would like the schools east of the river. Mind you, I still wouldn't send my children to an EOTP DCPS, but the fact that you're comfortable with it is a gift for which you should thank the families who send their children to HRCs and have tempted other families to stay in the city.

Actually, you've got the order wrong. DCPS hasn't improved beyond ECE, and any improvements that have come past ECE are because of parents who decided to go in and turn the school around. The strong communities that have been built are what is keeping parents in the city -- not the chance of going to some unicorn charter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not gonna take 10-20 years any more. Too much is changing in DC now for it to take that kind of time. We went from a demographic slump to surge.

Sadly I agree with this and the more charters that open each year makes it more difficult, especially if they are K-8.

You've got the order wrong. Charters are the only reason that higher SES families stayed in the city, and the only reason that DCPS had to be forced to improve. Without charters, every school east of the park would like the schools east of the river. Mind you, I still wouldn't send my children to an EOTP DCPS, but the fact that you're comfortable with it is a gift for which you should thank the families who send their children to HRCs and have tempted other families to stay in the city.

Actually, you've got the order wrong. DCPS hasn't improved beyond ECE, and any improvements that have come past ECE are because of parents who decided to go in and turn the school around. The strong communities that have been built are what is keeping parents in the city -- not the chance of going to some unicorn charter.

+1. Schools improve because of the kids that attend them, and because of their involved parents. Not because of anything DCPS does.

[Anonymous]

Well, DCPS is getting a little better, e.g. putting more resources into school libraries and enrichment, particularly language/cultural instruction. They're also renovating a good many buildings and giving strong principals 3-year contracts. Not much to hang your hat on, but you can say that improvement comes from NOTHING DCPS is doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, DCPS is getting a little better, e.g. putting more resources into school libraries and enrichment, particularly language/cultural instruction. They're also renovating a good many buildings and giving strong principals 3-year contracts. Not much to hang your hat on, but you can say that improvement comes from NOTHING DCPS is doing.

They are definitely good at spending money.

[Anonymous]

Not a lot of bang for your buck, I agree, but they are improving.

[Anonymous]

We moved from a HRCS to a DCPS. Could not be happier, and truly appreciate the infrastructure provided by the DCPS. In all honesty- we did not know what we were missing- until we experienced both.

But agree- most SES would either have left the city or gone to privates if the Charters were not options. We have many friends from Hillcrest to Brookland to Petworth and beyond for whom this is true, having met them at the HRCS.

[Anonymous]

Don't freak out!

[Anonymous]

Good luck.