2017 "Most Challenging" High Schools List (Wash Post/Jay Mathews) is out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not much news here.

Among publics in DC SWW still ranks highest, followed by Banneker.

Washington Latin's SAT/ACT scores seem low - and only 18% of last year's seniors passed at least 1 AP exam?

But wait, isn't SAT scores the only reason white folk won't look at Banneker? Yet they'll flock to Latin. Sad.

Excellent point.

Banneker - SAT average for 2016 = 1038
Washington Latin - SAT average for 2016 = 943

Why do people send kids there?

I'm talking about Latin, and I'm really asking.

Latin's 18% AP participation is so grim that it sounds like a typo. Could it be a mistake? How can this be possible after a MS program offering great rigor/a classical education? I would have guessed that at least 2/3 of Latin HS students take APs, and that the SAT average was, say 1200. What is going at at this to-die-for charter? The Emperor may have clothes, but just underwear.

It isn't participation rate - it is the % of graduating seniors (class of 2016) who passed 1 or more AP exams with a 3 or higher.

I looked up Latin's score on same criteria for class of 2015 - it was 21%, so I doubt this year is a typo.

Demographically the current WL MS is much more affluent than the current WL high school enrollment. So I assume that metric will be different in 4 or 5 years just based on the demographic shift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because an average SAT score, GPA, and AP tests passed says nothing about how individual kids (your kid, my kid) will do at the school. If you don't want to send your kid there, fine. More spots for those of us who want them.

Which is hilarious because people in here go on and on and on about data. Until that school has above 95% minority and then "it's not good for my child".

People in this forum aren't fooling anyone. It almost always comes down to racism, even if the poster doesn't go around using racist terms out loud. The reason why more white people dont look at Banneker is racism pure and simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because an average SAT score, GPA, and AP tests passed says nothing about how individual kids (your kid, my kid) will do at the school. If you don't want to send your kid there, fine. More spots for those of us who want them.

Which is hilarious because people in here go on and on and on about data. Until that school has above 95% minority and then "it's not good for my child".

People in this forum aren't fooling anyone. It almost always comes down to racism, even if the poster doesn't go around using racist terms out loud. The reason why more white people dont look at Banneker is racism pure and simple.

This.

[Anonymous]

So I looked at WLs last few year's stats on the Post/Jay Mathews list.

Back in 2014 (reflecting 2013 grads) the percentage passing 1 of more APs was 50%. And it has decreased each year since.

So it may be something to ask the HOS about if you are a current or prospective Latin parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because an average SAT score, GPA, and AP tests passed says nothing about how individual kids (your kid, my kid) will do at the school. If you don't want to send your kid there, fine. More spots for those of us who want them.

Which is hilarious because people in here go on and on and on about data. Until that school has above 95% minority and then "it's not good for my child".

People in this forum aren't fooling anyone. It almost always comes down to racism, even if the poster doesn't go around using racist terms out loud. The reason why more white people dont look at Banneker is racism pure and simple.

This.

Kind of like how "white people" aren't flocking to enroll in historically black colleges. Racists!! Or why black folks continue to enroll in historically black colleges rather than choose more diverse campuses. We have a plague of racists everywhere, BAD!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because an average SAT score, GPA, and AP tests passed says nothing about how individual kids (your kid, my kid) will do at the school. If you don't want to send your kid there, fine. More spots for those of us who want them.

Which is hilarious because people in here go on and on and on about data. Until that school has above 95% minority and then "it's not good for my child".

People in this forum aren't fooling anyone. It almost always comes down to racism, even if the poster doesn't go around using racist terms out loud. The reason why more white people dont look at Banneker is racism pure and simple.

This.

Ugh quit bithching about it and careful what you wish for. Black people have something that white people dont want it boils down to racism right? But when white people decide that it is worth having and move in and displace black people that's racism too... gotcha.

What it sounds like black people really want is to finally have something that white people want but they can't just automatically take form them like everything else they have ever wanted in the history of forever. Banneker will eventually change when there simply isn't enough black people in the district to have a dedicated high school to them selves. When it progresses to 25% white, 50% white or even 60% white will you be happy then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I looked at WLs last few year's stats on the Post/Jay Mathews list.

Back in 2014 (reflecting 2013 grads) the percentage passing 1 of more APs was 50%. And it has decreased each year since.

So it may be something to ask the HOS about if you are a current or prospective Latin parent.

Strange and troubling. It's not as though the school is new or unstable - they've been around for 12 years, with the same head until last year, and at least 2/3 of the current juniors and seniors started there in 5th grade. Something is rotten in the state of Latin. If anybody has insight into this slip sliding away trend, please share.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because an average SAT score, GPA, and AP tests passed says nothing about how individual kids (your kid, my kid) will do at the school. If you don't want to send your kid there, fine. More spots for those of us who want them.

Which is hilarious because people in here go on and on and on about data. Until that school has above 95% minority and then "it's not good for my child".

People in this forum aren't fooling anyone. It almost always comes down to racism, even if the poster doesn't go around using racist terms out loud. The reason why more white people dont look at Banneker is racism pure and simple.

This.

Kind of like how "white people" aren't flocking to enroll in historically black colleges. Racists!! Or why black folks continue to enroll in historically black colleges rather than choose more diverse campuses. We have a plague of racists everywhere, BAD!!

If it makes you look better. The problem with your analogy is it with college choice, families have a choice, often with better colleges. In DC, there aren't a plethora of good high schools. In fact, white families are CHOOSING inferior high schools (Latin).

[Anonymous]

*feel better

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I looked at WLs last few year's stats on the Post/Jay Mathews list.

Back in 2014 (reflecting 2013 grads) the percentage passing 1 of more APs was 50%. And it has decreased each year since.

So it may be something to ask the HOS about if you are a current or prospective Latin parent.

Strange and troubling. It's not as though the school is new or unstable - they've been around for 12 years, with the same head until last year, and at least 2/3 of the current juniors and seniors started there in 5th grade. Something is rotten in the state of Latin. If anybody has insight into this slip sliding away trend, please share.

Can't wait to hear the explanation, given how Latin parents crow about the school's rigor and Ivy League acceptances. Demographics? Try again - they were less favorable in 2014!

[Anonymous]

I always thought about Banneker as more of a discipline Academy than an elite institution of education. By hand selecting their kids and rigidly enforcing minimum standards and ejecting the kids that don't cut it before they pull down their averages, the school skews it's results that honestly are only average at best even after all of that. This also (I suspect) lessens the populations of motivated black students at the remaining majority black high schools in the district exacerbating the perception of those as drop out mills. This article does nothing to change that perception.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always thought about Banneker as more of a discipline Academy than an elite institution of education. By hand selecting their kids and rigidly enforcing minimum standards and ejecting the kids that don't cut it before they pull down their averages, the school skews it's results that honestly are only average at best even after all of that. This also (I suspect) lessens the populations of motivated black students at the remaining majority black high schools in the district exacerbating the perception of those as drop out mills. This article does nothing to change that perception.

SWW does the same thing. The retention rate from 9th to 12th is low.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because an average SAT score, GPA, and AP tests passed says nothing about how individual kids (your kid, my kid) will do at the school. If you don't want to send your kid there, fine. More spots for those of us who want them.

Which is hilarious because people in here go on and on and on about data. Until that school has above 95% minority and then "it's not good for my child".

People in this forum aren't fooling anyone. It almost always comes down to racism, even if the poster doesn't go around using racist terms out loud. The reason why more white people dont look at Banneker is racism pure and simple.

This.

Kind of like how "white people" aren't flocking to enroll in historically black colleges. Racists!! Or why black folks continue to enroll in historically black colleges rather than choose more diverse campuses. We have a plague of racists everywhere, BAD!!

If it makes you look better. The problem with your analogy is it with college choice, families have a choice, often with better colleges. In DC, there aren't a plethora of good high schools. In fact, white families are CHOOSING inferior high schools (Latin).

Yes exactly

but people here can keep convincing themselves they are progressive and "would NEVER" be racist. Eye roll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:but people here can keep convincing themselves they are progressive and "would NEVER" be racist. Eye roll.

So will you please commit here that you won't be one of the people screaming "racist gentrification!" when white families start applying to Banneker in mass, even when Banneker becomes a majority white school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:but people here can keep convincing themselves they are progressive and "would NEVER" be racist. Eye roll.

So will you please commit here that you won't be one of the people screaming "racist gentrification!" when white families start applying to Banneker in mass, even when Banneker becomes a majority white school?

It won't. Because racism.

But like I said, most everyone here can keep trying to convince themselves.