Why does DCPS rank 49th in the country, behind poor states like Kentucky, Tennessee and WV?

[Anonymous]

Here is the answer in a nutshell:

Very low academic standards
Social promotion
Unable to deal effectively with any behavior issue ( no learning happening at all)
High truancy rates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When looking at education statistics, DC is compared to entire states. If you compared it just to US cities, you'd likely get different results.

So they are the best of inner city public schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When looking at education statistics, DC is compared to entire states. If you compared it just to US cities, you'd likely get different results.

So they are the best of inner city public schools?

No DC does very poorly compared to other cities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As others have noted, it is the wrong comparison. Compare cities to cities not to states.

As others have noted, even when you compare cities to cities, DC still has poor results.

This thing about comparable data not being available is a flimsy excuse.

What is being compared? Or is there a link?

When I look at NAEP results for cities, DC is in the middle of the pack for math and a bit higher for reading.

https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/districtprofile?chort=1&sub=MAT&sj=XQ&sfj=NL&st=MN&year=2022R3

You are interpreting the data wrong. DC is 6-10 points WORST than your baseline large city performance. Look at the shades of colors and what they stand for and how far off points wise from that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As others have noted, it is the wrong comparison. Compare cities to cities not to states.

As others have noted, even when you compare cities to cities, DC still has poor results.

This thing about comparable data not being available is a flimsy excuse.

What is being compared? Or is there a link?

When I look at NAEP results for cities, DC is in the middle of the pack for math and a bit higher for reading.

https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/districtprofile?chort=1&sub=MAT&sj=XQ&sfj=NL&st=MN&year=2022R3

You are interpreting the data wrong. DC is 6-10 points WORST than your baseline large city performance. Look at the shades of colors and what they stand for and how far off points wise from that.

Forgot to add, looking at 8th grade which is better representation than 4th

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At what point will people admit no amount of money thrown at a school system will fix what is wrong with the city's population?

Never? Educators love the idea that they can be heroes and that play the roles of both teacher and social worker for the neediest kids, and politicians love the idea that desperately needed social work can be foisted on the schools, which is easier and cheaper than the level of family services really needed.

i'm not sure how true this is. I loathe this part of my job and the expectation comes from the top. Many of us just want to teach, probably most of us, actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As others have noted, it is the wrong comparison. Compare cities to cities not to states.

As others have noted, even when you compare cities to cities, DC still has poor results.

This thing about comparable data not being available is a flimsy excuse.

What is being compared? Or is there a link?

When I look at NAEP results for cities, DC is in the middle of the pack for math and a bit higher for reading.

https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/districtprofile?chort=1&sub=MAT&sj=XQ&sfj=NL&st=MN&year=2022R3

You are interpreting the data wrong. DC is 6-10 points WORST than your baseline large city performance. Look at the shades of colors and what they stand for and how far off points wise from that.

Forgot to add, looking at 8th grade which is better representation than 4th

Above is for math and reading. Science and writing,much, much worst like greater 20 points and greater than 12 points

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At what point will people admit no amount of money thrown at a school system will fix what is wrong with the city's population?

Never? Educators love the idea that they can be heroes and that play the roles of both teacher and social worker for the neediest kids, and politicians love the idea that desperately needed social work can be foisted on the schools, which is easier and cheaper than the level of family services really needed.

I hate the teacher as a hero thing. It is the worst part of being a teacher. I am no hero and this is just a job. My family will always come first before the job.

[Anonymous]

And where did all that Covid money go? DC schools are worse than ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At what point will people admit no amount of money thrown at a school system will fix what is wrong with the city's population?

Never? Educators love the idea that they can be heroes and that play the roles of both teacher and social worker for the neediest kids, and politicians love the idea that desperately needed social work can be foisted on the schools, which is easier and cheaper than the level of family services really needed.

i'm not sure how true this is. I loathe this part of my job and the expectation comes from the top. Many of us just want to teach, probably most of us, actually.

PP here. No doubt I overstated the issue! But it exists, and strongly gor some. I wish I could find a thread here from a few months back with several teachers talking-with satisfaction--about how important they are to taking care of the basic needs of some of their students. I don't doubt that they are speaking the truth, and I don't doubt that the kids need the care! But the system should be set up so that teachers are not the first in line to provide this care, and the people who love doing that work most should be social workers, not teachers. But we've increasingly given schools those responsibilities.

[Anonymous]

Well if you were a DCPS teacher you would know the massive amounts of initiatives DCPS rolls out, 90% of which are useless or redundant. Not all principals can block them or they have their own again redundant school initiatives.
There is a lack of consequences, I am not talking about expulsion. If a child hits a teacher, peer, or the like it should not be ‘oh we teach the whole child.’ Talk about missing the point.

There is a teacher,para, and just staff shortage - this means other teachers are doing extra, this deficit varies by school.

Some teachers are more concerned with the dog and pony show that is our evaluation system. Or fear retaliation from bosses. You can be late to work 3 times 6 minutes or more and you can lose 10 points and up to 40. And there can be no impact on the school, I do understand being late when students arrive is another matter.

There is zero real consequence for frequent tarries and absences. Is it really ok to pass students missing, 25-100+ days of school? Students who won’t participate in tutoring or their parents don’t give AF?

Last why can’t DCPS offer bussing to students who are in need, not just those with an IEP or 504? This may be a can of worms or just impossible but missing school is educational neglect. For kids on their 15th day of missing school parents should pay a fine and be required to have dcps bussing.

There are a ton of other things but I’m sure other states face these issues too.
Outside of DCPS though we do need a better handle on crime, affordable housing, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When looking at education statistics, DC is compared to entire states. If you compared it just to US cities, you'd likely get different results.

So they are the best of inner city public schools?

No DC does very poorly compared to other cities

'

Which shows how truly bad DC really is because a large portion of DC is actually very expensive suburbs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At what point will people admit no amount of money thrown at a school system will fix what is wrong with the city's population?

Never? Educators love the idea that they can be heroes and that play the roles of both teacher and social worker for the neediest kids, and politicians love the idea that desperately needed social work can be foisted on the schools, which is easier and cheaper than the level of family services really needed.

I hate the teacher as a hero thing. It is the worst part of being a teacher. I am no hero and this is just a job. My family will always come first before the job.

I feel like the prior comment does not know many teachers. As a special education teacher I generally get ‘ultimate martyr/hero’ status from others. However, I don’t consider myself as such. For me I wouldn’t say it’s just a job, it’s a deep passion. I feel as though I am an important member of society and I take pride in my job. But I am not a hero and that is a nasty judgment. There is nothing wrong with finding joy in helping children, altruism rarely holds up. Also teachers constantly complain or feel upset about having to be the social worker. Honestly it is upsetting to me as well, I often try to find outside services for families which is a ton of extra work. My families absolutely deserve more that what I can give in this department.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And where did all that Covid money go? DC schools are worse than ever.

Tests, PPE and intensive in school tutoring that amounted to maybe nothing.

[Anonymous]

Most people of means move to the suburbs by middle school at the latest

DCPS has extremely high rates of poverty/at risk especially at the middle and high school level which is why the scores are so low.