New to DCI-Anything we should know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Math is, science, social studies and English not, a real drag. Language instruction has been good but DCI hasn't been nearly challenging enough for my kid in any subject but language. We're sticking it out for middle school, hoping for Walls for high school. We didn't get into any other charters.

The issue is that if your kid doesn’t come in from a feeder, your kid will not be in the high level language classes where the high performing kids are. Those classes are social studies and all electives in addition to Math which is tracked.

What you have left is science and English. English is weak across the board in DC but at least with the IB curriculum, there is alot of emphasis on writing as you go higher so forces kids to develop their writing skills. Writing is one of the strengths in IB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCI doesn’t really care about PARCC scores. Look at their STAMP and IB DP and IB CP scores. Also look at what universities their kids are accepted to. Unlike Basis, DCI doesn’t weed out kids who struggle or kids with IEPs. Basis is constantly on the verge of having their charter revoked for their failure to keep kids who require special education. Elitist crap.

Basis self selects out and you should look at their at risk numbers compared to DCI, 7% to 22%. DCI has more than 3 times the at risk so no surprise about lower PARCC scores.

We toured Basis and it was depressing as hell. Very narrow hallways way too crowded with kids, cramped dark classrooms, and they have this big room they use for lunch, after school, and whatever else because it’s all they got. Very limited in extracurriculars and sports. Very small school so socially stuck if you don’t find good group of friends.

Rigid, inflexible curriculum that narrowly focuses on AP at the cost of all else. We were not impressed with the head guy who was very young, pompous, and talked like a marketing guy/salesman trying to sell you something.

It was night and day with our tour of DCI. Beautiful campus and light filled airy building. Great facilities with library, gym, science lab, soccer fields, basketball, etc…. Lots of extracurricular clubs and sports. Large enough school but not too big and very diverse where your kid will find their niche of friends.

Our kid is high performing and we are in feeder and planning on going to DCI. Basis is not even a consideration after the visit above. Tracking in math and language is good for us. The kids who are in the high level language classes are usually the high performing kids anyway and so social studies and electives which can be taken in the language are unofficially tracked. If we need to supplement anything we can. We want a good, well-rounded middle/high school for our kid like I had in the burbs and DCI fits this bill. We also really like the IB curriculum and its emphasis on critical thinking and writing over AP.

I read that students can only take 50% of their classes in their language. What are the other 50% of classes, and will they not be unofficially tracked?

In 6th grade Spanish track, Social Studies (called Individuals and Society, I believe) and a Special (Art or Music) may be in Spanish, in addition to Spanish class, which is tracked.

Yes so you have 3 out of 6 classes tracked. Then math the 4th class is tracked. The remaining 2 classes is ELA and science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCI doesn’t really care about PARCC scores. Look at their STAMP and IB DP and IB CP scores. Also look at what universities their kids are accepted to. Unlike Basis, DCI doesn’t weed out kids who struggle or kids with IEPs. Basis is constantly on the verge of having their charter revoked for their failure to keep kids who require special education. Elitist crap.

Basis self selects out and you should look at their at risk numbers compared to DCI, 7% to 22%. DCI has more than 3 times the at risk so no surprise about lower PARCC scores.

We toured Basis and it was depressing as hell. Very narrow hallways way too crowded with kids, cramped dark classrooms, and they have this big room they use for lunch, after school, and whatever else because it’s all they got. Very limited in extracurriculars and sports. Very small school so socially stuck if you don’t find good group of friends.

Rigid, inflexible curriculum that narrowly focuses on AP at the cost of all else. We were not impressed with the head guy who was very young, pompous, and talked like a marketing guy/salesman trying to sell you something.

It was night and day with our tour of DCI. Beautiful campus and light filled airy building. Great facilities with library, gym, science lab, soccer fields, basketball, etc…. Lots of extracurricular clubs and sports. Large enough school but not too big and very diverse where your kid will find their niche of friends.

Our kid is high performing and we are in feeder and planning on going to DCI. Basis is not even a consideration after the visit above. Tracking in math and language is good for us. The kids who are in the high level language classes are usually the high performing kids anyway and so social studies and electives which can be taken in the language are unofficially tracked. If we need to supplement anything we can. We want a good, well-rounded middle/high school for our kid like I had in the burbs and DCI fits this bill. We also really like the IB curriculum and its emphasis on critical thinking and writing over AP.

Classic choice-supportive bias.

Plenty of data points show that DCI is OK but not great.

For example, according to this, BASIS DC is the best public middle school in DC, which is a conclusion backed by actual data. In fact, DCI lags behind O-A, Deal, and Hardy.

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-schools/district-of-columbia

Are you for real? Basing your rank on US news. That’s garbage.

Sure Basis has an overall high performing group than DCI due to self selection. But no one posting on here who chose Basis has refuted anything in the post above which is all true when comparing Basis and DCI.

[Anonymous]

Not buying it from DCI. Where did these kids go to college with the other IBD students who scored in the 40s, Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Princeton? I have a niece at Yale who tells me she scored 39.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not buying it from DCI. Where did these kids go to college with the other IBD students who scored in the 40s, Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Princeton? I have a niece at Yale who tells me she scored 39.

DCI has a student headed to Yale this year. Just like your niece. So DCI must be graduating students who are just as qualified as your niece.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCI doesn’t really care about PARCC scores. Look at their STAMP and IB DP and IB CP scores. Also look at what universities their kids are accepted to. Unlike Basis, DCI doesn’t weed out kids who struggle or kids with IEPs. Basis is constantly on the verge of having their charter revoked for their failure to keep kids who require special education. Elitist crap.

Basis self selects out and you should look at their at risk numbers compared to DCI, 7% to 22%. DCI has more than 3 times the at risk so no surprise about lower PARCC scores.

We toured Basis and it was depressing as hell. Very narrow hallways way too crowded with kids, cramped dark classrooms, and they have this big room they use for lunch, after school, and whatever else because it’s all they got. Very limited in extracurriculars and sports. Very small school so socially stuck if you don’t find good group of friends.

Rigid, inflexible curriculum that narrowly focuses on AP at the cost of all else. We were not impressed with the head guy who was very young, pompous, and talked like a marketing guy/salesman trying to sell you something.

It was night and day with our tour of DCI. Beautiful campus and light filled airy building. Great facilities with library, gym, science lab, soccer fields, basketball, etc…. Lots of extracurricular clubs and sports. Large enough school but not too big and very diverse where your kid will find their niche of friends.

Our kid is high performing and we are in feeder and planning on going to DCI. Basis is not even a consideration after the visit above. Tracking in math and language is good for us. The kids who are in the high level language classes are usually the high performing kids anyway and so social studies and electives which can be taken in the language are unofficially tracked. If we need to supplement anything we can. We want a good, well-rounded middle/high school for our kid like I had in the burbs and DCI fits this bill. We also really like the IB curriculum and its emphasis on critical thinking and writing over AP.

Classic choice-supportive bias.

Plenty of data points show that DCI is OK but not great.

For example, according to this, BASIS DC is the best public middle school in DC, which is a conclusion backed by actual data. In fact, DCI lags behind O-A, Deal, and Hardy.

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-schools/district-of-columbia

Are you for real? Basing your rank on US news. That’s garbage.

Sure Basis has an overall high performing group than DCI due to self selection. But no one posting on here who chose Basis has refuted anything in the post above which is all true when comparing Basis and DCI.

Your subjective opinions are "all true"? Whatever.

You made your choice. Endure it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCI doesn’t really care about PARCC scores. Look at their STAMP and IB DP and IB CP scores. Also look at what universities their kids are accepted to. Unlike Basis, DCI doesn’t weed out kids who struggle or kids with IEPs. Basis is constantly on the verge of having their charter revoked for their failure to keep kids who require special education. Elitist crap.

Basis self selects out and you should look at their at risk numbers compared to DCI, 7% to 22%. DCI has more than 3 times the at risk so no surprise about lower PARCC scores.

We toured Basis and it was depressing as hell. Very narrow hallways way too crowded with kids, cramped dark classrooms, and they have this big room they use for lunch, after school, and whatever else because it’s all they got. Very limited in extracurriculars and sports. Very small school so socially stuck if you don’t find good group of friends.

Rigid, inflexible curriculum that narrowly focuses on AP at the cost of all else. We were not impressed with the head guy who was very young, pompous, and talked like a marketing guy/salesman trying to sell you something.

It was night and day with our tour of DCI. Beautiful campus and light filled airy building. Great facilities with library, gym, science lab, soccer fields, basketball, etc…. Lots of extracurricular clubs and sports. Large enough school but not too big and very diverse where your kid will find their niche of friends.

Our kid is high performing and we are in feeder and planning on going to DCI. Basis is not even a consideration after the visit above. Tracking in math and language is good for us. The kids who are in the high level language classes are usually the high performing kids anyway and so social studies and electives which can be taken in the language are unofficially tracked. If we need to supplement anything we can. We want a good, well-rounded middle/high school for our kid like I had in the burbs and DCI fits this bill. We also really like the IB curriculum and its emphasis on critical thinking and writing over AP.

Classic choice-supportive bias.

Plenty of data points show that DCI is OK but not great.

For example, according to this, BASIS DC is the best public middle school in DC, which is a conclusion backed by actual data. In fact, DCI lags behind O-A, Deal, and Hardy.

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-schools/district-of-columbia

+1. Classic DCUM. Of course, parents aren't going to admit that they made a bad choice.

Different schools for different kids. I am sure that there are plenty of happy kids at DCI and at BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not buying it from DCI. Where did these kids go to college with the other IBD students who scored in the 40s, Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Princeton? I have a niece at Yale who tells me she scored 39.

DCI has a student headed to Yale this year. Just like your niece. So DCI must be graduating students who are just as qualified as your niece.

I am sure that this URM athlete (a talented dancer) would have done well anywhere.

The fact remains that, even after a few years at DCI, most kids there are below grade-level in math and English.

[Anonymous]

The DCI student headed to Yale is also one of 4 DC high school students to win a Milkin Scholarship!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not buying it from DCI. Where did these kids go to college with the other IBD students who scored in the 40s, Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Princeton? I have a niece at Yale who tells me she scored 39.

DCI has a student headed to Yale this year. Just like your niece. So DCI must be graduating students who are just as qualified as your niece.

I am sure that this URM athlete (a talented dancer) would have done well anywhere.

The fact remains that, even after a few years at DCI, most kids there are below grade-level in math and English.

.
The fact also remains that high SES white and Asian DCI students can’t expect any breaks in college admissions anywhere they aren’t hooked. IBD points in the low 30s, the norm for academic high fliers at DCI, just aren’t going to wow admissions officers at the most highly competitive colleges for non hooked, non first gen, non URM applicants.

[Anonymous]

Race baiting has begun again! High SES whites get all the hooks already (inherited wealth, social capital, and alumni preferences)! And no one gets preferences on race anymore anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: IBD points in the low 30s, the norm for academic high fliers at DCI, just aren’t going to wow admissions officers at the most highly competitive colleges for non hooked, non first gen, non URM applicants.

DCI students don't even take the IB Exams until late May of their senior year. Most students have already applied and been accepted to colleges by then. You don't get your IB scores until later in the summer, so unless you're doing a gap year, you don't even have them when you apply to schools.

Original poster - Don't reach out to this board for info on DCI, it always devolves into useless back and forth. I suggest joining the DCI parent listserv and asking questions there and connecting with real parents. Also, follow DCI on the various social channels as they do a good job communicating there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The DCI student headed to Yale is also one of 4 DC high school students to win a Milkin Scholarship!

Milken.

No shade to the students but Milken, the former junk bond king, served 22 months in prison and paid a $200 million fine for securities fraud. He was then pardoned by Donald Trump a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Race baiting has begun again! High SES whites get all the hooks already (inherited wealth, social capital, and alumni preferences)! And no one gets preferences on race anymore anyway.

Uh, the Supreme Court opinion was in late June 2023, and that isn't what the Court held.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: IBD points in the low 30s, the norm for academic high fliers at DCI, just aren’t going to wow admissions officers at the most highly competitive colleges for non hooked, non first gen, non URM applicants.

DCI students don't even take the IB Exams until late May of their senior year. Most students have already applied and been accepted to colleges by then. You don't get your IB scores until later in the summer, so unless you're doing a gap year, you don't even have them when you apply to schools.

Original poster - Don't reach out to this board for info on DCI, it always devolves into useless back and forth. I suggest joining the DCI parent listserv and asking questions there and connecting with real parents. Also, follow DCI on the various social channels as they do a good job communicating there.

Some of the information seems pretty useful to this parent. YMMV.