Gifted programs, lack of, in DC

[Anonymous]

Actually, the time to start talking is now, because I'm sure blacks account for less than 50% of the taxpayers in the city. Do you know of a way to check the racial breakdown of people paying property tax or income tax -- the source of school funding?

Everyone is paying property taxes, either through their own home ownership or through their landlords.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, the time to start talking is now, because I'm sure blacks account for less than 50% of the taxpayers in the city. Do you know of a way to check the racial breakdown of people paying property tax or income tax -- the source of school funding?

Everyone is paying property taxes, either through their own home ownership or through their landlords.

Sure....that's analogous to what rich folks say, that they pay taxes either directly or through all the companies and jobs they create, hence their overwhelming burden.

Fact is, perhaps it's time to stop making educational policy based on race (which is the point that started this whole digression from the topic of gifted programs)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, the time to start talking is now, because I'm sure blacks account for less than 50% of the taxpayers in the city. Do you know of a way to check the racial breakdown of people paying property tax or income tax -- the source of school funding?

Everyone is paying property taxes, either through their own home ownership or through their landlords.

Sure....that's analogous to what rich folks say, that they pay taxes either directly or through all the companies and jobs they create, hence their overwhelming burden.

Fact is, perhaps it's time to stop making educational policy based on race (which is the point that started this whole digression from the topic of gifted programs)

Good idea, so let's agree to scrap the talk about wanting a traditional, test-in GT program that is based on outdated concepts of intelligence and that the evidence shows significantly overidentifies whites and Asians.

Instead, let's focus on equipping our classrooms/teachers with the resources and training they need to meet the needs of their students--whether they be advanced students or not. And this is exactly (in terms of the differentiation approach) what we have heard quite a few folks on here say over time. (That their schools actually do differentiate for advanced students and do a decent job at it.) Not everyone needs to have the label of "gifted" stamped on their kid's forehead to feel special.

[Anonymous]

The crazy thing about this discussion is that most of you demanding it wouldn't have a kid test into one of these programs. Everyone here thinks their snowflake is special but reality is they may not be. Reading a grade level above does not make a kid gifted. Queue the hundreds of parents that had their DC tested when considering private in 3,2,1.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, the time to start talking is now, because I'm sure blacks account for less than 50% of the taxpayers in the city. Do you know of a way to check the racial breakdown of people paying property tax or income tax -- the source of school funding?

Everyone is paying property taxes, either through their own home ownership or through their landlords.

Sure....that's analogous to what rich folks say, that they pay taxes either directly or through all the companies and jobs they create, hence their overwhelming burden.

Fact is, perhaps it's time to stop making educational policy based on race (which is the point that started this whole digression from the topic of gifted programs)

Good idea, so let's agree to scrap the talk about wanting a traditional, test-in GT program that is based on outdated concepts of intelligence and that the evidence shows significantly overidentifies whites and Asians.

Instead, let's focus on equipping our classrooms/teachers with the resources and training they need to meet the needs of their students--whether they be advanced students or not. And this is exactly (in terms of the differentiation approach) what we have heard quite a few folks on here say over time. (That their schools actually do differentiate for advanced students and do a decent job at it.) Not everyone needs to have the label of "gifted" stamped on their kid's forehead to feel special.

Wow, you cannot control your race obsession. Let objective assessments do their job -- they are much better than armchair sociologists and old biases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, the time to start talking is now, because I'm sure blacks account for less than 50% of the taxpayers in the city. Do you know of a way to check the racial breakdown of people paying property tax or income tax -- the source of school funding?

Everyone is paying property taxes, either through their own home ownership or through their landlords.

Sure....that's analogous to what rich folks say, that they pay taxes either directly or through all the companies and jobs they create, hence their overwhelming burden.

Fact is, perhaps it's time to stop making educational policy based on race (which is the point that started this whole digression from the topic of gifted programs)

Good idea, so let's agree to scrap the talk about wanting a traditional, test-in GT program that is based on outdated concepts of intelligence and that the evidence shows significantly overidentifies whites and Asians.

Instead, let's focus on equipping our classrooms/teachers with the resources and training they need to meet the needs of their students--whether they be advanced students or not. And this is exactly (in terms of the differentiation approach) what we have heard quite a few folks on here say over time. (That their schools actually do differentiate for advanced students and do a decent job at it.) Not everyone needs to have the label of "gifted" stamped on their kid's forehead to feel special.

Wow, you cannot control your race obsession. Let objective assessments do their job -- they are much better than armchair sociologists and old biases.

Understanding biases in "objective assessments" is an obsession? Then color me obsessed. You'd rather stick your head in the sand?

[Anonymous]

I have no problem with separating DC kids into Yale or jail tracks, and frankly don't care what happens to the latter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no problem with separating DC kids into Yale or jail tracks, and frankly don't care what happens to the latter.

Do you ever wonder why rational people disregard you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, the time to start talking is now, because I'm sure blacks account for less than 50% of the taxpayers in the city. Do you know of a way to check the racial breakdown of people paying property tax or income tax -- the source of school funding?

Everyone is paying property taxes, either through their own home ownership or through their landlords.

Sure....that's analogous to what rich folks say, that they pay taxes either directly or through all the companies and jobs they create, hence their overwhelming burden.

Fact is, perhaps it's time to stop making educational policy based on race (which is the point that started this whole digression from the topic of gifted programs)

Good idea, so let's agree to scrap the talk about wanting a traditional, test-in GT program that is based on outdated concepts of intelligence and that the evidence shows significantly overidentifies whites and Asians.

Instead, let's focus on equipping our classrooms/teachers with the resources and training they need to meet the needs of their students--whether they be advanced students or not. And this is exactly (in terms of the differentiation approach) what we have heard quite a few folks on here say over time. (That their schools actually do differentiate for advanced students and do a decent job at it.) Not everyone needs to have the label of "gifted" stamped on their kid's forehead to feel special.

Yes. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

DCPS can't even meet the needs of average students never mind the gifted. The majority of kids in DCPS in all testing grades are below grade level in reading and math including high schoolers. Quite understandable why they don't bother with gifted education since they are woefully inadequate in teaching anyone.

[Anonymous]

Not remotely "understandable;" no, utterly myopic. If DC wants to dramatically improve its fraught public school system, it needs to woo and retain high SES parents in droves by dangling carrots before them. Better support for advanced learners across the board is a sop they'd go for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not remotely "understandable;" no, utterly myopic. If DC wants to dramatically improve its fraught public school system, it needs to woo and retain high SES parents in droves by dangling carrots before them. Better support for advanced learners across the board is a sop they'd go for.

And who is going to lead the charge for a (majority white) test-in school when DCPS can't get the majority of kids at grade level and commit political suicide?

Woo high SES parents? They already send their kids to private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not remotely "understandable;" no, utterly myopic. If DC wants to dramatically improve its fraught public school system, it needs to woo and retain high SES parents in droves by dangling carrots before them. Better support for advanced learners across the board is a sop they'd go for.

And who is going to lead the charge for a (majority white) test-in school when DCPS can't get the majority of kids at grade level and commit political suicide?

Woo high SES parents? They already send their kids to private schools.

Yep. Gentrification can't come soon enough. Let's see what the city looks like in 10 years

[Anonymous]

We are a highly educated AA family, and I was in G&T programs myself growing up. I would love it if a G&T program were available in DC--although not because I think it's a given that my kid will get in when it's time. I simply want her to be surrounded by an academically strong, hard-working peer group in the later grades. If the lure of G&T will convince more high SES parents to remain in the DCPS system, then hey, whatever it takes. Otherwise, if we're still in the area and feel Deal/Wilson won't offer a strong enough peer group, we'll explore private options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no problem with separating DC kids into Yale or jail tracks, and frankly don't care what happens to the latter.

So a kid that is of average intelligence is resigned to a life of crime and prison? What if that average kid is white?