Pre-K 3: Free in DC, but seems like a real lack of schools, especially in NW!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's no free PK-3 and limited PK-4 (space allowing - not by right) in Ward 3 because the funding to start PK in DC (law passed in 2008) was funded in part with federal funding from Head Start targeted to better education for low income children. Ten years ago virtually all schools EOTP were majority low income.

That said, the time may be coming that DC has the income to fund universal PK3. One could also fairly comment that the lack of PK3 in Ward 3 means PK3 spots EOTP are taken by families who will leave later for their in bounds school. There aren't sufficient seats to meet the demand for PK in all locations, but meanwhile home prices and taxes mean DC's revenue is going up, up, up.

DC's revenue is down this year, in part due to the shutdown. If you want PK3 in WOTP schools are you going to build additions to them (which costs a lot and takes away from the playing field and your kids will spend years in the swing space at Meyer) or are you going to shrink the boundaries so fewer people have rights to the more crowded schools WOTP?

I'm not endorsing any particular plan. The overcrowding indicates schools need to expand or additional schools should be built or both. There are also not a sufficient number of PK spots across the city to meet demand. The government shutdown this year is but a blip on the 20 year trend of housing, property and income taxes in DC. The population increases combined with redevelopment and infill development of many parts of the city mean there are far more properties and incomes being taxed and at a much higher rate. The trend is still up, up, up over the long term. At some point the city can decide it can afford more schools or expand access to preschool and as a city we can likely afford it. Certainly the renovation and construction of schools all over the city could have never happened in the DC of the 1990s (for example - Roosevelt, Dunbar, Burroughs, MacFarland, DCI, Powell - these are just a few I can think of that combines are probably a $1 billion investment). In the 1990s the city could barely get the garbage picked up and even stopped recycling due to cost...not our world anymore.

Nope and nope. The overcrowding indicates that boundaries and feeder patterns should shift so that more kids are assigned to less crowded schools.

And there are a sufficient number of PK spots across the city to meet demand: each year after the lottery there are PK seats that are still available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

Do people in Montgomery Count pay for private fire and EMS? No, they don't. They just don't get private PK3. Most jurisdictions in the country don't get free public PK3, either.

If there was space and money to offer PK3 in Ward 3, that would be nice. But it's just not a big enough priority for most people to get worked up about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

NP--

Oh no! You live in Ward 3 and have to go to another part of the city to get free Pre 3? Quelle dommage!

Ask the rest of the city where they have to go for decent DCPS middle and high school years!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

NP--

Oh no! You live in Ward 3 and have to go to another part of the city to get free Pre 3? Quelle dommage!

Ask the rest of the city where they have to go for decent DCPS middle and high school years!

I agree DCPS resources are better used elsewhere. But why does the rest of the city deride W3 and yet sends or wants to send there kids to W3 schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

NP--

Oh no! You live in Ward 3 and have to go to another part of the city to get free Pre 3? Quelle dommage!

Ask the rest of the city where they have to go for decent DCPS middle and high school years!

I agree DCPS resources are better used elsewhere. But why does the rest of the city deride W3 and yet sends or wants to send there kids to W3 schools?

jealousy lol. Many people would love to be in Ward 3 but they simply can't afford it so they are EOTP/capitol hill where the school situation is much murkier

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

I can afford to pay for it now, and I can afford to save for college for later. There are plenty of people in D.C. who have more urgent needs for the tax money that could be spent providing free PK3 in the wealthiest neighborhoods in town. So no, I don't get worked up about the fact that I, and other people who are as lucky as I am, have to pay for private preschool. Free PK3 remains an option for Ward 3, anyway: You can just lottery in to a program somewhere else in the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

NP--

Oh no! You live in Ward 3 and have to go to another part of the city to get free Pre 3? Quelle dommage!

Ask the rest of the city where they have to go for decent DCPS middle and high school years!

I agree DCPS resources are better used elsewhere. But why does the rest of the city deride W3 and yet sends or wants to send there kids to W3 schools?

We don't actually want to. It is the best of some bad options, but we want better schools EOTP. Free preschool for high-income people is not a priority over that.

WOPT needs to sort itself out. Free preschool or relief from crowding or reboundarying. Take your pick. Until you get it together you have only yourselves to blame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

NP--

Oh no! You live in Ward 3 and have to go to another part of the city to get free Pre 3? Quelle dommage!

Ask the rest of the city where they have to go for decent DCPS middle and high school years!

I agree DCPS resources are better used elsewhere. But why does the rest of the city deride W3 and yet sends or wants to send there kids to W3 schools?

We don't actually want to. It is the best of some bad options, but we want better schools EOTP. Free preschool for high-income people is not a priority over that.

WOPT needs to sort itself out. Free preschool or relief from crowding or reboundarying. Take your pick. Until you get it together you have only yourselves to blame.

Point taken on WOTP PK3 being way down on the priority list. But asking them to get it together and having themselves to blame? Isn't that a bit word salady?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

NP--

Oh no! You live in Ward 3 and have to go to another part of the city to get free Pre 3? Quelle dommage!

Ask the rest of the city where they have to go for decent DCPS middle and high school years!

I agree DCPS resources are better used elsewhere. But why does the rest of the city deride W3 and yet sends or wants to send there kids to W3 schools?

We don't actually want to. It is the best of some bad options, but we want better schools EOTP. Free preschool for high-income people is not a priority over that.

WOPT needs to sort itself out. Free preschool or relief from crowding or reboundarying. Take your pick. Until you get it together you have only yourselves to blame.

Point taken on WOTP PK3 being way down on the priority list. But asking them to get it together and having themselves to blame? Isn't that a bit word salady?

No it is not word salad. WOTP lacks preschool because of overcrowded school buildings. They complain about crowding and lack of preschool simultaneously, and can't reach a consensus on what to do. They don't want to change the boundaries either. Additional schools will just increase the pressure on Wilson. They could advocate for real improvements elsewhere that might help, but they don't care to. So cry me a river.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

NP--

Oh no! You live in Ward 3 and have to go to another part of the city to get free Pre 3? Quelle dommage!

Ask the rest of the city where they have to go for decent DCPS middle and high school years!

I agree DCPS resources are better used elsewhere. But why does the rest of the city deride W3 and yet sends or wants to send there kids to W3 schools?

We don't actually want to. It is the best of some bad options, but we want better schools EOTP. Free preschool for high-income people is not a priority over that.

WOPT needs to sort itself out. Free preschool or relief from crowding or reboundarying. Take your pick. Until you get it together you have only yourselves to blame.

Then don’t. Use your neighborhood school. End OOB and shrink boundaries for Wilson feeders. Free Prek is already available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

NP--

Oh no! You live in Ward 3 and have to go to another part of the city to get free Pre 3? Quelle dommage!

Ask the rest of the city where they have to go for decent DCPS middle and high school years!

I agree DCPS resources are better used elsewhere. But why does the rest of the city deride W3 and yet sends or wants to send there kids to W3 schools?

We don't actually want to. It is the best of some bad options, but we want better schools EOTP. Free preschool for high-income people is not a priority over that.

WOPT needs to sort itself out. Free preschool or relief from crowding or reboundarying. Take your pick. Until you get it together you have only yourselves to blame.

Point taken on WOTP PK3 being way down on the priority list. But asking them to get it together and having themselves to blame? Isn't that a bit word salady?

No it is not word salad. WOTP lacks preschool because of overcrowded school buildings. They complain about crowding and lack of preschool simultaneously, and can't reach a consensus on what to do. They don't want to change the boundaries either. Additional schools will just increase the pressure on Wilson. They could advocate for real improvements elsewhere that might help, but they don't care to. So cry me a river.

Why should Ward 3 families be required to do this? Are any Ward 5 families going to bat over the overcrowding at Wilson?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

NP--

Oh no! You live in Ward 3 and have to go to another part of the city to get free Pre 3? Quelle dommage!

Ask the rest of the city where they have to go for decent DCPS middle and high school years!

I agree DCPS resources are better used elsewhere. But why does the rest of the city deride W3 and yet sends or wants to send there kids to W3 schools?

We don't actually want to. It is the best of some bad options, but we want better schools EOTP. Free preschool for high-income people is not a priority over that.

WOPT needs to sort itself out. Free preschool or relief from crowding or reboundarying. Take your pick. Until you get it together you have only yourselves to blame.

Point taken on WOTP PK3 being way down on the priority list. But asking them to get it together and having themselves to blame? Isn't that a bit word salady?

No it is not word salad. WOTP lacks preschool because of overcrowded school buildings. They complain about crowding and lack of preschool simultaneously, and can't reach a consensus on what to do. They don't want to change the boundaries either. Additional schools will just increase the pressure on Wilson. They could advocate for real improvements elsewhere that might help, but they don't care to. So cry me a river.

Why should Ward 3 families be required to do this? Are any Ward 5 families going to bat over the overcrowding at Wilson?

+1. In a reasonable world, responsibility for solving overcrowding would belong to DCPS — you know, the people who actually get paid with our tax dollars to manage the schools — not to the parents of the students.

[Anonymous]

DCPS should solve overcrowding by moving the lines and reducing attendance zones. That's the only way.

It isn't even enough to shut out Bancroft and Shepherd (everyone's favorite solutions). Gotta be bolder than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sending the middle schoolers at Adams to MacFarland and the middle schoolers at Francis Stevens to Cardozo would open up probably 15 more classrooms WOTP that could be used for PK, and better utilize the under-enrolled schools.

Moving art instruction in-house at the schools currently served by Fillmore would allow several more classrooms there.

Wards 2 and 3 just need to decide which they prefer and start lobbying for whatever they decide. Parents of 1 and 2 year olds would like there to be 20 more PK classrooms near them, and it can be done with minimal capital investment. Parents of older kids like Fillmore and their current assigned middle and high school. And the parents of older kids are easier to organize because they can work through existing PTAs and they aren't exhausted by taking care of babies. So it's a hard fight for the parents of younger kids to win. But it could easily be done if there were the will among constituents.

This is a dumb argument - Maybe when your kids are babies you think a year's worth of preschool is a big deal, but trust me that once your kids are actually in the school you will see that overcrowding, no lunch rooms, 27 kids in a class, no available seats in key high school classes, eating lunch at 10 a.m., overworked school counselors, classes too big for a teacher to adequately give written feedback, etc. etc. is a far far bigger deal. You want free PK3? It's all yours if you are willing to drive a couple of miles. Save your advocacy energy for the bigger challenges to come.

+1

I think the research is pretty consistent that PK3 provides marginal benefits for MC/UMC kids who are already exposed to language, museums, music, etc. It is a low priority because it doesn't provide much bang for the buck among that population. And because the real issues WOTP are related to overcrowding. Ward 3 has decided which it prefers--it prefers no PK3 in exchange for more space for K-5. No one cares except parents of toddlers, and they soon become parents of not-toddlers and don't care anymore.

+1, from a Ward 3 parent of a middle schooler and a high schooler. I cannot get worked up over the lack of preK 3 in upper NW. in fact, I have always thought that preK 3 and 4 was DCPS’s secret weapon in pulling educated families into struggling schools.

Can’t get worked up? You realize the cost of center based private PK3 is about $24,000/year in Ward 3. And the value of that money 15 years later is equivalent to a free year of college education. But that does not get you worked up?

Nope. I paid for PK3. So did everyone in MoCo and NoVa who needed PK3, given that neither county has free PK (outside of programs for low-income families). Ward 3 families have options, including commuting to free PK3 or paying for preschool or daycare. In terms of the list of where I think DC needs to devote resources, there are a million things above free PK3 for Ward 3 families.

Should Ward 3 families pay for private fire and EMS too? Have about private trash removal? They have options, right.

NP--

Oh no! You live in Ward 3 and have to go to another part of the city to get free Pre 3? Quelle dommage!

Ask the rest of the city where they have to go for decent DCPS middle and high school years!

I agree DCPS resources are better used elsewhere. But why does the rest of the city deride W3 and yet sends or wants to send there kids to W3 schools?

We don't actually want to. It is the best of some bad options, but we want better schools EOTP. Free preschool for high-income people is not a priority over that.

WOPT needs to sort itself out. Free preschool or relief from crowding or reboundarying. Take your pick. Until you get it together you have only yourselves to blame.

Point taken on WOTP PK3 being way down on the priority list. But asking them to get it together and having themselves to blame? Isn't that a bit word salady?

No it is not word salad. WOTP lacks preschool because of overcrowded school buildings. They complain about crowding and lack of preschool simultaneously, and can't reach a consensus on what to do. They don't want to change the boundaries either. Additional schools will just increase the pressure on Wilson. They could advocate for real improvements elsewhere that might help, but they don't care to. So cry me a river.

Why should Ward 3 families be required to do this? Are any Ward 5 families going to bat over the overcrowding at Wilson?

I think they are, if they have a child at Wilson. Personally this Ward 5 parent doesn't care. Wilson parents are the ones complaining, so why not come together around a proposal? Its not like you have no influence, there are a lot of you.