New to DCI at middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You "plan to give DCI a try." Great, come talk to us several years in, after you're tired of supplementing.

Last year, we hired tutors for math, language and writing. This year, we won't return.

Um, "supplementing" is not the norm even among high-ses families at DCI. At least not in HS, where the program is quite rigorous. My child is a 2021 grad who had an enviable list of college acceptances this year, as did many classmates. And my child received a great score on the IB diploma. Based on what I've heard from my child and friends, the high performers are very well prepared for their selective colleges, including humanities, stem and their respective languages.

Other misinformation - DCI offers HL diploma classes in all languages as well as Language A in 3 languages, with the potential for bilingual diplomas.

Class of 2021 definitely didn't suffer mass defections in 8th-to-9th, and I have heard the retention rate grows every year. So no, high-ses families are not giving up on DCI by a longshot. And many families are buying into the surrounding neighborhoods, feeling like they've won the lottery, so to speak.

Ask the school to refer you to parents of recent grads if you have doubts. I think there is a lot of repeat posting on these sites by a disgruntled heritage family from a DCI feeder who really isn't representative of most parent views/experience with DCI (or its feeder for that matter).

[Anonymous]

Anyone that is so strongly showing a bias, in favor or against, something, is not someone I would trust to provide a balanced opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You "plan to give DCI a try." Great, come talk to us several years in, after you're tired of supplementing.

Last year, we hired tutors for math, language and writing. This year, we won't return.

Um, "supplementing" is not the norm even among high-ses families at DCI. At least not in HS, where the program is quite rigorous. My child is a 2021 grad who had an enviable list of college acceptances this year, as did many classmates. And my child received a great score on the IB diploma. Based on what I've heard from my child and friends, the high performers are very well prepared for their selective colleges, including humanities, stem and their respective languages.

Other misinformation - DCI offers HL diploma classes in all languages as well as Language A in 3 languages, with the potential for bilingual diplomas.

Class of 2021 definitely didn't suffer mass defections in 8th-to-9th, and I have heard the retention rate grows every year. So no, high-ses families are not giving up on DCI by a longshot. And many families are buying into the surrounding neighborhoods, feeling like they've won the lottery, so to speak.

Ask the school to refer you to parents of recent grads if you have doubts. I think there is a lot of repeat posting on these sites by a disgruntled heritage family from a DCI feeder who really isn't representative of most parent views/experience with DCI (or its feeder for that matter).

NP trying to keep an open mind. It's nice that DCI offers higher l evel diploma classes in all languages. Not so nice if kids are scoring 2 and 3s on the exams (high score is 7 for those who don't know).

OK then, how great? Low 30s? Mid 30s? High 30s? Low 40s? Serious question.

We corresponded with IB Diploma Geneva recently and were told the June 2021 DCI average pass was in the high 20s.

I understand that's around a C- in IB Diploma terms.

PS. I admit that I don't mind haering from "disgruntled heritage families" who point out that very few DCI students (if any) mainly speak French or Chinese at home. It's a valid criticism, difficult to whitewash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone that is so strongly showing a bias, in favor or against, something, is not someone I would trust to provide a balanced opinion.

Which info do you trust, data on ib pass point totals? College admissions data?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You "plan to give DCI a try." Great, come talk to us several years in, after you're tired of supplementing.

Last year, we hired tutors for math, language and writing. This year, we won't return.

Um, "supplementing" is not the norm even among high-ses families at DCI. At least not in HS, where the program is quite rigorous. My child is a 2021 grad who had an enviable list of college acceptances this year, as did many classmates. And my child received a great score on the IB diploma. Based on what I've heard from my child and friends, the high performers are very well prepared for their selective colleges, including humanities, stem and their respective languages.

Other misinformation - DCI offers HL diploma classes in all languages as well as Language A in 3 languages, with the potential for bilingual diplomas.

Class of 2021 definitely didn't suffer mass defections in 8th-to-9th, and I have heard the retention rate grows every year. So no, high-ses families are not giving up on DCI by a longshot. And many families are buying into the surrounding neighborhoods, feeling like they've won the lottery, so to speak.

Ask the school to refer you to parents of recent grads if you have doubts. I think there is a lot of repeat posting on these sites by a disgruntled heritage family from a DCI feeder who really isn't representative of most parent views/experience with DCI (or its feeder for that matter).

NP trying to keep an open mind. It's nice that DCI offers higher l evel diploma classes in all languages. Not so nice if kids are scoring 2 and 3s on the exams (high score is 7 for those who don't know).

OK then, how great? Low 30s? Mid 30s? High 30s? Low 40s? Serious question.

We corresponded with IB Diploma Geneva recently and were told the June 2021 DCI average pass was in the high 20s.

I understand that's around a C- in IB Diploma terms.

PS. I admit that I don't mind haering from "disgruntled heritage families" who point out that very few DCI students (if any) mainly speak French or Chinese at home. It's a valid criticism, difficult to whitewash.

Well I’m very impressed that DCI pass points are in the high 20’s for a new high school that just graduated their 2nd class. The average scores last year was 29 or 30. In addition, 75% of the schools that offer IB diploma are private. The remaining 25%, many are test in.

So for DCI, a school that takes all, to average high 20’s after graduating 2 classes is a great start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You "plan to give DCI a try." Great, come talk to us several years in, after you're tired of supplementing.

Last year, we hired tutors for math, language and writing. This year, we won't return.

Um, "supplementing" is not the norm even among high-ses families at DCI. At least not in HS, where the program is quite rigorous. My child is a 2021 grad who had an enviable list of college acceptances this year, as did many classmates. And my child received a great score on the IB diploma. Based on what I've heard from my child and friends, the high performers are very well prepared for their selective colleges, including humanities, stem and their respective languages.

Other misinformation - DCI offers HL diploma classes in all languages as well as Language A in 3 languages, with the potential for bilingual diplomas.

Class of 2021 definitely didn't suffer mass defections in 8th-to-9th, and I have heard the retention rate grows every year. So no, high-ses families are not giving up on DCI by a longshot. And many families are buying into the surrounding neighborhoods, feeling like they've won the lottery, so to speak.

Ask the school to refer you to parents of recent grads if you have doubts. I think there is a lot of repeat posting on these sites by a disgruntled heritage family from a DCI feeder who really isn't representative of most parent views/experience with DCI (or its feeder for that matter).

NP trying to keep an open mind. It's nice that DCI offers higher l evel diploma classes in all languages. Not so nice if kids are scoring 2 and 3s on the exams (high score is 7 for those who don't know).

OK then, how great? Low 30s? Mid 30s? High 30s? Low 40s? Serious question.

We corresponded with IB Diploma Geneva recently and were told the June 2021 DCI average pass was in the high 20s.

I understand that's around a C- in IB Diploma terms.

PS. I admit that I don't mind haering from "disgruntled heritage families" who point out that very few DCI students (if any) mainly speak French or Chinese at home. It's a valid criticism, difficult to whitewash.

Well I’m very impressed that DCI pass points are in the high 20’s for a new high school that just graduated their 2nd class. The average scores last year was 29 or 30. In addition, 75% of the schools that offer IB diploma are private. The remaining 25%, many are test in.

So for DCI, a school that takes all, to average high 20’s after graduating 2 classes is a great start.

Clarification: the average IB diploma score last year was 29 or 30. This was the average for all candidates everywhere who got the IB diploma.

[Anonymous]

/\ yeah that’s not good enough for me. It may be good for XYZ qualifiers that explain low scores, but for high school I want my children in rigorous environments that will push them to become hard workers that can work through challenges and self motivate. Maybe your kids are uniquely self motivated, but mine are normal kids and need to be taught these things in a school with high standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP must have been referring to DCI middle school, which does enroll about 1,000 students. https://dcpcsb.org/district-columbia-international-middle-school

Where are you getting the data that as many Ward 1 students enroll as Ward 5 and 6?

Wow. Thanks for the data. It’s helpful that it’s broken down specifically to the middle school.

63% ELA and 42% in math of students who are on or above grade level is heads and shoulders higher than our IB middle school and similar to Washington Latin. Those numbers are impressive for a middle school that is relatively new. 95% re-enrollment does not support that many kids leave the middle school like some DCUM posters say.

Happy to see the school is doing well and will be interesting to see the trajectory and numbers in the next few years.

What the data don't report is the big drop off in the feeder school populations between 4th and 5th grades, and the big drop off between 8th and 9th grades. Many families are leaving the feeder pattern early, which means they're effectively leaving the middle school and/or the high school by shunning these programs. Look at YuYing, with 4 fourth grade classes but only 2 fifth grade classes. The reality is that half the families at the most gentrified feeder won't touch DCI. Once these families are in the DCI middle school, where are they going to go if they're not thrilled but can't afford private? Move from DC to the burbs? As PPs keeping pointing out, DCI is OK, not more.

No one said DCI is spectacular. People are saying DCI is a much better option than their neighborhood IB which is a fact.

I suggest you talk to the families in Capitol Hill and in the Deal/Wilson feeders. Same pattern in big drop off by 5th. It’s definitely not unique to YY. For ETOP, some parents are choosing Latin, Basis, private or moving to the burbs.

For WOTP, privates, burbs, small percentage DCI.

The big drop off doesn’t happen at our immersion feeder and lots of upper SES families are choosing DCI. Many more will continue to do so and make it work.

Some families are not interested in Basis or Latin and want a more well rounded experience for their kids. Some parents don’t want a small middle/high school experience with llimited electives, extracurriculars, etc. One size does not fit all.

Also look at the stats, DCI has about 19% at risk. That’s far from a school that is majority low SES. Families in the middle school who don’t like DCI have options but are choosing to stay.

Lastly, we are an upper SES families. We can afford to move WOTP for Deal, go private, or move to burbs for middle and high school. We are not interested and plan on giving DCI a try. We know many families at our school with similar profiles who are choosing to try out DCI. So your narrative is incorrect. There are upper SES families in the middle school who have options to move to burbs, go private, etc…. They chose not and make DCI work for them and supplement if needed.

You're out of date, PP. Deal and Hardy have seen big upticks in in-boundary enrollment in the last 5 years. These days, Deal doesn't just enroll majority in-boundary, it enrolls the great majority of 4th graders in its feeders. Hardy is fast catching up. But the Capitol Hill middle schools are far behind and gaining little steam in enrolling their in-boundary populations. DCI has great potential but fritters much of it away because it can because Cap Hil families are desperate for halfway decent middle schools as much as anything else.

Hardy is not fast catching up. Maybe a little more but far from catching up.

Deal isn’t doing great. Many families are bailing who can afford to go private or are moving to the burbs. The overcrowding, the terrible DL last year with virtually no in person, and Wilson’s disastrous honors for all is all dragging Deal down.

In addition, many EOTP families who normally would move WOTP for middle school are now choosing to stay put and looking at DCI. The WOTP families should actually be happy about this, because these families won’t further contribute to the severe overcrowding WOTP which affects everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You "plan to give DCI a try." Great, come talk to us several years in, after you're tired of supplementing.

Last year, we hired tutors for math, language and writing. This year, we won't return.

Um, "supplementing" is not the norm even among high-ses families at DCI. At least not in HS, where the program is quite rigorous. My child is a 2021 grad who had an enviable list of college acceptances this year, as did many classmates. And my child received a great score on the IB diploma. Based on what I've heard from my child and friends, the high performers are very well prepared for their selective colleges, including humanities, stem and their respective languages.

Other misinformation - DCI offers HL diploma classes in all languages as well as Language A in 3 languages, with the potential for bilingual diplomas.

Class of 2021 definitely didn't suffer mass defections in 8th-to-9th, and I have heard the retention rate grows every year. So no, high-ses families are not giving up on DCI by a longshot. And many families are buying into the surrounding neighborhoods, feeling like they've won the lottery, so to speak.

Ask the school to refer you to parents of recent grads if you have doubts. I think there is a lot of repeat posting on these sites by a disgruntled heritage family from a DCI feeder who really isn't representative of most parent views/experience with DCI (or its feeder for that matter).

NP trying to keep an open mind. It's nice that DCI offers higher l evel diploma classes in all languages. Not so nice if kids are scoring 2 and 3s on the exams (high score is 7 for those who don't know).

OK then, how great? Low 30s? Mid 30s? High 30s? Low 40s? Serious question.

We corresponded with IB Diploma Geneva recently and were told the June 2021 DCI average pass was in the high 20s.

I understand that's around a C- in IB Diploma terms.

PS. I admit that I don't mind haering from "disgruntled heritage families" who point out that very few DCI students (if any) mainly speak French or Chinese at home. It's a valid criticism, difficult to whitewash.

Well I’m very impressed that DCI pass points are in the high 20’s for a new high school that just graduated their 2nd class. The average scores last year was 29 or 30. In addition, 75% of the schools that offer IB diploma are private. The remaining 25%, many are test in.

So for DCI, a school that takes all, to average high 20’s after graduating 2 classes is a great start.

Clarification: the average IB diploma score last year was 29 or 30. This was the average for all candidates everywhere who got the IB diploma.

The average score internationally this year is 33. https://www.ibo.org/news/news-list/more-than-170000-students-across-the-world-receive-ib-results/

Admins at the DCI feeders, and at DCI itself, love to pretend that families don't need to supplement seriously on language to ace IBD language tests if they don't mainly speak a language at home, and if nobody in their kids' classes mainly speaks the language at home (generally true for French and Mandarin).

If you buy this nonsense as a DCI parent, you're a sucker. A well-intentioned sucker, but still a sucker.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps you should suck it and stop bashing an amazing school?

[Anonymous]

Maybe you should get a grip. Did you earn an IB diploma? The curriculum was developed in Switzerland 50 years ago to serve the children of diplomat types attending international schools. The exams are no joke at the higher level. Unfortunately, the way the DCI feeders and DCI try to do IB-diploma-for-all only works so well where this particular curriculum goes. Not offering enough math, science, or ELA challenge for the most advanced students coming up the chain, or actual two-way language immersion, doesn't help. I don't doubt that a few DCI grads get into top colleges anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You "plan to give DCI a try." Great, come talk to us several years in, after you're tired of supplementing.

Last year, we hired tutors for math, language and writing. This year, we won't return.

Um, "supplementing" is not the norm even among high-ses families at DCI. At least not in HS, where the program is quite rigorous. My child is a 2021 grad who had an enviable list of college acceptances this year, as did many classmates. And my child received a great score on the IB diploma. Based on what I've heard from my child and friends, the high performers are very well prepared for their selective colleges, including humanities, stem and their respective languages.

Other misinformation - DCI offers HL diploma classes in all languages as well as Language A in 3 languages, with the potential for bilingual diplomas.

Class of 2021 definitely didn't suffer mass defections in 8th-to-9th, and I have heard the retention rate grows every year. So no, high-ses families are not giving up on DCI by a longshot. And many families are buying into the surrounding neighborhoods, feeling like they've won the lottery, so to speak.

Ask the school to refer you to parents of recent grads if you have doubts. I think there is a lot of repeat posting on these sites by a disgruntled heritage family from a DCI feeder who really isn't representative of most parent views/experience with DCI (or its feeder for that matter).

NP trying to keep an open mind. It's nice that DCI offers higher l evel diploma classes in all languages. Not so nice if kids are scoring 2 and 3s on the exams (high score is 7 for those who don't know).

OK then, how great? Low 30s? Mid 30s? High 30s? Low 40s? Serious question.

We corresponded with IB Diploma Geneva recently and were told the June 2021 DCI average pass was in the high 20s.

I understand that's around a C- in IB Diploma terms.

PS. I admit that I don't mind haering from "disgruntled heritage families" who point out that very few DCI students (if any) mainly speak French or Chinese at home. It's a valid criticism, difficult to whitewash.

Well I’m very impressed that DCI pass points are in the high 20’s for a new high school that just graduated their 2nd class. The average scores last year was 29 or 30. In addition, 75% of the schools that offer IB diploma are private. The remaining 25%, many are test in.

So for DCI, a school that takes all, to average high 20’s after graduating 2 classes is a great start.

Not the case that 75% of the schools offering IB diploma in this country are in private schools. More than two-thirds of the American programs are found in public schools. I'd be impressed with average scores in the high 20s if most of the DCI feeders didn't have the demographics to support scores that are a good ten points higher from the get go. At my mostly minority/low SES HS, not a test-in program, diploma students routinely scored in the 40s. The program operated as a self-selecting school-within-a-school program for those willing and able to handle serious IB diploma work. DCI lumps stragglers in with high performers a lot, even in HS. The parents I know who supplement with immersion summer camps and so forth don't advertise what they're doing.

[Anonymous]

School within a school IBDiploma is the norm in this Metro area. Test-in isn't.

[Anonymous]

DCI is one of the very few public schools anywhere offering IB for ALL. I can't believe the entitlement that some parents are showing acting like it should be a private school for highly privileged students. It seeks to provide a world-class education to everyone! If your child really needs such a rarefied set of classes, why not send them to WIS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCI is one of the very few public schools anywhere offering IB for ALL. I can't believe the entitlement that some parents are showing acting like it should be a private school for highly privileged students. It seeks to provide a world-class education to everyone! If your child really needs such a rarefied set of classes, why not send them to WIS?

Lol, "world class education." Sure, Jan.