Charters Stating at 5th sucks. Can we change that already?

[Anonymous]

It makes no sense, is hard for students and schools alike as they lose half of their 5th grade classes. Why do we not change it?

[Anonymous]

It wouldn't make much difference. People are looking fir a good middlr school and might just start leaving earlier to get one. The only solution is to deal with the actual issues, not tweak the rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It wouldn't make much difference. People are looking fir a good middlr school and might just start leaving earlier to get one. The only solution is to deal with the actual issues, not tweak the rules.

+1. You could just as easily say that PK-8 is a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It wouldn't make much difference. People are looking fir a good middlr school and might just start leaving earlier to get one. The only solution is to deal with the actual issues, not tweak the rules.

+1. You could just as easily say that PK-8 is a problem.

PK-8 IS a problem. That was one of Michele Rhee's worst ideas.

[Anonymous]

There are 5500 5th graders in DCPS and charters.

The number of seats at schools which start at 5th represent a tiny percentage of the total. No need for your to attend one of them if you don't want. Chances are you won't get in anyway.

[Anonymous]

I completely agree with OP. Charters starting at 5th is a structural ploy to pull kids out of DCPS and there is no question it hurts DCPS schools. I really wish the ed policy people would find a way to align the charter and traditional public school systems. Its been a major cause of eroding DCPS middle schools throughout the city.

[Anonymous]

The middle schools in DCPS are generally horrible and my DCPS elementary school student was not going to one regardless of when they start. Some privates start at 4th - wanna cry about that, too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I completely agree with OP. Charters starting at 5th is a structural ploy to pull kids out of DCPS and there is no question it hurts DCPS schools. I really wish the ed policy people would find a way to align the charter and traditional public school systems. Its been a major cause of eroding DCPS middle schools throughout the city.

It is not a structural ploy IMO since for example BASIS starts at 5th for a very good reason which is to help get kids up to speed for a rigorous curriculum. I also don't see it as hurting DCPS since so what if there is only 1 or 2 5th grades classes in a school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are 5500 5th graders in DCPS and charters.

The number of seats at schools which start at 5th represent a tiny percentage of the total. No need for your to attend one of them if you don't want. Chances are you won't get in anyway.

Taking this a step further --

9 charters start middle school at 5th (BASIS, Cap City, EL Haynes, Wash Latin, KIPP AIM, KIPP Key, KIPP Northeast Academy, KIPP Valor and KIPP Will).

Combined they offered 428 seats in the 17-18 lottery -- out of 5500. A drop in the proverbial bucket.

BASIS - 120
Cap City - 55
EL Haynes - 6
Wash Latin - 90
KIPP AIM - 1
KIPP Key - 1
KIPP NE Academy - 125
KIPP Valor - 25
KIPP Will - 5

Everythign isn't a conspiracy to gut traditional schools. In fact, these schools could achieve that end more easily if they were PK3-8 or 12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I completely agree with OP. Charters starting at 5th is a structural ploy to pull kids out of DCPS and there is no question it hurts DCPS schools. I really wish the ed policy people would find a way to align the charter and traditional public school systems. Its been a major cause of eroding DCPS middle schools throughout the city.

Eroding? Are you arguing that DCPS used to have good middle schools that have recently gotten worse?

For a long time, every single middle school in the city was terrible. Now there are some decent options. Not as many as their should be, but it's hard to blame that on the charter schools when it was something that existed long before the first charter opened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are 5500 5th graders in DCPS and charters.

The number of seats at schools which start at 5th represent a tiny percentage of the total. No need for your to attend one of them if you don't want. Chances are you won't get in anyway.

Taking this a step further --

9 charters start middle school at 5th (BASIS, Cap City, EL Haynes, Wash Latin, KIPP AIM, KIPP Key, KIPP Northeast Academy, KIPP Valor and KIPP Will).

Combined they offered 428 seats in the 17-18 lottery -- out of 5500. A drop in the proverbial bucket.

BASIS - 120
Cap City - 55
EL Haynes - 6
Wash Latin - 90
KIPP AIM - 1
KIPP Key - 1
KIPP NE Academy - 125
KIPP Valor - 25
KIPP Will - 5

Everythign isn't a conspiracy to gut traditional schools. In fact, these schools could achieve that end more easily if they were PK3-8 or 12.

NP. Thanks for the stats. Of the ~5K left do you know what the breakdown is between schools at/near capacity ( I'll need help there but guesssing deal, hardy, Stuart-Hobson, ???) and those that are far below capacity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are 5500 5th graders in DCPS and charters.

The number of seats at schools which start at 5th represent a tiny percentage of the total. No need for your to attend one of them if you don't want. Chances are you won't get in anyway.

Taking this a step further --

9 charters start middle school at 5th (BASIS, Cap City, EL Haynes, Wash Latin, KIPP AIM, KIPP Key, KIPP Northeast Academy, KIPP Valor and KIPP Will).

Combined they offered 428 seats in the 17-18 lottery -- out of 5500. A drop in the proverbial bucket.

BASIS - 120
Cap City - 55
EL Haynes - 6
Wash Latin - 90
KIPP AIM - 1
KIPP Key - 1
KIPP NE Academy - 125
KIPP Valor - 25
KIPP Will - 5

Everythign isn't a conspiracy to gut traditional schools. In fact, these schools could achieve that end more easily if they were PK3-8 or 12.

NP. Thanks for the stats. Of the ~5K left do you know what the breakdown is between schools at/near capacity ( I'll need help there but guesssing deal, hardy, Stuart-Hobson, ???) and those that are far below capacity?

No clue and not motivated to figure it out. But I don't think that would capture what you're trying to. There are still a lot of people whose IB middle school option is a Pk3-8.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are 5500 5th graders in DCPS and charters.

The number of seats at schools which start at 5th represent a tiny percentage of the total. No need for your to attend one of them if you don't want. Chances are you won't get in anyway.

Taking this a step further --

9 charters start middle school at 5th (BASIS, Cap City, EL Haynes, Wash Latin, KIPP AIM, KIPP Key, KIPP Northeast Academy, KIPP Valor and KIPP Will).

Combined they offered 428 seats in the 17-18 lottery -- out of 5500. A drop in the proverbial bucket.

BASIS - 120
Cap City - 55
EL Haynes - 6
Wash Latin - 90
KIPP AIM - 1
KIPP Key - 1
KIPP NE Academy - 125
KIPP Valor - 25
KIPP Will - 5

Everythign isn't a conspiracy to gut traditional schools. In fact, these schools could achieve that end more easily if they were PK3-8 or 12.

NP. Thanks for the stats. Of the ~5K left do you know what the breakdown is between schools at/near capacity ( I'll need help there but guesssing deal, hardy, Stuart-Hobson, ???) and those that are far below capacity?

None of the schools you list have 5th grade.

[Anonymous]

THIS is not the problem and a change will not save DCPS middle schools. You've got it backwards. If the DCPS middle schools were any good or offered a compelling program people would stop leaving for charters. Quite simple. As long as DCPS can only whisper that they offer advanced programming meanwhile loudly harangue parents for asking for it then families will not go. Period. Forcing a change to keep kids in their elementary schools for a sub-standard fifth grade year will not make a difference

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are 5500 5th graders in DCPS and charters.

The number of seats at schools which start at 5th represent a tiny percentage of the total. No need for your to attend one of them if you don't want. Chances are you won't get in anyway.

Taking this a step further --

9 charters start middle school at 5th (BASIS, Cap City, EL Haynes, Wash Latin, KIPP AIM, KIPP Key, KIPP Northeast Academy, KIPP Valor and KIPP Will).

Combined they offered 428 seats in the 17-18 lottery -- out of 5500. A drop in the proverbial bucket.

BASIS - 120
Cap City - 55
EL Haynes - 6
Wash Latin - 90
KIPP AIM - 1
KIPP Key - 1
KIPP NE Academy - 125
KIPP Valor - 25
KIPP Will - 5

Everythign isn't a conspiracy to gut traditional schools. In fact, these schools could achieve that end more easily if they were PK3-8 or 12.

NP. Thanks for the stats. Of the ~5K left do you know what the breakdown is between schools at/near capacity ( I'll need help there but guesssing deal, hardy, Stuart-Hobson, ???) and those that are far below capacity?

None of the schools you list have 5th grade.

The PP is trying to prove that these 428 would fit in the under capacity middle schools. Which is probably true, but if people wanted their children to attend those schools, they would and if that were their only choice they would move, or play the DCPS lottery for a marginally better option.

You can't put the choice genie back in the bottle. It's deeply ingrained - well over 20+ years.