Congratulations Latin! AYP Baby!!

[Anonymous]

Much as I think the scores are bunk, good little schools like Latin that try to really instill a love of learning, still live and die by these scores and would have their charters revoked if they did not "show progress". Congratulations to Latin and all the other good little schools (public and charter) that did not teach to the test day after day after day (I have nothing against teaching test-taking as a strategical skill--but NOT to death), but made AYP. You have had the laugh today! Now a toast--raise your champagne

[Anonymous]

Barf.

[Anonymous]

Why the snarkiness? It's great that Latin did well - for everyone involved. Grats! (And I don't know anyone there or any teachers , but I'm always happy to hear when a school does well).

[Anonymous]

Maybe my reaction was over-ecstatic, but I am really really happy as this will let Latin focus on building a great program and not looking over their shoulder non-stop (that hunted feeling). My heart goes out to any schools that did not make it as often the suggested "remedy" is worse than the original issues which can be true quirks. Related to that, I feel weirdly vindicated that some public schools on the central office super drill and kill plan continue to slip significantly.... Maybe the Chancellor will re-think 'effective teaching'? I hold the people to whom these numbers actually matter AS accountable as they turn around and hold the schools/teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe my reaction was over-ecstatic, but I am really really happy as this will let Latin focus on building a great program and not looking over their shoulder non-stop (that hunted feeling). My heart goes out to any schools that did not make it as often the suggested "remedy" is worse than the original issues which can be true quirks. Related to that, I feel weirdly vindicated that some public schools on the central office super drill and kill plan continue to slip significantly.... Maybe the Chancellor will re-think 'effective teaching'? I hold the people to whom these numbers actually matter AS accountable as they turn around and hold the schools/teachers.

Glad that you feel "vindicated" at the expense of thousands of DCPS kids whose schools are slipping and failing them. If it makes whatever point you have for you, I suppose it's all worth it.

[Anonymous]

If you read closely, I am suggesting that the actions taken to "help" them are not, and should be re-thought And 'slipping test scores' are one snapshot; I do not hold too much truck with them, but Michelle sure does and bases lots of decisions around that.

[Anonymous]

You know, Latin's number of kids on a free lunch (ie, living below the poverty line) is around 16%. There is no reason why they shouldn't be making AYP. Same thing for Key, Eaton, Janney, Mann and all the other schools that enjoy a largely affluent population.

The real issue is, how do schools that have largely low-income and English Language Learners do on the test? So far, the answer seems to be not so great. I'd be interested in looking at the methods of the schools that made AYP (and not through Safe Harbor) AND have a population that is more than 1/2 low income.

I'm sure Rhee has all the answers on this one and I'm anxiously awaiting how she's gonna fix DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Wow. NP here and totally not getting the snarkiness aimed at OP. She's happy for her school which has done well and deserves to celebrate. It's a totally innovative concept and I, for one, am thrilled from the sidelines.

Congratulations Latin (from a Yu Ying parent). Your school deserves to be proud - in addition to the AYP challenge that all schools face, you're still a young program with ambitious goals, and growing into your own. Glad to see you doing so well!

[Anonymous]

Thank you Yu Ying; Latin send you love xo

[Anonymous]

Oops "sends"
Thank you for your positivity. I would never celebrate children stuck in failing schools. I have had my child in public and would put another one in; I do hope that Rhee looks at why some parents/children elect out for charters though. To me it boils down to one word: responsiveness. I wish she would provide the guidance, but with the 'reward' of greater independence. Anyhow...really am just happy for WL for a minute.

[Anonymous]

Responsiveness.


I think that says it all. Charters treat you like a customer or a client.

DCPS treats you the same as the rest of the DC bureaucracy - like an inmate (certainly not like a taxpayer, deserving of respect).

[Anonymous]

I'm glad to see a school with a "different" program do so well. Latin and the Classics aren't for everybody, but they will certainly meet the needs of some kids in a way that the standard DCPS curriculum doesn't. It's great that DC is starting to offer a buffet of programs like Latin and Yu Ying (and I don't have a kid at either of these) that are doing so well. Maybe this will encourage more parents to put their kids in the DC system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Latin and the Classics aren't for everybody.

Why wouldn't Latin and the Classics be for everyone? Doesn't every child deserve this type of rich curriculum? Why would we think that most children should be consigned to the drivel offered by DCPS-adopted textbooks? Let's not be so greedy about knowledge. Bravo to WL for showing that this can be done. Michelle Rhee, please take a look at the WL curriculum and make this excellent program available to all DCPS students.

[Anonymous]

Latin failed to make AYP last academic year because it's "economically disadvantaged" (terms used by NCLB) did poorly.

This year, for the lower school, the economically disadvantaged kids did better. They had a 60% proficient or advanced scores for the 45 children who took the test. That's nice, but I don't think I'd start tap dancing over those scores. If one single child in the economically disadvantaged group had performed poorly that day, Latin would have failed to make AYP.

I'm planning on sending my child to Latin. It seems like a lovely little school, but to imply that it's the program or instruction that's so remarkable is silly.

The school is dominated by affluent children of highly-educated Washingtonians. They tend to perform well on standardized tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Latin failed to make AYP last academic year because it's "economically disadvantaged" (terms used by NCLB) did poorly.


The school is dominated by affluent children of highly-educated Washingtonians. They tend to perform well on standardized tests.

This is true. The point is, WL offers excellent academic opportunities. The test results are irrelevant.