ABC7 News Parent Roundtable

[NathanBacaABC7]

DC Public & Charter School Parents:

I'm a reporter for ABC7 News, WJLA-TV. I'm looking to hear from parents about their questions, comments and concerns about their children's education. I'm planning on holding a roundtable discussion this Thursday, January 18th in the evening. I'm still finding a location, but am very open to suggestions other than our station in Rosslyn.

It would not be live on TV. We'd video record the conversations for use in a future segment on ABC7 News. I want to see if there are concerns that aren't being addressed by DC Public and Charter Schools at all grade levels and all DC neighborhoods.

I'm the reporter that just reported on CHEC having similar problems as Ballou and I'm researching documents showing even more widespread grade inflation allegations.

Please email me at [e-mail] if you are interested or if you have any questions.

[Anonymous]

Please see the Lafayette Elementary Teacher Morale post for teacher input

[Anonymous]

Check out The Great Ward 8 facebook group. Some of those parents have concerns.

[Anonymous]

One big issue you should look into - many of the recently renovated schools are already falling apart. Ballou is having a lot of building issues that don’t get addressed: leaks, broken Ethernet connections, bathrooms in bad shape. Same for Wilson - leaks all over the building, bathrooms in terrible shape, electrical connections busted already. Is there no money for maintenance or is DGS completely incompetent.

[Anonymous]

I would look at the issues of overcrowding/empty schools. Some schools are bursting at the seams, but there seems to be no political will to fix the root of the problem there. Meanwhile there are half empty schools around the district that are in terrible shape. The message seems to be from DCPS, we'll keep stuffing kids into the popular schools despite 30 kids in a class because we don't want to do the hard thing and limit out of boundary feeder rights. This is under the cover that poor schools are so needy that we can't address the issues of wealthier/popular schools.

I call BS on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please see the Lafayette Elementary Teacher Morale post for teacher input

That would be laughable as a story.

[Anonymous]

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:DC Public & Charter School Parents:

I'm a reporter for ABC7 News, WJLA-TV. I'm looking to hear from parents about their questions, comments and concerns about their children's education. I'm planning on holding a roundtable discussion this Thursday, January 18th in the evening. I'm still finding a location, but am very open to suggestions other than our station in Rosslyn.

It would not be live on TV. We'd video record the conversations for use in a future segment on ABC7 News. I want to see if there are concerns that aren't being addressed by DC Public and Charter Schools at all grade levels and all DC neighborhoods.

I'm the reporter that just reported on CHEC having similar problems as Ballou and I'm researching documents showing even more widespread grade inflation allegations.

Please email me at [e-mail] if you are interested or if you have any questions. [/
quote]


How about how all these children can't read yet DCPS got rid of all their reading specialists at middle and high school over past few years! VA and MD still have them, but all we have at DCPS is Read180 with outdated and broken computers. No interventions and used as a dumping ground for students with behavior problems only!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please see the Lafayette Elementary Teacher Morale post for teacher input

That would be laughable as a story.

That it self is not a story, but it does point to a core problem within DCPS that was highlighted in the Balou situation. That principals have too much power and that teachers who speak up are pushed out. And there is no oversight to Principal's poor management, even as, in the case of Ballou, the teachers were complaining up the chain.

So there is a high teacher turnover, even at well to do NW schools.

[Anonymous]

Bump

[Anonymous]

Who really runs the school district

Between DC Council, State Board of Education, and the Chancellor. The attendance issue was known for at least a year and nothing was done. People need to be fired over these issues, not just reassigned but fired

Also, how can students pass when they can barely read or write or do basic arithmetic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who really runs the school district

Between DC Council, State Board of Education, and the Chancellor. The attendance issue was known for at least a year and nothing was done. People need to be fired over these issues, not just reassigned but fired

Also, how can students pass when they can barely read or write or do basic arithmetic

The Chancellor reports to the Deputy Mayor of Education, who reports to the Mayor.

The Council has oversight -- e.g. can look into issues and withhold funds.

The SBOE has no authority over DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who really runs the school district

Between DC Council, State Board of Education, and the Chancellor. The attendance issue was known for at least a year and nothing was done. People need to be fired over these issues, not just reassigned but fired

Also, how can students pass when they can barely read or write or do basic arithmetic

The Chancellor reports to the Deputy Mayor of Education, who reports to the Mayor.

The Council has oversight -- e.g. can look into issues and withhold funds.

The SBOE has no authority over DCPS.

what's the point of SBOE P.S. they just passed a vanilla resolution last night about "accountability" looks like they want a completely independent audit from DC government. Where does that authority come from?