A solution for military families in dc?

[Anonymous]

It looks like a Chicago/GreatLakes charter that specializes in military families has been approached for a replication for JBAB. As someone who has been on the June schedule for new PCS that is often way outside the school lottery, I hope this is a good start to support our military families. Does anyone have experience with the group? https://www.dcpcsb.org/public-comment/new-school-application-learn-charter-school-network

[Anonymous]

While I can appreciate how this is a better solution than busing kids all the way up to Stoddert, how can they restrict attendees to just military families? I though guy the only things a charter could legally restrict their student body on were special needs or adult learners.

[Anonymous]

The Council passed an amendment to the charter law in 2016 allowing creation of a military family preference.

Since then there's been an active process at JBAB to develop a charter school which I thought would give preference to military families and then admit others as space is available.

Press release from bill signing https://www.dcpcsb.org/military-families-get-greater-public-school-options

Story from when an RFP was released to run the school in 2017 https://www.insidesources.com/military-charter-dc/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I can appreciate how this is a better solution than busing kids all the way up to Stoddert, how can they restrict attendees to just military families? I though guy the only things a charter could legally restrict their student body on were special needs or adult learners.

From the proposal

" Target Population LEARN intends to open a new public charter school serving grades PK3 through 8th grade. Per the Military Installation Public Charter School Amendment, 50% of the seats will be reserved for active military families residing in D.C. and the additional 50% of the seats will be open enrollment for all D.C. residents. In the spirit of the parent-driven Ward 8 POST process, LEARN will intentionally focus student recruitment efforts for non-military seats in Ward 8. We know that charter schools serving elementary age populations are likely to attract a majority of students from the nearby community. In Ward 8, a DC PCSB report notes that, “Ward 8 has both the highest percent and number of students attending a public charter school in the Ward in which they reside.”

[Anonymous]

They plan to have an extended school year and day and partner with AppleTree for the PK3/PK4 since their other schools start at kindergarten. Interesting.

[Anonymous]

Or they could stop fearing brown children and send their kids to Leckie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or they could stop fearing brown children and send their kids to Leckie.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or they could stop fearing brown children and send their kids to Leckie.

I presume you have your children at Leckie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or they could stop fearing brown children and send their kids to Leckie.

This is really short sighted. We Have two children at Leckie and it isn’t the kids, it’s everything else that makes us want to move them next year. I won’t go into detail but it’s not good at all. And just like any other family, we have the right to try the lottery for an OOB spot.

[Anonymous]

Leckie is by far the most racially-diverse school in Ward 8 thanks to the military families. Don't knock their enrollment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or they could stop fearing brown children and send their kids to Leckie.

I presume you have your children at Leckie?

I would if I lived in the zone for the school. If everyone who lived on base actually used the school and concentrated their energy in that one place instead of spreading around the city, it would be one of the best schools in the district.

Why would you want to bus your child all three way across town if you could make your neighborhood school great?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or they could stop fearing brown children and send their kids to Leckie.

This is really short sighted. We Have two children at Leckie and it isn’t the kids, it’s everything else that makes us want to move them next year. I won’t go into detail but it’s not good at all. And just like any other family, we have the right to try the lottery for an OOB spot.

Without a little more detail, these is not a helpful critique.. Are the teachers bad, is the administration not responsive to your needs, are the academics not rigorous or varied enough, do you not like having middle schoolers around elementary students. Or is the sense of being an other that doesn't feel good?

You do have the right to lottery, to do what you feel is best for your children, my point is if enough people from JBAB used the school, it would be a good school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or they could stop fearing brown children and send their kids to Leckie.

This is really short sighted. We Have two children at Leckie and it isn’t the kids, it’s everything else that makes us want to move them next year. I won’t go into detail but it’s not good at all. And just like any other family, we have the right to try the lottery for an OOB spot.

Without a little more detail, these is not a helpful critique.. Are the teachers bad, is the administration not responsive to your needs, are the academics not rigorous or varied enough, do you not like having middle schoolers around elementary students. Or is the sense of being an other that doesn't feel good?

You do have the right to lottery, to do what you feel is best for your children, my point is if enough people from JBAB used the school, it would be a good school.

But they aren't. And I don't feel it's my job, after a few years there, to keep trying when nothing has gotten better. It's not the kids and it's not the neighborhood. In fact, my kids have more neighborhood friends than friends on base. They go to their houses to play, we meet them at the Bellvue library, we go to the rec center up the street, fort Greble behind the school. My kids and I are not scared of brown kids.

Are there a lot of military families that are? Yes, for sure. But not all of us are. And when we try to be part of the school for over two years and there aren't many positives, I know it's time to leave. I have friends that have also tried the school in the older grades and have left after a year or two and it's not because of the brown children. I really don't want to go into detail because I am just trying to mind my business and then move on but the things you listed in your response are things I've experienced (minus teachers. The school has some great teachers)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or they could stop fearing brown children and send their kids to Leckie.

I presume you have your children at Leckie?

I would if I lived in the zone for the school. If everyone who lived on base actually used the school and concentrated their energy in that one place instead of spreading around the city, it would be one of the best schools in the district.

Why would you want to bus your child all three way across town if you could make your neighborhood school great?

Can I ask what school your children go to and what school you are trying to make great? And do you have this response to every family here that tries for the lottery?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or they could stop fearing brown children and send their kids to Leckie.

This is really short sighted. We Have two children at Leckie and it isn’t the kids, it’s everything else that makes us want to move them next year. I won’t go into detail but it’s not good at all. And just like any other family, we have the right to try the lottery for an OOB spot.

I don’t have any issue with you using the lottery. I have an issue with military families thinking they need a special preference in the lottery.