What the heck is happening to DCPS?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My 2nd grader at a charter school just learned a song that helps them to ask people for their pronouns which is great. They've also learned the phonics, continents, multiplication and the basics of plate tectonics (when they learned about the continents, they learned how the continents got their shape - it was apparently a very exciting lesson because they came home and showed me how various mountain ranges around the world were formed).

We are not at the same charter but my 2nd grader, at an immersion charter, last year spent time in similar topic in science where they learned about earth plates, volcanoes, tsunami, etc…and they built some cool volcanoes using paper and clay and wrote stories about above in both English and Spanish. The kids loved it.

DCPS science curriculum is very strong. The problem here is that science and social studies are not tested subjects (except for a couple of times throughout their 13 years, OSSE tests science knowledge). When the testing stakes are high in terms of bonuses for principals and school rankings and federal funding, of course the no -tested subjects are allotted VERY little time. Many elementary teachers can only teach these subjects when time allows as the focus on math and ELA is relentless. The math curriculum is actually quite good, even if unfamiliar to parents. The steady focus on number sense and flexible operations will pay off! But there is also a time for memorizing basic math facts too. I suggest making some simple multiplication flash cards and doing them at dinner each night If your kid isn’t fluent by the end of third grade.

PARCC numbers don’t support your premise above. The overwhelming majority of kids are way below grade level in math, as in 1 or 2. Look at the science scores, also abysmal.

If the curriculum was strong in content, above would not be so bad.

I think PP is trying to say the content is good, but DCPS teachers cannot spend enough time on it because they have to focus on math & ELA PARCC scores.

NP. I think you miss their point. They are saying that the data doesn't support your position. If what you said was accurate then the Math and ELA scores should be excellent at the expense of science. But those scores suck.

Scores are very dependent upon the socio-economics of particular schools, unfortunately. Math and ELA scores are high where incomes and opportunity are high in DCPS. Emphasis on science is slowly growing and DCPS now has an excellent science curriculum. But there is still not much time left for science and social studies. In schools where these subjects are given more emphasis the students come away with a very strong foundation and are often really excited about what they’re learning.

I hope the science curriculum is excellent at the elementary level. However, as a middle school science teacher I find what downtown provides us to be laughably bad. I write all my own stuff. Kids need to learn science by doing experiments not by watching a screen.

I agree. Another middle school teacher here.
The middle school curriculum in different subjects provided by DCPS is way too easy.
DCPS does not like challenging students for some reason. True rigor only comes in at the HS level in AP courses because DCPS cannot mess with that curriculum. It is a shock to many kids when they get to AP classes because they have not been progressively challenged

+1

I am an AP teacher and get a lot of concerned parents who say their kids had straight As until my class in the subject.

Also my PK3 kid is learning continents at a non DCPS school. It shouldn’t happen in 6th grade.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2nd grader at a charter school just learned a song that helps them to ask people for their pronouns which is great. They've also learned the phonics, continents, multiplication and the basics of plate tectonics (when they learned about the continents, they learned how the continents got their shape - it was apparently a very exciting lesson because they came home and showed me how various mountain ranges around the world were formed).

We are not at the same charter but my 2nd grader, at an immersion charter, last year spent time in similar topic in science where they learned about earth plates, volcanoes, tsunami, etc…and they built some cool volcanoes using paper and clay and wrote stories about above in both English and Spanish. The kids loved it.

DCPS science curriculum is very strong. The problem here is that science and social studies are not tested subjects (except for a couple of times throughout their 13 years, OSSE tests science knowledge). When the testing stakes are high in terms of bonuses for principals and school rankings and federal funding, of course the no -tested subjects are allotted VERY little time. Many elementary teachers can only teach these subjects when time allows as the focus on math and ELA is relentless. The math curriculum is actually quite good, even if unfamiliar to parents. The steady focus on number sense and flexible operations will pay off! But there is also a time for memorizing basic math facts too. I suggest making some simple multiplication flash cards and doing them at dinner each night If your kid isn’t fluent by the end of third grade.

PARCC numbers don’t support your premise above. The overwhelming majority of kids are way below grade level in math, as in 1 or 2. Look at the science scores, also abysmal.

If the curriculum was strong in content, above would not be so bad.

I think PP is trying to say the content is good, but DCPS teachers cannot spend enough time on it because they have to focus on math & ELA PARCC scores.

NP. I think you miss their point. They are saying that the data doesn't support your position. If what you said was accurate then the Math and ELA scores should be excellent at the expense of science. But those scores suck.

Scores are very dependent upon the socio-economics of particular schools, unfortunately. Math and ELA scores are high where incomes and opportunity are high in DCPS. Emphasis on science is slowly growing and DCPS now has an excellent science curriculum. But there is still not much time left for science and social studies. In schools where these subjects are given more emphasis the students come away with a very strong foundation and are often really excited about what they’re learning.

I hope the science curriculum is excellent at the elementary level. However, as a middle school science teacher I find what downtown provides us to be laughably bad. I write all my own stuff. Kids need to learn science by doing experiments not by watching a screen.

M
Holy agree that hands on is best! Get to know your curriculum - it’s all about hands on science. You hopefully received the materials kits to go along with it. Lots of training available on it during every PD day too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2nd grader at a charter school just learned a song that helps them to ask people for their pronouns which is great. They've also learned the phonics, continents, multiplication and the basics of plate tectonics (when they learned about the continents, they learned how the continents got their shape - it was apparently a very exciting lesson because they came home and showed me how various mountain ranges around the world were formed).

We are not at the same charter but my 2nd grader, at an immersion charter, last year spent time in similar topic in science where they learned about earth plates, volcanoes, tsunami, etc…and they built some cool volcanoes using paper and clay and wrote stories about above in both English and Spanish. The kids loved it.

DCPS science curriculum is very strong. The problem here is that science and social studies are not tested subjects (except for a couple of times throughout their 13 years, OSSE tests science knowledge). When the testing stakes are high in terms of bonuses for principals and school rankings and federal funding, of course the no -tested subjects are allotted VERY little time. Many elementary teachers can only teach these subjects when time allows as the focus on math and ELA is relentless. The math curriculum is actually quite good, even if unfamiliar to parents. The steady focus on number sense and flexible operations will pay off! But there is also a time for memorizing basic math facts too. I suggest making some simple multiplication flash cards and doing them at dinner each night If your kid isn’t fluent by the end of third grade.

PARCC numbers don’t support your premise above. The overwhelming majority of kids are way below grade level in math, as in 1 or 2. Look at the science scores, also abysmal.

If the curriculum was strong in content, above would not be so bad.

I think PP is trying to say the content is good, but DCPS teachers cannot spend enough time on it because they have to focus on math & ELA PARCC scores.

NP. I think you miss their point. They are saying that the data doesn't support your position. If what you said was accurate then the Math and ELA scores should be excellent at the expense of science. But those scores suck.

Scores are very dependent upon the socio-economics of particular schools, unfortunately. Math and ELA scores are high where incomes and opportunity are high in DCPS. Emphasis on science is slowly growing and DCPS now has an excellent science curriculum. But there is still not much time left for science and social studies. In schools where these subjects are given more emphasis the students come away with a very strong foundation and are often really excited about what they’re learning.

People like above is exactly why DCPS curriculum and schools don’t improve. Use socio-economic status as the out without looking closely at what is happening and demanding accountability from DCP perpetuates the cycle of low expectations.

There are school districts where overall low socioeconomic kids do well. The areas where income and opportunity is high in DC, the math and ELA scores are not high, basically mediocre at best, when compared to similar places in the burbs.

If there is a district that has figured out how to solve this long-standing tragedy of outcomes please, for the love of god, share the case study and methods with us, DCPS leaders, and OSSE! This would be the answer to many prayers. Where are these odds-defying outcomes happening? Are the methods transferable to other public districts like DCPS? Please share!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2nd grader at a charter school just learned a song that helps them to ask people for their pronouns which is great. They've also learned the phonics, continents, multiplication and the basics of plate tectonics (when they learned about the continents, they learned how the continents got their shape - it was apparently a very exciting lesson because they came home and showed me how various mountain ranges around the world were formed).

We are not at the same charter but my 2nd grader, at an immersion charter, last year spent time in similar topic in science where they learned about earth plates, volcanoes, tsunami, etc…and they built some cool volcanoes using paper and clay and wrote stories about above in both English and Spanish. The kids loved it.

DCPS science curriculum is very strong. The problem here is that science and social studies are not tested subjects (except for a couple of times throughout their 13 years, OSSE tests science knowledge). When the testing stakes are high in terms of bonuses for principals and school rankings and federal funding, of course the no -tested subjects are allotted VERY little time. Many elementary teachers can only teach these subjects when time allows as the focus on math and ELA is relentless. The math curriculum is actually quite good, even if unfamiliar to parents. The steady focus on number sense and flexible operations will pay off! But there is also a time for memorizing basic math facts too. I suggest making some simple multiplication flash cards and doing them at dinner each night If your kid isn’t fluent by the end of third grade.

PARCC numbers don’t support your premise above. The overwhelming majority of kids are way below grade level in math, as in 1 or 2. Look at the science scores, also abysmal.

If the curriculum was strong in content, above would not be so bad.

I think PP is trying to say the content is good, but DCPS teachers cannot spend enough time on it because they have to focus on math & ELA PARCC scores.

NP. I think you miss their point. They are saying that the data doesn't support your position. If what you said was accurate then the Math and ELA scores should be excellent at the expense of science. But those scores suck.

Scores are very dependent upon the socio-economics of particular schools, unfortunately. Math and ELA scores are high where incomes and opportunity are high in DCPS. Emphasis on science is slowly growing and DCPS now has an excellent science curriculum. But there is still not much time left for science and social studies. In schools where these subjects are given more emphasis the students come away with a very strong foundation and are often really excited about what they’re learning.

I hope the science curriculum is excellent at the elementary level. However, as a middle school science teacher I find what downtown provides us to be laughably bad. I write all my own stuff. Kids need to learn science by doing experiments not by watching a screen.

No it’s not good at the elementary level either.

Please name the curriculum you think is supported by DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2nd grader at a charter school just learned a song that helps them to ask people for their pronouns which is great. They've also learned the phonics, continents, multiplication and the basics of plate tectonics (when they learned about the continents, they learned how the continents got their shape - it was apparently a very exciting lesson because they came home and showed me how various mountain ranges around the world were formed).

We are not at the same charter but my 2nd grader, at an immersion charter, last year spent time in similar topic in science where they learned about earth plates, volcanoes, tsunami, etc…and they built some cool volcanoes using paper and clay and wrote stories about above in both English and Spanish. The kids loved it.

DCPS science curriculum is very strong. The problem here is that science and social studies are not tested subjects (except for a couple of times throughout their 13 years, OSSE tests science knowledge). When the testing stakes are high in terms of bonuses for principals and school rankings and federal funding, of course the no -tested subjects are allotted VERY little time. Many elementary teachers can only teach these subjects when time allows as the focus on math and ELA is relentless. The math curriculum is actually quite good, even if unfamiliar to parents. The steady focus on number sense and flexible operations will pay off! But there is also a time for memorizing basic math facts too. I suggest making some simple multiplication flash cards and doing them at dinner each night If your kid isn’t fluent by the end of third grade.

This matches my experience so well. When the teachers have the opportunity to actually spend time on social studies and science, the kids learn incredibly well and the way it is structured builds upon prior units in past years in a really smart way. I don't know what curriculum they use but I have seen how, for instance, PK units on types of buildings have led to elementary units on architecture, engineering, and government studies. My kid will remember what the learned in prior years and build on that. It works well together.

However, the focus on testing and the pressure on DCPS schools, in particular, to "prove" their worth (as compared to charters) with high test scores really makes it hard for teachers to actually do this. I think this is the worst year I've seen, and I think it's due to the freak out over 2022 test scores and pandemic learning loss. The schedule that my K and 2nd grader are doing this year is bananas. My Ker's day is packed full of ELA and math to a degree that is not realistic, science/social studies get shoehorned into the period of lunch/recess, and it's the first thing to go when schedule disruptions limit available time because the pressure on teachers to get students at or above grade level in tested subjects is so intense. Right now my kids are both technically supposed to get a 20 minute recess daily but it winds up being like 8 minutes because once you've wrangled these kids from their special back to the classroom and to the lunchroom and then tried to get them to eat on a tight schedule, you are out of time and you have to get them back inside for afternoon curriculum. It's awful for the kids and the teachers and it's just not a good learning environment. I am frustrated with the school and with DCPS because it's way more intense than previous years, but when I've raised it, there's a lot of buck passing and then I get told that they have to worry about making sure the kids most impacted by learning loss (FARMS and SpeD kids) "catch up" but I know this isn't serving those kids either.

For these reasons, we're looking at charters and all-city schools for next year. We love our teachers and know what they are capable of, but DCPS is having some kind of melt-down over test scores right now and they've decided the key is to just try to cram all these kids with as much math and phonics as possible before 3rd grade. I know it's a complex problem but it's just not at all what I want for my kids. I am fortunate to have kids who are already at or above grade level in all subjects and I just don't stress about PARCC scores. We're looking for a school where my kids might actually spend some time outside, get more than 8 minutes of free play time during the day, and where there is better balance between tested academics and other subjects so that they get a well rounded education. I wish the teachers were in charge of the curriculum and schedule because I know for a fact they'd make better choices than this. But they aren't.

Wow, this sounds awful PP. it’s not developmental appropriate and will just kill the love of learning.

Definitely play the lottery. There is so much better options out there. Best of luck.

Thank you, but to be honest I'm sad about it. We like our school and we especially like going to the neighborhood school and having school friends nearby and feeling like we are part of a local school community. I'm not actually that enthusiastic about having to commute to a charter instead of walking a few blocks to our current school, and also having to work harder to make school friends and deal with having school friends living in other parts of the city. But I also don't want my kids to spend 7+ hours a day indoors with an intense focus on math/reading (that they don't really need because they were doing fine in these areas before with less intense academics) and less time for specials and other academics, or just socialization and play. I'm pretty frustrated to be in this situation.

Sounds like you are at a title 1 or low performing school. Sorry but what you don’t know, you don’t know.

Sure being able to walk to school is great but that benefit doesn’t outweigh all the many numerous other benefits, of which there are many. BTW the school community at our charter was way better and tighter than our title 1.

This might be the case but you don't have to be rude about it. I already said we're trying to leave. For the record, we tried to lottery into other schools in PK but didn't get in, but then decided to give the IB a chance. We do like the proximity and the neighborhood feel, and we had good ECE experiences with our oldest. And guess what, there's no guarantee we will get into a better school this year either. At which point we'll need to look at moving out of the city or coming to terms with the situation at our school. It sucks. I know it's a common situation but you could have a bit of empathy instead of being smug about the charter you were fortunate enough to lottery into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids didn’t have math or reading today due to delay but they engaged in some sort of activity to talk about their emotions which led my DC to be in tears the rest of the day.

Report cards were super generic and said nothing of value.

My kid seems to know what every letter of LGBTQ stands for and what it means (which is fine) but could not name the seven continents and doesn’t know what continent we live in (which is not fine imho)

Teachers seem checked out. I guess I don’t blame them really.

Sigh. It seems like things are falling off a cliff. Just me? Hopefully, it’s just me.

DCPS report cards have always been generic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids didn’t have math or reading today due to delay but they engaged in some sort of activity to talk about their emotions which led my DC to be in tears the rest of the day.

Report cards were super generic and said nothing of value.

My kid seems to know what every letter of LGBTQ stands for and what it means (which is fine) but could not name the seven continents and doesn’t know what continent we live in (which is not fine imho)

Teachers seem checked out. I guess I don’t blame them really.

Sigh. It seems like things are falling off a cliff. Just me? Hopefully, it’s just me.

DCPS report cards have always been generic.

I thought the new report cards were improved. Much clearer what the info meant and I appreciated the subscore breakdown on ELA (writing v reading, etc) & the testing data being on the report cards.

[Anonymous]

Agree with OP. My kid is in 4th grade at a Title one and they do spend a lot of time on social justice etc. There is no teaching of grammar as far as writing is concerned. my kid is so annoying and policing everyones pronouns etc. Even using any descriptor to describe someone (eg black woman) set kid off because that is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2nd grader at a charter school just learned a song that helps them to ask people for their pronouns which is great. They've also learned the phonics, continents, multiplication and the basics of plate tectonics (when they learned about the continents, they learned how the continents got their shape - it was apparently a very exciting lesson because they came home and showed me how various mountain ranges around the world were formed).

We are not at the same charter but my 2nd grader, at an immersion charter, last year spent time in similar topic in science where they learned about earth plates, volcanoes, tsunami, etc…and they built some cool volcanoes using paper and clay and wrote stories about above in both English and Spanish. The kids loved it.

DCPS science curriculum is very strong. The problem here is that science and social studies are not tested subjects (except for a couple of times throughout their 13 years, OSSE tests science knowledge). When the testing stakes are high in terms of bonuses for principals and school rankings and federal funding, of course the no -tested subjects are allotted VERY little time. Many elementary teachers can only teach these subjects when time allows as the focus on math and ELA is relentless. The math curriculum is actually quite good, even if unfamiliar to parents. The steady focus on number sense and flexible operations will pay off! But there is also a time for memorizing basic math facts too. I suggest making some simple multiplication flash cards and doing them at dinner each night If your kid isn’t fluent by the end of third grade.

PARCC numbers don’t support your premise above. The overwhelming majority of kids are way below grade level in math, as in 1 or 2. Look at the science scores, also abysmal.

If the curriculum was strong in content, above would not be so bad.

I think PP is trying to say the content is good, but DCPS teachers cannot spend enough time on it because they have to focus on math & ELA PARCC scores.

NP. I think you miss their point. They are saying that the data doesn't support your position. If what you said was accurate then the Math and ELA scores should be excellent at the expense of science. But those scores suck.

Scores are very dependent upon the socio-economics of particular schools, unfortunately. Math and ELA scores are high where incomes and opportunity are high in DCPS. Emphasis on science is slowly growing and DCPS now has an excellent science curriculum. But there is still not much time left for science and social studies. In schools where these subjects are given more emphasis the students come away with a very strong foundation and are often really excited about what they’re learning.

I hope the science curriculum is excellent at the elementary level. However, as a middle school science teacher I find what downtown provides us to be laughably bad. I write all my own stuff. Kids need to learn science by doing experiments not by watching a screen.

I agree. Another middle school teacher here.
The middle school curriculum in different subjects provided by DCPS is way too easy.
DCPS does not like challenging students for some reason. True rigor only comes in at the HS level in AP courses because DCPS cannot mess with that curriculum. It is a shock to many kids when they get to AP classes because they have not been progressively challenged

+1

I am an AP teacher and get a lot of concerned parents who say their kids had straight As until my class in the subject.

Also my PK3 kid is learning continents at a non DCPS school. It shouldn’t happen in 6th grade.

why would DCPS want classes to be HARDER? the stats are dismal enough with the unchallenging curriculum.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if it's a DCPS issue or a modern schooling issue. (I've only had kids in DCPS -- three, now all early and upper elementary.)

But while DCPS in my view does some things well (early elementary ELA focus on phonics, upper elementary ELA focus on writing) -- for kids to do well, parents need to spot and fill gaps.

Geography is a big one -- we did a lot of at-home learning on continents, cultures, etc. during Covid.
Handwriting (cursive!) -- cursive is not taught in our elementary school and handwriting does not get any attention
Basic civics -- including Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem -- kids did a unit on patriotic symbols in first grade but everything they know about current events, government, etc. has come from us
Multiplication tables -- very weak focus -- my fifth grader struggles with basic multiplication even though math has moved on to more complex concepts -- I get that drills are unpleasant for everyone, but that's how we learn

Basically I'd love it if DCPS would adopt my idealized memory of 1980s education

But that's not going to happen so we'll continue to play whack-a-mole with whatever is not being taught in school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if it's a DCPS issue or a modern schooling issue. (I've only had kids in DCPS -- three, now all early and upper elementary.)

But while DCPS in my view does some things well (early elementary ELA focus on phonics, upper elementary ELA focus on writing) -- for kids to do well, parents need to spot and fill gaps.

Geography is a big one -- we did a lot of at-home learning on continents, cultures, etc. during Covid.
Handwriting (cursive!) -- cursive is not taught in our elementary school and handwriting does not get any attention
Basic civics -- including Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem -- kids did a unit on patriotic symbols in first grade but everything they know about current events, government, etc. has come from us
Multiplication tables -- very weak focus -- my fifth grader struggles with basic multiplication even though math has moved on to more complex concepts -- I get that drills are unpleasant for everyone, but that's how we learn

Basically I'd love it if DCPS would adopt my idealized memory of 1980s education

But that's not going to happen so we'll continue to play whack-a-mole with whatever is not being taught in school

This is an incredibly helpful list, thank you PP! Mine are still early elementary, but I’d add spelling and basic grammar/sentence construction rules. I’m not sure if grammar is covered later, but my third grader hasn’t learned it yet so I’m guessing not.

[Anonymous]

Spelling! That’s a good one. Literally just had a conversation with my nine year old about how to correctly spell what, where, why…

Apparently correcting spelling is a buzzkill to creative writing? Bring back spelling tests!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spelling! That’s a good one. Literally just had a conversation with my nine year old about how to correctly spell what, where, why…

Apparently correcting spelling is a buzzkill to creative writing? Bring back spelling tests!

It’s the Lucy Caulkins influence. Reading instruction is swinging back to phonics, but writing instruction hasn’t yet. I’m sure it will in another few years, but that will be too late for my kids so we’ll have to supplement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Learned it all in Europe- at home and in school, but it has never helped me in life. Wish I had know what LGBTQ stands for.

You can't think of a single time that knowing basic geography helped you in life? Please do enlighten us as to which facility you were involuntarily committed or in which prison you have been sentenced to serve a life sentence.

[Anonymous]

Is it Deal Middle School?