Washington Informer article: "School Lottery Season Starts Amid Questions about Enrollment and Equity"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools can only ever do so much. Turning around learning outcomes EOTR requires nothing short of a complete economic and social transformation. This would obviously not be easy or cheap by any means, but not beyond a city leadership with vision and dedication. One of the first measures would be to either bury or completely demolish 295 and the adjacent railyards, followed by developing the riverfront and potentially building a new Commanders stadium at Poplar Point. Nothing groundbreaking (metaphorically speaking anyway) - just a replication of what has been done to revitalize depressed neighborhoods not just in other cities, but also right across the Anacostia in Navy Yard! None of this has happened or will happen though because the current city leadership really doesn’t care to do what would need to be done to make EOTR a better place to live.

I hope that the new park being built on a bridge from Navy Yard across the Anacostia River to the Anacostia NEighborhood will decrease isolation a bit. I think that over time, progress is possible and even likely for the city. I also think it's likely the city's progress will be at the expense of the residents who are pushed out by gentrification. With conscious development this is less likely.

The politics of gentrification is probably more than a little bit responsible for the lack of serious development projects EOTR. 295 and the railyards do manifest damage to the economic, social, and physical health of Ward 7 and 8 residents (and have done so for decades), but how many of those residents are clamoring for the destruction of said infrastructure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools can only ever do so much. Turning around learning outcomes EOTR requires nothing short of a complete economic and social transformation. This would obviously not be easy or cheap by any means, but not beyond a city leadership with vision and dedication. One of the first measures would be to either bury or completely demolish 295 and the adjacent railyards, followed by developing the riverfront and potentially building a new Commanders stadium at Poplar Point. Nothing groundbreaking (metaphorically speaking anyway) - just a replication of what has been done to revitalize depressed neighborhoods not just in other cities, but also right across the Anacostia in Navy Yard! None of this has happened or will happen though because the current city leadership really doesn’t care to do what would need to be done to make EOTR a better place to live.

I hope that the new park being built on a bridge from Navy Yard across the Anacostia River to the Anacostia NEighborhood will decrease isolation a bit. I think that over time, progress is possible and even likely for the city. I also think it's likely the city's progress will be at the expense of the residents who are pushed out by gentrification. With conscious development this is less likely.

We don’t need a park ?!! We need better schools with more rigorous instruction.

As someone noted upthread, DCPSs EOTR are funded extremely well and teachers receive substantial bonuses for teaching there. If educational funding were the solution, this thread wouldn’t exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools can only ever do so much. Turning around learning outcomes EOTR requires nothing short of a complete economic and social transformation. This would obviously not be easy or cheap by any means, but not beyond a city leadership with vision and dedication. One of the first measures would be to either bury or completely demolish 295 and the adjacent railyards, followed by developing the riverfront and potentially building a new Commanders stadium at Poplar Point. Nothing groundbreaking (metaphorically speaking anyway) - just a replication of what has been done to revitalize depressed neighborhoods not just in other cities, but also right across the Anacostia in Navy Yard! None of this has happened or will happen though because the current city leadership really doesn’t care to do what would need to be done to make EOTR a better place to live.

I hope that the new park being built on a bridge from Navy Yard across the Anacostia River to the Anacostia NEighborhood will decrease isolation a bit. I think that over time, progress is possible and even likely for the city. I also think it's likely the city's progress will be at the expense of the residents who are pushed out by gentrification. With conscious development this is less likely.

We don’t need a park ?!! We need better schools with more rigorous instruction.

As someone noted upthread, DCPSs EOTR are funded extremely well and teachers receive substantial bonuses for teaching there. If educational funding were the solution, this thread wouldn’t exist.

I didn’t say funding. I said “rigorous instruction” which is sadly lacking even in the best funded schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools can only ever do so much. Turning around learning outcomes EOTR requires nothing short of a complete economic and social transformation. This would obviously not be easy or cheap by any means, but not beyond a city leadership with vision and dedication. One of the first measures would be to either bury or completely demolish 295 and the adjacent railyards, followed by developing the riverfront and potentially building a new Commanders stadium at Poplar Point. Nothing groundbreaking (metaphorically speaking anyway) - just a replication of what has been done to revitalize depressed neighborhoods not just in other cities, but also right across the Anacostia in Navy Yard! None of this has happened or will happen though because the current city leadership really doesn’t care to do what would need to be done to make EOTR a better place to live.

I hope that the new park being built on a bridge from Navy Yard across the Anacostia River to the Anacostia NEighborhood will decrease isolation a bit. I think that over time, progress is possible and even likely for the city. I also think it's likely the city's progress will be at the expense of the residents who are pushed out by gentrification. With conscious development this is less likely.

We don’t need a park ?!! We need better schools with more rigorous instruction.

As someone noted upthread, DCPSs EOTR are funded extremely well and teachers receive substantial bonuses for teaching there. If educational funding were the solution, this thread wouldn’t exist.

I didn’t say funding. I said “rigorous instruction” which is sadly lacking even in the best funded schools.

Everyone regurgitates this "well funded" talking point I want to show them my EOTR class with 28 students, 8 of which have IEPs. And 1 SPED teacher allocated to grades 3 - 5 to try and support those students with additional needs. We may get more money in a holistic sense, but its not going where its needed.

[Anonymous]

I think in fact we SHOULD offer a lot more to Ward 7 and 8. It has to be inequitable in favor of those families to get their kids to succeed. I think anything beyond a grudging status quo is unlikely, but that's us cutting off our nose to spite our own face. An employed kid who would've been a drag on society is a double-benefit. We just don't see it that way because it's not a sure thing, and instead we with power invest in ourselves and leave the scraps for The Other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think in fact we SHOULD offer a lot more to Ward 7 and 8. It has to be inequitable in favor of those families to get their kids to succeed. I think anything beyond a grudging status quo is unlikely, but that's us cutting off our nose to spite our own face. An employed kid who would've been a drag on society is a double-benefit. We just don't see it that way because it's not a sure thing, and instead we with power invest in ourselves and leave the scraps for The Other.

Well, we do do a lot -- those schools get more funds. But we should do more, or at least more services for families and kids 0-3.

But that should be tax dollars (and more tax dollars; not just shifting funds away from others schools (though they can shift more funds from DCPS Central).

The idea that families using DCPS in other wards should bear the is whacked. That dynamic exists in reality, though it shows up more on DCUM, where people rail against NW DCPS schools. Really, residents using private schools, charter schools, or no schools at all -- especially affluent residents in W7/8 -- should bear an equal part of the onus.

One real-world challenge is that DC taxes are limited by those neighboring jurisdictions. With DC taxes already higher than surrounding jurisdictions, it's hard to get people to pay more to cover DC's relatively high needs. It's just too easy to move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in fact we SHOULD offer a lot more to Ward 7 and 8. It has to be inequitable in favor of those families to get their kids to succeed. I think anything beyond a grudging status quo is unlikely, but that's us cutting off our nose to spite our own face. An employed kid who would've been a drag on society is a double-benefit. We just don't see it that way because it's not a sure thing, and instead we with power invest in ourselves and leave the scraps for The Other.

Well, we do do a lot -- those schools get more funds. But we should do more, or at least more services for families and kids 0-3.

But that should be tax dollars (and more tax dollars; not just shifting funds away from others schools (though they can shift more funds from DCPS Central).

The idea that families using DCPS in other wards should bear the is whacked. That dynamic exists in reality, though it shows up more on DCUM, where people rail against NW DCPS schools. Really, residents using private schools, charter schools, or no schools at all -- especially affluent residents in W7/8 -- should bear an equal part of the onus.

One real-world challenge is that DC taxes are limited by those neighboring jurisdictions. With DC taxes already higher than surrounding jurisdictions, it's hard to get people to pay more to cover DC's relatively high needs. It's just too easy to move.

I live in Ward 7 and most of my neighbors use private, charter and no schools at all. Choice in the District works for us - we simply need more of it. I have not heard any of my neighbors rail against schools in NW and I doubt that any believe that a family or individual in another ward should be responsible for advocating for schools elsewhere. It's just not rational.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in fact we SHOULD offer a lot more to Ward 7 and 8. It has to be inequitable in favor of those families to get their kids to succeed. I think anything beyond a grudging status quo is unlikely, but that's us cutting off our nose to spite our own face. An employed kid who would've been a drag on society is a double-benefit. We just don't see it that way because it's not a sure thing, and instead we with power invest in ourselves and leave the scraps for The Other.

Well, we do do a lot -- those schools get more funds. But we should do more, or at least more services for families and kids 0-3.

But that should be tax dollars (and more tax dollars; not just shifting funds away from others schools (though they can shift more funds from DCPS Central).

The idea that families using DCPS in other wards should bear the is whacked. That dynamic exists in reality, though it shows up more on DCUM, where people rail against NW DCPS schools. Really, residents using private schools, charter schools, or no schools at all -- especially affluent residents in W7/8 -- should bear an equal part of the onus.

One real-world challenge is that DC taxes are limited by those neighboring jurisdictions. With DC taxes already higher than surrounding jurisdictions, it's hard to get people to pay more to cover DC's relatively high needs. It's just too easy to move.

I live in Ward 7 and most of my neighbors use private, charter and no schools at all. Choice in the District works for us - we simply need more of it. I have not heard any of my neighbors rail against schools in NW and I doubt that any believe that a family or individual in another ward should be responsible for advocating for schools elsewhere. It's just not rational.

As another PP said above, search the threads. Whenever there is talk about ward 7 and 8 schools, people always chime in that PTA funds from wealthier school or families from other wards could send their kids there.

BTW giving more ward 7 and 8 families more choices actually further harms the DCPS schools in your ward because the schools are under-enrolled and thus get a lot less money per pupil. It’s a well known fact. You and other UMC families are not helping your ward at all and actually deprive your schools of funds in addition to family support, involvement, etc….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I think people need to really realize here is that the death of schools East of the Anacostia is about the charter sector eating DCPS' lunch over there. My take is that parents aren't seeing their children succeed in DCPS and want an alternative, which means the charter sector over there.

The unkind reality is that children of poor people who can't give extra to their kids, don't read to them, experience trauma, have little education themselves, etc., are going to have poor educational outcomes. I don't fault people for wanting better for their kids even if - because education is JUST NOT a game-changer for poorly-performing students - they are not likely to do better just because of these schools.

At some point, I really hope there are game-changing educational possibilities for poor and disadvantaged children, actually, I want it generations ago, but it appears we can only change the future. However, if there was truly such a thing, DCPS would do it too! DCPS totally would! Even a bureaucracy in America would eventually do what works.

But instead because no one can fix kids' outcomes, they say "well, let's go to a different service provider who promises better things!" And then the different outcomes are not one-to-one matched to the same kids. The mirage of different outcomes we perceive is really about sorting those who are more likely to succeed away from those who are less likely to. And it sucks. And it leads to crap like this - normal schools with minimal budgets able to do little to support kids who need A LOT because they can't get enough butts in seats.

Our effort to "offer alternatives" that don't do better has led predictably to the starvation of normal DCPS, from Sousa to Anacostia.

If you read what you said, you are saying charters have provided kids/families with options that DCPs can't/won't, but you would prefer ALL kids stay in DCPS and suffer. Nice .

[Anonymous]

I do say that and it’s because the charters aren’t serving them better. Why have a “Friendship” school that has the same outcomes as a DCPS high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in fact we SHOULD offer a lot more to Ward 7 and 8. It has to be inequitable in favor of those families to get their kids to succeed. I think anything beyond a grudging status quo is unlikely, but that's us cutting off our nose to spite our own face. An employed kid who would've been a drag on society is a double-benefit. We just don't see it that way because it's not a sure thing, and instead we with power invest in ourselves and leave the scraps for The Other.

Well, we do do a lot -- those schools get more funds. But we should do more, or at least more services for families and kids 0-3.

But that should be tax dollars (and more tax dollars; not just shifting funds away from others schools (though they can shift more funds from DCPS Central).

The idea that families using DCPS in other wards should bear the is whacked. That dynamic exists in reality, though it shows up more on DCUM, where people rail against NW DCPS schools. Really, residents using private schools, charter schools, or no schools at all -- especially affluent residents in W7/8 -- should bear an equal part of the onus.

One real-world challenge is that DC taxes are limited by those neighboring jurisdictions. With DC taxes already higher than surrounding jurisdictions, it's hard to get people to pay more to cover DC's relatively high needs. It's just too easy to move.

I live in Ward 7 and most of my neighbors use private, charter and no schools at all. Choice in the District works for us - we simply need more of it. I have not heard any of my neighbors rail against schools in NW and I doubt that any believe that a family or individual in another ward should be responsible for advocating for schools elsewhere. It's just not rational.

As another PP said above, search the threads. Whenever there is talk about ward 7 and 8 schools, people always chime in that PTA funds from wealthier school or families from other wards could send their kids there.

BTW giving more ward 7 and 8 families more choices actually further harms the DCPS schools in your ward because the schools are under-enrolled and thus get a lot less money per pupil. It’s a well known fact. You and other UMC families are not helping your ward at all and actually deprive your schools of funds in addition to family support, involvement, etc….

Wow, way to say the quiet part out loud... "your ward," "your schools." Last I checked, DC doesn't have separate school districts for each ward. They are all OUR schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in fact we SHOULD offer a lot more to Ward 7 and 8. It has to be inequitable in favor of those families to get their kids to succeed. I think anything beyond a grudging status quo is unlikely, but that's us cutting off our nose to spite our own face. An employed kid who would've been a drag on society is a double-benefit. We just don't see it that way because it's not a sure thing, and instead we with power invest in ourselves and leave the scraps for The Other.

Well, we do do a lot -- those schools get more funds. But we should do more, or at least more services for families and kids 0-3.

But that should be tax dollars (and more tax dollars; not just shifting funds away from others schools (though they can shift more funds from DCPS Central).

The idea that families using DCPS in other wards should bear the is whacked. That dynamic exists in reality, though it shows up more on DCUM, where people rail against NW DCPS schools. Really, residents using private schools, charter schools, or no schools at all -- especially affluent residents in W7/8 -- should bear an equal part of the onus.

One real-world challenge is that DC taxes are limited by those neighboring jurisdictions. With DC taxes already higher than surrounding jurisdictions, it's hard to get people to pay more to cover DC's relatively high needs. It's just too easy to move.

I live in Ward 7 and most of my neighbors use private, charter and no schools at all. Choice in the District works for us - we simply need more of it. I have not heard any of my neighbors rail against schools in NW and I doubt that any believe that a family or individual in another ward should be responsible for advocating for schools elsewhere. It's just not rational.

As another PP said above, search the threads. Whenever there is talk about ward 7 and 8 schools, people always chime in that PTA funds from wealthier school or families from other wards could send their kids there.

BTW giving more ward 7 and 8 families more choices actually further harms the DCPS schools in your ward because the schools are under-enrolled and thus get a lot less money per pupil. It’s a well known fact. You and other UMC families are not helping your ward at all and actually deprive your schools of funds in addition to family support, involvement, etc….

Me and other families moved here (and many who were already here, stayed here) because we had choices for schools -- the same is true for those families who are now in Ward 5 and 6. Charters made it possible for their families to be in this city and over time they have moved into DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do say that and it’s because the charters aren’t serving them better. Why have a “Friendship” school that has the same outcomes as a DCPS high school?

Very untrue. Friendship high schools in Ward 7 and 8 have higher test performance than KIPP and 2-5x the proficiency of the Ward 7 and 8 traditional publics. But there's no reason to pit these high schools against each other. They are all serving high levels of disadvantaged students and those students and families need the support of all of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in fact we SHOULD offer a lot more to Ward 7 and 8. It has to be inequitable in favor of those families to get their kids to succeed. I think anything beyond a grudging status quo is unlikely, but that's us cutting off our nose to spite our own face. An employed kid who would've been a drag on society is a double-benefit. We just don't see it that way because it's not a sure thing, and instead we with power invest in ourselves and leave the scraps for The Other.

Well, we do do a lot -- those schools get more funds. But we should do more, or at least more services for families and kids 0-3.

But that should be tax dollars (and more tax dollars; not just shifting funds away from others schools (though they can shift more funds from DCPS Central).

The idea that families using DCPS in other wards should bear the is whacked. That dynamic exists in reality, though it shows up more on DCUM, where people rail against NW DCPS schools. Really, residents using private schools, charter schools, or no schools at all -- especially affluent residents in W7/8 -- should bear an equal part of the onus.

One real-world challenge is that DC taxes are limited by those neighboring jurisdictions. With DC taxes already higher than surrounding jurisdictions, it's hard to get people to pay more to cover DC's relatively high needs. It's just too easy to move.

I live in Ward 7 and most of my neighbors use private, charter and no schools at all. Choice in the District works for us - we simply need more of it. I have not heard any of my neighbors rail against schools in NW and I doubt that any believe that a family or individual in another ward should be responsible for advocating for schools elsewhere. It's just not rational.

As another PP said above, search the threads. Whenever there is talk about ward 7 and 8 schools, people always chime in that PTA funds from wealthier school or families from other wards could send their kids there.

BTW giving more ward 7 and 8 families more choices actually further harms the DCPS schools in your ward because the schools are under-enrolled and thus get a lot less money per pupil. It’s a well known fact. You and other UMC families are not helping your ward at all and actually deprive your schools of funds in addition to family support, involvement, etc….

Wow, way to say the quiet part out loud... "your ward," "your schools." Last I checked, DC doesn't have separate school districts for each ward. They are all OUR schools.

This comment contributes nothing. The quiet part out loud? That PP doesn’t live there and send their kids to a school located there? You really got them with that one. Way to repeat something you read elsewhere and think it means anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in fact we SHOULD offer a lot more to Ward 7 and 8. It has to be inequitable in favor of those families to get their kids to succeed. I think anything beyond a grudging status quo is unlikely, but that's us cutting off our nose to spite our own face. An employed kid who would've been a drag on society is a double-benefit. We just don't see it that way because it's not a sure thing, and instead we with power invest in ourselves and leave the scraps for The Other.

Well, we do do a lot -- those schools get more funds. But we should do more, or at least more services for families and kids 0-3.

But that should be tax dollars (and more tax dollars; not just shifting funds away from others schools (though they can shift more funds from DCPS Central).

The idea that families using DCPS in other wards should bear the is whacked. That dynamic exists in reality, though it shows up more on DCUM, where people rail against NW DCPS schools. Really, residents using private schools, charter schools, or no schools at all -- especially affluent residents in W7/8 -- should bear an equal part of the onus.

One real-world challenge is that DC taxes are limited by those neighboring jurisdictions. With DC taxes already higher than surrounding jurisdictions, it's hard to get people to pay more to cover DC's relatively high needs. It's just too easy to move.

I live in Ward 7 and most of my neighbors use private, charter and no schools at all. Choice in the District works for us - we simply need more of it. I have not heard any of my neighbors rail against schools in NW and I doubt that any believe that a family or individual in another ward should be responsible for advocating for schools elsewhere. It's just not rational.

As another PP said above, search the threads. Whenever there is talk about ward 7 and 8 schools, people always chime in that PTA funds from wealthier school or families from other wards could send their kids there.

BTW giving more ward 7 and 8 families more choices actually further harms the DCPS schools in your ward because the schools are under-enrolled and thus get a lot less money per pupil. It’s a well known fact. You and other UMC families are not helping your ward at all and actually deprive your schools of funds in addition to family support, involvement, etc….

Wow, way to say the quiet part out loud... "your ward," "your schools." Last I checked, DC doesn't have separate school districts for each ward. They are all OUR schools.

Er DCPS is a *neighborhood* school system. Every child is zoned for school near their home, and every home is in a single ward. Your complaint is odd.