Any schools Waitlist data shock you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMI also. Short waitlist even for PK3, and offered 30 seats for 6th

This one isn't shocking, because they have been on a hard decline for years -- but the Drop from their Prek-3 peak in 2018, with a waitlist of 406 to This year being only 30 is very very telling -- They are in the same boat as TR, they were already sinking with a questionable admin before COVID and then their response to COVID sunk their battle ship.

My only question is "Where is the bottom of this spiral?"

It seems like SSMA has been spiraling down for years but never quite gets to the point of making big changes or calling it quits.

Good point. My understanding is that TR is heavily leveraged with a significant amount of debt related to expansion. So they might be in a more perilous situation.

Oh wow. Ouch. Well, at least TR is making some leadership changes. It's clear they do recognize they have a problem. The things I hear from younger-kid parents are cautiously optimistic.

I'm sorry to say this, but that is because they don't know any better. They will figure it out in a few years. It's just not a good program, despite a lot of very respectable efforts by the parent group and some passionate educators.

I agree with this sentiment re the TR model. But there’s also a complete inability on leadership’s part to acknowledge failings and weaknesses and address why the school is in free fall.

The new leadership?

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMI also. Short waitlist even for PK3, and offered 30 seats for 6th

This one isn't shocking, because they have been on a hard decline for years -- but the Drop from their Prek-3 peak in 2018, with a waitlist of 406 to This year being only 30 is very very telling -- They are in the same boat as TR, they were already sinking with a questionable admin before COVID and then their response to COVID sunk their battle ship.

My only question is "Where is the bottom of this spiral?"

It seems like SSMA has been spiraling down for years but never quite gets to the point of making big changes or calling it quits.

Good point. My understanding is that TR is heavily leveraged with a significant amount of debt related to expansion. So they might be in a more perilous situation.

Oh wow. Ouch. Well, at least TR is making some leadership changes. It's clear they do recognize they have a problem. The things I hear from younger-kid parents are cautiously optimistic.

I'm sorry to say this, but that is because they don't know any better. They will figure it out in a few years. It's just not a good program, despite a lot of very respectable efforts by the parent group and some passionate educators.

I agree with this sentiment re the TR model. But there’s also a complete inability on leadership’s part to acknowledge failings and weaknesses and address why the school is in free fall.

The new leadership?

Yes.

Spill the tea, then!

[Anonymous]

People suggesting that Latin or BASIS would want the building have never been inside TR4. First off, it isn't a building, it is two buildings across the street from each other. They are ill suited for use as schools and no school would take them over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Banneker this year vs last

Last year was the anomaly. Most years, Banneker hasn't used a waitlist, or only a very short one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People suggesting that Latin or BASIS would want the building have never been inside TR4. First off, it isn't a building, it is two buildings across the street from each other. They are ill suited for use as schools and no school would take them over.

If they are truly over leveraged they could solve that problem in a heartbeat by selling those properties to a developer.

[Anonymous]

Shocking to me:

Basically shut out of DCI unless feeder or sibling
Huge increase waitlist for Latin and Basis

Because of above, all these new posts from families being shut out and scrambling for middle school and so many posts asking about other poorly performing middle schools.

Also shocking all the posts about being shut out of acceptable high schools and it’s a crap shot.

I’ve never seen anything like it, and i’ve been following DCUM for a number of years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sojourner Truth

I was surprised they only offered 25 spots for 6th grade. Seems really low. Wonder why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shocking to me:

Basically shut out of DCI unless feeder or sibling
Huge increase waitlist for Latin and Basis

Because of above, all these new posts from families being shut out and scrambling for middle school and so many posts asking about other poorly performing middle schools.

Also shocking all the posts about being shut out of acceptable high schools and it’s a crap shot.

I’ve never seen anything like it, and i’ve been following DCUM for a number of years.

Completely agree. What is going on this year with middle/high schools??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sojourner Truth

I was surprised they only offered 25 spots for 6th grade. Seems really low. Wonder why?

I was told it's about space limitations in their building. They haven't secured a new building for their high school yet, so current one is too crowded for a full class of new 6th graders. Supposed to be taking a full group of 6th graders and a larger number for 7th next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sojourner Truth

I was surprised they only offered 25 spots for 6th grade. Seems really low. Wonder why?

It has to do with their fitting into their building for one more year before they get their new building ready.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shocking to me:

Basically shut out of DCI unless feeder or sibling
Huge increase waitlist for Latin and Basis

Because of above, all these new posts from families being shut out and scrambling for middle school and so many posts asking about other poorly performing middle schools.

Also shocking all the posts about being shut out of acceptable high schools and it’s a crap shot.

I’ve never seen anything like it, and i’ve been following DCUM for a number of years.

Completely agree. What is going on this year with middle/high schools??

I have a rising 6th grader and I do not know. Everyone seems to want to stay, and everyone I know who matched with Banneker or McKinley Tech is delighted about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMI also. Short waitlist even for PK3, and offered 30 seats for 6th

This one isn't shocking, because they have been on a hard decline for years -- but the Drop from their Prek-3 peak in 2018, with a waitlist of 406 to This year being only 30 is very very telling -- They are in the same boat as TR, they were already sinking with a questionable admin before COVID and then their response to COVID sunk their battle ship.

My only question is "Where is the bottom of this spiral?"

It seems like SSMA has been spiraling down for years but never quite gets to the point of making big changes or calling it quits.

Good point. My understanding is that TR is heavily leveraged with a significant amount of debt related to expansion. So they might be in a more perilous situation.

Oh wow. Ouch. Well, at least TR is making some leadership changes. It's clear they do recognize they have a problem. The things I hear from younger-kid parents are cautiously optimistic.

I think TR may axe the 4th St campus entirely, especially if JOW starts sucking up local families post-reno.

+1, this has occurred to me as well. I actually think that has long been the plan, actually, and a major reason they expanded to Young, because the 4th street campus is pretty cramped and has a lot of issues (two buildings, the traffic on Florida, really annoying drop off/pick up, and very limited outdoor space). I remember looking at it 5 years ago and thinking it seemed less than ideal, I'm a little surprised they haven't announced an official plan to transition fully to Young by now.

I live in the neighborhood and I also feel like there is a groundswell of interest in JOW. Their lottery results confirm this. I thought there would be a lot less interest in the school for the PK grades because of the swing space (I remember this being a factor in our lottery choices for PK because CHML was busing to a swing space at the time) but the lottery numbers area actually consistent for PK and up for upper grades this year. I think people are looking down the road at the new space. I still think there will be a drop in enrollment over the next two years due to the swing, but I think it will have a trajectory similar to John Lewis, which has really started to flourish since it's renovation (done by the same firm as JOW has, I believe).

I can imagine some families in bounds for miner, Wheatley, etc. would see the swing space as an advantage since it's closer to them than JO itself is. And if they stick with JOW they would have the option of attending Stuart Hobson.

Good point regarding the location of the swing space, will be interesting to see if JOW becomes the neighborhood destination for Trinidad and Hill East families (not IB for Maury or Payne) who want a neighborhood school but are unhappy with IB and don't score lottery spots at SWS. That would be great for JOW long term.

I've honestly been confused as to why actual IB families haven't invested more in that school in recent years. I know there are a handful of dedicated families, plus there are some phenomenal teachers there. But most families I know who are IB didn't even try it for PK. Just seems odd, especially given TR's well publicized issues.

[Anonymous]

Some factors are: the crumbling of TR and CMI (or, people's willingness to acknowledge it), so more people there are lotterying. No longer having a guarantee at DCI means those families are lotterying. Stuart-Hobson is no longer as easy to get into. So people are making longer lottery lists because they're scared.

[Anonymous]

Also Truth taking such a small entering class. Wells cut back OOB seats as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some factors are: the crumbling of TR and CMI (or, people's willingness to acknowledge it), so more people there are lotterying. No longer having a guarantee at DCI means those families are lotterying. Stuart-Hobson is no longer as easy to get into. So people are making longer lottery lists because they're scared.

Longer lists is probably part of it, but the number of unique 5th grade applicants has been on an upward trend over the past three years, so I would expect that’s part of it as well.