Moving to Capitol Hill/2017 PARCC scores

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CLOSE the race/income gap? In the same category as growing crops on the moon.

The most cost-effective approach to narrowing the gap is to keep high SES kids from excelling in schools with many low SES kids. An old trick in DCPS.

Van Ness Elementary School has another approach. Van Ness offers a rigorous curriculum for all students.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2017/06/02/the-pre-k-boom-in-d-c-can-it-help-end-school-segregation/?utm_term=.3569f9315cc9

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Right, but many of us on the Hill care little about PARCC test scores, or not at all.

Parents tend to feign interest in test scores in the hopes of avoiding accusations of racism and classicism in their choice of school, when they really care about other things - changing demographics, strong teaching and leadership, a stable faculty, good facilities (particularly a playground, performance space and library), manageable class sizes, fun to be had for the kids, a welcoming school community, a robust PTA raising a lot of money etc.

We don't need silly test scores to tell us about upper middle-class experiences vs. low-income experiences in an urban setting.

Speak for yourself. A school that manages to close the race/income gap is important to me. Plus there are plenty of schools with lovely facilities, great teachers, that DCUM would not touch with a 10-ft poll. In that I agree with you that PARCC is not relevant because those schools actually have good PARCC scores. PS you're rich, not UMC.

Right, rich, with our non-profit jobs. How old are your kids, 3, 4, 5? Talk to me after a few years in the elementary grades at a Title 1 school, or 6 or 7 years in any DCPS. I can practically guarantee that you will no longer preaching the gospel of closing the race/income gap, with your own children as one of the primary tools, particularly if your kids are ELA gifted or fully bilingual.

Do you own on the Hill? That's affluent.

It's sad that you think valuing diversity means that I think my kid is a "tool." you do what you need to with your kid but don't pat yourself on you back for your progressiveness.

[Anonymous]

One major downside to the Hill is that many of the desirable charters with a good path to middle or high school are quite a drive away. Keep that in mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CLOSE the race/income gap? In the same category as growing crops on the moon.

The most cost-effective approach to narrowing the gap is to keep high SES kids from excelling in schools with many low SES kids. An old trick in DCPS.

Van Ness Elementary School has another approach. Van Ness offers a rigorous curriculum for all students.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2017/06/02/the-pre-k-boom-in-d-c-can-it-help-end-school-segregation/?utm_term=.3569f9315cc9

I think the oldest children at Van Ness now are about 6 years old. They won't have test results for a little while. Offering a rigorous curriculum to kids does not guarantee that they will learn it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CLOSE the race/income gap? In the same category as growing crops on the moon.

The most cost-effective approach to narrowing the gap is to keep high SES kids from excelling in schools with many low SES kids. An old trick in DCPS.

Van Ness Elementary School has another approach. Van Ness offers a rigorous curriculum for all students.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2017/06/02/the-pre-k-boom-in-d-c-can-it-help-end-school-segregation/?utm_term=.3569f9315cc9

I think the oldest children at Van Ness now are about 6 years old. They won't have test results for a little while. Offering a rigorous curriculum to kids does not guarantee that they will learn it.

I guess you should move to Arlington, then, if it is all so hopeless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Right, but many of us on the Hill care little about PARCC test scores, or not at all.

Parents tend to feign interest in test scores in the hopes of avoiding accusations of racism and classicism in their choice of school, when they really care about other things - changing demographics, strong teaching and leadership, a stable faculty, good facilities (particularly a playground, performance space and library), manageable class sizes, fun to be had for the kids, a welcoming school community, a robust PTA raising a lot of money etc.

We don't need silly test scores to tell us about upper middle-class experiences vs. low-income experiences in an urban setting.

Speak for yourself. A school that manages to close the race/income gap is important to me. Plus there are plenty of schools with lovely facilities, great teachers, that DCUM would not touch with a 10-ft poll. In that I agree with you that PARCC is not relevant because those schools actually have good PARCC scores. PS you're rich, not UMC.

Right, rich, with our non-profit jobs. How old are your kids, 3, 4, 5? Talk to me after a few years in the elementary grades at a Title 1 school, or 6 or 7 years in any DCPS. I can practically guarantee that you will no longer preaching the gospel of closing the race/income gap, with your own children as one of the primary tools, particularly if your kids are ELA gifted or fully bilingual.

Do you own on the Hill? That's affluent.

It's sad that you think valuing diversity means that I think my kid is a "tool." you do what you need to with your kid but don't pat yourself on you back for your progressiveness.

PC BS. Of course DCPS uses strong students, both high and low SES, as tools to raise the bottom. If this weren't the case, DC would have passed a law on GT education long ago, like VA and MD did in the 90s. Our family isn't white yet doesn't value diversity (is that code for low SES AA?) as much as high-performing schools.

OP, with kids who are only 4 or 5 years old, you should be OK at any one of the several neighborhood Hill elementary schools you're considering up to 5th grade. My two cents worth is just don't expect the sun, the moon and the stars from DCPS, especially if your kids turn out to be academically advanced in math or ELA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CLOSE the race/income gap? In the same category as growing crops on the moon.

The most cost-effective approach to narrowing the gap is to keep high SES kids from excelling in schools with many low SES kids. An old trick in DCPS.

Van Ness Elementary School has another approach. Van Ness offers a rigorous curriculum for all students.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2017/06/02/the-pre-k-boom-in-d-c-can-it-help-end-school-segregation/?utm_term=.3569f9315cc9

I think the oldest children at Van Ness now are about 6 years old. They won't have test results for a little while. Offering a rigorous curriculum to kids does not guarantee that they will learn it.

I guess you should move to Arlington, then, if it is all so hopeless.

We'll leave the moving to you, thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would look in-bounds for Watkins too. They have a beautiful new building and they are about to have majority-IB grades hit the testing grades. Their scores will go up for sure.

Huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CLOSE the race/income gap? In the same category as growing crops on the moon.

The most cost-effective approach to narrowing the gap is to keep high SES kids from excelling in schools with many low SES kids. An old trick in DCPS.

Van Ness Elementary School has another approach. Van Ness offers a rigorous curriculum for all students.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2017/06/02/the-pre-k-boom-in-d-c-can-it-help-end-school-segregation/?utm_term=.3569f9315cc9

FFS. VN only goes through Second this year.