DCPS to close Washington Metropolitan
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Anonymous
| Alternative programs should be exempt from rating systems designed for high performing schools. These are the students that have been kicked out or filtered from those high star rated schools. |
Anonymous
Collecting common data and reporting it across all schools is helpful. When you delve into the rating system, it is clear that Washington Met is performing no worse than many of the traditional schools. What would be more helpful is if DC would report on how students with similar characteristics to Wash Met perform elsewhere? How are other schools with 90% or more at-risk kids performing? How about schools with 40% or more special needs? IF Wash Met is closing because of performance or because of the idea that kids will do better elsewhere, the public should know how the schools elsewhere compare. |
Anonymous
Agreed that standard comparisons are not apt, but for a specialized school there may not be accurate comparators to benchmark. % of at risk is a start but it doesn't fully capture what is unique about Wash Met. Wash Met students include safety placements, students multiple years behind who are too old to remain in traditional school, students experiencing homelessness or other family instability. The high absenteeism is less the problem and more a reflection of the root cause of why the school serves a much needed role in DC public ed. The smaller size is a design feature and not an indication of lack of need. |
Anonymous
| The Council voted to close it. Also, the Mayor's letter explicitly says it will be used for swing space. (I totally called it! Attention SWS parents!) |
Anonymous
The Council dropped the ball, but it didn't vote to close it. The sponsor did not get the requisite 8 votes to pass emergency bill funding an additional year for transition. They don't get to vote to close the school, as that would defeat the purpose of Mayoral control of schools, which some of those voting against the measure explicitly stating as a reason to vote no. This is squarely on Bowser. |
Anonymous
Roosevelt STAY is not Roosevelt. Ballou STAY, Roosevelt STAY, and Wash Met are all opportunity academies designed for kids who have been struggling in school and are at risk of dropping out / have dropped out. |
Anonymous
Yes I know. Just comparing star ratings as people keep slamming Wash Met because of the numbers but the numbers aren't so different elsewhere. By the way, Roosevelt STAY has a higher star rating than Roosevelt. |