Maury Capitol Hill

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trying to catch up on this issue - can someone summarize the current state of play?

Sure.

• DCPS wants to merge Maury Elementary School with Miner Elementary School.

• The schools are only a half mile apart but Maury is 21% black and Miner is 80% black.

• In terms of test scores, Maury has some of the best in the city and Miner has some of the worst.

• DCPS is concerned that, given the schools’ close proximity, the racial imbalance between the two schools suggests de facto segregation.

• Maury parents are concerned about how any merger might work and are concerned that DCPS hasn’t really thought the proposal out. They are also concerned about an inflow of low-performing students into Maury, especially given Maury’s significant academic improvement over the last decade or so. For instance, in the past eight years, Maury increased PARCC ELA proficiency from 44% to 74% and math proficiency from 44% to 65%. During this same timer period, Miner’s ELA proficiency rate decreased from 10% to 8% and math proficiency decreased from 21% to 9%. Maury parents are also worried about distance/commute/crime issues.

• Miner parents are in favor of the proposal because it will potentially improve education at Miner since whatever has been happening there for the last decade hasn’t worked.

Terrible summary. Maury parents are concerned about it because DCPS shows no indication it can properly support the higher needs students and has no commitment to grade-level instruction. Not because of the higher needs students. DCPS has zero plan other than “mix the schools together.”

Miner parents of the “low performing kids” have had basically zero to say here. DCPS appears to just view them as demographic data points that are embarrassing and need to be hidden in a more “diverse” school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trying to catch up on this issue - can someone summarize the current state of play?

Sure.

• DCPS wants to merge Maury Elementary School with Miner Elementary School.

• The schools are only a half mile apart but Maury is 21% black and Miner is 80% black.

• In terms of test scores, Maury has some of the best in the city and Miner has some of the worst.

• DCPS is concerned that, given the schools’ close proximity, the racial imbalance between the two schools suggests de facto segregation.

• Maury parents are concerned about how any merger might work and are concerned that DCPS hasn’t really thought the proposal out. They are also concerned about an inflow of low-performing students into Maury, especially given Maury’s significant academic improvement over the last decade or so. For instance, in the past eight years, Maury increased PARCC ELA proficiency from 44% to 74% and math proficiency from 44% to 65%. During this same timer period, Miner’s ELA proficiency rate decreased from 10% to 8% and math proficiency decreased from 21% to 9%. Maury parents are also worried about distance/commute/crime issues.

• Miner parents are in favor of the proposal because it will potentially improve education at Miner since whatever has been happening there for the last decade hasn’t worked.

Terrible summary. Maury parents are concerned about it because DCPS shows no indication it can properly support the higher needs students and has no commitment to grade-level instruction. Not because of the higher needs students. DCPS has zero plan other than “mix the schools together.”

Miner parents of the “low performing kids” have had basically zero to say here. DCPS appears to just view them as demographic data points that are embarrassing and need to be hidden in a more “diverse” school.

To be fair, I am aware of Miner IB parent efforts to gin up support after the disasterous town hall yesterday, including on MOTH. The rationale on MOTH was just nakedly that Miner's IB parents should fight for their kids' interests (i.e., access to a better school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trying to catch up on this issue - can someone summarize the current state of play?

Sure.

• DCPS wants to merge Maury Elementary School with Miner Elementary School.

• The schools are only a half mile apart but Maury is 21% black and Miner is 80% black.

• In terms of test scores, Maury has some of the best in the city and Miner has some of the worst.

• DCPS is concerned that, given the schools’ close proximity, the racial imbalance between the two schools suggests de facto segregation.

• Maury parents are concerned about how any merger might work and are concerned that DCPS hasn’t really thought the proposal out. They are also concerned about an inflow of low-performing students into Maury, especially given Maury’s significant academic improvement over the last decade or so. For instance, in the past eight years, Maury increased PARCC ELA proficiency from 44% to 74% and math proficiency from 44% to 65%. During this same timer period, Miner’s ELA proficiency rate decreased from 10% to 8% and math proficiency decreased from 21% to 9%. Maury parents are also worried about distance/commute/crime issues.

• Miner parents are in favor of the proposal because it will potentially improve education at Miner since whatever has been happening there for the last decade hasn’t worked.

Bravo!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trying to catch up on this issue - can someone summarize the current state of play?

Sure.

• DCPS wants to merge Maury Elementary School with Miner Elementary School.

• The schools are only a half mile apart but Maury is 21% black and Miner is 80% black.

• In terms of test scores, Maury has some of the best in the city and Miner has some of the worst.

• DCPS is concerned that, given the schools’ close proximity, the racial imbalance between the two schools suggests de facto segregation.

• Maury parents are concerned about how any merger might work and are concerned that DCPS hasn’t really thought the proposal out. They are also concerned about an inflow of low-performing students into Maury, especially given Maury’s significant academic improvement over the last decade or so. For instance, in the past eight years, Maury increased PARCC ELA proficiency from 44% to 74% and math proficiency from 44% to 65%. During this same timer period, Miner’s ELA proficiency rate decreased from 10% to 8% and math proficiency decreased from 21% to 9%. Maury parents are also worried about distance/commute/crime issues.

• Miner parents are in favor of the proposal because it will potentially improve education at Miner since whatever has been happening there for the last decade hasn’t worked.

Terrible summary. Maury parents are concerned about it because DCPS shows no indication it can properly support the higher needs students and has no commitment to grade-level instruction. Not because of the higher needs students. DCPS has zero plan other than “mix the schools together.”

Miner parents of the “low performing kids” have had basically zero to say here. DCPS appears to just view them as demographic data points that are embarrassing and need to be hidden in a more “diverse” school.

To be fair, I am aware of Miner IB parent efforts to gin up support after the disasterous town hall yesterday, including on MOTH. The rationale on MOTH was just nakedly that Miner's IB parents should fight for their kids' interests (i.e., access to a better school).

Separate from the content and views on the proposals, it isn't really productive to vilify the timing of the meetings. Some schools have had meetings, others are still coming up. There are meetings being held across the city and only a few people running them, and as they mentioned at the meeting, scheduling has sometimes been tricky. Totally justified for Miner to be annoyed that their meeting hasn't happened yet, but I think it is not fair to say they are intentionally being ignored. Hopefully a lot of Miner families log on to townhalls next week so their voices can be heard/on the record.

[Anonymous]

DCPS's plan to close the achievement gap since 2011 has without a doubt been to drag down the top students.

This is clearly more of the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trying to catch up on this issue - can someone summarize the current state of play?

Sure.

• DCPS wants to merge Maury Elementary School with Miner Elementary School.

• The schools are only a half mile apart but Maury is 21% black and Miner is 80% black.

• In terms of test scores, Maury has some of the best in the city and Miner has some of the worst.

• DCPS is concerned that, given the schools’ close proximity, the racial imbalance between the two schools suggests de facto segregation.

• Maury parents are concerned about how any merger might work and are concerned that DCPS hasn’t really thought the proposal out. They are also concerned about an inflow of low-performing students into Maury, especially given Maury’s significant academic improvement over the last decade or so. For instance, in the past eight years, Maury increased PARCC ELA proficiency from 44% to 74% and math proficiency from 44% to 65%. During this same timer period, Miner’s ELA proficiency rate decreased from 10% to 8% and math proficiency decreased from 21% to 9%. Maury parents are also worried about distance/commute/crime issues.

• Miner parents are in favor of the proposal because it will potentially improve education at Miner since whatever has been happening there for the last decade hasn’t worked.

Terrible summary. Maury parents are concerned about it because DCPS shows no indication it can properly support the higher needs students and has no commitment to grade-level instruction. Not because of the higher needs students. DCPS has zero plan other than “mix the schools together.”

Miner parents of the “low performing kids” have had basically zero to say here. DCPS appears to just view them as demographic data points that are embarrassing and need to be hidden in a more “diverse” school.

To be fair, I am aware of Miner IB parent efforts to gin up support after the disasterous town hall yesterday, including on MOTH. The rationale on MOTH was just nakedly that Miner's IB parents should fight for their kids' interests (i.e., access to a better school).

That’s fair but they should just put in the work at Miner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trying to catch up on this issue - can someone summarize the current state of play?

Sure.

• DCPS wants to merge Maury Elementary School with Miner Elementary School.

• The schools are only a half mile apart but Maury is 21% black and Miner is 80% black.

• In terms of test scores, Maury has some of the best in the city and Miner has some of the worst.

• DCPS is concerned that, given the schools’ close proximity, the racial imbalance between the two schools suggests de facto segregation.

• Maury parents are concerned about how any merger might work and are concerned that DCPS hasn’t really thought the proposal out. They are also concerned about an inflow of low-performing students into Maury, especially given Maury’s significant academic improvement over the last decade or so. For instance, in the past eight years, Maury increased PARCC ELA proficiency from 44% to 74% and math proficiency from 44% to 65%. During this same timer period, Miner’s ELA proficiency rate decreased from 10% to 8% and math proficiency decreased from 21% to 9%. Maury parents are also worried about distance/commute/crime issues.

• Miner parents are in favor of the proposal because it will potentially improve education at Miner since whatever has been happening there for the last decade hasn’t worked.

Terrible summary. Maury parents are concerned about it because DCPS shows no indication it can properly support the higher needs students and has no commitment to grade-level instruction. Not because of the higher needs students. DCPS has zero plan other than “mix the schools together.”

Miner parents of the “low performing kids” have had basically zero to say here. DCPS appears to just view them as demographic data points that are embarrassing and need to be hidden in a more “diverse” school.

To be fair, I am aware of Miner IB parent efforts to gin up support after the disasterous town hall yesterday, including on MOTH. The rationale on MOTH was just nakedly that Miner's IB parents should fight for their kids' interests (i.e., access to a better school).

That’s fair but they should just put in the work at Miner.

Miner's population reflects IB demographics. There's nothing Miner parents can realistically do to turn Miner into Maury or even close. The Miner PTA actually has a core of super active, very dedicated parents.

[Anonymous]

Maury parents: white libs who say they value diversity, equity, etc but NOT when it threatens their kid's school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maury parents: white libs who say they value diversity, equity, etc but NOT when it threatens their kid's school

But Maury is already relatively diverse. Flipping the demographics so that it's over 58% AA as opposed to 58% white doesn't actually make the combined school more diverse. Also, without any actual plan for suddenly integrating a population with totally different academic needs, there is absolutely no reason to think this proposal is "equitable" for anyone unless equitable just means Maury kids are worse off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maury parents: white libs who say they value diversity, equity, etc but NOT when it threatens their kid's school

there is absolutely no reason to think this proposal is "equitable" for anyone unless equitable just means Maury kids are worse off.

That is the goal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS's plan to close the achievement gap since 2011 has without a doubt been to drag down the top students.

This is clearly more of the same.

+1

It is downright embarrassing for DCPS officials to have any schools that aren't completely failing, because it proves that schools could actually be better were it not for the utter incompetence of DCPS. So better to stomp any outperforming school back into the ground.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maury parents: white libs who say they value diversity, equity, etc but NOT when it threatens their kid's school

But Maury is already relatively diverse. Flipping the demographics so that it's over 58% AA as opposed to 58% white doesn't actually make the combined school more diverse. Also, without any actual plan for suddenly integrating a population with totally different academic needs, there is absolutely no reason to think this proposal is "equitable" for anyone unless equitable just means Maury kids are worse off.

It makes Miner much more diverse racially (from 80% black to 45% black/45% white/10% other) and it makes Maury much more diverse economically (from 12% at risk to more like 30% at risk).

You can view that as Maury being worse off and I would get why you're saying that. But you need to accurately report the numbers here. The resulting school community would absolutely be more diverse than either school is now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maury parents: white libs who say they value diversity, equity, etc but NOT when it threatens their kid's school

there is absolutely no reason to think this proposal is "equitable" for anyone unless equitable just means Maury kids are worse off.

That is the goal.

Basically. If they had a plan, any plan, to address the need for intensive academic support & differentiation then OK. but crickets. Because we are not allowed to say: hey the kids at PARCC 1 need a different type of instruction than the kids at PARCC 3+.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maury parents: white libs who say they value diversity, equity, etc but NOT when it threatens their kid's school

But Maury is already relatively diverse. Flipping the demographics so that it's over 58% AA as opposed to 58% white doesn't actually make the combined school more diverse. Also, without any actual plan for suddenly integrating a population with totally different academic needs, there is absolutely no reason to think this proposal is "equitable" for anyone unless equitable just means Maury kids are worse off.

so basically "stick it to the evil gentrifiers"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS's plan to close the achievement gap since 2011 has without a doubt been to drag down the top students.

This is clearly more of the same.

+1

It is downright embarrassing for DCPS officials to have any schools that aren't completely failing, because it proves that schools could actually be better were it not for the utter incompetence of DCPS. So better to stomp any outperforming school back into the ground.

Meanwhile they located the new NW high school in a place totally inaccessible to the rest of the city, almost ensuring minimal OOB students … DC is just make up of weird fifedoms. I’m halfway convinced this stupid cluster concept only exists because Joe Weedon personally has some kind of grudge against Maury.