Anyone at DCI (DC International PCS)?

[Anonymous]

We have a fifth grader at a DCI feeder. Kid has ASD/ADHD-combined, very verbal, highly intelligent, but also easily off track and doesn't like 'boring work.'

I'm told there are some kids on the spectrum at DCI, but I don't know any.

I have to decide whether to list DCI as #1 on my lottery or to really play the lottery.

I don't think it would be good to give up the DCI spot.

But even elementary has been hard for kid -- I worry about such a big school and having so many teachers!

Any tips?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Second hand info, but apparently high energy, bright kids do well there. A friend with kid in early years of DCI said she couldn't imagine DS at any of the other middle school/high school bilingual programs in DC.

DCI sounds like a good option coming from a feeder or any bilingual elementary school.

[Anonymous]

OP, does your DC have a 504 or an IEP? Will DC needs supports/accommodations/services for MS/HS?

[Anonymous]

Try DCI before you give up your spot. You can always try out another school if DCI does not work out but it is very difficult to get into DCI. I wish someone had told us this before we decided not to send DS there.

There are not a lot of options for kids with ASD/ADHD out there and if your DC has done well at the feeder with an IEP, it is worth trying DCI first before considering other schools.

[Anonymous]

My kids went to a DCI feeder, and we have many friends there, although my kids didn't go.

A few of the kids we know have ADHD and 504s. Most seem happy, including one family with an HFA student. One family is probably leaving after 8th after trying to make it work for their ADHD child for 3 years.

The pros and cons as the parents I know have shared:

Pros:
since it is a 1:1 device school, most of the work is digital and turned in electronically. This has been a godsend for some of the ADHD students who struggle with the executive function issues.

school is not reluctant to provide IEPs and 504s to students who need them

Cons:

Some students struggle with temptation to use their Chromebooks for games or other distractions during the school day. The school has now set up some parameters and blocking of certain sites for students who need that, but it took a few years to happen.

The school is still growing, teacher turnover is high and many teachers are new to the field. For kids with disabilities, this can sometimes mean that teachers are not trained or skilled at implementing IEPs/504s. The admin is willing to listen and seems to try and remind the teachers of what is supposed to happen. But like at many schools, having a strong plan isn't enough.

Just FYI

School is pretty big - 220 kids now in 6th grade and that number will be the new normal. Class size is 25-28 for most subjects.

DCI does not track in middle except for foreign language and math. The school is a pretty high need population (50% economically disadvantaged and 19% at-risk) and depending on which feeder you are coming from that could be a big change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, does your DC have a 504 or an IEP? Will DC needs supports/accommodations/services for MS/HS?

yes, an IEP, and yes, of course will continue to need it and more with all the challenges of a huge middle school and lots of teachers and students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids went to a DCI feeder, and we have many friends there, although my kids didn't go.

A few of the kids we know have ADHD and 504s. Most seem happy, including one family with an HFA student. One family is probably leaving after 8th after trying to make it work for their ADHD child for 3 years.

The pros and cons as the parents I know have shared:

Pros:
since it is a 1:1 device school, most of the work is digital and turned in electronically. This has been a godsend for some of the ADHD students who struggle with the executive function issues.

school is not reluctant to provide IEPs and 504s to students who need them

Cons:

Some students struggle with temptation to use their Chromebooks for games or other distractions during the school day. The school has now set up some parameters and blocking of certain sites for students who need that, but it took a few years to happen.

The school is still growing, teacher turnover is high and many teachers are new to the field. For kids with disabilities, this can sometimes mean that teachers are not trained or skilled at implementing IEPs/504s. The admin is willing to listen and seems to try and remind the teachers of what is supposed to happen. But like at many schools, having a strong plan isn't enough.

Just FYI

School is pretty big - 220 kids now in 6th grade and that number will be the new normal. Class size is 25-28 for most subjects.

DCI does not track in middle except for foreign language and math. The school is a pretty high need population (50% economically disadvantaged and 19% at-risk) and depending on which feeder you are coming from that could be a big change.

Thanks, I do know much of that, but the fear is real! Exec functioning challenges galore...

[Anonymous]

Depending on how much, and what kind of supports your child has in their IEP, you may want to reach out to DCPS and see if you could get a placement in one of the HFA programs. I think the one for middle school students is at SWW @FS. It would at least give you a point of comparison.

If it is the right setting, you can attend without regard to your IB school.

[Anonymous]

So what other schools are you considering?

We are currently at a SN school often mentioned here and I am not particularly impressed by the academics nor surprisingly the supports he is receiving. To be honest, I think our feeder did a better job with a better, more experienced staff. Certainly not worth the $$$$$ in tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depending on how much, and what kind of supports your child has in their IEP, you may want to reach out to DCPS and see if you could get a placement in one of the HFA programs. I think the one for middle school students is at SWW @FS. It would at least give you a point of comparison.

If it is the right setting, you can attend without regard to your IB school.

Interesting, I didn’t know about that. So I can approach DCPS about that possibility without using a lottery slot and even though we are not currently in DCPS? So I could persur that, tour etc outside of the lottery?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what other schools are you considering?

We are currently at a SN school often mentioned here and I am not particularly impressed by the academics nor surprisingly the supports he is receiving. To be honest, I think our feeder did a better job with a better, more experienced staff. Certainly not worth the $$$$$ in tuition.

I think my kid would do better at a smaller school such as Inspired Teaching or CMI. Both seem to have food special ed teams from what I have heard. But this would leave us without an optionfor high school (at least, nothing by right as our in boundary high school is definitely not an option).

Kid is in mainstream classes except for OT, counseling so I had not considered a special needs school. But middle school will be much harder with all the big classes, high number of teachers etc.

What kind of supports is your kid lacking at SN school?! That is kind of shocking. I suppose maybe academics may not be up to par because other stuff is emphasized?

[Anonymous]

Good special ed teams, not food...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depending on how much, and what kind of supports your child has in their IEP, you may want to reach out to DCPS and see if you could get a placement in one of the HFA programs. I think the one for middle school students is at SWW @FS. It would at least give you a point of comparison.

If it is the right setting, you can attend without regard to your IB school.

Interesting, I didn’t know about that. So I can approach DCPS about that possibility without using a lottery slot and even though we are not currently in DCPS? So I could persur that, tour etc outside of the lottery?

Yes. The process can move in tandem. I am not sure if you would need to start at your IB DCPS school or the central office; I would contact the central office to begin.

If you haven't seen it before, there's a document describing DCPS special programs is downloadable from this webpage. https://dcps.dc.gov/publication/division-specialized-instruction-resource-guide

From your limited description I"m not sure if your child has enough service hours on their IEP to qualify, but you may as well talk to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what other schools are you considering?

We are currently at a SN school often mentioned here and I am not particularly impressed by the academics nor surprisingly the supports he is receiving. To be honest, I think our feeder did a better job with a better, more experienced staff. Certainly not worth the $$$$$ in tuition.

I think my kid would do better at a smaller school such as Inspired Teaching or CMI. Both seem to have food special ed teams from what I have heard. But this would leave us without an optionfor high school (at least, nothing by right as our in boundary high school is definitely not an option).

Kid is in mainstream classes except for OT, counseling so I had not considered a special needs school. But middle school will be much harder with all the big classes, high number of teachers etc.

What kind of supports is your kid lacking at SN school?! That is kind of shocking. I suppose maybe academics may not be up to par because other stuff is emphasized?

Don't go to CMI. IT may be an option. Consider Two Rivers as well.

[Anonymous]

I'd also lottery for Hardy, Stuart Hobson as an OOB student