Low Performing Bowie-Mitchellville schools

[Anonymous]

Explain Northview, Kingsford, Perrywood, and the like. How can they be surrounded by middle class suburbs with educated people but still be so low performing for their test scores? Even if people are pulling i out their kids for privates, what explains it? These schools can't be as bad ase the schools in Capital Heights or Temple Hills, so what gives?

[Anonymous]

The numbers don't always portray an accurate view of the school environment. My DS was in private for K - 1 because I also read the reviews but for 2nd grade, we switched him to our neighborhood ES. I have had many great interactions with the principal, teachers and other staff. He is thriving and loves his school much more than the private school. I feel that he is getting a well-rounded education, his 2nd grade class only has 21 students and the principal is very engaged. Parent engagement is essential and will help shape the school environment. You may want to visit the school yourself to get a feel for the school community. I live in Kettering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Explain Northview, Kingsford, Perrywood, and the like. How can they be surrounded by middle class suburbs with educated people but still be so low performing for their test scores? Even if people are pulling i out their kids for privates, what explains it? These schools can't be as bad ase the schools in Capital Heights or Temple Hills, so what gives?

Why not? Each of the schools you listed has 40%+ students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Explain Northview, Kingsford, Perrywood, and the like. How can they be surrounded by middle class suburbs with educated people but still be so low performing for their test scores? Even if people are pulling i out their kids for privates, what explains it? These schools can't be as bad ase the schools in Capital Heights or Temple Hills, so what gives?

Why not? Each of the schools you listed has 40%+ students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunch.

The data I've seen says closer to 30 percent, which is not nearly as high as schools in the inter loop. Either way, the schools are surrounded by middle class, barely any apartments, home owners. So who are the kids there exactly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Explain Northview, Kingsford, Perrywood, and the like. How can they be surrounded by middle class suburbs with educated people but still be so low performing for their test scores? Even if people are pulling i out their kids for privates, what explains it? These schools can't be as bad ase the schools in Capital Heights or Temple Hills, so what gives?

Why not? Each of the schools you listed has 40%+ students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunch.

The data I've seen says closer to 30 percent, which is not nearly as high as schools in the inter loop. Either way, the schools are surrounded by middle class, barely any apartments, home owners. So who are the kids there exactly?

The kids are African American. Nothing more needs to be said. African Americans are at a disadvantage when it comes to resources for their school. My son attends kingsford. They are still using chalkboards. A/c and heat is constantly out, the front office staff is “hood,” etc.

[Anonymous]

I agree that these schools are in solidly middle class areas. And for the life of me, I can’t figure out the low test scores. It’s easy to say the kids are African-American and therefore, the schools are bad. But I’m not buying that. These schools are middle of the road because:
1. They lack PTA’s with funding. PTA’s can make a world of difference and are known to provide training and various resources to teachers. Field trips are also paid for by the PTA. If they have money. Start raising money! Think of it this way, daycare in this area is anywhere from 250-300/week per child. If each incoming kindergartener family (100 kids) donated $250 to the PTA, the PTA would have a budget of $22,500. That’s from a single grade alone.
2. Parents are relying solely on the school for educating their kids. You must supplement! And I’m not talking about outside supplementing. You must teach your kids. Ask yourself if you actually read to your kid 30 minutes a night. If not, you’re the problem, not the school. I say this to say stop putting your child’s whole future in someone else’s hand. Be the director and let the school be a piece of the puzzle.
3. Families are exiting the school early to avoid the middle schools. It’s harder to get in private’s at MS, so parents exit elementary early around 3-4 grade. These are also probably your higher achieving kids and thus families that would have supported your PTA. If they have money for private, they could donate 250/yr to the PTA.
4. Lastly, we need to realize that the GS scores are only a piece of the puzzle when assessing schools. We have allowed this single score to scare us away from schools that we pay for! There will never be improvement if parents run away from schools that belong to them. Invest in your schools.

And, no I do not have kids in school yet. But, they are approaching school age and will be attending our neighborhood school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Explain Northview, Kingsford, Perrywood, and the like. How can they be surrounded by middle class suburbs with educated people but still be so low performing for their test scores? Even if people are pulling i out their kids for privates, what explains it? These schools can't be as bad ase the schools in Capital Heights or Temple Hills, so what gives?

Why not? Each of the schools you listed has 40%+ students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunch.

The data I've seen says closer to 30 percent, which is not nearly as high as schools in the inter loop. Either way, the schools are surrounded by middle class, barely any apartments, home owners. So who are the kids there exactly?

The kids are African American. Nothing more needs to be said. African Americans are at a disadvantage when it comes to resources for their school. My son attends kingsford. They are still using chalkboards. A/c and heat is constantly out, the front office staff is “hood,” etc.

I also don't buy that. Nearly all the schools in PG are >80% minority.

I think a lot of it has to do with kids going to specialty programs. Middle class families are more aware of the lottery programs and can apply. That siphons off those families from neighborhood schools. More affluent families have more time to devote to schools and more money to donate. With the exception of a few TAG centers, FARMS rates at specialty programs have less than 35% low income kids.

There are 8 schools in PG county that have Great School scores of 7,8, 9 or 10. Five are specialty programs which are over 70-89% AA. Only 2 of those schools have AA populations below 70%. The FARMS rates of all of those schools are well below the average in PGCPS.

Within the county it has more to do with income inequality than racial inequality.

Kingsford has a Great Schools rating of 7. That is pretty good if you think that GS scores are a good metric to determine a quality school. Capitol Heights is actually an excellent school, it is also home to a dual specialty program for Spanish Immersion and TAG. More than half of the students that attend Capitol Heights are TAG identified.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Explain Northview, Kingsford, Perrywood, and the like. How can they be surrounded by middle class suburbs with educated people but still be so low performing for their test scores? Even if people are pulling i out their kids for privates, what explains it? [b]These schools can't be as bad ase the schools in Capital Heights or Temple Hills, so what gives?

Why not? Each of the schools you listed has 40%+ students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunch.

The data I've seen says closer to 30 percent, which is not nearly as high as schools in the inter loop. Either way, the schools are surrounded by middle class, barely any apartments, home owners. So who are the kids there exactly?

[/b]The kids are African American. Nothing more needs to be said. African Americans are at a disadvantage when it comes to resources for their school. [b]My son attends kingsford. They are still using chalkboards. A/c and heat is constantly out, the front office staff is “hood,” etc.

Absolutely not! It is a fact that SES is a more accurate predictor of school success than race. I think the negative attitude towards PGCPS stems from the mindset that if it’s nit white, then it’ not right. As the poster above noted, the specialty programs are hoarding high achieving students. Therefore, there is not an even distribution of these students across the schools, which leads to the perception that neighborhood schools are low performing. If you stick these same kids back in the neighborhood school, then voila, total school scores goes back up.

[Anonymous]

The entire PGCPS system has struggled with middle class flight from the schools. I think a lot of this is due to negative perception of the county schools that isn't always grounded in reality. The perception issue is improving many areas, but lots of middle class families go private. I would guess that is part of what is at play here.

Also, for the record, Capital Heights ES is a great school - TAG center and dual immersion Spanish program. They just put on an excellent black history month school-wide program. And its predominantly black and has a sizable low income population. But it really shines - strong principal and PTA, dedicated teachers and a small inclusive environment. I think we'd all be wise to check our preconceived ideas about our schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Explain Northview, Kingsford, Perrywood, and the like. How can they be surrounded by middle class suburbs with educated people but still be so low performing for their test scores? Even if people are pulling i out their kids for privates, what explains it? [b]These schools can't be as bad ase the schools in Capital Heights or Temple Hills, so what gives?

Why not? Each of the schools you listed has 40%+ students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunch.

The data I've seen says closer to 30 percent, which is not nearly as high as schools in the inter loop. Either way, the schools are surrounded by middle class, barely any apartments, home owners. So who are the kids there exactly?

[/b]The kids are African American. Nothing more needs to be said. African Americans are at a disadvantage when it comes to resources for their school. [b]My son attends kingsford. They are still using chalkboards. A/c and heat is constantly out, the front office staff is “hood,” etc.

Absolutely not! It is a fact that SES is a more accurate predictor of school success than race. I think the negative attitude towards PGCPS stems from the mindset that if it’s nit white, then it’ not right. As the poster above noted, the specialty programs are hoarding high achieving students. Therefore, there is not an even distribution of these students across the schools, which leads to the perception that neighborhood schools are low performing. If you stick these same kids back in the neighborhood school, then voila, total school scores goes back up.

I have a tag identified child. I don’t want my child back in the same neighborhood school just to boost scores. I want my child around other students that are on his level, where there is parent involvement and the child and family values education. Go tag or go private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Explain Northview, Kingsford, Perrywood, and the like. How can they be surrounded by middle class suburbs with educated people but still be so low performing for their test scores? Even if people are pulling i out their kids for privates, what explains it? [b]These schools can't be as bad ase the schools in Capital Heights or Temple Hills, so what gives?

Why not? Each of the schools you listed has 40%+ students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunch.

The data I've seen says closer to 30 percent, which is not nearly as high as schools in the inter loop. Either way, the schools are surrounded by middle class, barely any apartments, home owners. So who are the kids there exactly?

The kids are African American. Nothing more needs to be said. African Americans are at a disadvantage when it comes to resources for their school. My son attends kingsford. They are still using chalkboards. A/c and heat is constantly out, the front office staff is “hood,” etc.

Absolutely not! It is a fact that SES is a more accurate predictor of school success than race. I think the negative attitude towards PGCPS stems from the mindset that if it’s nit white, then it’ not right. As the poster above noted, the specialty programs are hoarding high achieving students. Therefore, there is not an even distribution of these students across the schools, which leads to the perception that neighborhood schools are low performing. If you stick these same kids back in the neighborhood school, then voila, total school scores goes back up.


I have a tag identified child. I don’t want my child back in the same neighborhood school just to boost scores. [b]I want my child around other students that are on his level, where there is parent involvement and the child and family values education. Go tag or go private.

So, only parents with TAG students are involved in the schools and value education?! You sound ridiculous! Not every child will be labeled as TAG. And that’s ok!

[Anonymous]

My child isn't gifted. But she LOVES to learn and we, her parents, value education. (we both went to elite SLACs)

So - Shut up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Explain Northview, Kingsford, Perrywood, and the like. How can they be surrounded by middle class suburbs with educated people but still be so low performing for their test scores? Even if people are pulling i out their kids for privates, what explains it? [b]These schools can't be as bad ase the schools in Capital Heights or Temple Hills, so what gives?

Why not? Each of the schools you listed has 40%+ students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunch.

The data I've seen says closer to 30 percent, which is not nearly as high as schools in the inter loop. Either way, the schools are surrounded by middle class, barely any apartments, home owners. So who are the kids there exactly?

The kids are African American. Nothing more needs to be said. African Americans are at a disadvantage when it comes to resources for their school. My son attends kingsford. They are still using chalkboards. A/c and heat is constantly out, the front office staff is “hood,” etc.

Absolutely not! It is a fact that SES is a more accurate predictor of school success than race. I think the negative attitude towards PGCPS stems from the mindset that if it’s nit white, then it’ not right. As the poster above noted, the specialty programs are hoarding high achieving students. Therefore, there is not an even distribution of these students across the schools, which leads to the perception that neighborhood schools are low performing. If you stick these same kids back in the neighborhood school, then voila, total school scores goes back up.


I have a tag identified child. I don’t want my child back in the same neighborhood school just to boost scores. [b]I want my child around other students that are on his level, where there is parent involvement and the child and family values education. Go tag or go private.

So, only parents with TAG students are involved in the schools and value education?! You sound ridiculous! Not every child will be labeled as TAG. And that’s ok!

It is ok, except in PG county... if you aren’t in TAG or attend a private school, you are looked down upon. PG county schools are a joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The entire PGCPS system has struggled with middle class flight from the schools. I think a lot of this is due to negative perception of the county schools that isn't always grounded in reality. The perception issue is improving many areas, but lots of middle class families go private. I would guess that is part of what is at play here.

Also, for the record, Capital Heights ES is a great school - TAG center and dual immersion Spanish program. They just put on an excellent black history month school-wide program. And its predominantly black and has a sizable low income population. But it really shines - strong principal and PTA, dedicated teachers and a small inclusive environment. I think we'd all be wise to check our preconceived ideas about our schools.

ITA with this response. Northview elementary only has such low scores because of the middle class families surrounding that area pulling their kids out and sending them to private schools (which btw, don't publish any testing scores for parents to disapprove of and run away from!). Its ridiculous because those same resources as in thousands of dollars they could put half of that into their neighborhood school and turn it around a complete 180 to a top performing school in a matter of a couple years, AND increase their housing prices and neighborhood value at the same time.

Its a shame the disadvantages they are doing to the other children within their own neighborhoods out of selfishness, snobbery and exclusive concern over their own kid rising to the top above everyone else. What happened to our sense of community and neighborly love? Why must the rat race begin this young?

[Anonymous]

Sorry Not Sorry - No one wants their kid to be the sacrificial lamb!