Is MV really having that bad of a year? (I'm postulating, but you aren't the first parent I've heard this from. I live a block from the school and have lotterying for a few years to try to get in) |
I wish I could flag this post under "best of". I appreciate you putting your story out there, and hope that future magical thinkers read it and think twice about shoving their kid in a language program where there child will only become lost and a disruption. Of course the child causing the disruption loses the most. |
Pay for private if you don't want the disruption |
And what about the other kids in the class whose parents can't afford private? Do they need to suffer so that every parent who gets a wild hair about immersion in second, third, fifth grade is accommodated? |
I feel bad for the children with irresponsible parents who care more about bragging about their "bilingual" children than of their child's welfare. There are a lot of DC language schools that you can send your kid on the weekend to teach them that second or third language. I would love to send my kids to a language immersion school, particularly one that specializes in German or Arabic, but we don't always get what we want. |
Why did space become available in 2nd, 3rd, or 5th grade? Sure some people move, but others decide they have a "wild hair" for a Montessori or traditional school. Should that spot be wasted for a motivated family willing to put in the work to be successful? |
What about the other kids in our neighborhood school? The principal and staff put a lot of effort into building positive school culture, and it really shows in the kids who have come up from PK grades (of all SES), who not only behave well, but score high on tests. Why should these kids be disrupted by newcomers who join in later grades? Answer: because it's a public school, and the responsibility is to all students of the public. Being language immersion doesn't mean that you should get to shelter yourselves from what every other public school has to deal with. |
Any school can experience a second grader with behavior issues. Why should a language school be exempt from accepting these kids? If they can't adequately support a kid with behavior issues they shouldn't be in the public school business. You suggest dumping these kids at CMI and IT so you can stack your deck? No. Not gonna happen. |
Because the mission of charter schools is to provide a specialized, alternative educational offering. They are meant to augment the existing public school system, not replace it. |
Augment, as in be a part of it. With the same rules that apply. Not with a special set of rules just to make it easier. |
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If a school opts to be its own LEA (as LAMB and virtually all DC charters have) then they are supposed to follow federal law with respect to educating all kids - including taking them at all ages. LAMB and YY have been granted exceptions which make good common sense - but they are not how things are supposed to work.
If a charter is part of the DCPS LEA then they can be somewhat more selective bc there are alternative placements available to the child in the same 'district.' |
Augment, as in supplement. The rules are not to make it easier; they are to make it possible to fulfill the mission of the charter. |
So it's ok for other specialized charters that provide specialized educational offerings to accept older kids but not language? I don't think so hypocrite. |
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Well, you only have to wait 3 days for LAMB results! Who is getting excited/nervous?
Is LAMB your first choice or are there MSDC schools you prefer? |
I hadn't realized LAMB was holding their lottery ahead of MSDC. Wonder if they will give people until after April 1 to make a decision? |