Parent Essay critical of DCI

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t about the feeders. What feeder you came from is irrelevant once you get to DCI, save for your language track.

DCI does track math, and language by ability. Like every other charter there is no tracking for English and Science. That should be abundantly clear to anyone enrolling. If you don’t like it, then choose something else.

Cue ‘but we were promised,’ ‘it’s so hard EOTP.’

The ‘guarantee of DCI’ everyone mentions really only means you have a seat. You can’t assume it is going to work for your kid. People should choose their elementary schools and do ANOTHER deep and serious evaluation of all options starting when their kids are rising 4th graders.

Nothing new here about tracking. It is what it is in DC. Just like Deal and other schools only tracks math and not ELA or science. If you want more go private or move to the burbs.

Of course parents are going to re-evaluate at the end of elementary. That’s a given. But if you don’t want to go private or move to the burbs, DCI is the best middle school potion EOTP.

Latin

Oh my God no. Latin is a joke only ignorant DC parents don’t seem to get.

I’d take a IB Diploma any day over whatever nonsense Latin is selling.

You can say what you want about DCI, but if the kids get an ib diploma- that’s a real accomplishment.

If. DCI is projecting that only 20% of students will get one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Oh my God no. Latin is a joke only ignorant DC parents don’t seem to get.

I’d take a IB Diploma any day over whatever nonsense Latin is selling.

You can say what you want about DCI, but if the kids get an ib diploma- that’s a real accomplishment.

If. DCI is projecting that only 20% of students will get one.

Where did you hear this? We're at DCI, and I haven't heard this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Oh my God no. Latin is a joke only ignorant DC parents don’t seem to get.

I’d take a IB Diploma any day over whatever nonsense Latin is selling.

You can say what you want about DCI, but if the kids get an ib diploma- that’s a real accomplishment.

If. DCI is projecting that only 20% of students will get one.

Where did you hear this? We're at DCI, and I haven't heard this.

Is your kid in high school? That’s what they are saying for the first groups of kids.

[Anonymous]

^^ It was said at a PCSB meeting last school year.

[Anonymous]

The expectation at any new IB school is that the first few classes will have a pretty small group of students passing the IB exam.

In a way it doesn’t matter because the results come out after college acceptances. Once a class or two of kids go all the way through DCI will probably tweak its program as they will know what the students struggled with in the exam.

[Anonymous]

Until DC parents demand a true magnet program, this is what you'll get. Nothing new here. DCPS and charters end up with same problems at the end of the day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Oh my God no. Latin is a joke only ignorant DC parents don’t seem to get.

I’d take a IB Diploma any day over whatever nonsense Latin is selling.

You can say what you want about DCI, but if the kids get an ib diploma- that’s a real accomplishment.

If. DCI is projecting that only 20% of students will get one.

Where did you hear this? We're at DCI, and I haven't heard this.

Having done the IB program back in the 90s I can tell you it is not easy. Your kids papers and tests will be grades by other teachers all across the globe. Writing is a huge component of pretty much every IB subject. So don't assume that kids will be walking away with a diploma. Additionally you have to be able to sit the exams in a foreign language to be able to get a diploma. It is seriously hard! My advice, start supplementing on writing skills now!

[Anonymous]

^^ and since there are few graded assignments and exams st DCI now, even in 9th, time will tell how the average student does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The expectation at any new IB school is that the first few classes will have a pretty small group of students passing the IB exam.

In a way it doesn’t matter because the results come out after college acceptances. Once a class or two of kids go all the way through DCI will probably tweak its program as they will know what the students struggled with in the exam.

Your info on IB testing is seriously dated. For the last decade, IB students have been able to take up to 4 of their 6 subject exams in May of junior year, with the results available for college applications in the fall. It does matter if the college bound in IBD programs are on track to earn the full diploma or not. Moreover strong American IB students commonly double up on the AP exams that overlap with their IB subject exam to have more standardized test results to submit with college applications, This is standard practice in established IBD programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had the same question about the reading list. My rising 6th grader asked why DCI was listing a book for summer reading that she had read at her charter elementary in 4th grade. We can't afford private and she didn't get in anywhere else so I guess we will have to supplement.

I suspect they don’t want to make it too hard. Just read over the summer. They don’t know any of the incoming kids so will likely sort them out as the year progresses - below grade level, at grade level, above, etc... I would imagine.

She was referring to lists for rising 7th and 8th graders. The 'incoming kids' excuse doesn't apply. And since 95% comes from feeders, DCI asks for and gets information from the elementary schools about levels.

I've heard versions of this from 6 other families at DCI. Their kids are happy, socially, but not working that hard (rising 8th/9th and 10th grade). The students are still there because their inbound schools are worse and they can't afford private.

I think it will probably get better over time. But it doesn't help current students there now.

You also have to consider that these kids are coming from Mundo Verde, one of the weakest links, if not the weakest link.

It’s DCB that is the weakest link with the lowest ELA scores not only on PARCC but also math. Get your data straight.

These are the most recent scores for 5th graders from the feeder schools. First 4 and above and then 3 and above. Overall, YY and LAMB are on top and then DCB, Stokes, and Mundo follow (all about the same depending if you look at 3s or 4s).

Latin American Montessori Bilingual PCS 78.1% 93.8%
DC Bilingual PCS 50.0% 85.0%
Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS 43.8% 75.0%
Mundo Verde Bilingual PCS 54.2% 79.2%
Washington Yu Ying PCS 73.3% 93.3%

Not sure where you got your numbers, but in the last 5th grade ELA results Mundo Verde had 51.6% at 4+ and Stokes had 51.1%. Essentially the same. With the the sample sample sizes (especially with Stokes) looking at overall school scores helps smooth out the grade to grade fluctuations. Overall, MV, DCB, and Stokes are very close in PARCC results year to year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"why are 8th graders being given a 5th grade reading list"? because for most 8th graders in DC, they are on a 5th grade level but have bee passed on year to year to be another teachers problem. What the writer needs to understand is that if DC actually challenged kids the achievement gap would only widen and that cannot happen. Until DC actually comes up with real rigor and not "honors for all" (what a joke at wilson), this isn't going tp change. To the teachers, the writers kids are just fine, they wil test well and sit quietly why they are trying to teach basic grammar and writing to kids who should have learned it 4 years earlier.

Sure but most feeder kids are on grade level in this case. It’s a shame they can’t track. My parents did zero supplementing and since I was in an advanced track I think it was fine. I don’t expect to supplement or even prod terribly much.

Are you kidding me. No way would DCPS do tracking or allow charters to do it which is funded by the city. They want to artificially narrow the achievement gap, not widen it. That’s why DCPS schools are such a disaster. At least in charters there are a higher cohort of at grade level and above level kids and they have more flexibility to try to create their own and more progressive curriculums.

You are correct, and it really is a crime. Tracking or challenging accomplished kids will "increase the gap" so it is off the table. The shameful goal is LCD for all. "Everyone is equally uneducated" - win!

You're wrong, PP, dead wrong. Stuart Hobson and Hardy middle schools have already tracked extensively for several years now. Both schools offer honors classes for foreign language, math and ELA (both), and Hobson also tracks for social studies and science. Only around 1/3 of students in those middle schools are placed in honors classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"why are 8th graders being given a 5th grade reading list"? because for most 8th graders in DC, they are on a 5th grade level but have bee passed on year to year to be another teachers problem. What the writer needs to understand is that if DC actually challenged kids the achievement gap would only widen and that cannot happen. Until DC actually comes up with real rigor and not "honors for all" (what a joke at wilson), this isn't going tp change. To the teachers, the writers kids are just fine, they wil test well and sit quietly why they are trying to teach basic grammar and writing to kids who should have learned it 4 years earlier.

Sure but most feeder kids are on grade level in this case. It’s a shame they can’t track. My parents did zero supplementing and since I was in an advanced track I think it was fine. I don’t expect to supplement or even prod terribly much.

Are you kidding me. No way would DCPS do tracking or allow charters to do it which is funded by the city. They want to artificially narrow the achievement gap, not widen it. That’s why DCPS schools are such a disaster. At least in charters there are a higher cohort of at grade level and above level kids and they have more flexibility to try to create their own and more progressive curriculums.

You are correct, and it really is a crime. Tracking or challenging accomplished kids will "increase the gap" so it is off the table. The shameful goal is LCD for all. "Everyone is equally uneducated" - win!

You're wrong, PP, dead wrong. Stuart Hobson and Hardy middle schools have already tracked extensively for several years now. Both schools offer honors classes for foreign language, math and ELA (both), and Hobson also tracks for social studies and science. Only around 1/3 of students in those middle schools are placed in honors classes.

It’s good SH has honors classes but apparently it’s easy to get in. Basically all middle class kids get in.

[Anonymous]

You people are CRAZY. Get a grip on reality for all those that expect DCI to be more rigorous, more challenging, yada, yada, yada and comparing it to whatever school.

The school is only 4, let me repeat, FOUR years old. They don’t even have a graduation class yet.

Not only is it a new middle school but ALSO a new high school. So building TWO schools basically.

It’s an IB program which is MUCH more difficult to implement than traditional program.

Lastly, its 1 opinion in a poorly written article from 1 parent - really great sample size of opinion to base judgment. I think some of you need to take statistics 101.

Why don’t all of you downers and criticizers get back to us in at least 4 more years or so.......It’s really unfair to expect and judge a school so soon.

What I will say about DCI is that for a new middle school, the cohort of peer group who are at grade level and above is really good. If it continues to go in an upward trend as it does with the students coming in and a decent IB curriculum, it has the potential to get even better. If you have a majority peer group functioning at or above grade level, there is higher probability that the rigor will also get better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people are CRAZY. Get a grip on reality for all those that expect DCI to be more rigorous, more challenging, yada, yada, yada and comparing it to whatever school.

The school is only 4, let me repeat, FOUR years old. They don’t even have a graduation class yet.

Not only is it a new middle school but ALSO a new high school. So building TWO schools basically.

It’s an IB program which is MUCH more difficult to implement than traditional program.

Lastly, its 1 opinion in a poorly written article from 1 parent - really great sample size of opinion to base judgment. I think some of you need to take statistics 101.

Why don’t all of you downers and criticizers get back to us in at least 4 more years or so.......It’s really unfair to expect and judge a school so soon.

What I will say about DCI is that for a new middle school, the cohort of peer group who are at grade level and above is really good. If it continues to go in an upward trend as it does with the students coming in and a decent IB curriculum, it has the potential to get even better. If you have a majority peer group functioning at or above grade level, there is higher probability that the rigor will also get better.

+1. Our kid is starting K this year at a language immersion. In 6 years, I think DCI has much potential for growth. We really like the IB diploma also rather than AP classes. This is coming from someone who took a bunch of AP classes and got college credit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"why are 8th graders being given a 5th grade reading list"? because for most 8th graders in DC, they are on a 5th grade level but have bee passed on year to year to be another teachers problem. What the writer needs to understand is that if DC actually challenged kids the achievement gap would only widen and that cannot happen. Until DC actually comes up with real rigor and not "honors for all" (what a joke at wilson), this isn't going tp change. To the teachers, the writers kids are just fine, they wil test well and sit quietly why they are trying to teach basic grammar and writing to kids who should have learned it 4 years earlier.

Sure but most feeder kids are on grade level in this case. It’s a shame they can’t track. My parents did zero supplementing and since I was in an advanced track I think it was fine. I don’t expect to supplement or even prod terribly much.

Are you kidding me. No way would DCPS do tracking or allow charters to do it which is funded by the city. They want to artificially narrow the achievement gap, not widen it. That’s why DCPS schools are such a disaster. At least in charters there are a higher cohort of at grade level and above level kids and they have more flexibility to try to create their own and more progressive curriculums.

You are correct, and it really is a crime. Tracking or challenging accomplished kids will "increase the gap" so it is off the table. The shameful goal is LCD for all. "Everyone is equally uneducated" - win!

You're wrong, PP, dead wrong. Stuart Hobson and Hardy middle schools have already tracked extensively for several years now. Both schools offer honors classes for foreign language, math and ELA (both), and Hobson also tracks for social studies and science. Only around 1/3 of students in those middle schools are placed in honors classes.

It’s good SH has honors classes but apparently it’s easy to get in. Basically all middle class kids get in.

OK, but it's still a big deal for a DCPS MS EotP not to mix kids who need extensive remediation in ELA, science and social studies classes with those who work at or above grade level. We wouldn't have left DCI and enrolled at Hobson (which is around the corner from our house) if this weren't the case. Our student's commute to Hobson is all of 1-minute, and she works with tutors around 5 hours a week to add challenge. We're hanging on in the City because of Hobson and the arrangement is working well. Would I like a full-blown GT program in DC for a strong student? Absolutely. Do I feel like I need to move because I don't have one? No. To us, Hobson's honors classes trump DCI's mixed-ability classes. Our kid used to commute at least half an hour to DCI each way - not worth it for the rigor (mostly lack thereof) on offer.