Reply to Two of DCPS's biggest challenges going forward

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Reply to "Two of DCPS's biggest challenges going forward"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think the challenges are:
1. The teachers union- they rather flex their muscle to keep the status quo than focus on educating the kids. Teachers can come in late and sleep during class and you can't get rid of them. Charters don't tolerate this BS.

2. Indifferent parents. This label is applicable to single moms from the hood and/or affluent gentrifiers who don't get involved.

3.Lackluster blase' programs. I want dual language expeditionary learning. A charter offers this and a dual-by-default Tools of the Mind afterthought can't compete.

4. Too many kids that need extra- poor SES that need extra services to get them up to basic par, too many kids that need ESOL, too many kids that need IEPs etc... We didn't have all of this baloney back in the day. Everyone's "right" to everything for free is collapsing the system.

People need to get honest and/or wake up.[/quote]

1-3 make sense, but your 4 is way off.  How do you conclude that the number of kids who need ESL or Special Education help are part of the reason DCPS schools are still struggling so much?  When middle class people on DCUM complain about their neighborhood schools, they never mention Special Ed or ESL as what they think is messed up.  And yes some kids do need services to get them up to par, but you canNOT equate "poor SES" with being behind.  Ward 7 and 8 schools have plenty of students who are very low SES but still legitimately on grade level.

And it's not "everyone's right to everything for free" that is collapsing the system.  In DC it's much more that we're not making the most of the resources we do have.  Highest per pupil allotment in the US - there are urban school districts that have the same problems, get less money, and do much better.  The costs of Special Ed and ESL are nowhere near the top of the "What's really bringing DCPS down" list.[/quote]

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