Reply to Proposal Implications: Loss of Proximity, Forced to go to Lowest Performing School, Concerns OOB

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Reply to "Proposal Implications: Loss of Proximity, Forced to go to Lowest Performing School, Concerns OOB"

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[quote=Anonymous]OP -- I don't see any winners in any of these proposals. Is there anyone who benefits from the changes? I don't want to "accept the dire situation" that DC is offering for my child or any child in the city. Losing proximity preference (closest school), and losing a higher performing school (second closest), in order to go to a lower performing school farther from my home just doesn't make sense for me. It is also bad for the city because instead of walking I will be driving with my child because there is no public transportation near the school DCPS wants to send my child to --it is a disaster.

Boundaries should be built with a clear radius around a school that is less than one mile for elementary schools. In neighborhoods where there are several schools make it a 0.5 radius. I have never seen a proposal for boundaries that intentionally removes children from the closest schools to their home. If adjustments need to be made move the children who live farthest from the school not the closest. This is a transportation and planning nightmare that violates all national and international practice.  Why would the DME force little children to walk to a school that is farther away from their homes -- how does this support neighborhood schools in the end.

Several schools throughout the city are improving in part because they are able to attract desirable OOB children. Hearst and many others fall into this category. The proposed OOB at-risk set asides may seriously set these schools back because they will have to accommodate extremely vulnerable children at a time when their scores are beginning to improve. Has DCPS thought of the implications of these proposals?

I am a product of public schools and attended schools with high economic, social and racial diversity. I want this for my child.

I am just genuinely angry that there are no winners in these proposals. It is just the status quo or children who lose proximity preferences and potential OOB spots.

"Get used to it -- that is DCPS," or "now we are all worse off" makes no sense to me. The boundary exercise hasn't taken place in over 50 years. If the DME wants to make a recommendation shouldn't it be a good one, not one that starts poorly and offers little or nothing.

If there is overcrowding, which could be debatable with the recent construction and planned renovations, it makes no difference because the most crowded schools have the lowest OOB set asides and will immediately be filled.

With the proposal will the quality of teaching improve (or be incentivized), will there be more and better academic offerings, will teachers receive additional training and skills development, will the academic day be longer or be adjusted, will we have a clear plan for assessing parental engagement and satisfaction with the schools, will DCPS highlight best practices from other regions, will the families that have been involved in this boundary process be asked to engage in city-wide efforts to improve all of our schools.

DC is a relatively small city with extremely talented individuals in all wards. I am tired of feeling like the concerns of families are not being addressed.

It just shouldn't have to be this difficult.[/quote]

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