Reply to Why doesn't DC have a STEM school like TJ?

Forum Index » DC Public and Public Charter Schools

Reply to "Why doesn't DC have a STEM school like TJ?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It's all about critical mass. Are there enough smart kids that can test into such a school year after year to make it worth it? I don't have a definitive answer to that. We could create a smaller, test in high school similar to Dallas' TAG high school (#1 usnews fwiw), but then how would that be different from Tech, or Banneker? Perhaps we should just raise the entry standards for them?[/quote]

Again, I am going to suggest BASIS.

The comprehensive exams in 6th, 7th and 8th may not be as high as the entry standards for Tech or Banneker, but they will weed out kids unwilling to work.  The LEAP program for math starts in 5th (where all kids are placed in math based on testing), and for other subjects like Science and also English, History etc it starts in 8th.  You need a rec from your 7th grade teacher, a certain GPA (not only in the class at issue but also overall), and if they see you flailing they will put you back in the regular classes.

It is a pyramid, with far fewer kids graduating than start out.  There are now 35 9th graders at BASIS DC.  In terms of skewing white, either #2 (Tucson) or #5 (Scottsdale) (TJ was #3) had a Hispanic population of 20% vs 40% state wide, but there are basically no low income kids.

So BASIS DC is the closest DC can get - although they do it by exmissions rather than admissions - it may eventually skew white, but I think it would take more parents pulling their kids out of private schools, and I hope the lack of sports and the fear of true diversity will scare them off... at least for a few more years, so that it still truly serves the community.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics