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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Anyone else have impressions? Mine is that the only people who would consider messing with the few successful ward 3 elementary schools are the political higher-ups, not anyone whose concern is not primarily political.

Also, there was some acknowledgment that DCPS needs to do a better job with Hardy to alleviate the Deal problem. There is no excuse for why Hardy is not on par with Deal. [/quote]

I just posted on the Tommy/Brent thread but I had an idea and if anyone who got in to a focus group agrees please mention it, especially if they are talking about eliminating boundaries for high schools

would it be possible to have separate classes for "advanced learners" - kids who scored advanced on the DCCAS and/or NAEP in EVERY middle school?  If you look at the OSSE test breakdown, you could do this in almost every school.  You might have to combine a couple of grades for math, but schools do  this (BASIS did and I assume high schools do as well) and start with pre algebra or whatever is appropriate (NOT a math person), and if you took the advanced and perhaps the highest proficients you could have an English class in each grade.  If kids are disruptive they would have to be shown the door, but the others could all read the same book, discuss it, learn to write 5 paragraph essays, make arguments with quotes supporting them via the text - all things my oldest child did our first year at Washington Latin.

Kaya has thrown up her hands and recommended everyone try to send their kids to charters for MS, but couldn't we have the "advanced learners" (and some might only be English not maths, but maybe they could study the following summer and try to test in to the other program) have separate classes for these two key subjects so everyone of them has a shot at going to Wilson and doing well without having been to Deal, or applying to SWW and doing well on the math portion of the test which I understand is hard, or going to Banneker, or going wherever?  The middle schools are key, and it is definitely not just Hardy that is failing in the eyes of Ward 3, but so many OOB parents WANT Hardy because the alternatives are even worse where they are.

There are kids with great potential all across this city, and many have no control over where they go to middle school.  But middle school is key, and we are failing.  So if you agree in principle  - maybe not the right selection criteria, curriculum, whatever, please raise this idea at any focus group you go to.

Thank you very much,
parent of kids at charter and DCPS[/quote]

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