Reply to Student Stratification at Selective High Schools

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Not buying above. I used to teach BCC International Baccalaureate humanities classes (not technically a magnet program) and have done volunteer work at Walls. From what I've observed, IBD BCC is head and shoulders above Walls academically. For example, Walls doesn't teach languages past the AP level while BCC does in half a dozen languages and BCC's IBD writing classes offer maybe triple the rigor of those at Walls. DMV teens can become independent without DCPS chaos and the obsession with equity vs. achievement.[/quote]

What volunteer work have you done at walls that gives you such insight into the school? Honest question because I work there and there are very few volunteers.[/quote]

There’s a repeat poster around here who bashes DCPS on the grounds of “volunteer work” they once did.

As with most threads on DCPS it seems to come down to the other suburban schools having fewer poor kids and college-bound kids being the majority. [/quote]

Nope, you obviously have not looked at the stats.  Walls only has about 6% at risk and is nowhere close the the magnet powerhouse schools in the burbs.  Not by a long shot.[/quote]

Walls isn’t a powerhouse magnet and I don’t think it claimed to ever be. And the people on here whining about Walls probably don’t have the type of kid to get admitted to Blair anyway so 🤷 If your kid can get into Blair go with god and enjoy MCPS. [/quote]

Of course there are kids at Walls who can get into Blair.   Lots of amazing kids from highly educated parents from ward 3.  Same kids profile as those at Blair. These families can’t afford the high price of privates in this town and Walls is their best but suboptimal option.

People like you who make excuses and refuse to acknowledge the huge problems in this town where educational standards are not up to par for high achieving kids are part of the problem.

BTW you have really missed the point here.  Walls is supposed to be the best selective school in this town and the equivalent would be a magnet in MCPS.  But one thing I agree with you is yes it’s no powerhouse magnet, so far below it.  So where is the equivalent educational opportunity for kids in the city?  NONE[/quote]

NP but why did you add Ward 3 in your otherwise pretty good comment?  I know DCUM is totally biased against Walls without the test but there are amazing kids from EVERY ward in this city attending Walls.  [/quote]

PP here, yes I agree there are amazing kids in every ward.  I said that to make a similar comparison because the profile of many of the kids in the magnet at Blair are to those of ward 3 families - highly educated families with driven kids.

It’s unbelievable that PP has convinced herself that kids in DC can’t get into Blair magnets.  I suspect the reality is that her kid wouldn’t get in, and she is happy with the low standards at Walls and why her kid is doing well.

As to poor kids getting into selective and magnet high schools, the reality is that it is difficult if you don’t provide a pathway way before that.  This pathway is G & T in elementary and tracking in middle school.  These kids need help to build the foundation of high achieving standards early because their families are either unable to support or supplement, they are ignorant about it and don’t know, or they don’t care.

I was one of those kids growing up.  I was a FARMs kid, and my parents just had no clue or idea about education, how it worked, and how to support.   I was on my own, and someone saw the potential in me to put me in G & T starting in 3rd grade, moved on to the highest, most challenging courses in middle school, then honors and AP in high school.  But there was no way I would have gone that route if I had grown up in DC where there are low standards across the board and there is no system to identify smart kids, especially poor smart kids early, and put them in appropriate academic programming.  To do this just in high school is too late.  The gap already is too wide. There is only so much that they can do to catch up with so little time left.  And that is why of all the kids in the city, the ones hurt the most by low standards and expectations are the poor, smart kids whose potential are never met.[/quote]

Good post, PP. I come from a similar background, in NYC, and couldn't agree more. My recent immigrant parents had no clue or idea about education either, and don't speak, read or write English well to this day. I was put into a full-time G&T program in K. Later on, I took advantage of free, public test prep to ace the SSAT entrance exam to a magnet HS. I also attended an SAT prep camp for free, paid for by a nonprofit. My high school college counselor gave me tremendous help in applying to colleges offering full rides to students like me.

I would never have gone this route either had I grown up in DC, where few stakeholders seem to give a darn if poor kids can crack the most highly competitive colleges offering the most fi aid. [b]Just listen to parents on this thread: Walls is plenty good enough, we don't want or need a serious magnet high school in this city, if you want G & T, move to an upscale suburb. Shut up if you think DCPS could and should aim higher for your tax dollars.[/b] [/quote]

Whoa there. I don't think anyone is saying that. [/quote]

Huh?  Peruse pages 1-10, every other poster argues this. The Walls' DCPS enabler parent crowd is large, and vocal. [/quote]

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