Reply to what have Hill parents demanded of middle schools?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think for Brent it was that Jefferson does a great job remediating the outrageously dismal test scores of Amidon.  If Amidon students went to JEfferson with the a higher level of proficiency, Brent parents would be more likely to give Jefferson a shot.  But is is galling that Stuart-Hobson is actually closer to Brent and more part of Captiol hill neighborhood, yet S-H is not an option.

[b]So, a simplier option is to make S-H a middle school option for those that live in the S-H area.  They could do this by stopping the automatic feed to S-H for those that attend certain elementary schools that feed into S-H out of boundary.

Stopping the automatic feed into a middle school based upon what elementary school you attended for 5th grade would actually reduce many DCPS problems.  [/b][/quote]

The problem with this, from DCPS's point of view, is that it shuts down an escape route for lower-SES families from dismal neighborhood schools.  When >50% of DCPS students can't perform at grade level, that's a more glaring, demanding, urgent issue than satisfying the Brent parents.  It's already a given that the majority of those parents will choose Latin or Basis over SH even if it were an option.[/quote]

I get it now.  More than half of DCPS students are not able to obtain proficiency by fifth grade so the answer is to simply push them along to middle school with fingers crossed they will magically be able to catch up, but not hold back those who are already proficient and above.  That still sounds like social promotion not an "escape route.". The glaring, demanding, urgent issue that DCPS needs  to fix is elementary schools at which the majority of children are not learning.  The Rhee/Henderson regime, with support from tbe anti-union foundations runs by the like of the Koch and Walton families, and enabled by Fenty and Gray, have perpetrated a fraud on DC residents.  Unfortunately it is too late for anyone to do anything for most lower-SES families in terms of education reform.  Despite all the ballyhoo about change test scores across LEAs are overwhelming stagnant, even in spite of a ham-fisted effort to fudge the numbers.  Let's just watch what happens when a new breed stops blaming teachers and unions.  [b]Schools alone cannot ameliorate entrenched societal inequities.[/b]  [/quote]

But you can't let the principals and teachers entirely off the hook, either. I used to do research in low-performing public schools in PGCPS. When I would interview teachers, some would say things like, "If I just reach one student, then I will consider my work this year a success." These teachers viewed themselves as martyred social workers doing charity work, not teachers paid to instruct children. Basic literacy and numeracy is a low bar that is achievable for most children, even poor ones. If what you're doing isn't working, try something else. Don't just throw your hands up and tell yourself your doing "God's work." [/quote]

To be clear, I am not advocating to let anyone off the hook.  Are there teachers who should no longer be in the classroom?  Absolutely.  Have I advocated for my child to be assigned to a teacher who I consider to be the strongest?   Absolutely.  Do I want more academic rigor for my children so that they are comtinually challenged?  Absolutely.  But I have those luxuries.  In far too many instances teachers have to devote substantial effort simply establishing order in a classroom of students who have no respect for teachers and do not value education.  What exactly are they supposed to do when most of their students show up without the ability to read, write a sentence using proper grammar, or do basic math?  Raising the bar without more is not a solution.[/quote]

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