Reply to Question for Supporters of New WotP High School

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]Good thoughts -- my concern is that the [quote]city government is eager to encourage parents to be enticed to charters -- not traditional public schools [/quote]-- and so far they've been successful, with middle class parents flocking to charters and being willing to drive their kids long distances to get them there. Henderson herself seemed to punt on middle schools, saying maybe they should be left to Charters - who are better at it. If an all charter system is not desirable to a majority of parents, my feeling is that it needs to be addressed loud and clear - otherwise, don't be surprised when more charters appear and your flock to them and traditional public schools go to pot. It's what's happened so far, with middle-class families as pawns in the game.[/quote]

I get funny looks when I say this aloud, but I think it's the opposite.  I believe DCPS is trying to siphon families off from charters by introducing the elements that make them appealing.

When you think about it, much of what's in the DME proposals mimics what the charters do, particularly at the elementary school level:  specialized programming, including language immersion, Montessori and Tools of the Mind (copying expeditionary learning); guaranteed feed to middle and high school if you get into one of a set of elementary schools (as with DCI).  I'd say they're even trying to recreate the excitement and buzz that happens around a new charter. It now takes less than a year for a charter to get "hot."  If, within the next school year they could get that kind of word of mouth going about some schools that no one would have considered this year, they'll potentially bring out the same level of parent engagement that drives an upstart charter.  I had brunch the other day with a mom who is reluctantly going to give Walker Jones a try because it's all they've got right now.  She felt almost ashamed to be excited about the school's urban farm (look it up, it's cool) but maybe she'll find others who will join with her to make a go at improving the school overall.

It all sounds a little hokey, but so do charters when you tell people how they get going.  And it's worth a shot.

Anyway, the big IF is whether or not DCPS can keep these families around.  For our family, the big IF is whether DCPS will have a place for my kid to go.  There's buildings for middle and high school right down the street from us.  Make it happen.  We will come.  Others will join us - I'm sure of it.[/quote]

There are a couple unattractive attributes of charters that the DME proposals mimic, as well -- lotteries and fewer options for attending schools near your home.  I think charter proponents are betting that parents are now conditioned for this type of uncertainty.[/quote]

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