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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I was pro-DCPS all through elementary school and up until April of the month we did the middle school charter lottery, got a spot at BASIS, and had a candid conversation with a DCPS middle school teacher who told me straight-up to take the BASIS spot because her DCPS did not meet the needs of advanced students. she wanted to, but the structure of the curriculum, her inabiity to fail students, her principal all kept her from adding enrichment and appropriate instruction for advanced students.

She was really unequivocal and I made my decision immediately after that conversation. She also said getting a seat at BASIS is like getting a prep school education for free, which I think it true about Latin as well. I'm very, very glad we took the spot.

[b]I'm sure I trash talked charters when my kids were young. But the middle school ecosystem in DC is very different than elementary. I recommend doing some research and allowing yourself some grace to change your mind.[/b] [/quote]

Truly appreciate this candor. The trash talking charters and "down with charters" mentality has created an environment in DC where politicians feel comfortable openly under-resourcing charters. It's not a little bit of money - it's estimated at $1,800 per student and that's money that a charter school doesn't have to improve teacher salaries, increase benefits, offer more athletics and clubs or fix sub-par facilities. Ask your charter school principal what they could do with that much more per kid. [/quote]

It's pretty shameful how the city systematically shortchanges charters. Enrollment in charter schools is growing way, way faster than at DCPS, and it won't be long before the majority of children in this city go to charter schools. [/quote]

If you look at the recent lottery data (take a look at the thread about it) you will see that this is decisively Not True.  Waitlists for charters are plummeting. [/quote]

In 1996, there were approximately 160 kids in charter schools in DC, and nearly 80,000 in DCPS.

Today, there are roughly 48,000 charter school kids and about 50,000 in DCPS.

One of these school systems is seeing explosive growth and the other is in the midst of a very steep decline. [/quote]

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