Reply to San Francisco: a good model for DC?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I really don't see "middle and upper class families wrangling away access to the best schools."  The truth is:  the "best schools" are the best because middle and upper class families send their kids there.  Said another way:  the strongest factor correlating with overall school performance is the average income level of the kids' parents.

Another a way to achieve excellent school performance (outside of high-income neighborhood schools) is to have a magnet school that selects for the brightest kids, regardless of income level -- but even in those schools, the majority of the kids will have a high income level.

Anyone who doesn't understand the reality of the income/achievement correlation won't come close to creating policies for improving education for lower income and/or underperforming kids.

Ideally, you should create schools that have a mix of high income and not-so-high income, in order to create an experience that raises the performance of the kids that need it -- but the higher the population of lower income kids, the lower the overall achievement level of the school will be.  Finding the right balance is a difficult tightrope to walk.

But if the school system's policy is biased too far in favor of lower income and/or lower performing kids, then the best performing kids jump out of the system.  And you then get mostly unimpressive schools as a result.[/quote]

I'm the PP you're quoting and actually I agree with you.  Completely.  And isn't that what SF was trying to achieve?  Either way, it is true that ideally you have a mix.

But my post is mostly talking about something DIFFERENT: I am addressing the posters before my post that keep coming to the conclusion that somehow neighborhood schools are the way to go.  All I'm saying is, be clear on what you will achieve and will NOT achieve by taking that step.  And yes, I absolutely stand by my assertion that making DC charters neighborhood schools is a move that ONLY benefits those who can afford to live near the best charters.  No one is climbing over everyone else to get to most of the Anacostia charters, so making them neighborhood schools changes nothing.  Making all charters neighborhood schools IS middle and upper class parents wrangling access away from the most underserved.  How is it not, if there is minimal truly affordable housing near any of the top charters, including Mundo Verde's new location?  I don't mean "affordable to a struggling lower middle class" family, I mean affordable to those who qualify for FARMS benefits.

That is the only point I"m saying this "wrangling comment" about.  Otherwise, I agree that the focus needs to be on academically and resource-wise (staff, facilities, technology, etc) bringing UP the worst and mediocre schools, while hopefully not hurting the schools that are currently successful.  The definition of "what hurts" depends on who you ask and what their priorities are, obviously.  But I don't disagree with what you say at all.[/quote]

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