Anonymous wrote:Money and all the extras that it can buy. Take a look at the Janney PTA budget:

https://janneyschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Proposed1415PTABudget-forWeb-3-Proposed-Deatiled-Budget-Web.pdf

DCPS is happy to let PTAs fund art, music and even science teachers while "central" spends money instead on fluffy administrative positions like diversity coordinators and "esteem" specialists.

The schools / teachers at WOTP schools are able to focus.

The teachers do not need to think about getting enough chaparones for a field trip b/c the class parent is taking care of it.

The teachers do not need to think about reaching out to parent's for birthday celebrations b/c the class party coordinator has taken care of it.

The teachers do not have children who come to school inconsistently because of transportation problems because in case the car is in the shop, the family has a loaner.

The teachers do not need to deal with soaking wet children who took the bus to school and walked 1/4 of a mile from the nearest bus stop b/c that will not happen.

The teachers do not need to deal with the 30 million word gap because most of the children in WOTP schools are not low income (study of the total # of words spoken to a child by age 4 in low income vs high income household)

When the teacher is not dealing with any of the above, they have time to focus on teaching.

OP, it's not really a matter of asking why you doesn't have certain things. No doubt there are reasons-- in our EOTP school it's because the administration has (rightly, in my opinion) spent their extra dough on certain things for struggling students, many of which go un-noticed by many more affluent parents. Hearing those reasons may be enlightening to you, but it won't get you the better programming that what you want.

It's about the school and parents working together to find out what is needed and how to get it. So I suggest you join or start a PTA, to get that process going. Take a look at the 990s for some good schools' PTAs and you will see exactly how vast the funding gap is.

The advantages WOTP come from all the things that come with being high-income in America. Kids not dealing with stress of poverty, kids succeeding around them, more enrichment, juggernaut PTAs, teachers happy not to be freaked out in a test-crisis-based "failing" school, etc., etc., etc., you can get what I'm getting at.

DCPS doesn't really put different things in the box. It's what the consumers bring to the equation that is different.

Money and all the extras that it can buy. Take a look at the Janney PTA budget:

https://janneyschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Proposed1415PTABudget-forWeb-3-Proposed-Deatiled-Budget-Web.pdf

WOTP programs typically offer really enriching afterschool programming that you have to pay for but that your kids love so much that it's like pulling teeth to make them leave school.

Anonymous wrote:A stunningly attractive, new, spacious, state-of-the-art-for-DCPS building.

Our wotp kids are in trailers.

I think the biggest difference is the lack of disruptive kids in wotp classrooms. Not sure how much is a difference in the population of kids vs the administrations way of handling disruptive kids.

I don't know about wealthy, but a number of the OOB families at our neighborhood WOTP school appear to belong to the low number license plate club, which suggests DC political connections. Of course, I assume that they were just lucky to secure spots in the school lottery.

A stunningly attractive, new, spacious, state-of-the-art-for-DCPS building.

My kids are in elementary so I can't compare middle schools, but I'll say the biggest different I see between our school and the EOTP schools my friends' kids go to is after school enrichment programming. I think that goes a long way in recruiting local families to the school, so I would suggest you work on that. The hard part is that it requires wither fundraising by the PTA, or families that can pay for programs. It seems to be the stumbling block at my friends' schools.

Other than that, I honestly don't see much difference in the actual instruction they are getting.

What others have said plus it is the only IB middle school in DC. Not only IB public school but even private schools don't offer an IB middle years program. That alone shows the dedication and commitment to educating students.

There is a huge difference in PTA dollars and in parents just buying stuff for the classrooms.

There is a lot more pressure and accountability from the parents on the school and teachers to be excellent. There are definitely the crazies and problem parents that waste a lot of time trying to get extras for their precious special snowflake, but on balance having a highly involved group of parents is a huge benefit.

I have a 7th grader at Deal now and another who graduated last year.

This may not be as concrete, but the quality of the teachers at Deal is huge. I have always been impressed with the passion and care they have for their work. From all of the teachers I've experienced, I'd say a solid 80% of the teachers have been awesome. Both of my kids have had teachers there that they will never forget for pushing them to do better.

The other factor that you have to consider is that Deal's "overcrowding" issue has a net positive result. It allows the school to have more funds to offer many, many extras. Add to that PTA dollars and you have a lot to work with.

Sports programs, particularly for girls.
Musical instrument instruction.
Language instruction.
Extracurriculars such as school newspaper, yearbook, musicals, plays, etc.

I'm creating a new thread, because I was about to take another thread on a tangent.
Someone said:

Anonymous wrote:Deal is no big deal, it's just the best DCPS can do. That's what you should have said.

Can you, or someone else in the know, give me some insight into concrete "things", programs/processes/philosophy/amenities, that Deal does, making it "the best DCPS can do", other than the result, i.e. test scores?

Because whatever you tell me now, I will take to me EOTP neighborhood DCPS and ask then whether we can have it too.