Anonymous wrote:I think the question demonstrates the narrowness of your experience. You are probably thinking of the following outcomes, which could be seen as more equitable (though it’s more complex and I think there are real questions as to whether this would create more equity):

- Wealthier parents who currently choose to send their kids to charters for things like language immersion or Montessori would be forced to invest in their inbound DCPS
- Gentrifiers would be forced to invest in their neighborhood schools

But here are some other outcomes:

- Parents in neighborhoods with low incomes and high crime would be forced to send their kids to their IB school, even though schools in low income, high crime neighborhoods are some of the most challenged in the city, with high percentages of at risk kids, limited sources for PTA and other funding, and difficulty attracting and retaining teachers and administrators
- Wealthy parents would simply move or send their kids to private, rather than attend what is already in many cases one of the better schools in the city. Note these options would not be available to low income families who can’t afford private or homes with better local schools
- Most schools would racially segregated, as the manufactured integration at charters and citywide schools disappeared. Only schools in gentrifying neighborhoods would be diverse in this way, and intensely so (as white gentrifiers either come to dominate the school or flee to avoid the school)
- Black flight to PG County and other majority black locales would increase as black families recognize they have been consigned to failing schools with no other options. Wealthier black families would increasingly choose private as well.
- Overall enrollment would decline as parents flee for suburbs and privates. As enrollment declined, so too would funding and family involvement, creating a race to the bottom for families unfortunate enough to have no better options.

Anonymous wrote:The only reason I am willing to live in NE DC at all is because I have school choice. If I didn't, I would never have moved here, and I would move away if I did live here. It's that simple.

Anonymous wrote:I had this exact same question when I was entering this system 6 years ago. My inexperienced self really believed that if we all could just trust our neighborhood schools, everything would be solved. 6 years later, I understand that people are not able to have the required level of trust when it comes to their kids. It's intractable. People will move before they risk their children. It's sad. It's horrible. But it's true.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe if this happened resources would be spread more evenly and result in real equity. More diversity would exist racially and economically. Families with greater political influence would advocate and all students would benefit. Children and families within walking distance would build relationships.
Think of the potential!!