Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a parent perspective, the teacher training program is amazing. There are two teachers in nearly every classroom - in most cases, that includes an experienced master teacher and a learning resident teacher - and it's so valuable for kids to have both and to be able to see their teachers learn from each other and complement each other and work as a team. (PK3 and PK4 have a paraprofessional in each classroom in addition to the two teacher.)

I think the teaching and commitment to teacher excellence is what sets ITS apart - as a prospective parent, it wasn't something that was so much on my radar. But as someone who's been at the school for a number of years, it is the thing that I most value.

(And YES, an at-risk preference would be great and if that becomes an option in the lottery, I hope the school opts in.)

Thanks, this is helpful. But don't all PK3/4s have at least 2 teachers? Is a teacher trainee better in practice than a teaching assistant?

It depends on the school (especially comparing charters to charters). But a teaching assistant doesn't typically have an education degree, and may never intend to get one. A teaching in training will have more credentials.

More than whom, though? Given the mandate for highly qualified teachers, I've become accustomed to seeing assistant teachers working on their Master's degrees in early elementary. ITS's spin sounds more like marketing than actual differentiation from what can be found in many highly regarded schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a parent perspective, the teacher training program is amazing. There are two teachers in nearly every classroom - in most cases, that includes an experienced master teacher and a learning resident teacher - and it's so valuable for kids to have both and to be able to see their teachers learn from each other and complement each other and work as a team. (PK3 and PK4 have a paraprofessional in each classroom in addition to the two teacher.)

I think the teaching and commitment to teacher excellence is what sets ITS apart - as a prospective parent, it wasn't something that was so much on my radar. But as someone who's been at the school for a number of years, it is the thing that I most value.

(And YES, an at-risk preference would be great and if that becomes an option in the lottery, I hope the school opts in.)

Thanks, this is helpful. But don't all PK3/4s have at least 2 teachers? Is a teacher trainee better in practice than a teaching assistant?

It depends on the school (especially comparing charters to charters). But a teaching assistant doesn't typically have an education degree, and may never intend to get one. A teaching in training will have more credentials.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire 'social justice' line of conversation is ridiculous. Seriously. The school looks very diverse to me and every school in the city has its own strengths and weaknesses. Can we get back to talking academics?

Sure. White kids do ok on PARCC at ITS, but not as well as at other charter or DCPS schools with similar demographics.

Kids who are not white do a bit worse than they do at schools with similar demographics.

That is fascinating. Does anyone know why?

Spending too much time on SJW nonsense, not enough on meaningful instruction. And the soft bigotry of low expectations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire 'social justice' line of conversation is ridiculous. Seriously. The school looks very diverse to me and every school in the city has its own strengths and weaknesses. Can we get back to talking academics?

Sure. White kids do ok on PARCC at ITS, but not as well as at other charter or DCPS schools with similar demographics.

Kids who are not white do a bit worse than they do at schools with similar demographics.

That is fascinating. Does anyone know why?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's my beef with ITS -- and it isn't really about them.

Supposedly excellent teachers matter so we can close the achievement gap - but ITS racial disparity gap is as wide as anyone's.

The white/black gap on PARCC ELA last year was 45%; the math gap was 55%.

So if I am a black parent living in Ward 5, I'm going to send my kid to DC Prep where they will be surrounded by children like them, most of whom are performing at or above grade level.

+10000. How can a school claim to support social justice yet have such a big gap?

Social justice in the classroom has nothing to do with closing the gap. The gaps in DC are more like canyons and come from gernations of poverty, lack of parental involvement, transient home lives, for nutrition, negative role models in their neighborhoods etc. You think BLM events at school have anything to do with this?

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Anonymous wrote:I don’t think ITS offers anything in particular to a striving low-income family - and definitely less than many other schools, beyond even DC Prep/KIPP. And, I am not clear on their ability to handle the range of special needs that might be presented - they seem more limited on this - and The school certainly is not attracting the ELL population.

+1 while I think it's great some pp's have come up with ideas for ITS to attract striving low-income families, the families I know just aren't interested in these types of programs. Their #1 priority is ensuring strong, solid academics, not the other feel good amenities that attract the DCUM crowd.

What is the metric for good acamedics at ITS? Students are barely exceeding city test score average yet higher % of UMC than higher acheiving school. Why the fuss o ver ITS when DC Prep Edgewood down the street? Nevermind I get it you are more concerned with being able to chat with parents over the latest meal-in-box delivery service trend rather than your child's academics.

You tell us, neither school appeals to my family (I only entered this thread because I was curious why it was getting long). If DC Prep families are happy and ITS families are happy what's the problem?

The tread started with posing a question as to why ppl love ITS? Most answers have to do with its teacher training program & supposed high quality teachers without results in student testing. I am questioning that logic calculation. It's discourse...get in to it

The problem is that ITS likes to call itself a social justice school, but does not do a better job serving underserved communities, nor is it really even trying. It sucks to be a lottery loser at a nearby school that is trying to serve some very challenging kids while ITS parents raise tons of money for their yuppie BS. Don't tell me the teacher training is a form of aocial justice-- if it were, ITS would have a smaller achievement gap.

What “yuppie BS” do you think the PTA raises money for? Off the top of my head, I know it has gone in the past to increase teacher salaries, teacher PD, buy laptops, and was used towards a playground (when there was none). It’s not like the school is out sourcing organic artisanal yogurt sausage for the kids’ lunches.

You have (had) the rec center playground. All of the other things are things that neighboring schools (that you look down on for poor performance) can't afford. True social justice would mean better serving (and attracting) an at-risk population, and placing that above things for the school in general.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire 'social justice' line of conversation is ridiculous. Seriously. The school looks very diverse to me and every school in the city has its own strengths and weaknesses. Can we get back to talking academics?

Sure. White kids do ok on PARCC at ITS, but not as well as at other charter or DCPS schools with similar demographics.

Kids who are not white do a bit worse than they do at schools with similar demographics.

What am I missing? What other charter school has similar demographics and has better performance amongst white students? I guess two rivers is 2 points higher. They have been around twice as long as Inspired, no? I am a black parent FWIW. I do wonder how schools like Eaton, Shepherd, Hearst and Stoddert do so well with the white/black gap.

Composite scores:
Hearst 91.4%
Stoddert 89.7%
Stuart Hobson 89.7%
Oyster 87.9%
Lafayette 85.8%
Mann 85.7%
SWW High 85.2%
Janney 85%
SWS 84%
Murch 82.7%
Key 82.3%
Latin middle 82.1%
Brent 79.6%
Two Rivers 79.4%
Deal 78.7%
ITS 77%
Basis 76.9%
Mundo Verde 68.6%
Creative Minds 66.7%
SWW @ Francis 65%
Wilson High 64.8%
YY 63.8%

Mixing high schools with an elementary/MS that only has enough students to report 3rd and 4th grade scores is pointless.

Feel free to compare what you want with what’s given (I posted all schools that have the data in the city). What equivalent charter is doing remarkably better than ITS?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire 'social justice' line of conversation is ridiculous. Seriously. The school looks very diverse to me and every school in the city has its own strengths and weaknesses. Can we get back to talking academics?

Sure. White kids do ok on PARCC at ITS, but not as well as at other charter or DCPS schools with similar demographics.

Kids who are not white do a bit worse than they do at schools with similar demographics.

That is fascinating. Does anyone know why?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire 'social justice' line of conversation is ridiculous. Seriously. The school looks very diverse to me and every school in the city has its own strengths and weaknesses. Can we get back to talking academics?

Sure. White kids do ok on PARCC at ITS, but not as well as at other charter or DCPS schools with similar demographics.

Kids who are not white do a bit worse than they do at schools with similar demographics.

What am I missing? What other charter school has similar demographics and has better performance amongst white students? I guess two rivers is 2 points higher. They have been around twice as long as Inspired, no? I am a black parent FWIW. I do wonder how schools like Eaton, Shepherd, Hearst and Stoddert do so well with the white/black gap.

Composite scores:
Hearst 91.4%
Stoddert 89.7%
Stuart Hobson 89.7%
Oyster 87.9%
Lafayette 85.8%
Mann 85.7%
SWW High 85.2%
Janney 85%
SWS 84%
Murch 82.7%
Key 82.3%
Latin middle 82.1%
Brent 79.6%
Two Rivers 79.4%
Deal 78.7%
ITS 77%
Basis 76.9%
Mundo Verde 68.6%
Creative Minds 66.7%
SWW @ Francis 65%
Wilson High 64.8%
YY 63.8%

Mixing high schools with an elementary/MS that only has enough students to report 3rd and 4th grade scores is pointless.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire 'social justice' line of conversation is ridiculous. Seriously. The school looks very diverse to me and every school in the city has its own strengths and weaknesses. Can we get back to talking academics?

Sure. White kids do ok on PARCC at ITS, but not as well as at other charter or DCPS schools with similar demographics.

Kids who are not white do a bit worse than they do at schools with similar demographics.

What am I missing? What other charter school has similar demographics and has better performance amongst white students? I guess two rivers is 2 points higher. They have been around twice as long as Inspired, no? I am a black parent FWIW. I do wonder how schools like Eaton, Shepherd, Hearst and Stoddert do so well with the white/black gap.

Composite scores:
Hearst 91.4%
Stoddert 89.7%
Stuart Hobson 89.7%
Oyster 87.9%
Lafayette 85.8%
Mann 85.7%
SWW High 85.2%
Janney 85%
SWS 84%
Murch 82.7%
Key 82.3%
Latin middle 82.1%
Brent 79.6%
Two Rivers 79.4%
Deal 78.7%
ITS 77%
Basis 76.9%
Mundo Verde 68.6%
Creative Minds 66.7%
SWW @ Francis 65%
Wilson High 64.8%
YY 63.8%

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's my beef with ITS -- and it isn't really about them.

Supposedly excellent teachers matter so we can close the achievement gap - but ITS racial disparity gap is as wide as anyone's.

The white/black gap on PARCC ELA last year was 45%; the math gap was 55%.

So if I am a black parent living in Ward 5, I'm going to send my kid to DC Prep where they will be surrounded by children like them, most of whom are performing at or above grade level.

+10000. How can a school claim to support social justice yet have such a big gap?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire 'social justice' line of conversation is ridiculous. Seriously. The school looks very diverse to me and every school in the city has its own strengths and weaknesses. Can we get back to talking academics?

Sure. White kids do ok on PARCC at ITS, but not as well as at other charter or DCPS schools with similar demographics.

Kids who are not white do a bit worse than they do at schools with similar demographics.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What the PP is saying is that both white and non-white kids at ITS do worse on PARCC than do kids at schools with similar demographics.

In part it's because the school (really) doesn't teach to the test. Which is something that many (particularly high-SES) parents say that they want, but it also means that the kids don't spend a lot of time doing practice tests or keyboarding or learning the specific types of strategies to answer the questions that are most likely to be found on PARCC tests.

The school is doing more to build those skills during lessons - incorporating computers into lessons at earlier grades, teaching typing, using iReady for math instruction (because that gets kids accustomed to solving math problems on computers). As recently as a couple of years ago, the school hadn't exposed 3rd graders to typing, while the PARCC assessment for that grade was entirely computer-based and required some short answer essays.

ITS is still a young and growing school. As a parent, I see the school learning and adapting and trying to improve at serving all kids well - but part of being a demonstration school is experimenting, trying new things, and learning from mistakes.

This sounds terrible.

Tell that to the people on this thread who are complaining about PARCC scores. You can't have it both ways.