Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 10:29     Subject: Re:Dcps new ELA curriculum
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:6th grade parents at Deal were just told that a new ELA curriculum was implemented over the summer (Deal is one of 9 dcps schools to pilot it) and that parents could return the books they had previously been told to buy (tuck everlasting, roll of thunder and inside out and back again) because they’re no longer needed and the kids will be reading more short stories. SMH.


I do not understand what central office is thinking. Do they not want DC kids to be able to compete? Or is this is larger trend impacting all public schools?

I know Latin and BASIS students still have to read and discuss books, as do private school students. The gulf is going to keep widening.


Please contact your SBOE rep too and ask them to reject the proposed changes to the graduation requirements. Superintendent Mitchell straight up says they are weakening the graduation requirements so more students can graduate. In particular, they are cutting math and science requirements.

There are some good aspects to the proposal, particularly for students with IEPs and other abilities, but on the whole it's terrible.
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 10:16     Subject: Re:Dcps new ELA curriculum
omfg. We are going to have to leave dcps. Unbelievable.
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 10:08     Subject: Re:Dcps new ELA curriculum
Anonymous wrote:6th grade parents at Deal were just told that a new ELA curriculum was implemented over the summer (Deal is one of 9 dcps schools to pilot it) and that parents could return the books they had previously been told to buy (tuck everlasting, roll of thunder and inside out and back again) because they’re no longer needed and the kids will be reading more short stories. SMH.


I do not understand what central office is thinking. Do they not want DC kids to be able to compete? Or is this is larger trend impacting all public schools?

I know Latin and BASIS students still have to read and discuss books, as do private school students. The gulf is going to keep widening.
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 09:25     Subject: Re:Dcps new ELA curriculum
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:First it’s a terrible new science curriculum. Now the new ELA is terrible……..What a mess.


What’s the new science curriculum and why is it bad?


There’s a thread on amplify. But short version, it has glaring factual errors, skips huge sections of content (no nervous system in the body; DNA not mentioned in notes in genetics), doesn’t go in a logical order, and the end of unit assessments are 4 questions repeated in different ways to be 12 questions with a stunning lack of vocabulary. Please write to the chancellor. We’ve tried complaining to the head of DC Science, James Rountree, and gotten nowhere. They cut map science this year to avoid showing how terrible amplify is.



https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1274834.page#30128325
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 04:25     Subject: Re:Dcps new ELA curriculum
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:First it’s a terrible new science curriculum. Now the new ELA is terrible……..What a mess.


What’s the new science curriculum and why is it bad?


There’s a thread on amplify. But short version, it has glaring factual errors, skips huge sections of content (no nervous system in the body; DNA not mentioned in notes in genetics), doesn’t go in a logical order, and the end of unit assessments are 4 questions repeated in different ways to be 12 questions with a stunning lack of vocabulary. Please write to the chancellor. We’ve tried complaining to the head of DC Science, James Rountree, and gotten nowhere. They cut map science this year to avoid showing how terrible amplify is.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 23:10     Subject: Re:Dcps new ELA curriculum
Anonymous wrote:First it’s a terrible new science curriculum. Now the new ELA is terrible……..What a mess.


What’s the new science curriculum and why is it bad?
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 23:04     Subject: Re:Dcps new ELA curriculum
First it’s a terrible new science curriculum. Now the new ELA is terrible……..What a mess.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 22:55     Subject: Re:Dcps new ELA curriculum
6th grade parents at Deal were just told that a new ELA curriculum was implemented over the summer (Deal is one of 9 dcps schools to pilot it) and that parents could return the books they had previously been told to buy (tuck everlasting, roll of thunder and inside out and back again) because they’re no longer needed and the kids will be reading more short stories. SMH.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 22:38     Subject: Re:Dcps new ELA curriculum
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yup it is true. Here is the scope and sequence per grade: https://cdn.commonlit.org/website_assets/193/1716217021/360_Scope_and_Sequence_-_May_2024.pdf?1716217021

And here are the novels, of which there is one per grade in 6-10 grades:
https://support.commonlit.org/article/220-will-commonlit-360-include-novels-what-novels-are-included-will-the-novels-be-provided

The rest of the texts are short stories and informational texts. What a joke.


I don’t think this means the teacher cannot assign more books. This is just the content of the curriculum and not a floor that cannot be deviated from.


I know at Deal Middle School they are not assigning any more books than the one book per year.


Surely there is a huge outcry about this? This is insane.


I only heard about it from a teacher in the know. I know some teachers have mentioned the new curriculum in the teams newsletters and said it will be discussed on back to school night. Honestly I think most parents just aren’t aware and it will probably fly under their radar.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 22:08     Subject: Dcps new ELA curriculum
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My school lost some good teachers to other districts over it. Amplify science is even worse. I’m not sure why Bowser is okay with this trash.

Is her daughter enrolled in DCPS?


Yes
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 22:01     Subject: Dcps new ELA curriculum
If I were teaching there I’d quit immediately after reading this curriculum.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 22:00     Subject: Re:Dcps new ELA curriculum
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yup it is true. Here is the scope and sequence per grade: https://cdn.commonlit.org/website_assets/193/1716217021/360_Scope_and_Sequence_-_May_2024.pdf?1716217021

And here are the novels, of which there is one per grade in 6-10 grades:
https://support.commonlit.org/article/220-will-commonlit-360-include-novels-what-novels-are-included-will-the-novels-be-provided

The rest of the texts are short stories and informational texts. What a joke.


I don’t think this means the teacher cannot assign more books. This is just the content of the curriculum and not a floor that cannot be deviated from.


I know at Deal Middle School they are not assigning any more books than the one book per year.


Surely there is a huge outcry about this? This is insane.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 21:58     Subject: Dcps new ELA curriculum
OMG the unit names read like an ad for DEI jobs in California. So embarrassing!!
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 21:48     Subject: Dcps new ELA curriculum
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:lol, it doesn't matter because college is also lowering reading/writing expectations due to lack of focus brought on by (presumably) increased smartphones/social media exposure.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/11/the-elite-college-students-who-cant-read-books/679945/


Why read/write when AI can do these for you?


I don't know, Beavis. Why would anyone want to know anything if they can just look it up?
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 17:39     Subject: Dcps new ELA curriculum
Anonymous wrote:lol, it doesn't matter because college is also lowering reading/writing expectations due to lack of focus brought on by (presumably) increased smartphones/social media exposure.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/11/the-elite-college-students-who-cant-read-books/679945/


Why read/write when AI can do these for you?