I have a senior at MacArthur. It's gotten better each year. Really strong teachers (especially in the AP classes). I wish they would have had theater while our kiddo was there, but--other than this-- I don't have complaints.

MacArthur is looking good in terms of leadership, course offerings, etc. If more than 50% of the Hardy 8th grade goes - like they did last year - and a chunk of those are the high performing kids who didn't get into Walls or Banneker - then it will be excellent in those classes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke and Banneker are very impressive from the inside.

Really? That is not the impression I get from some people on the inside of Duke.

40% of the school is below grade-level in reading. Math is even lower.

Well, it's an arts school.

One thing you'll realize is that it doesn't matter what the majority of any school is doing if you're in the cohort that is doing well. If there is a group of freshman "crushing it in Honors Algebra 2" then just make sure your kid gets into a group like that.

This. And you also want to be sure that this group, which probably exists at most schools, isn't a targeted victim group for bullies that gets shunned / shoved into lockers and so forth. At DESA they are all on equal artistic footing with kids at all kinds of academic levels who compete for the same roles, play in the same sections, etc. On the arts side, kids' academic level isn't a relevant distinction and isn't treated like one.