Plenty of high SES families wont sent their kids to immersion. Im one of them. A block away from Bruce Monroe. The kids can't read or write in any language. No thanks. Its definitely not Oyster.

Seems to me they do very little checking to see who legitimately does or doesn't qualify, so that "75%-90%" number could well be made up.

No, it DOESN'T make sense to just figure on feeding them all for free. What about parents who make their kids lunches for allergy reasons or other dietary reasons? What about those who can and should perfectly well pay their own way for a school lunch?

And doesn't it foster a culture of unrealistic expectation, where there's a free lunch to be expected everywhere?

Anonymous wrote:Seems like DCPS has a default value of 99% FARMS for a huge number of their schools. I have serious doubts that those numbers are legitimate. I've also heard that FARMS programs are widely abused by families that don't actually qualify, and that there is very little checking to keep the system honest.

the number may not be legitimate but logically it's much easier to feed every kid for free even if only 75-90% of them actually qualify. It's not cheating the system if the school is making that meal for your kid anyway.

And given the junk that kids will bring to school and try to pass of as lunch it's preferable the eat the free lunch instead.

Seems like DCPS has a default value of 99% FARMS for a huge number of their schools. I have serious doubts that those numbers are legitimate. I've also heard that FARMS programs are widely abused by families that don't actually qualify, and that there is very little checking to keep the system honest.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's hard to believe, especially Tyler given the Spanish Immersion program

there are plenty of high poverty schools with immersion programs that high ses families wouldn't send their kids in a million years

Out of curiosity, what's plenty?

I'm guessing:
Bancroft
Bruce Monroe
Cleveland
Marie Reed
Powell

Probably Oyster and Tyler are the only ones that are SI by design not by default.

Yes, but my point was that 99% of the school is not FARMS. It may be high, but it's not 99%. A previous poster gave a good explanation for why this number may be on the website.

This thread is becoming quite dull so I am done posting. Bragging about the low FARMS rate at one's school is obnoxious. Our mission should be to pool knowledge to improve situations not to look smugly down on everyone who is struggling, be it financially, academically, or both.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but lots of high SES families send their kids to Tyler SI

The Tyler Spanish Immersion program is pretty small compared to the rest of the school. Many of the children at Tyler come from very difficult circumstances. Spend any amount of time there or talk to any of the teachers who teach the traditional classes, and you'll see for yourself.

Yes, but lots of high SES families send their kids to Tyler SI

Anonymous wrote:That's hard to believe, especially Tyler given the Spanish Immersion program

there are plenty of high poverty schools with immersion programs that high ses families wouldn't send their kids in a million years

No surprise where the money is going

http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Maury+Elementary+School
31% FARMS

http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Watkins+Elementary+School
41% FARMS

Tyler, Miner, Payne, JO Wilson, Amidon-Bowen, Ludlow-Taylor are all Ward 6 Provision 2 schools which means the poverty levels are historically high so no one (at least this last year) needs to fill out the FARMS forms and everyone is given lunch for free. So i think it's reported that they are 99% FARMS even if their rates are below that, just for simplicity's sake with the lunch program.
http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Beyond+the+Classroom/Food+Services/Application+for+Free+and+Reduced+Meals/Application+for+Free+and+Reduced+Meals

According to the DCPS school profiles, Walker-Jones is 99% FARMs.

Fine job Kaya and the team are doing with the data, I must say.

Wow, even Walker Jones isn't 99% farms. You guys have it rough on the Hill.

That's hard to believe, especially Tyler given the Spanish Immersion program

WOW. 99% for all others?