Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in my 10th year as a DCPS parent and have had two kids go all the way through JKLM and currently have one at Deal and one at Walls.

My observation is that current parents want a good school for their own kids much more than they have some underlying desire to keep either at risk or more generally disadvantaged kids out. Meaning, they buy in boundary for good schools to ensure that their kids go to good schools, they are moving to these neighborhoods for access, not exclusivity. This means that they are fine with their kids attending school with at risk and disadvantaged kids so long as the in boundary kids continue to get a good education. My kids have had numerous OOB friends and classmates (all bright and successful kids and I only know where families live because of birthday parties and such) and I have never heard a negative comment towards or about such students.

Here is what I think could help (not solve) the problem. More well-resourced elementary schools in boundary for the currently oversubscribed schools and a plan to make set aside seats available to at risk students with appropriate support. That includes transportation and other supports to make getting to these schools feasible so these students can show up rested and ready to learn.

Also, add another middle school that is also well resourced and fed by successful elementary schools. Spread the same students out across more schools where the parents can be assured their kids are going to school with a majority prepared cohort and strong academics where there is also space for all the students coming up through the expanded feeders.

My point is, most of the parents do not require perfect, we live in DC and send our kids to DCPS by choice, we live in a diverse city by choice and want solid schools but we are not Fairfax county families stressing over AAP programs and gunning for TJ.

The problem is that the city isn’t going to build new schools WOTP. Bad optics.

That’s why people zoned for Lafayette go bananas when someone suggests they feed to Wells and the Coolidge.

DC has a system of neighborhood schools. Students should attend the schools that they are zoned for. It’s nuts to keep building Ward 3 schools bigger and bigger so that they can take more students who have to cross the city.

It's not only nuts, it's shameful.

What's shameful is a system that makes it so you can only go to a good school if you can afford to buy a house in a neighborhood zoned for one.

We have a school lottery. We don't live in a wealthy neighborhood, and my DC goes to one of the best schools in the city, thanks to the lottery.

That some people get extraordinarily lucky in the lottery doesn't mean the overall system of education and housing segregation in this country is good.

In virtually every city in this country, where you live determines where you go to school. We are lucky to have the lottery system. It doesn't fix everything, but it helps. Most cities don't bother with lotteries.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But DC is extraordinarily economically segregated - in this study we were 17th of 341 cities, so the impact is greater. The neighborhood school system reflects the housing segregation in our city. And that is something that can be changed if there is the will to do it.

https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/less-segregated-communities-arent-only-more-inclusive-theyre-more-prosperous?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Urban%20Institute%20::%20Newsletter&utm_content=Urban+Update+04%2F06%2F2017

To hone in on the DC results from the above; https://ggwash.org/view/63048/how-does-segregation-in-dc-compare-to-other-cities


What troubles me are the people who don't think that in and of itself is a problem.

Can you point to any of the large cities that aren't segregated by income? Not race, but income.

Anonymous wrote:But DC is extraordinarily economically segregated - in this study we were 17th of 341 cities, so the impact is greater. The neighborhood school system reflects the housing segregation in our city. And that is something that can be changed if there is the will to do it.

https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/less-segregated-communities-arent-only-more-inclusive-theyre-more-prosperous?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Urban%20Institute%20::%20Newsletter&utm_content=Urban+Update+04%2F06%2F2017

To hone in on the DC results from the above; https://ggwash.org/view/63048/how-does-segregation-in-dc-compare-to-other-cities


What troubles me are the people who don't think that in and of itself is a problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in my 10th year as a DCPS parent and have had two kids go all the way through JKLM and currently have one at Deal and one at Walls.

My observation is that current parents want a good school for their own kids much more than they have some underlying desire to keep either at risk or more generally disadvantaged kids out. Meaning, they buy in boundary for good schools to ensure that their kids go to good schools, they are moving to these neighborhoods for access, not exclusivity. This means that they are fine with their kids attending school with at risk and disadvantaged kids so long as the in boundary kids continue to get a good education. My kids have had numerous OOB friends and classmates (all bright and successful kids and I only know where families live because of birthday parties and such) and I have never heard a negative comment towards or about such students.

Here is what I think could help (not solve) the problem. More well-resourced elementary schools in boundary for the currently oversubscribed schools and a plan to make set aside seats available to at risk students with appropriate support. That includes transportation and other supports to make getting to these schools feasible so these students can show up rested and ready to learn.

Also, add another middle school that is also well resourced and fed by successful elementary schools. Spread the same students out across more schools where the parents can be assured their kids are going to school with a majority prepared cohort and strong academics where there is also space for all the students coming up through the expanded feeders.

My point is, most of the parents do not require perfect, we live in DC and send our kids to DCPS by choice, we live in a diverse city by choice and want solid schools but we are not Fairfax county families stressing over AAP programs and gunning for TJ.

The problem is that the city isn’t going to build new schools WOTP. Bad optics.

That’s why people zoned for Lafayette go bananas when someone suggests they feed to Wells and the Coolidge.

DC has a system of neighborhood schools. Students should attend the schools that they are zoned for. It’s nuts to keep building Ward 3 schools bigger and bigger so that they can take more students who have to cross the city.

It's not only nuts, it's shameful.

What's shameful is a system that makes it so you can only go to a good school if you can afford to buy a house in a neighborhood zoned for one.

We have a school lottery. We don't live in a wealthy neighborhood, and my DC goes to one of the best schools in the city, thanks to the lottery.

That some people get extraordinarily lucky in the lottery doesn't mean the overall system of education and housing segregation in this country is good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What's shameful is a system that makes it so you can only go to a good school if you can afford to buy a house in a neighborhood zoned for one.

What's shameful is the multi-generational poverty and cultural rejection of achievement in much of DC.

I assert that there are very "good schools" — nay, excellent schools — in DCPS where 50-98% of the student population come from families described above. The "schools" aren't the problem.

If your assertion is correct (which I don't really buy), that's also a product to the same system that has given us segregated housing and tied education directly to it.

No. Eight generations out, it’s no longer “the system’s” fault that a significant number of District families reject school of any kind.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What's shameful is a system that makes it so you can only go to a good school if you can afford to buy a house in a neighborhood zoned for one.

What's shameful is the multi-generational poverty and cultural rejection of achievement in much of DC.

I assert that there are very "good schools" — nay, excellent schools — in DCPS where 50-98% of the student population come from families described above. The "schools" aren't the problem.

If your assertion is correct (which I don't really buy), that's also a product to the same system that has given us segregated housing and tied education directly to it.

No. Eight generations out, it’s no longer “the system’s” fault that a significant number of District families reject school of any kind.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What's shameful is a system that makes it so you can only go to a good school if you can afford to buy a house in a neighborhood zoned for one.

What's shameful is the multi-generational poverty and cultural rejection of achievement in much of DC.

I assert that there are very "good schools" — nay, excellent schools — in DCPS where 50-98% of the student population come from families described above. The "schools" aren't the problem.

If your assertion is correct (which I don't really buy), that's also a product to the same system that has given us segregated housing and tied education directly to it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in my 10th year as a DCPS parent and have had two kids go all the way through JKLM and currently have one at Deal and one at Walls.

My observation is that current parents want a good school for their own kids much more than they have some underlying desire to keep either at risk or more generally disadvantaged kids out. Meaning, they buy in boundary for good schools to ensure that their kids go to good schools, they are moving to these neighborhoods for access, not exclusivity. This means that they are fine with their kids attending school with at risk and disadvantaged kids so long as the in boundary kids continue to get a good education. My kids have had numerous OOB friends and classmates (all bright and successful kids and I only know where families live because of birthday parties and such) and I have never heard a negative comment towards or about such students.

Here is what I think could help (not solve) the problem. More well-resourced elementary schools in boundary for the currently oversubscribed schools and a plan to make set aside seats available to at risk students with appropriate support. That includes transportation and other supports to make getting to these schools feasible so these students can show up rested and ready to learn.

Also, add another middle school that is also well resourced and fed by successful elementary schools. Spread the same students out across more schools where the parents can be assured their kids are going to school with a majority prepared cohort and strong academics where there is also space for all the students coming up through the expanded feeders.

My point is, most of the parents do not require perfect, we live in DC and send our kids to DCPS by choice, we live in a diverse city by choice and want solid schools but we are not Fairfax county families stressing over AAP programs and gunning for TJ.

The problem is that the city isn’t going to build new schools WOTP. Bad optics.

That’s why people zoned for Lafayette go bananas when someone suggests they feed to Wells and the Coolidge.

DC has a system of neighborhood schools. Students should attend the schools that they are zoned for. It’s nuts to keep building Ward 3 schools bigger and bigger so that they can take more students who have to cross the city.

It's not only nuts, it's shameful.

What's shameful is a system that makes it so you can only go to a good school if you can afford to buy a house in a neighborhood zoned for one.

Its it really a system that makes this so? Is that system DCPS? DC government? America? Capitalism?

Why are the good schools considered good? I am in a charter that serves a fairly high proportion of at-risk kids -- it's not the highest in the city but it is way above average for at-risk kids. One of the parents has a student who has been at the school from Kindergarten through 4th. She says that since her kid is so high performing she now wants to send them to Basis or OOB to a highly regarded DCPS school. I asked her why and she says that since the current school got her kid to be high performing, she now wants the kid to be among all (or almost all) high performing kids and (as she puts it), high performing families. She says she has faith in her current school but they can't deliver the peers she wants for her child.

I suppose if you don't open any OOB seats and force families to have only the option of their neighborhood school, those schools could potentially get better? But... probably not. Those families would just call for more charters or they'd move or go private.

Our city is economically segregated, which sadly in DC means they are racially and ethnically segregated too. That means in a neighborhood school system, the schools will be segregated.

I can think of 2 ways to begin to change that: forced integration (with transportation); magnet schools for all grades that draw students from all parts of the city (perhaps with a cap on students from each ward); creating more affordable housing and intentionally putting it in wealthier parts of the city.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in my 10th year as a DCPS parent and have had two kids go all the way through JKLM and currently have one at Deal and one at Walls.

My observation is that current parents want a good school for their own kids much more than they have some underlying desire to keep either at risk or more generally disadvantaged kids out. Meaning, they buy in boundary for good schools to ensure that their kids go to good schools, they are moving to these neighborhoods for access, not exclusivity. This means that they are fine with their kids attending school with at risk and disadvantaged kids so long as the in boundary kids continue to get a good education. My kids have had numerous OOB friends and classmates (all bright and successful kids and I only know where families live because of birthday parties and such) and I have never heard a negative comment towards or about such students.

Here is what I think could help (not solve) the problem. More well-resourced elementary schools in boundary for the currently oversubscribed schools and a plan to make set aside seats available to at risk students with appropriate support. That includes transportation and other supports to make getting to these schools feasible so these students can show up rested and ready to learn.

Also, add another middle school that is also well resourced and fed by successful elementary schools. Spread the same students out across more schools where the parents can be assured their kids are going to school with a majority prepared cohort and strong academics where there is also space for all the students coming up through the expanded feeders.

My point is, most of the parents do not require perfect, we live in DC and send our kids to DCPS by choice, we live in a diverse city by choice and want solid schools but we are not Fairfax county families stressing over AAP programs and gunning for TJ.

The problem is that the city isn’t going to build new schools WOTP. Bad optics.

That’s why people zoned for Lafayette go bananas when someone suggests they feed to Wells and the Coolidge.

DC has a system of neighborhood schools. Students should attend the schools that they are zoned for. It’s nuts to keep building Ward 3 schools bigger and bigger so that they can take more students who have to cross the city.

It's not only nuts, it's shameful.

What's shameful is a system that makes it so you can only go to a good school if you can afford to buy a house in a neighborhood zoned for one.

We have a school lottery. We don't live in a wealthy neighborhood, and my DC goes to one of the best schools in the city, thanks to the lottery.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in my 10th year as a DCPS parent and have had two kids go all the way through JKLM and currently have one at Deal and one at Walls.

My observation is that current parents want a good school for their own kids much more than they have some underlying desire to keep either at risk or more generally disadvantaged kids out. Meaning, they buy in boundary for good schools to ensure that their kids go to good schools, they are moving to these neighborhoods for access, not exclusivity. This means that they are fine with their kids attending school with at risk and disadvantaged kids so long as the in boundary kids continue to get a good education. My kids have had numerous OOB friends and classmates (all bright and successful kids and I only know where families live because of birthday parties and such) and I have never heard a negative comment towards or about such students.

Here is what I think could help (not solve) the problem. More well-resourced elementary schools in boundary for the currently oversubscribed schools and a plan to make set aside seats available to at risk students with appropriate support. That includes transportation and other supports to make getting to these schools feasible so these students can show up rested and ready to learn.

Also, add another middle school that is also well resourced and fed by successful elementary schools. Spread the same students out across more schools where the parents can be assured their kids are going to school with a majority prepared cohort and strong academics where there is also space for all the students coming up through the expanded feeders.

My point is, most of the parents do not require perfect, we live in DC and send our kids to DCPS by choice, we live in a diverse city by choice and want solid schools but we are not Fairfax county families stressing over AAP programs and gunning for TJ.

The problem is that the city isn’t going to build new schools WOTP. Bad optics.

That’s why people zoned for Lafayette go bananas when someone suggests they feed to Wells and the Coolidge.

DC has a system of neighborhood schools. Students should attend the schools that they are zoned for. It’s nuts to keep building Ward 3 schools bigger and bigger so that they can take more students who have to cross the city.

It's not only nuts, it's shameful.

What's shameful is a system that makes it so you can only go to a good school if you can afford to buy a house in a neighborhood zoned for one.

Anonymous wrote:

What's shameful is a system that makes it so you can only go to a good school if you can afford to buy a house in a neighborhood zoned for one.

What's shameful is the multi-generational poverty and cultural rejection of achievement in much of DC.

I assert that there are very "good schools" — nay, excellent schools — in DCPS where 50-98% of the student population come from families described above. The "schools" aren't the problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in my 10th year as a DCPS parent and have had two kids go all the way through JKLM and currently have one at Deal and one at Walls.

My observation is that current parents want a good school for their own kids much more than they have some underlying desire to keep either at risk or more generally disadvantaged kids out. Meaning, they buy in boundary for good schools to ensure that their kids go to good schools, they are moving to these neighborhoods for access, not exclusivity. This means that they are fine with their kids attending school with at risk and disadvantaged kids so long as the in boundary kids continue to get a good education. My kids have had numerous OOB friends and classmates (all bright and successful kids and I only know where families live because of birthday parties and such) and I have never heard a negative comment towards or about such students.

Here is what I think could help (not solve) the problem. More well-resourced elementary schools in boundary for the currently oversubscribed schools and a plan to make set aside seats available to at risk students with appropriate support. That includes transportation and other supports to make getting to these schools feasible so these students can show up rested and ready to learn.

Also, add another middle school that is also well resourced and fed by successful elementary schools. Spread the same students out across more schools where the parents can be assured their kids are going to school with a majority prepared cohort and strong academics where there is also space for all the students coming up through the expanded feeders.

My point is, most of the parents do not require perfect, we live in DC and send our kids to DCPS by choice, we live in a diverse city by choice and want solid schools but we are not Fairfax county families stressing over AAP programs and gunning for TJ.

The problem is that the city isn’t going to build new schools WOTP. Bad optics.

That’s why people zoned for Lafayette go bananas when someone suggests they feed to Wells and the Coolidge.

DC has a system of neighborhood schools. Students should attend the schools that they are zoned for. It’s nuts to keep building Ward 3 schools bigger and bigger so that they can take more students who have to cross the city.

It's not only nuts, it's shameful.

What's shameful is a system that makes it so you can only go to a good school if you can afford to buy a house in a neighborhood zoned for one.

Its it really a system that makes this so? Is that system DCPS? DC government? America? Capitalism?

Why are the good schools considered good? I am in a charter that serves a fairly high proportion of at-risk kids -- it's not the highest in the city but it is way above average for at-risk kids. One of the parents has a student who has been at the school from Kindergarten through 4th. She says that since her kid is so high performing she now wants to send them to Basis or OOB to a highly regarded DCPS school. I asked her why and she says that since the current school got her kid to be high performing, she now wants the kid to be among all (or almost all) high performing kids and (as she puts it), high performing families. She says she has faith in her current school but they can't deliver the peers she wants for her child.

I suppose if you don't open any OOB seats and force families to have only the option of their neighborhood school, those schools could potentially get better? But... probably not. Those families would just call for more charters or they'd move or go private.