Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that Brent parents should be slammed for erring on the side of optimism, as long as they're not banking on a by-right middle school program they're enthusiastic about, no matter how old their children are. We simply aren't in a position to know if another high SES friendly charter or two we can attempt to lottery into will spring up in the city, like a second campus of BASIS or Latin. Five short years ago, nobody in Ward 6 knew that BASIS would be opening a DC campus (most of us had never heard of BASIS). Four or five years from now, under a new mayor, we may have a solid test-in DCPS middle program to shoot for (or not).

I do think that you're going to see more parents bailing on Brent younger, because Jefferson only looks like a green pasture to the most optimistic/willing to roll their sleeves up, and it's getting tougher to lottery into an acceptable middle school charter or OOB option (Hardy or Hobson for some) with every passing school year.

I also think that parents of rising Brent students will (and need to) start thinking more seriously about bailing before the critical jump to Fifth Grade. If Latin is now effectively closed to families without sibling preference and Basis is a longshot then there is no longer much of a rationale for staying through Fourth Grade. It's a shame.

My husband and I were just talking about his last night! Especially given that neither CHDS nor St. Peters accepted any kids for 5th this year . . . so maybe we need to jump ship and apply to those privates a year or two earlier?? Bummer - because we LOVE Brent.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that Brent parents should be slammed for erring on the side of optimism, as long as they're not banking on a by-right middle school program they're enthusiastic about, no matter how old their children are. We simply aren't in a position to know if another high SES friendly charter or two we can attempt to lottery into will spring up in the city, like a second campus of BASIS or Latin. Five short years ago, nobody in Ward 6 knew that BASIS would be opening a DC campus (most of us had never heard of BASIS). Four or five years from now, under a new mayor, we may have a solid test-in DCPS middle program to shoot for (or not).

I do think that you're going to see more parents bailing on Brent younger, because Jefferson only looks like a green pasture to the most optimistic/willing to roll their sleeves up, and it's getting tougher to lottery into an acceptable middle school charter or OOB option (Hardy or Hobson for some) with every passing school year.

I also think that parents of rising Brent students will (and need to) start thinking more seriously about bailing before the critical jump to Fifth Grade. If Latin is now effectively closed to families without sibling preference and Basis is a longshot then there is no longer much of a rationale for staying through Fourth Grade. It's a shame.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those who are shocked are new. They've been on the Hill for a year or two and haven't dug in to stay.

You are right. I naively believed that spending nearly a million dollars for a house on the hill- would entitle my kids have access to a middle school/ high school where children are performing at grade level.

Honest question - did you look at the middle and high schools before you bought?

+1. Sounds like PP is more stupid than naive. Who doesn't check schools before buying?

Who is stupid and naive? I think it's you to believe that we all can afford to buy homes in neighborhoods with the most desirable schools. Give this poster a break, assholes.

I think the point is that people who can afford to buy on the Hill can afford to buy somewhere in MD with decent schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those who are shocked are new. They've been on the Hill for a year or two and haven't dug in to stay.

You are right. I naively believed that spending nearly a million dollars for a house on the hill- would entitle my kids have access to a middle school/ high school where children are performing at grade level.

Honest question - did you look at the middle and high schools before you bought?

+1. Sounds like PP is more stupid than naive. Who doesn't check schools before buying?

Who is stupid and naive? I think it's you to believe that we all can afford to buy homes in neighborhoods with the most desirable schools. Give this poster a break, assholes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So the bar would be set high, and some would not clear it. And this is worse than what we have in Jefferson as our by-right middle school, and what we will almost certainly have indefinitely mainly because DCPS won't allow Maury, Brent, Watkins and SWS to feed to one middle school? As a Boston Latin graduate, I can't see that. If I'm going to be pushed to the burbs, absolutely yes, I'd much rather be pushed both by bad lottery luck and one or more children who couldn't clear the hurdle. My friends in NYC and Boston seem much less inclined to hit the road for the burbs than my DC friends, and everybody in the public system in those cities must apply to middle schools. With a middle school bar to clear, the system steps up and provides good support to advanced learners in elementary school.

The NY system is horrible. It is a terrible thing to do to young kids.

It really is, and those who can afford private head straight for private. Many others do move into the burbs and commute into the city for work. Before you ask, yes, I once lived in NYC. I cannot speak about BPS.

Anonymous wrote:So the bar would be set high, and some would not clear it. And this is worse than what we have in Jefferson as our by-right middle school, and what we will almost certainly have indefinitely mainly because DCPS won't allow Maury, Brent, Watkins and SWS to feed to one middle school? As a Boston Latin graduate, I can't see that. If I'm going to be pushed to the burbs, absolutely yes, I'd much rather be pushed both by bad lottery luck and one or more children who couldn't clear the hurdle. My friends in NYC and Boston seem much less inclined to hit the road for the burbs than my DC friends, and everybody in the public system in those cities must apply to middle schools. With a middle school bar to clear, the system steps up and provides good support to advanced learners in elementary school.

The NY system is horrible. It is a terrible thing to do to young kids.

So the bar would be set high, and some would not clear it. And this is worse than what we have in Jefferson as our by-right middle school, and what we will almost certainly have indefinitely mainly because DCPS won't allow Maury, Brent, Watkins and SWS to feed to one middle school? As a Boston Latin graduate, I can't see that. If I'm going to be pushed to the burbs, absolutely yes, I'd much rather be pushed both by bad lottery luck and one or more children who couldn't clear the hurdle. My friends in NYC and Boston seem much less inclined to hit the road for the burbs than my DC friends, and everybody in the public system in those cities must apply to middle schools. With a middle school bar to clear, the system steps up and provides good support to advanced learners in elementary school.

What is the obsession with test-in?

You do realize that children from all over the city would apply -- Ward 4, 5, 7 and 8 parents of good students are in the same middle school boat as Ward 6 parents. Many of those kids would out test some of yours.

Be careful what you wish for.

I don't think that Brent parents should be slammed for erring on the side of optimism, as long as they're not banking on a by-right middle school program they're enthusiastic about, no matter how old their children are. We simply aren't in a position to know if another high SES friendly charter or two we can attempt to lottery into will spring up in the city, like a second campus of BASIS or Latin. Five short years ago, nobody in Ward 6 knew that BASIS would be opening a DC campus (most of us had never heard of BASIS). Four or five years from now, under a new mayor, we may have a solid test-in DCPS middle program to shoot for (or not).

I do think that you're going to see more parents bailing on Brent younger, because Jefferson only looks like a green pasture to the most optimistic/willing to roll their sleeves up, and it's getting tougher to lottery into an acceptable middle school charter or OOB option (Hardy or Hobson for some) with every passing school year.

I don't know if PP is that naive. I have lived in the city for almost 20 years and back on the Hill in the late 90s when no white high SES families gave a shit about Brent. I now live EoTP and like a lot of people, we keep hoping that the schools will get better. We know we don't have a middle r HS option but hope to make it at least through 4th grade through lottery.

Anonymous wrote:You sell your row house and decamp for the burbs, PP. We'll stay to work in partnership with DCPS to create advanced academic programs on a par with those in the burbs. Nobody here (at least outside the Cluster) gains when those pushing for improvements despair of realizing gains and go. Poor kids least of all.

Glad you're taking this on. I'll be back as soon as you're finished, provided my kid is still young enough to attend MS and HS by then.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those who are shocked are new. They've been on the Hill for a year or two and haven't dug in to stay.

You are right. I naively believed that spending nearly a million dollars for a house on the hill- would entitle my kids have access to a middle school/ high school where children are performing at grade level.

Honest question - did you look at the middle and high schools before you bought?

+1. Sounds like PP is more stupid than naive. Who doesn't check schools before buying?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those who are shocked are new. They've been on the Hill for a year or two and haven't dug in to stay.

You are right. I naively believed that spending nearly a million dollars for a house on the hill- would entitle my kids have access to a middle school/ high school where children are performing at grade level.

Yes. I was naive and entitled. You are sharing infrastructure and services with everyone in a poor city.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those who are shocked are new. They've been on the Hill for a year or two and haven't dug in to stay.

You are right. I naively believed that spending nearly a million dollars for a house on the hill- would entitle my kids have access to a middle school/ high school where children are performing at grade level.

Honest question - did you look at the middle and high schools before you bought?

Anonymous wrote:Those who are shocked are new. They've been on the Hill for a year or two and haven't dug in to stay.

You are right. I naively believed that spending nearly a million dollars for a house on the hill- would entitle my kids have access to a middle school/ high school where children are performing at grade level.