Anonymous wrote:As a Yu Ying parent, I just want to say that while I'm disappointed with the 70% English proficiency, I bet we're kicking the other schools' asses at Chinese.

Ha--I certainly hope so since YY is the only Chinese immersion school in DC.
And in other news, water is wet.

As a Yu Ying parent, I just want to say that while I'm disappointed with the 70% English proficiency, I bet we're kicking the other schools' asses at Chinese.

Anonymous wrote:In summary:

DCPS costs more.

Credibility of saying otherwise: 0

Dead horse: well beaten

Lot of heat. How about some light?

I thought I'd look into the numbers, because I couldn't see where the $30M comes from. Here's the mayor's budget page: http://cfo.dc.gov/node/464702

DCPS serves 47,247 students.
DCPS's budget is $830 Million
That's $17,575 per student

Public Charter schools have 37,410
Their budget is $616.5 Million
That's $16,479 per student.

So where does $30K per student come from?

It must be:
$31 million - teacher's retirement fund
$80 million - Special Ed. in non-DCPS schools tuition (down from $120M last year!)
$88 million - Special Ed. transportation

Add all that in and you get $21,787 per student -- but that's still not $30K, so what's missing?

$436 million for the State Superintendent of Education

Add all that up and divide by 47,247 and you get $31,015 per student, all in.

To be fair, you have to add in the Public Charter School Board's budget of $4.2 million, raising the total cost of charters to $16,591 per student.

But what is the State Superintendent of Education, and what's it doing with the $436M?
The budget document says the SSI does this:
* manages and distributes federal funding to education providers
* develops state-level education policies and standards
* provides technical support to increase effectiveness among education providers
* administers for the District, Special Education Transportation; Non-public Tuition; and District of Columbia Public Charter Schools payments (oops?)

So. Now you have the data. Argue about whether non-public tuition, special ed. transportation, and OSSI serve exclusively DCPS rather than charter schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Sticks and stones. Equal funding is a utopian ideal. Even if every school (DCPS and charter) were funded exactly the same, down to the penny, some schools will still receive way more money. Why? Because those schools will have wealthier families who are willing to contribute big bucks so their child/school gets more of whatever is important to them. Blame it on the capitalist society we live in.

The highest-fundraising PTA's pull in about $500 per student. Total public education budget is about $35K per student. I wouldn't call 1.5% "way more."

If that's true (and everything said on DCUM should be taken with a grain of salt), let's do the math. Approx. 600 students at Janney x $500 = $300,000. I don't know where your children attend school, but most public schools in DC would not mind an extra $300k per year. That money alone can support at least 3 to 4 extra teachers in the classroom, and new books in the library. So yeah, I consider that way more. I know that's the school that I want my kids to attend; not the school trying to fundraise to pay for basic school materials.

Btw, since you're quoting numbers, please post your sources.

Do the whole math (including Tier 1 status) and you will probably discover that most DC public schools receive more funds than Janney does (including what parents contribute)

So does that mean that Janney receives less money than Title 1 (I think that's what you meant) DC public schools and many charters, yet it produces the highest grade school test scores? Do you see how all of this is just conjecture without real facts and figures? Once again, Janney (and every other school around here) would never turn down an extra $300k per year...because that would be stupid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really makes me wonder why more kids don't attempt Banneker.

Too many brown kids...be real. Not my opinion, but i've seen a lot of this on this site.

So much for the theory that the only way to improve scores is to attract "white/affluent" students and their "likley to be involved" parents.

New poster here. Agree but it doesn't matter what you say about Banneker, a lot of white middle and upper income people just won't even give it a look. Their loss.

I'm a white mother of preschoolers and can't imagine that this is remotely true. The only thing I have ever heard about Banneker is that it is a top notch high school. I've never heard race discussed among the "white" parents that hope to have their children attend one day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also attend our IB DCPS-- but the above posting is ridic. It just isn't an option for all DC residents to attend a great IB school regardless of willingness to "make some financial sacrifices". there just isn't enough housing in those limited areas.

I agree, but there are about 100 apartments available for rent to make your kid IB in West of the park.And that just around 2 schools.It's limited, but not full,far from it.And please don't start with your not all can afford blah-blah-blah.I make 48k and live here.
It is about choices.

I make $38k maybe a few K more with OT. I could never afford to live wotp. I envy those that can. Even if everyone could make it work as you suggest, how much do you think Janney and Deal could accommodate? That kind of thinking makes no sense to me and is quite disheartening to hear.

My tenant who works at grocery store lives WofP.I makes under 30k.

Exception, not the norm. You show me one place available for a family that takes home $1875 per month. I am so sick of hearing these stories. I'm not saying it doesn't happen (rare studios etc), but the entire point is #1 there is not enough inventory for EVERYONE with kids to love WOTP, and #2 even if there were, how could the 5 decent schools accommodate them all? Stupidity exists no matter the income or education level. Ugh!

Ugh, then don't take 100 of your closest friends with you and stop complaining that you can't.You haven't even tried to get an apartment here but willing to complain since not all fit.WTh!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Sticks and stones. Equal funding is a utopian ideal. Even if every school (DCPS and charter) were funded exactly the same, down to the penny, some schools will still receive way more money. Why? Because those schools will have wealthier families who are willing to contribute big bucks so their child/school gets more of whatever is important to them. Blame it on the capitalist society we live in.

The highest-fundraising PTA's pull in about $500 per student. Total public education budget is about $35K per student. I wouldn't call 1.5% "way more."

If that's true (and everything said on DCUM should be taken with a grain of salt), let's do the math. Approx. 600 students at Janney x $500 = $300,000. I don't know where your children attend school, but most public schools in DC would not mind an extra $300k per year. That money alone can support at least 3 to 4 extra teachers in the classroom, and new books in the library. So yeah, I consider that way more. I know that's the school that I want my kids to attend; not the school trying to fundraise to pay for basic school materials.

Btw, since you're quoting numbers, please post your sources.

Do the whole math (including Tier 1 status) and you will probably discover that most DC public schools receive more funds than Janney does (including what parents contribute)

When will we the break down by grade?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Sticks and stones. Equal funding is a utopian ideal. Even if every school (DCPS and charter) were funded exactly the same, down to the penny, some schools will still receive way more money. Why? Because those schools will have wealthier families who are willing to contribute big bucks so their child/school gets more of whatever is important to them. Blame it on the capitalist society we live in.

The highest-fundraising PTA's pull in about $500 per student. Total public education budget is about $35K per student. I wouldn't call 1.5% "way more."

If that's true (and everything said on DCUM should be taken with a grain of salt), let's do the math. Approx. 600 students at Janney x $500 = $300,000. I don't know where your children attend school, but most public schools in DC would not mind an extra $300k per year. That money alone can support at least 3 to 4 extra teachers in the classroom, and new books in the library. So yeah, I consider that way more. I know that's the school that I want my kids to attend; not the school trying to fundraise to pay for basic school materials.

Btw, since you're quoting numbers, please post your sources.

Anonymous wrote:

Sticks and stones. Equal funding is a utopian ideal. Even if every school (DCPS and charter) were funded exactly the same, down to the penny, some schools will still receive way more money. Why? Because those schools will have wealthier families who are willing to contribute big bucks so their child/school gets more of whatever is important to them. Blame it on the capitalist society we live in.

The highest-fundraising PTA's pull in about $500 per student. Total public education budget is about $35K per student. I wouldn't call 1.5% "way more."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also attend our IB DCPS-- but the above posting is ridic. It just isn't an option for all DC residents to attend a great IB school regardless of willingness to "make some financial sacrifices". there just isn't enough housing in those limited areas.

I agree, but there are about 100 apartments available for rent to make your kid IB in West of the park.And that just around 2 schools.It's limited, but not full,far from it.And please don't start with your not all can afford blah-blah-blah.I make 48k and live here.
It is about choices.

This poster is really, really sick in the head or else has led an extremely sheltered life. I recommend a tour of DC and some quality time with people with precious children who are saved from terrible public schools by the option to enroll at a charter school.

You are right, in spirit, but you and I know very well that those destitute single moms who really, really, truly have NO residential options aren't the ones bickering on this thread about residential mobility ("Wah, we can't ALL live in a $2M Victorian inbounds for WOTP! Stop being mean!")

No, instead, the far greater odds are that the people lecturing about how they absolutely. can. Not live inbounds for a top 10 DCPS have prioritized other factors. Usually: space. Lower rent so more discretionary income. Proximity to large family in Northeast DC. "I've always lived in ______ (Trinidad, SW, Edgewood) and this is where I feel comfortable". Hip and edgy (Columbia hts). Hope for real estate appreciation from the chance you took buying in petworth in 2008.

Etc etc etc. I've met you all

And again, I'd like to reiterate that there are absolutely impoverished women in DC with no other choice whatsoever but to live in government or section 8 housing in Congress Heights and use a local DCPS with the worst scores. I wish they had better options.

But that's not you, or anyone else posting on this thread. You had choices, and you made them.

Wait a sec, though. Isn't it a good thing to have educationally ambitious people living all over the city rather than concentrated in a small part of it? Charter schools allow for that. And once those concentrations are up in other areas, the numbers in the neighborhood schools could rise and lead to more desireable schools. There is absolutely no gain by urging people to sacrifice to all crowd in to one area and leave the rest of the city to rot. I don't get it

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I still think that the charter schools in DC are experimental, and I prefer to not have my children serve as someone’s guinea pigs. We did not choose a charter school because the benefits simply do not outweigh the risks. You made a different choice for your child. Whether or not you agree with my opinion is of no consequence to me.

Btw, there will always be people who are dissatisfied with their educational options, as long as they perceive others as having more than them. So you need to give up the utopian ideal that we’ll all be satisfied once we have “equal school funding.”

New poster here-

Equal funding is not a utopian idea at all. It is DC law and DC needs to once and for actually follow the law.

As for experimental schooling, you are nuts because many of DCPS experiments with fuzzy math, fuzzy reading, and fuzzy discipline have had disastrous results for many DCPS students! You may have it good in your school, but that is not the case for many DCPS students.

Sticks and stones. Equal funding is a utopian ideal. Even if every school (DCPS and charter) were funded exactly the same, down to the penny, some schools will still receive way more money. Why? Because those schools will have wealthier families who are willing to contribute big bucks so their child/school gets more of whatever is important to them. Blame it on the capitalist society we live in.

I would never say that every DCPS school is good—not by a long shot. I wouldn’t enroll my dog in the vast majority of schools in DC, public or private. Yes, my children do have it good in their school, and we work damn hard (by contributing time and money) to make sure it stays that way. And having said that, we still don’t expect our “wonderful” DCPS to provide everything our children may need. If we detect any deficiencies, we provide the extra time, tutoring and enrichment to remedy the situation. No one cares more about our children’s education than us—and that is how it should be. This may sound cold (and I don’t care), but my primary concern is for the health, education and welfare of my own children. If DCPS is violating the law, you should try to bring them to justice. Posting on DCUM isn’t going to get you there hun.

Honestly I could care less about the extras schools are provided by parents. And as for parental jobs, I have always cared for my child's education to the point of even doing homeschooling for several years and afterschooling currently. Oh, and I do advocate for equal funding for charters by letting my voice be heard with the DC government.

I must say you seem to be quite the nasty person to bring on personal attacks when someone is simply advocating that the law actually be followed in providing equal finding between charter schools and public schools. I never said said that a school should be the be all and end all. I also think parents should be fully involved in a child's education and not just leave it up to the schools. I also think charters should be equally funded since they do provide a means for DC children to get a good education as my kid is now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I still think that the charter schools in DC are experimental, and I prefer to not have my children serve as someone’s guinea pigs. We did not choose a charter school because the benefits simply do not outweigh the risks. You made a different choice for your child. Whether or not you agree with my opinion is of no consequence to me.

Btw, there will always be people who are dissatisfied with their educational options, as long as they perceive others as having more than them. So you need to give up the utopian ideal that we’ll all be satisfied once we have “equal school funding.”

New poster here-

Equal funding is not a utopian idea at all. It is DC law and DC needs to once and for actually follow the law.

As for experimental schooling, you are nuts because many of DCPS experiments with fuzzy math, fuzzy reading, and fuzzy discipline have had disastrous results for many DCPS students! You may have it good in your school, but that is not the case for many DCPS students.

Sticks and stones. Equal funding is a utopian ideal. Even if every school (DCPS and charter) were funded exactly the same, down to the penny, some schools will still receive way more money. Why? Because those schools will have wealthier families who are willing to contribute big bucks so their child/school gets more of whatever is important to them. Blame it on the capitalist society we live in.

I would never say that every DCPS school is good—not by a long shot. I wouldn’t enroll my dog in the vast majority of schools in DC, public or private. Yes, my children do have it good in their school, and we work damn hard (by contributing time and money) to make sure it stays that way. And having said that, we still don’t expect our “wonderful” DCPS to provide everything our children may need. If we detect any deficiencies, we provide the extra time, tutoring and enrichment to remedy the situation. No one cares more about our children’s education than us—and that is how it should be. This may sound cold (and I don’t care), but my primary concern is for the health, education and welfare of my own children. If DCPS is violating the law, you should try to bring them to justice. Posting on DCUM isn’t going to get you there hun.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also attend our IB DCPS-- but the above posting is ridic. It just isn't an option for all DC residents to attend a great IB school regardless of willingness to "make some financial sacrifices". there just isn't enough housing in those limited areas.

I agree, but there are about 100 apartments available for rent to make your kid IB in West of the park.And that just around 2 schools.It's limited, but not full,far from it.And please don't start with your not all can afford blah-blah-blah.I make 48k and live here.
It is about choices.

I make $38k maybe a few K more with OT. I could never afford to live wotp. I envy those that can. Even if everyone could make it work as you suggest, how much do you think Janney and Deal could accommodate? That kind of thinking makes no sense to me and is quite disheartening to hear.

My tenant who works at grocery store lives WofP.I makes under 30k.

Exception, not the norm. You show me one place available for a family that takes home $1875 per month. I am so sick of hearing these stories. I'm not saying it doesn't happen (rare studios etc), but the entire point is #1 there is not enough inventory for EVERYONE with kids to love WOTP, and #2 even if there were, how could the 5 decent schools accommodate them all? Stupidity exists no matter the income or education level. Ugh!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also attend our IB DCPS-- but the above posting is ridic. It just isn't an option for all DC residents to attend a great IB school regardless of willingness to "make some financial sacrifices". there just isn't enough housing in those limited areas.

I agree, but there are about 100 apartments available for rent to make your kid IB in West of the park.And that just around 2 schools.It's limited, but not full,far from it.And please don't start with your not all can afford blah-blah-blah.I make 48k and live here.
It is about choices.

I make $38k maybe a few K more with OT. I could never afford to live wotp. I envy those that can. Even if everyone could make it work as you suggest, how much do you think Janney and Deal could accommodate? That kind of thinking makes no sense to me and is quite disheartening to hear.

My tenant who works at grocery store lives WofP.I makes under 30k.