Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 11:53     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.


No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!


Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.


No, this is not true based on data given.

If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.

This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.

If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.


Data is from SY24-25. Presumably this person is talking about SY25-26 admissions.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 11:32     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.


No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!


Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.


No, this is not true based on data given.

If you assume Walls is 5 kids for the <10, and count Banneker and Duke, that is only 26% of the class go into application high school.

This is based on the assumption that you even want your kid to go to all 3 schools which is a very, very small number of families if any.

If you just look at Walls and Banneker for kids from SH, it’s about only 14%. Again based on the assumption that families want both schools which some don’t. These numbers are not good.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 11:29     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.


No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!


Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.


You don’t actually know that. And definitely not the story at EH.


We do have last year's data.

144 SH 8th graders. 85 4+ on ELA CAPE, 56 took Algebra I (rough proxy for kids likely to apply to application schools). 19 to McKinley, 18 to Duke, 15 to Banneker, n<10 to Walls. 21 not in audit.

111 EH 8th graders. 43 4+ on ELA CAPE, 46 took Algebra I or Geometry (math number might include some 7th graders). 10 to Banneker. n<10 each to Walls, Duke, McKinley. 13 not in audit.

If n<10 on the higher end, overall admissions seem roughly in line with what you would expect. But definitely not a guarantee.


What? No then , not everyone got into Walls, Banneker, or Duke.

Walls is less than 10%. And you cannot assume it is close to 10.

Dukes academics is weak and the only kids that go there are in the arts, music.

McKinley is not a consideration for many families.

Terrible advice to move to SH or EH IN for middle school.


I'm not advising anyone to do anything. Just providing numbers for anyone who wants a more objective view of the application school chances.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 11:23     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.


No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!


Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.


You don’t actually know that. And definitely not the story at EH.


We do have last year's data.

144 SH 8th graders. 85 4+ on ELA CAPE, 56 took Algebra I (rough proxy for kids likely to apply to application schools). 19 to McKinley, 18 to Duke, 15 to Banneker, n<10 to Walls. 21 not in audit.

111 EH 8th graders. 43 4+ on ELA CAPE, 46 took Algebra I or Geometry (math number might include some 7th graders). 10 to Banneker. n<10 each to Walls, Duke, McKinley. 13 not in audit.

If n<10 on the higher end, overall admissions seem roughly in line with what you would expect. But definitely not a guarantee.


What? No then , not everyone got into Walls, Banneker, or Duke.

Walls is less than 10%. And you cannot assume it is close to 10.

Dukes academics is weak and the only kids that go there are in the arts, music.

McKinley is not a consideration for many families.

Terrible advice to move to SH or EH IN for middle school.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 11:19     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:One that I think is worth looking into is MacFarland. I’ve had two conversations recently with people who have kids at John Lewis and have friends (so yes, this is second hand) whose kids went to MacFarland for 6th this year and are having a great experience. I was surprised! Sounds like it’s an up and coming school.

For me I’d say the obvious choices are:

BASIS
Latin
ITDS
Deal
Hardy
DCI
John Francis
Oyster-Adams
Stuart Hobson
Eliot Hine
Truth

Others that look like they might have potential:
Wells
DC Prep - Edgewood
Jefferson


But then, I’m a person who likes to start with the full list and then narrow.


I think this is a good list. I am also a start wide, then whittle and am probably open to schools some DCUM families would rather avoid. But I think these are solid to great.

My own kid is at a Francis feeder ES. We plan to lottery for Latin (more for the dedicated high school path than any concerns about Francis itself. Francis is solid tho, yes, might supplement a little with math.) Will also consider Basis, but not sure I'd send kid unless they really wanted to go. Will then push kid to apply to Walls, Banneker, McKinley, and Duke, while considering both Eastern and MacArthur for HS. Private is the backup.

But if I was in OP's shoes, moving to DC and starting from square one? I would just move into the Deal boundary, even if it meant a tiny, old apartment, so my kid could go to def go to Deal, then JR. Kid could then apply to application schools if one really appealed to them, but I wouldn't push for it. And private would be off the table.

Should add: I have a bright - but not genius - neurotypical kid. Advice is different for kids who may need different kinds of support because they are very advanced academically, have learning differences, or both.


You do you but no, lots of schools above were non-starters for us.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 11:17     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.


No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!


Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.


You don’t actually know that. And definitely not the story at EH.


We do have last year's data.

144 SH 8th graders. 85 4+ on ELA CAPE, 56 took Algebra I (rough proxy for kids likely to apply to application schools). 19 to McKinley, 18 to Duke, 15 to Banneker, n<10 to Walls. 21 not in audit.

111 EH 8th graders. 43 4+ on ELA CAPE, 46 took Algebra I or Geometry (math number might include some 7th graders). 10 to Banneker. n<10 each to Walls, Duke, McKinley. 13 not in audit.

If n<10 on the higher end, overall admissions seem roughly in line with what you would expect. But definitely not a guarantee.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 10:54     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:One that I think is worth looking into is MacFarland. I’ve had two conversations recently with people who have kids at John Lewis and have friends (so yes, this is second hand) whose kids went to MacFarland for 6th this year and are having a great experience. I was surprised! Sounds like it’s an up and coming school.

For me I’d say the obvious choices are:

BASIS
Latin
ITDS
Deal
Hardy
DCI
John Francis
Oyster-Adams
Stuart Hobson
Eliot Hine
Truth

Others that look like they might have potential:
Wells
DC Prep - Edgewood
Jefferson


But then, I’m a person who likes to start with the full list and then narrow.


I think this is a good list. I am also a start wide, then whittle and am probably open to schools some DCUM families would rather avoid. But I think these are solid to great.

My own kid is at a Francis feeder ES. We plan to lottery for Latin (more for the dedicated high school path than any concerns about Francis itself. Francis is solid tho, yes, might supplement a little with math.) Will also consider Basis, but not sure I'd send kid unless they really wanted to go. Will then push kid to apply to Walls, Banneker, McKinley, and Duke, while considering both Eastern and MacArthur for HS. Private is the backup.

But if I was in OP's shoes, moving to DC and starting from square one? I would just move into the Deal boundary, even if it meant a tiny, old apartment, so my kid could go to def go to Deal, then JR. Kid could then apply to application schools if one really appealed to them, but I wouldn't push for it. And private would be off the table.

Should add: I have a bright - but not genius - neurotypical kid. Advice is different for kids who may need different kinds of support because they are very advanced academically, have learning differences, or both.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 10:54     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.


No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!


Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.


You don’t actually know that. And definitely not the story at EH.


+1. Seriously and I doubt it.


Right. I have no regrets about sticking with DCPS from PK through middle school even though we struck out on applications … but there is no way I could advise someone to move to a DCPS MS in MS with no IB HS that is acceptable.


+1. If OP struck out in the lottery with charters, I would move to the close in burbs for good pyramid.

If she wants to stay in the city, then only option is Deal to JR for guaranteed decent track. That’s it.

I would not do Hardy to McArthur with how poor the scores are at MA not to mention the other issues.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 09:45     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.


No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!


Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.


You don’t actually know that. And definitely not the story at EH.


+1. Seriously and I doubt it.


Right. I have no regrets about sticking with DCPS from PK through middle school even though we struck out on applications … but there is no way I could advise someone to move to a DCPS MS in MS with no IB HS that is acceptable.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 08:20     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.


No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!


Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.


You don’t actually know that. And definitely not the story at EH.


+1. Seriously and I doubt it.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 08:12     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.


No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!


Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.


You don’t actually know that. And definitely not the story at EH.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2026 08:10     Subject: Re:Middle school options
DCI if you can get in.

Guaranteed 6-12th
Tracks in many subjects
Excellent facilities
Tons of sports, clubs. EC
IB diploma
Easy commute on public transportation (esp if near red line)


Anonymous
Post 05/16/2026 20:37     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.


No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!


Pretty much everyone from the DCUM kids crew at SH this year got into Walls, Banneker or Duke. Most got their first choice of those. The minority who didn’t seemed to share a 7th grade English teacher, so choose wisely.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2026 20:34     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:My DC is going to SH in the fall and we are excited. But like the other PP, we are expecting to have to keep supplementing in math to keep DC ahead of grade level. SH’s percentage of 5’s on CAPE is a bit low compared to ELA.


We also have a kid heading to SH in the Fall with 2 5s on CAPE math so far. She has a number of classmates in the same boat. I’m cautiously optimistic.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2026 20:01     Subject: Middle school options
Anonymous wrote:We did SH and are now at Banneker. No regrets. But I know folks have real issues with SH.


No regrets because your kid got into Banneker!