1. over 50% proficiency. Ideally at least 25% advanced.

2. no parents or students swear, smoke, or hit on school property.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is very eye opening. How can people in DC subject their children to substandard education all the way through high school?

The vast majority of DCUM end up with a school that works for their kids - at each grade level - because when the school doesn't work for them for one year they are gone the next.

The schools that get less than stellar discussion here have mixed records and sometimes less than stellar test scores, but the performance of the children of DCUM parents tracks with the educational attainment and expectations of the DCUM parents. My kids did great, while others at the schools they attended, did not. Were the courses always challenging? No, of course not, but that is a feature of HS for smart kids. They got lots of AP credits, went to great colleges and are very successful young adults now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:High test scores, at least 50% white

... and bilingual. NP here.

Even if every white kid in the city went to public schools this would only be possible at maybe a handful of schools. Just pure numbers work against that possibility. Why does having 50% white kids matter? I would like a plurality, but I can't imagine saying that would be a minimum given the city I liven in and the fundamental reality of this country becoming a majority minority country.

Anonymous wrote:High test scores, at least 50% white

... and bilingual. NP here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's my list. Just two points.

1. Teaching at grade level. Currently Kramer MS (my IB) teaches below grade level.
You can achieve teaching at grade level only if you:
a) do not promote to next level kids who do not show basic level skills at the end of the year. This would turn in keeping in current level about 25% of kids each year on average.
b) introduce a two-level teaching at least for Math and English (Math and test-in advanced Math/ English and test-in advanced English)

2. Enhanced security. Full-time professional security officer on duty. Camcorders in main common areas and lockers.

Parent IB for Kramer MS

Please read again my message (above) if you are truly interested in the topic of this thread. Not only did I state what we want, but also said measure that parents of proficient students in Ward 8 have identified are requested since so many years...
For political reasons, and against good sense and teaching/learning basic principles, DCPS has never supported or introduced the measures I mentioned a) & b). Teachers are often intimidated by parents (and sometimes kids in HS) and just let them move to next grade level to avoid confrontation.

DCPS introduced DC-CAS but has never enforced the common sense principle that all kids "below basic" in, let's say English and Math, should not move up to the next grade. Decision is delegated to teachers and Principals, who have little incentives to get kids to repeat the school year (they do not want to confront the parents; they do not want to keep in the school for more than the due years the lower performing kids -- who are often disruptive too) .

DCPS should get rid of political conditioning and take a stand on this matter: "Below basic" students (in Math & English) should not be allowed to move up to the next grade. Since they are instead allowed to move up, in schools like Kramer where the "Below basic" are about 25% of the student population, the consequence is only one: the following year class will teach below grade level.

The good and proficient students are unprotected in our schools. "Below basic" are allowed to progress to the next level. At the same time, honor advanced separate classes for proficient/advanced students are not introduced...

Hope this helps to understand what we (my partner and I; the parents of proficient kids from my neighborhood) think: we either want DCPS to take a stand against the malpractice of allowing "Below basic" students to progress; or we want advanced/honor separate classes for our proficient kids.

If below basic kids aren't passed, it eventually affects the graduation rate and DPS cares more about appearances than about educating children -- that was obvious in the cheating scandal.

DCPS is obviously doing a poor job of educating students wherever they fall along the proficiency scale. they deny the importance of the role of parents, but somehow only manage to educate the children of parents engaged in their kids education.

You know I don't think DCPS dismisses parents and I don't think they are all about appearances, lots of pressure yes, but not everyone is a cynical manipulator out there. That said, they have to work with what they have and many parents for many reasons can't contribute enough to their child's educational needs. Given that is a reality for a certain cohort other strategies need to be employed.

However, my feeling in DC is that there is a bubble group of kids quite smart and capable of doing more rigorous work that do not because there is so much focus on the cohort in crisis. There are tremendous demands placed on both the school administration and teachers in these circumstances. This is why I like Cantania's focus on redirecting needs. That said ideally there would be smaller number of these type of schools in crisis and more where there is solid performance. Yes it is lovely to have a schools scoring at 90% on test like the DC Cas, but you have to wonder if they are teaching that or parents are providing that through extras.

If DC had more solid 75% schools we would not have this boundary crisis because many of us would quit driving across town and help build these type of schools. The problem is that we have a few 80-90 % schools and a lot of 30% and below schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really wanted to give my IB middle school a chance, but I toured it and found:
1. The classes weren't taught at grade level. Sixth grade math was fourth grade math.
2. The environment was prison-like. There was just no life to the school. Kids weren't allowed to visit their lockers during the day. Boys and girls had separate lunches. I can't imagine any kid enjoying school.

I realize that safety is a concern for many, and this school has a pretty good reputation for safety inside the building. I guess that's the tradeoff.

Hardy?

I want to see evidence that ms grades are ready for and can success in advanced classes in hs. That is what I told the hardy principal and unfortunately the school is not there.

None of the above applies to hardy. Kids can access lockers in case of need. Kids of the same class age have lunch together (regardless of sex!).

This is what you told the hardy Principal (i.e. this is what you think). You did not tell us what she said.

I asked once in person and once by email. She avoided answering the question in person and didn't respond when I asked again by email.

Odd. Maybe she had reasons to let you out... She was very frank and precise with me and other IB parents when we asked this question. She told us that she needs 15 advanced kids to fulfill an advanced class in English & Math. She already had the number this year, though she said 2-3 kids needed a boost at the beginning, and will have much more than 15 in sixth grade next year.
If you are IB, you are still on time to come on board for next year sixth grade! And if you are a real IB mom interested in Hardy, just ask Principal Pride to get you in contact with the forthcoming 6th grade IB parents , she ll give you one if our reference so we can get to talk.

IB Hardy mom ( from next year)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's my list. Just two points.

1. Teaching at grade level. Currently Kramer MS (my IB) teaches below grade level.
You can achieve teaching at grade level only if you:
a) do not promote to next level kids who do not show basic level skills at the end of the year. This would turn in keeping in current level about 25% of kids each year on average.
b) introduce a two-level teaching at least for Math and English (Math and test-in advanced Math/ English and test-in advanced English)

2. Enhanced security. Full-time professional security officer on duty. Camcorders in main common areas and lockers.

Parent IB for Kramer MS

Please read again my message (above) if you are truly interested in the topic of this thread. Not only did I state what we want, but also said measure that parents of proficient students in Ward 8 have identified are requested since so many years...
For political reasons, and against good sense and teaching/learning basic principles, DCPS has never supported or introduced the measures I mentioned a) & b). Teachers are often intimidated by parents (and sometimes kids in HS) and just let them move to next grade level to avoid confrontation.

DCPS introduced DC-CAS but has never enforced the common sense principle that all kids "below basic" in, let's say English and Math, should not move up to the next grade. Decision is delegated to teachers and Principals, who have little incentives to get kids to repeat the school year (they do not want to confront the parents; they do not want to keep in the school for more than the due years the lower performing kids -- who are often disruptive too) .

DCPS should get rid of political conditioning and take a stand on this matter: "Below basic" students (in Math & English) should not be allowed to move up to the next grade. Since they are instead allowed to move up, in schools like Kramer where the "Below basic" are about 25% of the student population, the consequence is only one: the following year class will teach below grade level.

The good and proficient students are unprotected in our schools. "Below basic" are allowed to progress to the next level. At the same time, honor advanced separate classes for proficient/advanced students are not introduced...

Hope this helps to understand what we (my partner and I; the parents of proficient kids from my neighborhood) think: we either want DCPS to take a stand against the malpractice of allowing "Below basic" students to progress; or we want advanced/honor separate classes for our proficient kids.

If below basic kids aren't passed, it eventually affects the graduation rate and DPS cares more about appearances than about educating children -- that was obvious in the cheating scandal.

DCPS is obviously doing a poor job of educating students wherever they fall along the proficiency scale. they deny the importance of the role of parents, but somehow only manage to educate the children of parents engaged in their kids education.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really wanted to give my IB middle school a chance, but I toured it and found:
1. The classes weren't taught at grade level. Sixth grade math was fourth grade math.
2. The environment was prison-like. There was just no life to the school. Kids weren't allowed to visit their lockers during the day. Boys and girls had separate lunches. I can't imagine any kid enjoying school.

I realize that safety is a concern for many, and this school has a pretty good reputation for safety inside the building. I guess that's the tradeoff.

Hardy?

I want to see evidence that ms grades are ready for and can success in advanced classes in hs. That is what I told the hardy principal and unfortunately the school is not there.

None of the above applies to hardy. Kids can access lockers in case of need. Kids of the same class age have lunch together (regardless of sex!).

This is what you told the hardy Principal (i.e. this is what you think). You did not tell us what she said.

I asked once in person and once by email. She avoided answering the question in person and didn't respond when I asked again by email.

I wanna say again that Mr Simmons, Kramer Principal, is an outstanding Principal.

Anonymous wrote:Here's my list. Just two points.

1. Teaching at grade level. Currently Kramer MS (my IB) teaches below grade level.
You can achieve teaching at grade level only if you:
a) do not promote to next level kids who do not show basic level skills at the end of the year. This would turn in keeping in current level about 25% of kids each year on average.
b) introduce a two-level teaching at least for Math and English (Math and test-in advanced Math/ English and test-in advanced English)

2. Enhanced security. Full-time professional security officer on duty. Camcorders in main common areas and lockers.

Parent IB for Kramer MS

Please read again my message (above) if you are truly interested in the topic of this thread. Not only did I state what we want, but also said measure that parents of proficient students in Ward 8 have identified are requested since so many years...
For political reasons, and against good sense and teaching/learning basic principles, DCPS has never supported or introduced the measures I mentioned a) & b). Teachers are often intimidated by parents (and sometimes kids in HS) and just let them move to next grade level to avoid confrontation.

DCPS introduced DC-CAS but has never enforced the common sense principle that all kids "below basic" in, let's say English and Math, should not move up to the next grade. Decision is delegated to teachers and Principals, who have little incentives to get kids to repeat the school year (they do not want to confront the parents; they do not want to keep in the school for more than the due years the lower performing kids -- who are often disruptive too) .

DCPS should get rid of political conditioning and take a stand on this matter: "Below basic" students (in Math & English) should not be allowed to move up to the next grade. Since they are instead allowed to move up, in schools like Kramer where the "Below basic" are about 25% of the student population, the consequence is only one: the following year class will teach below grade level.

The good and proficient students are unprotected in our schools. "Below basic" are allowed to progress to the next level. At the same time, honor advanced separate classes for proficient/advanced students are not introduced...

Hope this helps to understand what we (my partner and I; the parents of proficient kids from my neighborhood) think: we either want DCPS to take a stand against the malpractice of allowing "Below basic" students to progress; or we want advanced/honor separate classes for our proficient kids.

Anonymous wrote:As has been debated over and over, the issue is scarcity. At least on this board, there has not been a lot of support for a lottery option. So what needs to happen to make your neighborhood school workable so you will not choose OOB or charter? What are the criteria you are looking for? What makes it so it works from K-5? What does the middle school look like?

Personally-

I would like some diversity of races and maybe a limited SES range. i.e. title one status is an issue for me. Resources just don't match kids needs.

I want a full range of art/music/pe/librarian

I want some noticeable progression of success on tests and at least 50% of the kids scoring proficient

Not sure I need tracking, but I want to see that a program is in place for all grades to address advanced students

I do not want to see constant drilling on tests- not event the subterfuge of it-

I want the teachers to want to be there and to not hate the principal

Personally have this now in an OOB school, but we drive 45 minutes to get it. If I could reclaim that time I would take it, but right now I would not say that Ward 5 where I live has a school meeting this criteria.

Ward 5 has charters that meet this criteria. Unfortunately, it's all luck to get in.

Anonymous wrote:Dual language. Period.

Same. Chose our charter over private school for the immersion language.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really wanted to give my IB middle school a chance, but I toured it and found:
1. The classes weren't taught at grade level. Sixth grade math was fourth grade math.
2. The environment was prison-like. There was just no life to the school. Kids weren't allowed to visit their lockers during the day. Boys and girls had separate lunches. I can't imagine any kid enjoying school.

I realize that safety is a concern for many, and this school has a pretty good reputation for safety inside the building. I guess that's the tradeoff.

Hardy?

I want to see evidence that ms grades are ready for and can success in advanced classes in hs. That is what I told the hardy principal and unfortunately the school is not there.

None of the above applies to hardy. Kids can access lockers in case of need. Kids of the same class age have lunch together (regardless of sex!).

This is what you told the hardy Principal (i.e. this is what you think). You did not tell us what she said.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is very eye opening. How can people in DC subject their children to substandard education all the way through high school?

Here is the thing, all this scrabbling over boundaries it is a red herring. These are the things we need to demand for accountability. I am all for boundary changes if and only if real measurable standards are in place that mean kids will be moving into viable effective schools. I in fact think many of us would love not to be trekking across the city and actually care a great deal about all these kids losing in out in the system.

Yes 7 years on, we still don't have a lot of great schools, but I think a lot more of us know what we want to ask for, that in itself is progress.

Personally I am ok with the cluster idea or maybe a modified version where every third or fourth school is an immersion language program and parents could lottery into that one for their cluster. Otherwise they used the neighborhood option. I would also like there to be an public immersion covering several languages for middle and high school.

I would also like very focused summer and after school programs in all title one schools focused on kids that would otherwise qualify as gifted and talented. If these kids are focused on, there maybe a viable option to have test in English and Math. But right now too many kids don't have enough of the supports to pull them up.

I like it! Do you have any interest in being DME under Catania or Bowser?