Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually agree with OP, to a certain extent. I think all public schools should provide a good education. The buildings should be safe, the teachers should be invested, there should be some basic level of differentiation offered, etc. Sure, more affluent neighborhoods may more often get attractive bells and whistles--I'm thinking certain language options, or niche approaches like Montessori--but every school should have a "floor" level of learning that is adequate for the basics.

The problem is that this *isn't* the case in DC--some of the schools are really terrible. The buildings are falling apart, the teachers routinely yell at students, etc.

I know there will inevitably be differences between affluent and non-affluent areas of the city. I just wish it was somewhat more equitable than it is.

Nobody knows if the poor performing schools have these things are not. They are simply judged by test scores which can be explained above.

Few people know if city-wide lotteries are distributive or not. I believe they are, but first amendment rights still stand if they don't.

Anonymous wrote:I actually agree with OP, to a certain extent. I think all public schools should provide a good education. The buildings should be safe, the teachers should be invested, there should be some basic level of differentiation offered, etc. Sure, more affluent neighborhoods may more often get attractive bells and whistles--I'm thinking certain language options, or niche approaches like Montessori--but every school should have a "floor" level of learning that is adequate for the basics.

The problem is that this *isn't* the case in DC--some of the schools are really terrible. The buildings are falling apart, the teachers routinely yell at students, etc.

I know there will inevitably be differences between affluent and non-affluent areas of the city. I just wish it was somewhat more equitable than it is.

Nobody knows if the poor performing schools have these things are not. They are simply judged by test scores which can be explained above.

Anonymous wrote:I actually agree with OP, to a certain extent. I think all public schools should provide a good education. The buildings should be safe, the teachers should be invested, there should be some basic level of differentiation offered, etc. Sure, more affluent neighborhoods may more often get attractive bells and whistles--I'm thinking certain language options, or niche approaches like Montessori--but every school should have a "floor" level of learning that is adequate for the basics.

The problem is that this *isn't* the case in DC--some of the schools are really terrible. The buildings are falling apart, the teachers routinely yell at students, etc.

I know there will inevitably be differences between affluent and non-affluent areas of the city. I just wish it was somewhat more equitable than it is.

Unfortunately, no one is immune from poor teachers. Our DC attend one of the affluent schools and we have teachers that yell and are generally poor at teaching (My DD has one this year). The difference is that we will supplement at home and meet with the teacher on a regular basis to ensure she performs as best as she can given her poor skills.

Anonymous wrote:OP You sound really naive. A school is only as good as the kids and parents who attend. Rich families in DC almost always are highly educated and high income. Hey have stable
Lives and prioritize enrichment, reading and education for those kids. If all those rich families from ward 3 moved eat of the river tomorrow then yes the wards 7 and 8 would have top schools. New buildings, new trends or even top teachers have very little impact on outcomes. 95% of it comes
From the home.

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. It is well known high SES correlates to high test scores.

Plenty of the "good schools" were not at all good 10 years ago. Find the next "great school" by ignoring overall test scores and visit and get a feel. For example, Garrison, Bancroft, Marie Reed, Thompson, and many others NOT in W3 are even BETTER experiences for younger kids because there is often a very good dual language component; there is true diversity, culturally, racially and economically; they are free and not overcrowded. It's been a while since mine were in K, but when they attended Ross ES (now waitlists forever), no one wanted to attend. You bring up a school by committing to the community. Venture out, be a change maker, and your kids will also have a very rewarding experience that will give them a real world glimpse of the world forever.

This is not exclusive to DC. At least you can try to get a space with the lottery. Where I grew up, 30% of the kids attend private (as did I) and everyone's parents sacrificed for it. I was told when I moved here a few years ago, you can have 2 of the following 3, but not all: affordable housing, a good school district, and a short commute. But you can't have all 3. There are people who sacrifice and commute like crazy because they think the schools in the burbs are worth it; that's their choice to have the big house at the decent price. We decided to live in a smaller space in a great school district and are better for it. My point is, there are options -- private schools, public schools in the burbs and exurbs, cheaper housing with a drive. If you want the city life, it comes with a cost, unfortunately.

I actually agree with OP, to a certain extent. I think all public schools should provide a good education. The buildings should be safe, the teachers should be invested, there should be some basic level of differentiation offered, etc. Sure, more affluent neighborhoods may more often get attractive bells and whistles--I'm thinking certain language options, or niche approaches like Montessori--but every school should have a "floor" level of learning that is adequate for the basics.

The problem is that this *isn't* the case in DC--some of the schools are really terrible. The buildings are falling apart, the teachers routinely yell at students, etc.

I know there will inevitably be differences between affluent and non-affluent areas of the city. I just wish it was somewhat more equitable than it is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am so frustrated. Why is it that you have to spend close to a million dollars, or more, on a home, just so your kid can get a quality education without paying $30,000 a year? It's as if a child doesn't deserve a good education, unless their parents make a certain amount of money, & can afford to live in "the right neighborhood". This seems to be the case in DC, MD, & VA.

I consider us a middle class family, if that exists anymore, & Great Schools gives every school in the neighborhoods that we can afford an average of a "4". We can't afford the neighborhoods ranking schools 7 and up.

I'm sorry, but I just believe whether you make $1,000,000 a year, or $30,000 a year, each child deserves the best.

My rant for the day.

The problem here is that the metric you are using by which to judge a good school is one that is very highly correlated with income. Rich kids do well on standardized test scores. The kids make the school, not vice versa.

The problem is not that rich kids score better on standardized tests, but rather that poor kids score worse. Slacker rich kids can coast along just fine when their cohort buoys them, but a brilliant poor kid has to work a helluva lot harder to post the same numbers when her cohort weighs her down.

Anonymous wrote:I am so frustrated. Why is it that you have to spend close to a million dollars, or more, on a home, just so your kid can get a quality education without paying $30,000 a year? It's as if a child doesn't deserve a good education, unless their parents make a certain amount of money, & can afford to live in "the right neighborhood". This seems to be the case in DC, MD, & VA.

I consider us a middle class family, if that exists anymore, & Great Schools gives every school in the neighborhoods that we can afford an average of a "4". We can't afford the neighborhoods ranking schools 7 and up.

I'm sorry, but I just believe whether you make $1,000,000 a year, or $30,000 a year, each child deserves the best.

My rant for the day.

The problem here is that the metric you are using by which to judge a good school is one that is very highly correlated with income. Rich kids do well on standardized test scores. The kids make the school, not vice versa.

Anonymous wrote:I am so frustrated. Why is it that you have to spend close to a million dollars, or more, on a home, just so your kid can get a quality education without paying $30,000 a year? It's as if a child doesn't deserve a good education, unless their parents make a certain amount of money, & can afford to live in "the right neighborhood". This seems to be the case in DC, MD, & VA.

I consider us a middle class family, if that exists anymore, & Great Schools gives every school in the neighborhoods that we can afford an average of a "4". We can't afford the neighborhoods ranking schools 7 and up.

I'm sorry, but I just believe whether you make $1,000,000 a year, or $30,000 a year, each child deserves the best.

My rant for the day.

Welcome to America!

OP You sound really naive. A school is only as good as the kids and parents who attend. Rich families in DC almost always are highly educated and high income. Hey have stable
Lives and prioritize enrichment, reading and education for those kids. If all those rich families from ward 3 moved eat of the river tomorrow then yes the wards 7 and 8 would have top schools. New buildings, new trends or even top teachers have very little impact on outcomes. 95% of it comes
From the home.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its funny how people on this site think $800k is affordable for a home....

It's not 800K. We paid $350K for one bedroom + den (practically a 2-bed) inbound for Horace Mann. It's a matter of choice. We traded space in favor of better education. Do your homework, there's plenty on non-fancy condos in the area, on Mass Ave, and one building on the south side of Cathedral Ave. and New Mexico. Rent rates in those buildings are not bad either.

Of course you share with AU students, which makes you wonder why investing in education is meant to be a good investment.

Can you point me to a similar listing please? I'm interested in such a 1BR + den for $350k! NP here.

Google DC9640698 and DC9576911.

Wow, for the first listing @$334k the condo fee is $1k a month. OP just pack up and move to Silver Spring or someplace similar.

NP. Keep in mind coop fees (partially deductible) include taxes and utilities.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its funny how people on this site think $800k is affordable for a home....

It's not 800K. We paid $350K for one bedroom + den (practically a 2-bed) inbound for Horace Mann. It's a matter of choice. We traded space in favor of better education. Do your homework, there's plenty on non-fancy condos in the area, on Mass Ave, and one building on the south side of Cathedral Ave. and New Mexico. Rent rates in those buildings are not bad either.

Of course you share with AU students, which makes you wonder why investing in education is meant to be a good investment.

Can you point me to a similar listing please? I'm interested in such a 1BR + den for $350k! NP here.

Google DC9640698 and DC9576911.

Wow, for the first listing @$334k the condo fee is $1k a month. OP just pack up and move to Silver Spring or someplace similar.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its funny how people on this site think $800k is affordable for a home....

It's not 800K. We paid $350K for one bedroom + den (practically a 2-bed) inbound for Horace Mann. It's a matter of choice. We traded space in favor of better education. Do your homework, there's plenty on non-fancy condos in the area, on Mass Ave, and one building on the south side of Cathedral Ave. and New Mexico. Rent rates in those buildings are not bad either.

Of course you share with AU students, which makes you wonder why investing in education is meant to be a good investment.

Can you point me to a similar listing please? I'm interested in such a 1BR + den for $350k! NP here.

Google DC9640698 and DC9576911.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its funny how people on this site think $800k is affordable for a home....

It's not 800K. We paid $350K for one bedroom + den (practically a 2-bed) inbound for Horace Mann. It's a matter of choice. We traded space in favor of better education. Do your homework, there's plenty on non-fancy condos in the area, on Mass Ave, and one building on the south side of Cathedral Ave. and New Mexico. Rent rates in those buildings are not bad either.

Of course you share with AU students, which makes you wonder why investing in education is meant to be a good investment.

Can you point me to a similar listing please? I'm interested in such a 1BR + den for $350k! NP here.