Anonymous wrote:One of the problems is the schools are too small. DCPS has way too much packed schools that were built for 300 students. Combine 2 or 3 of these schools and you would get schools that better reflect the city.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:As a longtime educator in DC, I think widespread integrated schools won't happen without major government action, and that might not work either. Because of the housing segregation in the city, most neighborhoods won't have schools that are that diverse, at least above the Preschool/PreK level. The few schools that are fairly diverse will be:
-Some charter schools (not the no-excuses kind) that draw from various demographic groups.
-A few schools in gentrifying neighborhoods, or in neighborhoods that are already gentrified but the school hasn't yet. Some may stay pretty diverse (Bancroft), while others may switch to being not diverse in the opposite direction by becoming largely White. Look at the demographics of Brent or Ross from 15 years ago compared to today.
-Deal, Hardy, and Wilson, which have diverse schools as feeders.
Some families of color and white families value diversity, which draws them to the types of schools listed above. Others don't make that a priority. Those that don't make diversity a major factor are usually then fine with high-achieving schools like KIPP (if they are Black), or going to WOTP schools /moving to the suburbs.
Stuart-Hobson should stay/become more diverse too. L-T and Watkins are both truly diverse and will remain that way for some time (Watkins likely forever) and, even as/if they trend whiter, JO Wilson will ensure S-H remains diverse. Likewise, Jefferson is positioned to become more diverse if/when more Brent and Van Ness kids opt in and Amidon-Bowen becomes more diverse. Really, it’s the elementary schools with smaller catchment zones that are the issue... and then convincing UMC parents to opt into middles.
SWW is also quite diverse and will remain that way by design.
It has to be tied to economic diversity within the housing stock of a catchment zone,which can be improved with zoning that allows for diverse housing stock (apartments and houses). But there is also this problem of housing values that are inflated just because the schools are better...
You must not talk to Capitol Hill realtors. Local housing values are not inflated because schools are better. Most CH buyers don't give a hoot about the state of local public schools. Not even a quarter care.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If you believe that systemic racism should be dismantled and that Black Lives Matter then your school choices should reflect those values. It's not complicated.
Sorry but I don't believe sending my child into the void of incompetence is dismantling racism. If anything, it's propping up a school system that itself fundamentally racist in addition to being incompetent. When the adults in charge of DCPS learn to manage a school effecticely, then we can talk. The option of charter middle schools is the only reason people are willing to live EOTP at all.
There is actually a lot of good data out there that suggests otherwise. You might find this book, which goes through a comprehensive economic study on segregation helpful: "Children of the Dream: Why School Integration Works" by Dr. Rucker Johnson. https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research/selected-publications/children-of-the-dream-why-school-integration-works
Which DC public high school would you send your own children to?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:As a longtime educator in DC, I think widespread integrated schools won't happen without major government action, and that might not work either. Because of the housing segregation in the city, most neighborhoods won't have schools that are that diverse, at least above the Preschool/PreK level. The few schools that are fairly diverse will be:
-Some charter schools (not the no-excuses kind) that draw from various demographic groups.
-A few schools in gentrifying neighborhoods, or in neighborhoods that are already gentrified but the school hasn't yet. Some may stay pretty diverse (Bancroft), while others may switch to being not diverse in the opposite direction by becoming largely White. Look at the demographics of Brent or Ross from 15 years ago compared to today.
-Deal, Hardy, and Wilson, which have diverse schools as feeders.
Some families of color and white families value diversity, which draws them to the types of schools listed above. Others don't make that a priority. Those that don't make diversity a major factor are usually then fine with high-achieving schools like KIPP (if they are Black), or going to WOTP schools /moving to the suburbs.
Stuart-Hobson should stay/become more diverse too. L-T and Watkins are both truly diverse and will remain that way for some time (Watkins likely forever) and, even as/if they trend whiter, JO Wilson will ensure S-H remains diverse. Likewise, Jefferson is positioned to become more diverse if/when more Brent and Van Ness kids opt in and Amidon-Bowen becomes more diverse. Really, it’s the elementary schools with smaller catchment zones that are the issue... and then convincing UMC parents to opt into middles.
SWW is also quite diverse and will remain that way by design.
It has to be tied to economic diversity within the housing stock of a catchment zone,which can be improved with zoning that allows for diverse housing stock (apartments and houses). But there is also this problem of housing values that are inflated just because the schools are better...
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:As a longtime educator in DC, I think widespread integrated schools won't happen without major government action, and that might not work either. Because of the housing segregation in the city, most neighborhoods won't have schools that are that diverse, at least above the Preschool/PreK level. The few schools that are fairly diverse will be:
-Some charter schools (not the no-excuses kind) that draw from various demographic groups.
-A few schools in gentrifying neighborhoods, or in neighborhoods that are already gentrified but the school hasn't yet. Some may stay pretty diverse (Bancroft), while others may switch to being not diverse in the opposite direction by becoming largely White. Look at the demographics of Brent or Ross from 15 years ago compared to today.
-Deal, Hardy, and Wilson, which have diverse schools as feeders.
Some families of color and white families value diversity, which draws them to the types of schools listed above. Others don't make that a priority. Those that don't make diversity a major factor are usually then fine with high-achieving schools like KIPP (if they are Black), or going to WOTP schools /moving to the suburbs.
Stuart-Hobson should stay/become more diverse too. L-T and Watkins are both truly diverse and will remain that way for some time (Watkins likely forever) and, even as/if they trend whiter, JO Wilson will ensure S-H remains diverse. Likewise, Jefferson is positioned to become more diverse if/when more Brent and Van Ness kids opt in and Amidon-Bowen becomes more diverse. Really, it’s the elementary schools with smaller catchment zones that are the issue... and then convincing UMC parents to opt into middles.
SWW is also quite diverse and will remain that way by design.
It has to be tied to economic diversity within the housing stock of a catchment zone,which can be improved with zoning that allows for diverse housing stock (apartments and houses). But there is also this problem of housing values that are inflated just because the schools are better...
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:As a longtime educator in DC, I think widespread integrated schools won't happen without major government action, and that might not work either. Because of the housing segregation in the city, most neighborhoods won't have schools that are that diverse, at least above the Preschool/PreK level. The few schools that are fairly diverse will be:
-Some charter schools (not the no-excuses kind) that draw from various demographic groups.
-A few schools in gentrifying neighborhoods, or in neighborhoods that are already gentrified but the school hasn't yet. Some may stay pretty diverse (Bancroft), while others may switch to being not diverse in the opposite direction by becoming largely White. Look at the demographics of Brent or Ross from 15 years ago compared to today.
-Deal, Hardy, and Wilson, which have diverse schools as feeders.
Some families of color and white families value diversity, which draws them to the types of schools listed above. Others don't make that a priority. Those that don't make diversity a major factor are usually then fine with high-achieving schools like KIPP (if they are Black), or going to WOTP schools /moving to the suburbs.
Stuart-Hobson should stay/become more diverse too. L-T and Watkins are both truly diverse and will remain that way for some time (Watkins likely forever) and, even as/if they trend whiter, JO Wilson will ensure S-H remains diverse. Likewise, Jefferson is positioned to become more diverse if/when more Brent and Van Ness kids opt in and Amidon-Bowen becomes more diverse. Really, it’s the elementary schools with smaller catchment zones that are the issue... and then convincing UMC parents to opt into middles.
SWW is also quite diverse and will remain that way by design.
Anonymous wrote:As a longtime educator in DC, I think widespread integrated schools won't happen without major government action, and that might not work either. Because of the housing segregation in the city, most neighborhoods won't have schools that are that diverse, at least above the Preschool/PreK level. The few schools that are fairly diverse will be:
-Some charter schools (not the no-excuses kind) that draw from various demographic groups.
-A few schools in gentrifying neighborhoods, or in neighborhoods that are already gentrified but the school hasn't yet. Some may stay pretty diverse (Bancroft), while others may switch to being not diverse in the opposite direction by becoming largely White. Look at the demographics of Brent or Ross from 15 years ago compared to today.
-Deal, Hardy, and Wilson, which have diverse schools as feeders.
Some families of color and white families value diversity, which draws them to the types of schools listed above. Others don't make that a priority. Those that don't make diversity a major factor are usually then fine with high-achieving schools like KIPP (if they are Black), or going to WOTP schools /moving to the suburbs.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If you believe that systemic racism should be dismantled and that Black Lives Matter then your school choices should reflect those values. It's not complicated.
Sorry but I don't believe sending my child into the void of incompetence is dismantling racism. If anything, it's propping up a school system that itself fundamentally racist in addition to being incompetent. When the adults in charge of DCPS learn to manage a school effecticely, then we can talk. The option of charter middle schools is the only reason people are willing to live EOTP at all.
There is actually a lot of good data out there that suggests otherwise. You might find this book, which goes through a comprehensive economic study on segregation helpful: "Children of the Dream: Why School Integration Works" by Dr. Rucker Johnson. https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research/selected-publications/children-of-the-dream-why-school-integration-works
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Some interesting background here:
https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/landscape-of-diversity-in-dc-public-schools/
Notably, 20% of kids in DC are white, but only 10% of public school (including charter) are.
This is interesting. So can we conclude that fully half of white people with kids in DC have chosen to enroll them in private schools?
It would have been a better statistic if it hadn't included 3 year olds.
Exactly!
So tired of younger people conflating Bright Horizons with “private school.”
These discussions should be limited to compulsory grades.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If you believe that systemic racism should be dismantled and that Black Lives Matter then your school choices should reflect those values. It's not complicated.
Sorry but I don't believe sending my child into the void of incompetence is dismantling racism. If anything, it's propping up a school system that itself fundamentally racist in addition to being incompetent. When the adults in charge of DCPS learn to manage a school effecticely, then we can talk. The option of charter middle schools is the only reason people are willing to live EOTP at all.
There is actually a lot of good data out there that suggests otherwise. You might find this book, which goes through a comprehensive economic study on segregation helpful: "Children of the Dream: Why School Integration Works" by Dr. Rucker Johnson. https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research/selected-publications/children-of-the-dream-why-school-integration-works