Good suburban public or private. PPs say that suburban public is no better, and I would disagree in many cases-- although it can be a risk. DC has no real gifted program. MCPS Advanced math with track at least two years ahead in math (7th grade Algebra. Do any MCPS place in 6th grade Algebra as a matter of course?). Also HGCs, although they are only 2 years (4th/5th and there are a set number of seats, so not every "qualified" kid is accepted). MCPS also does a great job on offering several MS & HS magnets.

FCPS has FT GT (AAP) starting in grade 3, and continuing through MS. In math, some areas routinely accelerate 3 years 6th grade Algebra), and others routinely accelerate 2 (7th grade Algebra I). No real magnets, except TJ for HS. The upside is that every kid who qualifies for AAP is placed (and it is about 17% a year). The downside is that if your DC does not qualify, they are left in a classroom where all of the top performers have left. Like MCPS, you can do advanced math in most FCPS ESs even w/o AAP.

APS has gifted/accelerated services, but I don't know the details.

So suburban public could work well in terms of acceleration at school, but only if you are able to get advanced placement.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We can afford to, and would gladly (well somewhat gladly) move to be in bounds for JKLM. And we will attend those open houses this year. But I am realistic about what you can learn from an open house. Their test scores are respectable but we would be bummed to move only to find the reason the scores at those schools are good is that those parents are supplementing too.

Our ideal is a school where the kids get good fundamentals and are challenged to do advanced work (not necessarily "gifted"-- I am realistic about that). There will be homework from school but otherwise we can enjoy our limited family time doing sports, music, hiking, and enjoying each other's company. Is this possible in DC? I went to public schools myself and have plenty of friends from undergrad and grad school who also went to public schools and did very well academically. So I know private is not necessary. But a good public is...

Yes, this is possible in DC. Feel free to ask a lot of questions at the Open Houses.

+1. This is possible in DCPS. My kids to go such a school and oldest is going into 3rd, so have lots of experience. We don't supplement at home and I don't know many families who do. Instruction is top notch and my child has been challenged and working/testing several grades above his grade level since K. I don't know that all DCPS/charters are like that but ours is.

PP, As a parent of a 1 year old and a one in early elementary I would love to know which school you are in. We are satisfied with DC's current school but it will not take us comfortably into upper elementary so we will be taking a new look around before next years lottery.

Yes, please say what school it is!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We can afford to, and would gladly (well somewhat gladly) move to be in bounds for JKLM. And we will attend those open houses this year. But I am realistic about what you can learn from an open house. Their test scores are respectable but we would be bummed to move only to find the reason the scores at those schools are good is that those parents are supplementing too.

Our ideal is a school where the kids get good fundamentals and are challenged to do advanced work (not necessarily "gifted"-- I am realistic about that). There will be homework from school but otherwise we can enjoy our limited family time doing sports, music, hiking, and enjoying each other's company. Is this possible in DC? I went to public schools myself and have plenty of friends from undergrad and grad school who also went to public schools and did very well academically. So I know private is not necessary. But a good public is...

Yes, this is possible in DC. Feel free to ask a lot of questions at the Open Houses.

+1. This is possible in DCPS. My kids to go such a school and oldest is going into 3rd, so have lots of experience. We don't supplement at home and I don't know many families who do. Instruction is top notch and my child has been challenged and working/testing several grades above his grade level since K. I don't know that all DCPS/charters are like that but ours is.

PP, As a parent of a 1 year old and a one in early elementary I would love to know which school you are in. We are satisfied with DC's current school but it will not take us comfortably into upper elementary so we will be taking a new look around before next years lottery.

^^ What high school do you want your kids to go to?

If it is an elite private or application school involving a test (eg SWW) you probably don't want to be there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two Rivers = Two Rivers Middle School, traditionally shunned by almost all high SES families in the lower grades.

Why is that?

Aren't all middle schools EOTP shunned by high SES families?

Well MacFarland comes to mind, but that's just opening next year, so we'll see. Most of the rest of EOTP is in Education Campuses, unless you're talking about Capitol Hill, which I'm not getting into.

That's interesting. Thanks. Not trying to hijack thread to discuss the bigger issue of middle school EOTP, as I'm sure there's super strong feelings on that. As someone with a pk3'er entering TRYoung in the fall, am just curious on extent to which TR Middle as of today is noticeably worse than other middle school options EOTP. Seems like it's not really a school-specific issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We can afford to, and would gladly (well somewhat gladly) move to be in bounds for JKLM. And we will attend those open houses this year. But I am realistic about what you can learn from an open house. Their test scores are respectable but we would be bummed to move only to find the reason the scores at those schools are good is that those parents are supplementing too.

Our ideal is a school where the kids get good fundamentals and are challenged to do advanced work (not necessarily "gifted"-- I am realistic about that). There will be homework from school but otherwise we can enjoy our limited family time doing sports, music, hiking, and enjoying each other's company. Is this possible in DC? I went to public schools myself and have plenty of friends from undergrad and grad school who also went to public schools and did very well academically. So I know private is not necessary. But a good public is...

Yes, this is possible in DC. Feel free to ask a lot of questions at the Open Houses.

+1. This is possible in DCPS. My kids to go such a school and oldest is going into 3rd, so have lots of experience. We don't supplement at home and I don't know many families who do. Instruction is top notch and my child has been challenged and working/testing several grades above his grade level since K. I don't know that all DCPS/charters are like that but ours is.

You have no real idea which parents supplement at home. All you know is what the parents tell you. Those same parents may even instruct their children to not talk about the academic supplementation outside of the family--that's what we do. I grew tired of lazy parents asking me for materials and copies of our afterschool routine. Do your own work people!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two Rivers = Two Rivers Middle School, traditionally shunned by almost all high SES families in the lower grades.

Why is that?

Aren't all middle schools EOTP shunned by high SES families?

Well MacFarland comes to mind, but that's just opening next year, so we'll see. Most of the rest of EOTP is in Education Campuses, unless you're talking about Capitol Hill, which I'm not getting into.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We can afford to, and would gladly (well somewhat gladly) move to be in bounds for JKLM. And we will attend those open houses this year. But I am realistic about what you can learn from an open house. Their test scores are respectable but we would be bummed to move only to find the reason the scores at those schools are good is that those parents are supplementing too.

Our ideal is a school where the kids get good fundamentals and are challenged to do advanced work (not necessarily "gifted"-- I am realistic about that). There will be homework from school but otherwise we can enjoy our limited family time doing sports, music, hiking, and enjoying each other's company. Is this possible in DC? I went to public schools myself and have plenty of friends from undergrad and grad school who also went to public schools and did very well academically. So I know private is not necessary. But a good public is...

Yes, this is possible in DC. Feel free to ask a lot of questions at the Open Houses.

+1. This is possible in DCPS. My kids to go such a school and oldest is going into 3rd, so have lots of experience. We don't supplement at home and I don't know many families who do. Instruction is top notch and my child has been challenged and working/testing several grades above his grade level since K. I don't know that all DCPS/charters are like that but ours is.

Anonymous wrote:DC and this thread are filled with lunatic gunners.

Why be dull?

Two Rivers exists to close the achievement gap between high-performing mostly white students and low-income students, not to serve high SES families with 12-15 year olds working at or above grade-level in middle school. The middle school is fun/cozy, but doesn't offer appropriate challenge for high performing students, in any subject - math, English, civics, foreign language etc. The point is writ large in middle school's classrooms- visit and you can't miss it. Stuart-Hobson's honors classes offer more challenge, but not much (hint: Hobson is three quarters OOB).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two Rivers = Two Rivers Middle School, traditionally shunned by almost all high SES families in the lower grades.

Why is that?

Aren't all middle schools EOTP shunned by high SES families?

DC and this thread are filled with lunatic gunners.

Anonymous wrote:PP - you need to think about where you want your kids to be in 7th or 8th. Are you expecting them to be in Algebra in 6th or 7th grade -- then they need all the Common Core number sense stuff by 4th or 5th and math facts cold by then too.

If you are ok with Algebra in 9th grade, then no worries.

I tool algebra in seventh grade, skipped 8th, geometry in 9th, precalculus 10th, calculus 11th. Advanced calculus 12th. Despite doing quite well in all of that, because or my dyscalcula (I didn't know it was a thing at the time. Only that I hated math), I scored right along the mean on the math sat, in contrast to my verbal score, which was over 700.

It did me no favors, and I don't understand why it's a goal. Life is short and math is boring, but follows a fairly standard trajectory. No need to rush it except bragging rights.

Anonymous wrote:Two Rivers = Two Rivers Middle School, traditionally shunned by almost all high SES families in the lower grades.

Why is that?

Two Rivers = Two Rivers Middle School, traditionally shunned by almost all high SES families in the lower grades.