Posts by Natalie Wexler — Contributor
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Morning bell: More students take AP classes, with varying levels of success
The number who pass AP exams varies across the region: The number of students who take AP classes has almost doubled nationwide in the past 10 years, and the number of low-income students has almost quadrupled. Maryland led the country in the percentage of seniors who earned passing scores last year, with 30%, and Virginia was close behind at 28%. In DC, an entirely urban district, the… Keep reading…
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More and more DC students are taking AP classes, but what are they getting from the experience?
Although the number of students taking AP classes in the District has gone up dramatically, many fail the AP exam. But there’s a way to ensure that kids get a rigorous education without putting them into classes they’re not prepared for. Partly due to a push to increase minority and low-income participation, the number of students taking AP classes has nearly doubled… Keep reading…
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Do we need another selective DCPS high school? A group at Dunbar thinks so
A group of alumni and parents are proposing to turn Dunbar High School into a selective school. What’s behind this idea, and does it make sense? Last month, the Washington Post reported that the group had spent months discussing the idea of giving Dunbar greater autonomy, including the ability to select its students, and intend to put the proposal before DCPS Chancellor… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: A proliferation of plans to help families pay for college
DC Council tentatively approves college aid proposal: The vote came on Councilmember David Catania’s plan to provide “Promise” scholarships for lower-income DC students. Some, including the Washington Post editorial board, fear that the program could jeopardize federal funds for a similar initiative, DC TAG. Post reporter Emma Brown delved into the details… Keep reading…
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When is it okay to have an empty classroom?
If you put more advanced classes into low-performing middle and high schools, will you get students who are capable of doing more advanced work? Or will administrators be tempted to fill those classes with students who aren’t ready for them? One thing that Councilmember David Catania and DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson agreed on at a DC Council hearing last week was that… Keep reading…
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The DCPS middle school plan, pt. 2: getting principals to talk, and standardizing offerings
What’s in store for DCPS’s middle schools? The possibilities include greater communication with feeder elementary schools, equalizing offerings for middle-grade students at all K-8 and stand-alone middle schools, and an application-only middle school in Ward 7. DC has long had a dearth of desirable DCPS middle schools. With a review of boundaries and feeder… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: DC schools may get more money per pupil, but how much aid will those pupils get for college?
More money for DC schools?: A DC-government commissioned study has recommended that funding increase by about $2,000 per pupil, and that poor and other “at-risk” students should get more than that. The study, which will form the basis for Mayor Vincent Gray’s budget, also concluded that DC has not been funding charter schools at a level equal to DCPS schools,… Keep reading…
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The DCPS middle school plan, pt. 1: District-wide rather than piecemeal, with a chance of charter collaboration
This week’s DC Council hearing on school boundaries and feeder patterns gave the public some clues to the kinds of changes Chancellor Kaya Henderson has in mind for DCPS middle schools as she works on a plan to improve them. The ongoing review of how DC students are assigned to public schools has generated a lot of anxiety. With a number of low-performing elementary schools… Keep reading…
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DC isn’t the only place where middle schools are a problem. Here are some solutions others have proposed.
DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson is working on a plan to improve the quality of the system’s middle schools. But there’s been a debate about how best to educate this age group for years. What can we learn from it? DC isn’t the only place in the country fretting about middle schools. In New York, newly appointed schools chancellor Carmen Fariña is focusing… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: What to do when the snow falls
Differing views on snow days: Some parents in the DC area feel that schools close down more often than they should, and some in Loudoun were particularly upset when the county canceled classes for an entire week that included midterm exams. But a Harvard study says that weather-related shutdowns may actually be better than the alternative in terms of effects on academic achievement. … Keep reading…