Posts by Sandra Moscoso — Contributor
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DCPS shows commitment to LGBT students and families
On Saturday, DC Public Schools will be one of many organizations walking in the Capital Pride parade, and they’ve invited all schools to join them. While it’s a terrific show of DCPS’ commitment to inclusive schools, this isn’t all they’re doing for LGBT students and families. At the parade, you’ll find a family-friendly crowd who I’m… Keep reading…
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OSSE releases more school data on students’ neighborhoods
June 1 is National Day of Civic Hacking and a series of DC education projects are planned for DC’s Hack for Change event. In anticipation of this event, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) released some very exciting data about school populations that can potentially help families negotiate school choice. The latest set of data provides the number… Keep reading…
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Bike to School Day is May 8
We’ve been doing a lot of talking about what will get more families biking. This week is Global Road Safety Week and it’s time stop talking and get the family on the road. Coincidentally, Bike to School Day is May 8. Keep reading…
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Families can learn and practice bike safety this weekend
Last month, we asked, what will get more families biking? We got lots of great suggestions. For families who want to get biking, an event this Sunday on Capitol Hill provides a great start. Kidical Mass DC, DDOT’s Safe Routes to School Program and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association will put on ABCs of Family Biking. This free event is designed for families… Keep reading…
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Shocking rhetoric from John Townsend and AAA
This week’s Washington City Paper cover story quoted AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman John Townsend calling Greater Greater Washington editor David Alpert “retarded” and a “ninny,” and comparing Greater Greater Washington to the Ku Klux Klan. Many other reporters, people on Twitter, and residents generally have clearly stated in response… Keep reading…
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What will get more families biking?
Washington DC has made great strides over the past decade towards creating a vibrant bicycle culture. How well does this extend to families so far? How can bicycling be more appealing to families? Recent research has found that children who bike or walk to school perform better. A Danish study found that exercise, including from biking or walking to school, helped kids concentrate… Keep reading…
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School librarian funding slips away in new budget
After parent outcry about librarians in schools last year, a DCPS task force recommended keeping existing full-time librarians and working toward having one in every school in 3 years. Unfortunately, the 2014 budget allocations do not put DCPS on track to meet this commitment. Last year, DCPS moved librarians out of the category of “required staff” and into “flexible… Keep reading…
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DCPS releases more helpful budget information
On Friday DCPS released its initial budget allocations for the 2014 school year. This year’s budget includes more information to help average parents and residents better understand the budget. Easy-to-digest breakouts for individual schools show how DCPS is allocating funds among administrators, classroom teachers, special education, arts, and more. They show… Keep reading…
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Community of civic hackers for education takes shape
With so many school options, applications, and lotteries, there is a dire need for information that will help parents make the best choices for their children. Code for DC’s DC School Decisions project aims to use data and develop code that helps DC parents and students better navigate school lotteries and decisions. The two of us started the volunteer-run project in late… Keep reading…
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Open data can help families with confusing school choices
Educating children in DC’s publicly-funded schools can feel like a roller coaster ride for parents who have to sort through myriad educational options. DC can ease this task by making more information freely available and encouraging people to develop more useful tools that help parents make sense of it all. DC provides a menu of options from a growing diversity of programming… Keep reading…