Posts tagged Charter Schools
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DC may have universal access to preschool, but low-income kids need more than access
DC has led the country in giving its residents universal access to preschool, and and New York and other cities are now following suit. But if preschool is going to close the achievement gap for low-income kids, it has to be high-quality. And even that may not be enough to do the trick. A good preschool program teaches all children the social and emotional skills that will help ensure… Keep reading…
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Contributor forum: Changes in school boundaries and feeder patterns
The DC Advisory Committee on Student Assignment released its proposals for changing school boundaries and feeder patterns on Saturday. It’s a subject that evokes strong emotions and opinions. The committee, spearheaded by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME), floated three different scenarios reflecting different combinations of policy objectives. One… Keep reading…
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A year in the lives of two DC schools: a Q&A with the author of a new book
A new book takes an in-depth look at two DC schools: a DCPS school in a gentrifying neighborhood that is struggling to improve, and a charter school navigating its first year. Sam Chaltain, an education activist and blogger, has written Our School: Searching for Community in the Era of Choice, scheduled for release later this month. It focuses on a year in the lives of Bancroft Elementary… Keep reading…
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What does Muriel Bowser’s primary victory mean for education in DC?
Democratic mayoral nominee Muriel Bowser has displayed her strengths as a campaigner, but her education platform is pretty thin. Before the general election 7 months from now, she has the opportunity to flesh it out. Bowser’s main campaign promise on education has been that she would replicate the success of Ward 3’s Deal Middle School in other parts of the city. Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Why were charter schools an issue in New York’s mayoral race but not DC’s?
Charters here are a fact of life: None of the mayoral candidates in DC has campaigned against charter schools the way Bill deBlasio did in New York, and one reason is that New York has limited the number of charters. (Sara Mead’s Policy Notebook, Ed Week) DC faulted on low-performing schools: DC’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education hasn’t pressed… Keep reading…
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Does DC have for-profit charters? Yes and no
DC law requires that charter schools be organized as nonprofit corporations. But some of them have legally turned over management of the school to a for-profit company. Is there anything wrong with that? Critics of charters, including some in DC, sometimes depict the schools as money-making enterprises and argue that the profit motive has no place in education. Apparently… Keep reading…
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DC schools need a mayor who’s in a hurry
Ask most of the candidates in the District’s April 1 Democratic primary about the gap between our most and least successful public schools, and they’ll tell you they want every school to be great. That’s a laudable aspiration, but at our current pace it will take more than a generation to get there. Sadly, few candidates support acting boldly to change the lives… Keep reading…
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Parents need more than numbers to rank school choices
For many DC parents trying to choose a public school, facts about test scores and demographics aren’t enough. They want to know what a school feels like. That information is available for many charter schools, but it’s spotty and hard to find. Parents often have to rely on hearsay about factors like school culture, workload, and student behavior when evaluating… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: No-no’s in managing federal funds and administering tests
Federal aid to DC schools on hold: The Education Department said it had concerns about DC officials’ management of money targeted at improving 8 DCPS schools. (Post) Testing irregularities: Two charter schools and two DCPS schools had their standardized test scores thrown out because of serious violations of testing procedures. Less serious violations were found… Keep reading…
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What’s behind one charter high school’s success, and can it be replicated? Part 2
Thurgood Marshall Academy, a charter school in Anacostia, has had a track record of success with a tough population: low-income high school students. What is its secret, and is it something DCPS and other schools can replicate? In the first part of this post, I looked at how Thurgood Marshall (TMA) uses a summer prep program to help entering 9th-graders, who usually come in well… Keep reading…