Say that School A is a middle school, and it’s failing — miserably.
Down the block, School B is trying a few different things. It serves the same student population, but it’s succeeding.
Wouldn’t you check School B out?
The most successful public charter schools in the District are trying creative approaches, and D.C. Public Schools’ principals and teachers are examining those practices to improve their own troubled campuses.
Those wanting to start charter schools in Montgomery and Fairfax counties also are taking notes from the District’s most successful charter schools, especially when it comes to leadership philosophy.
| Barriers to change |
| There are a number of barriers keeping D.C. Public Schools from implementing charter-school strategies. Proposals to extend the school day have been floated, but a longer school day means more than hours. |
| Fred Lewis, a spokesman for Chancellor Kaya Henderson, pointed to the increased cost paying salaries and using utilities. A longer day also presents issues with transportation for special-education students and after-school sports. |
| And school safety is a concern — it gets dark by 4:30 p.m. these days. As for incentive systems like “Kipp Cash,” Lewis said that’s a school-by-school decision — and some campuses try it. This year at M.C. Terrell Elementary, its new principal introduced tickets that are given to kids “caught being good” and exchanged for little prizes. |
Kipp DC’s three middle-school campuses rank in the top five of all D.C. charter schools, according to rankings released by the charter board last week. Kipp is more than 99 percent black, and four out of five students come from low-income households.
But its proficiency rates are up to 60 percentage points higher than some of DCPS’ middle-grade campuses, with nearly identical demographics. At 10 of the 13 middle schools in DCPS, less than 40 percent of students can read at even a basic level. Most or all of them are black children from low-income households that don’t discuss college.
The charter network — which serves 32,000 students, or about 40 percent of D.C. public school children — has failing schools, too. But it offers a host of top-ranked middle-school campuses such as Kipp serving poor, black children.
“All our homerooms are named after where our teachers graduated from – you’ll be in the Dartmouth classroom for a year, and learn all about Dartmouth,” said Susan Schaeffer, founder and chief executive officer of Kipp DC.
D.C. Prep Public Charter school topped the rankings. On the 2011 state exams, 92 percent of students demonstrated math proficiency, alongside 74 percent in reading.
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Leaders at both Kipp DC and D.C. Prep said that DCPS teachers and principals routinely visit their schools, taking a day to observe classrooms, tour the campus and meet with school staff.
Those conversations often center around the schools’ rewards and discipline program, Kipp staff said.
Their campuses use a “paycheck system.” Good performance and behavior earn students “Key Cash” or “Kipp Cash,” good at the school store for supplies or uniforms.
