Middle schools. They’re among the hottest topics in the District — and for good reason. Continued growth in traditional public schools depends largely on their swift and comprehensive reform. But many parents aren’t happy with middle-grade opportunities. Some decry the absence of any middle school in their ward. Others lament the lack of rigorous, academic programs that will ensure their children are accepted at top-notch high schools.

Daniel Holt’s daughter is in the fourth grade. Already he’s scouting middle schools. “She needs a school that offers high math and world language,” said the Ward 6 resident and former president of Brent Elementary PTA. “Eliot-Hine doesn’t offer that. Deal is not an option, and Hardy took a step backward.”