D.C. Councilwoman Mary Cheh is drafting a proposal to open a new middle school in Ward 3, where virtually every school is over capacity with students interested in the affluent area’s offerings. The Palisades school would double as a community recreation center and relieve crowding at Alice Deal Middle School; at 95 percent capacity, it’s the only school in Ward 3 less than 100 percent full. Horace Mann Elementary School, steps from American University’s campus, is projected to hit 140 percent capacity this fall.
“We’re sort of in a situation where we’re successful, and then we have to deal with our success,” Cheh told The Washington Examiner.
Janney Elementary School in Tenleytown, which was at 123-percent capacity in 2010, “is being renovated and remodeled but will already be at capacity on day one,” she said.
The schools in upper Northwest — particularly the elementaries — traditionally have been viewed as the city’s best. In the spring, six out of seven Ward 3 elementary schools met “adequate yearly progress,” a federal benchmark for improvement, in at least one subject. Only 52 schools out of 187 tested across the District — including charters — could make that claim.
Despite having significantly fewer schools and students than Southeast, its geographic and economic opposite, Ward 3 also employs a much higher portion of teachers rated “highly effective” on their evaluations, said Jason Kamras, chief of human capital for the school system.
“We’re continuing to look at that,” said Kamras, adding that the trend continues into the upcoming school year.
As her staff drafts the proposal, Cheh said she has floated the idea to City Administrator Allen Lew and Mayor Vincent Gray. She is planning to “shop it around” to Chancellor Kaya Henderson and other D.C. education officials.
She is hoping a new middle school in the heart of Ward 3 would prevent some of the flight from D.C. Public Schools that occurs when students age out of elementary school. Without the pressure of surplus students, Ward 2’s Hardy Middle School in Georgetown could become a “true district-wide magnet for the performing arts, and this way you’d have a win-win-win all around.”
Cheh acknowledged that it could take several years before the new school becomes a reality.
Abigail Smith, chief of transformation management for D.C. Public Schools, said she couldn’t say where the school system would land on the proposal. “DCPS is certainly open to creative solutions to providing good access to high-quality schools,” but there are “lots and lots of factors,” Smith said.
