Readin' Ritin', Rithmatic

Over at the DC Education Blog, an assessment of DC Public Schools has been helpfully posted. Compiled by DC Board of Education member Victor Reinoso, the data includes the Student Performance Index for all DC elementary, middle and high schools. The data confirms DC Bubble's assertion that the DC elementary schools are very good, and that the performance at some middle and high schools weaken the reputation of the entire system. In this case, the weakest links in the chain really do harm the entire chain.

Here's the breakdown (Math & Reading combined) for DC's public schools by school type:

• Elementary School Mean = 144
• Middle School/Junior High School Mean = 97
• Senior High School Mean = 43

The relative strength of many DC public schools should cause urban-oriented parents to think twice before moving to the suburbs when their young ones start schools. While many elementary schools in good neighborhoods do have relatively mediocre ratings, the high ratings for some (Mann, Oyster, Hearst et al. ) show that ratings that are comparable to suburban schools are possible in DC, particularly with active parents in the neighborhood. This means you. The idea of parity is illustrated here too.

BANNEKER 46TH BEST HIGH SCHOOL IN THE NATION. Newsweek magazine's list of the best public schools puts Banneker ahead of high schools in Chantilly, Bethesda and Fairfax.