DC Public Schools - Anecdotal Positives

The absolute most effective way to positively impact education is to actually do something in a school - not write about, not attend the countless briefings by the same 5-6 education experts in DC every week - but actually go to a school and help. And so it was with great excitement that I woke my family up at 6:30 am on Saturday to trek in from the suburbs to meet up with a half dozen other ABCTE'rs and help Michelle Rhee and the DC Public Schools on school beautification day.

We were assigned Bruce-Monroe Elementary school. We got there early and immediately went to work on a very weed-infested, glass-strewn playground in need of much attention. We worked tirelessly in the incredibly hot sun with 100% humidity, sweating profusely with one goal in mind: making a better first day for DC public school kids. Highly rewarding and somewhat fun.

Many things stick out in my mind from this beautiful day. Obviously, this is anecdotal evidence, sample size 1, but since many education policy decisions are based on anecdotal evidence, I will provide the observation and subsequent in-depth analysis based on my personal observations.

1. The new wing at Bruce Monroe elementary is phenomenal! They are finally putting walls up between classrooms - 30 years after that failed experiment - but at least it is getting done. Plus - the HVAC guys were working diligently on this Saturday morning.
   Analysis: progress on DC school repairs and upgrades is being made and it will have a tremendous impact on student learning.
2. Dr. Palacious (the principal) reports that construction was falling behind, but then Michelle Rhee came by twice (once on a Saturday) and made some calls to keep it on track. It worked and the wing was finished on time.
   Analysis: Michelle is getting it done through her very hands on, out in the field style which will continue to get more principals on her side and get DC Schools on track.
3. At 10:30 AM, two very motivated guys in a truck delivered books and other supplies to the school. It might be a little late to develop lesson plans for the first week, but the books got there.
   Analysis: Michelle got the books out there as promised.
4. There are three separate playgrounds that our volunteers were working. At about 10:00 AM, two DC employees in a very nice, new, large pick-up truck showed up with a blower! Hooray - help for our fearless crew. One guy took the blower and cleaned one of the three playgrounds. The other guy stood around the truck for an hour and a half and did nothing. After the blower-guy finished one of the three playgrounds, they left, never to return again.
   Analysis: the blatant inefficient bureaucracy at DCPS lives on - only half the crew works, they do 1/3 of the work required and leave. No wonder it takes over $20,000 per kid if only half the overhead actually works.
5. At about 10:45 AM, DC Voice shows up in an air-conditioned RV - at this point, our fearless team is absolutely drenched in sweat, tired and maybe a tad cranky after the lame blower guys. I kid with the Voice people and tell them: "We need hands, not voices today" - this joke does not seem to amuse them. They proceed to hand out fliers asking us to audit DCPS the following week for its "Ready Schools Project". This is infuriating - what they heck do you think we all gave up our Saturday morning for??? We are not riding around in an air-conditioned RV trying to make a political point - we are working our butts off trying to help kids!!
   Analysis: in an effort to make political points, too often it is the kids who lose big - shame on DC Voice for not actually helping get schools ready and instead choosing to walk around and "fix the blame - not the problem"

Strong anecdotal evidence on the state of DC Public Schools, all from just one morning observing the comings and goings at Bruce Monroe Elementary - excellent fodder for the future Journal of Anecdotal Evidence.