DC: District to expand K-8 school format

Doubts linger on Pre-K-8 strategy

Washington Post July 22, 2008

Washington, DC will expand the number of schools serving students in Kindergarten through eighth grade as part of its reform efforts. The Schools Chancellor says that the move responds to parent concerns over sending their children to middle schools that are underperforming. A study of similar reforms in Philadelphia show that the K-8 school configuration yields some benefit to students, but the benefits are mainly concentrated in students from higher income families.