How to find out which schools still have space?

[Anonymous]

I was unexpectedly offered a position back in DC, to start this summer. I'm aware we completely missed the lottery for the 2024-2025 school year. Short term plan is to move back to the condo we own, zoned for Amidon-Bowen.

Is there a centralized way to see which DCPS and charters still have seats available, or am I destined to comb through every school's waitlist individually? My child will be entering 2nd grade in the fall, coming from the top performing school is our current district (southern state, but major metro). I'm far less concerned about being at a "top" school and just not being at one that is completely failing. I know A-B isn't a total disaster, but I do want to see what other options are out there.

[Anonymous]

MySchoolDC will publish a list of schools with a short waitlist, but I suggest you make the MySchoolDC account and add everything within a reasonable commute.

Tell us what kind of school you'd like and we can make suggestions. Are you planning to stay here long-term?

[Anonymous]

https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay

You can use this. If you're good with Excel it might be quickest to download the data and filter for 2nd grade.

I think a 2nd grade waitlist can at some schools move 40 or 50 spots...

[Anonymous]

Amidon will be fine if you don't get in elsewhere. But you can enter as many schools as you want on the my school DC post lottery application and see where you end up on the wait list. Ones I would consider over AB (depending on your willingness to commute) would include Van Ness, Ludlow-taylor, Brent, Maury, Ross, Seaton, Garrison,Thomson, School without walls at Francis Stevens, Hyde-addison, school within school, and Janney.

[Anonymous]

You could apply really widely and then if you are happy with where you end up, move closer to it. And if you are unhappy, move somewhere that you like the inbound school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MySchoolDC will publish a list of schools with a short waitlist, but I suggest you make the MySchoolDC account and add everything within a reasonable commute.

Tell us what kind of school you'd like and we can make suggestions. Are you planning to stay here long-term?

Thanks.

We are planning to stay in DC long-term, although maybe sell the condo and move into a row house (although housing prices these days, yikes). But no desire to move outside of the city. We just spent 6 years in a very suburban southern city and hate it. I want to be able to ditch at least 1 of the cars.

As for the type of school, the more outside time, the better, although I realize that's a big ask. Kid is very curious, really likes to dig into topics of interest; also in accelerated reading and math, and while I would like them to continue to be challenged, I don't want some crazy pressure cooker environment. I used to keep up with which schools did expeditionary, Montessori, etc., but we moved away when kid was 1, so I stopped being quite so invested in keeping track of which schools might be a best fit. And I know a lot can change in 6 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MySchoolDC will publish a list of schools with a short waitlist, but I suggest you make the MySchoolDC account and add everything within a reasonable commute.

Tell us what kind of school you'd like and we can make suggestions. Are you planning to stay here long-term?

Thanks.

We are planning to stay in DC long-term, although maybe sell the condo and move into a row house (although housing prices these days, yikes). But no desire to move outside of the city. We just spent 6 years in a very suburban southern city and hate it. I want to be able to ditch at least 1 of the cars.

As for the type of school, the more outside time, the better, although I realize that's a big ask. Kid is very curious, really likes to dig into topics of interest; also in accelerated reading and math, and while I would like them to continue to be challenged, I don't want some crazy pressure cooker environment. I used to keep up with which schools did expeditionary, Montessori, etc., but we moved away when kid was 1, so I stopped being quite so invested in keeping track of which schools might be a best fit. And I know a lot can change in 6 years.

Well, you could look at Lee Montessori. That would hold you through 6th grade if necessary, and it's in a nice place to live. Two Rivers is supposedly "expeditionary" but it's also a hot mess, so.... Same goes for Shining Stars Montessori.

Perhaps you'd like the better schools on Capitol Hill such as Maury and Ludlow-Taylor.

If you can afford the Jackson-Reed feeder group in Ward 3, I'd go for that. Then you'll be set through high school. I'm sure you can find a row home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay

You can use this. If you're good with Excel it might be quickest to download the data and filter for 2nd grade.

I think a 2nd grade waitlist can at some schools move 40 or 50 spots...

Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for, and makes my data geek heart sing.

[Anonymous]

May 1 is the enrollment deadline, so you might see your waitlist numbers change in the next few weeks as schools make new offers for their remaining seats.

[Anonymous]

Capitol Hill Montessori goes through 8th grade if that's appealing to you. No public schools are going to have a ton of outdoor time. I think creative minds has more than most but wouldn't choose it over Amidon, especially with the commute. The empowerk12.org parcc dashboard is useful for comparison of test scores broken down by different demographic groups.

[Anonymous]

I don't believe the 23-24 data indicates that you'd be likely to get off the waitlist (if entering at this point) for Brent, Ludlow-Taylor, Maury, etc. It looks like Payne 2nd grade has a short waitlist (3 students) right now, depending upon if a commute over that way is convenient for you.

[Anonymous]

Take into account the Amidon swing space, so you're not necessarily near that school either if you stay in the condo.

[Anonymous]

I would go to my school and click through the capitol hill schools (add yourself now). 2nd grade waitlists are likely to move unpredictably (some a lot and some none at all). watkins looks like it has space in 2nd grade.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you everyone for your help! Watkins seems ideal, because they appear to have space, a viable middle school path, and if we move we would look towards Hill East or even Kingman Park. I'll be selecting all the Capitol Hill schools except the ones that I know we stand no chance (Brent, Murray, L-T), and try to figure out what other schools might be an option given our work commutes.

Bummer about Two Rivers being a "hot mess." I thought they were highly regarded, at least back when I last lived in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you everyone for your help! Watkins seems ideal, because they appear to have space, a viable middle school path, and if we move we would look towards Hill East or even Kingman Park. I'll be selecting all the Capitol Hill schools except the ones that I know we stand no chance (Brent, Murray, L-T), and try to figure out what other schools might be an option given our work commutes.

Bummer about Two Rivers being a "hot mess." I thought they were highly regarded, at least back when I last lived in DC.

Sounds like a great plan! You can add lots of schools, so you really have nothing to lose even if the list is long.

Indeed Two Rivers is going through a rough patch. Mundo Verde has also had a lot of issues. It's really stunning how much has changed in the last 5-6 years.