Language Immersion Lottery

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just re-read the instructions and they said we would need an MCPS ID number by the 18th, which is several days before the schools have kindergarten orientation.

Not that we're counting on a spot, but that does suggest they thought the results would be out by the end of this week, although I don't know what happens if they draw your number and you haven't received an ID number yet.

You go to the school office and enroll ahead of orientation. Creating the ID number takes literally seconds by the attendance secretary. We had to do this to apply for a COSA last year, so I assume the process is similar.

[Anonymous]

Ah, haha. No one knows! Well, the form said there would be a weight for siblings and for low-SES, but they have yet to announce HOW MUCH the weights will be. Super transparent.

[Anonymous]

As I understand it they are determine SES solely by looking at Home elementary school and giving 2 chances instead of 1 to siblings and low SES. That’s what someone in the office explained to me last year.

[Anonymous]

Well when I called the office a month ago I was told that their only measure for SES was whether a child was enrolled in Head Start, and that they hadn't determined how much the weights would be for SES or siblings. They said the BOE had to approve it, but I haven't heard anything about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just re-read the instructions and they said we would need an MCPS ID number by the 18th, which is several days before the schools have kindergarten orientation.

Not that we're counting on a spot, but that does suggest they thought the results would be out by the end of this week, although I don't know what happens if they draw your number and you haven't received an ID number yet.

If you don’t get in are you planning on attending another MCPS? I would
Have thought you’d have to register at your home school by now. Haven’t most of
the orientations taken place already?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just re-read the instructions and they said we would need an MCPS ID number by the 18th, which is several days before the schools have kindergarten orientation.

Not that we're counting on a spot, but that does suggest they thought the results would be out by the end of this week, although I don't know what happens if they draw your number and you haven't received an ID number yet.

If you don’t get in are you planning on attending another MCPS? I would
Have thought you’d have to register at your home school by now. Haven’t most of
the orientations taken place already?

Most have, but the season is April-end of May, so there are some schools that haven't had theirs yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just re-read the instructions and they said we would need an MCPS ID number by the 18th, which is several days before the schools have kindergarten orientation.

Not that we're counting on a spot, but that does suggest they thought the results would be out by the end of this week, although I don't know what happens if they draw your number and you haven't received an ID number yet.

If you don’t get in are you planning on attending another MCPS? I would
Have thought you’d have to register at your home school by now. Haven’t most of
the orientations taken place already?

Ours isn't until the end of next week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well when I called the office a month ago I was told that their only measure for SES was whether a child was enrolled in Head Start, and that they hadn't determined how much the weights would be for SES or siblings. They said the BOE had to approve it, but I haven't heard anything about that.

I am an immersion parent - siblings automatically get in pending “space is available” as long as the older sibling is still enrolled in the immersion program and will be in it next year. This year’s batch of kindergartners will be the last group to be able to have the automatic sibling link as they and the ones older are grandfathered in. The new group that will be starting next year will not have that automatic link for their younger siblings but it will instead be weighted.

[Anonymous]

I guess that's right - so the sibling "weight" for this year is sort of irrelevant. Anyone who has a sibling currently enrolled will get the normal sibling link. Next year, the weight will be being to apply. So it actually doesn't make much sense that they put it on the form this year!

[Anonymous]

"begin" to apply

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess that's right - so the sibling "weight" for this year is sort of irrelevant. Anyone who has a sibling currently enrolled will get the normal sibling link. Next year, the weight will be being to apply. So it actually doesn't make much sense that they put it on the form this year!

They probably put it as an FYI for new applicants that their siblings will not automatically get in in case it’s a deal breaker to have kids at 2 different elementary schools.

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that this year is the first year that that children accepted into the immersion program will not get a sibling spot for their younger sibling. If you already have a child in the immersion program, the younger sibling will get a spot but students accepted this year and beyond are not guaranteed a spot for their younger sibling.
Siblings will get an extra "token" in the lottery. In other words, if there are 100 applicants per slot, instead of getting 1 token or a 1% chance, the child gets 2 tokens, or a 2% chance of getting a slot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that this year is the first year that that children accepted into the immersion program will not get a sibling spot for their younger sibling. If you already have a child in the immersion program, the younger sibling will get a spot but students accepted this year and beyond are not guaranteed a spot for their younger sibling.
Siblings will get an extra "token" in the lottery. In other words, if there are 100 applicants per slot, instead of getting 1 token or a 1% chance, the child gets 2 tokens, or a 2% chance of getting a slot.

That is correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that this year is the first year that that children accepted into the immersion program will not get a sibling spot for their younger sibling. If you already have a child in the immersion program, the younger sibling will get a spot but students accepted this year and beyond are not guaranteed a spot for their younger sibling.
Siblings will get an extra "token" in the lottery. In other words, if there are 100 applicants per slot, instead of getting 1 token or a 1% chance, the child gets 2 tokens, or a 2% chance of getting a slot.

This makes lots of sense. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Bummer we were waitlisted.