Dear DSCPS, That's it I'm cheating!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a family that goes to Stokes and they are cheating the system because both parents live in MD.

If it is the same family I know, they live in MD but maintain a house in DC, and they pay taxes and keep their cars registered at that address. Technically that might be cheating, but I don't care b/c they are paying their way just like a DC resident. Personally, I don't care where you sleep, I want to know where you pay taxes.

Not the same family. The mom and dad own and live in their house in MD. The car is registered in MD. They pay taxes in MD. They never owned a house in DC . Like I said they cheat. I have known the family for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All you have to do is sit outside a DCPS or Charter during drop off and see all the MD plates. There have been complaints about that for years. The thing is that the schools don't really care if the child is gaming the system. They get paid per head count so the follow up by the "authorities" (use that term very loosely) just isn't done.

Oh right, I know all those MD kids are just being dropped off by Grandma......

A lot of those MD kids have fathers who live in DC. Parents are not married (probably never were). Mom is working as a secretary, daycare teacher, nurse, etc. in the city and DCPS and Charters are better than PG county schools. The father of her kid (who she is wisely not married to) is still living in the city. Those kids have a parent who lives in the city thus they are entitled to DC schools even if they live in MD with their mother.

And, as for the above "legal" way to get into a JKLM, what is the problem, as long as the parent actually rents the place in the JKLM district, who cares? The rule is that parents have to have a permanent residence in the boundary. If the parent rents a place in district, what is the problem. I'm not suggesting asking the kids to lie about where they live. (in effect, this is what Michele Rhee did to get her kids into Oyster -- her ex-husband lived there, not her)

I think you are wrong on this point, PP. The child must actually reside at the address that is being used to establish DC residency or IB status. It is not enough for the non-custodial parent to live in the city or IB. It is especially not enough to rent an efficiency apartment IB while the entire family lives OOB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All you have to do is sit outside a DCPS or Charter during drop off and see all the MD plates. There have been complaints about that for years. The thing is that the schools don't really care if the child is gaming the system. They get paid per head count so the follow up by the "authorities" (use that term very loosely) just isn't done.

Oh right, I know all those MD kids are just being dropped off by Grandma......

A lot of those MD kids have fathers who live in DC. Parents are not married (probably never were). Mom is working as a secretary, daycare teacher, nurse, etc. in the city and DCPS and Charters are better than PG county schools. The father of her kid (who she is wisely not married to) is still living in the city. Those kids have a parent who lives in the city thus they are entitled to DC schools even if they live in MD with their mother.

And, as for the above "legal" way to get into a JKLM, what is the problem, as long as the parent actually rents the place in the JKLM district, who cares? The rule is that parents have to have a permanent residence in the boundary. If the parent rents a place in district, what is the problem. I'm not suggesting asking the kids to lie about where they live. (in effect, this is what Michele Rhee did to get her kids into Oyster -- her ex-husband lived there, not her)

I think you are wrong on this point, PP. The child must actually reside at the address that is being used to establish DC residency or IB status. It is not enough for the non-custodial parent to live in the city or IB. It is especially not enough to rent an efficiency apartment IB while the entire family lives OOB.

Sorry, you are wrong. A parent must live it DC IB, not the child. The child can live in MD or OOB as long as a parent (perhaps parent probably has to have some custodial rights, but it does not need to be primary).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a family that goes to Stokes and they are cheating the system because both parents live in MD.

If it is the same family I know, they live in MD but maintain a house in DC, and they pay taxes and keep their cars registered at that address. Technically that might be cheating, but I don't care b/c they are paying their way just like a DC resident. Personally, I don't care where you sleep, I want to know where you pay taxes.

Not the same family. The mom and dad own and live in their house in MD. The car is registered in MD. They pay taxes in MD. They never owned a house in DC . Like I said they cheat. I have known the family for years.

So turn them in already. They are cheats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a family that goes to Stokes and they are cheating the system because both parents live in MD.

If it is the same family I know, they live in MD but maintain a house in DC, and they pay taxes and keep their cars registered at that address. Technically that might be cheating, but I don't care b/c they are paying their way just like a DC resident. Personally, I don't care where you sleep, I want to know where you pay taxes.

Not the same family. The mom and dad own and live in their house in MD. The car is registered in MD. They pay taxes in MD. They never owned a house in DC . Like I said they cheat. I have known the family for years.

So turn them in already. They are cheats.

Yes, i don't get why you know this family well and their behavior bothers you enough that you post about it on DCUM and yet you just let them do their thing. Turn them in!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a family that goes to Stokes and they are cheating the system because both parents live in MD.

If it is the same family I know, they live in MD but maintain a house in DC, and they pay taxes and keep their cars registered at that address. Technically that might be cheating, but I don't care b/c they are paying their way just like a DC resident. Personally, I don't care where you sleep, I want to know where you pay taxes.

Not the same family. The mom and dad own and live in their house in MD. The car is registered in MD. They pay taxes in MD. They never owned a house in DC . Like I said they cheat. I have known the family for years.

So turn them in already. They are cheats.

In some cases turning a person in doesn't mean they will be put out (or made to pay tuition) considering the person easily provided the school with the required documents. The family "proved" they live in DC because they provided one utility bill in their name and had someone draw up a lease agreement for them.

[Anonymous]

Re: Maryland plates. I have MD plates because I lived in Maryland and moved to DC and frankly I don't have the time, patience, or money to deal with DC DMV until it's absolutely critical. This may even extend into the school year. So you never know what someone's reasoning is.

Also, I'm not a dcps parent yet but I'd like to think that the student had nothing to do with the cheating so if a DC resident snuck his or her way into another school I am not about to risk humiliating a child and getting him or her kicked out. Sorry, shoot me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: Maryland plates. I have MD plates because I lived in Maryland and moved to DC and frankly I don't have the time, patience, or money to deal with DC DMV until it's absolutely critical. This may even extend into the school year. So you never know what someone's reasoning is.

Also, I'm not a dcps parent yet but I'd like to think that the student had nothing to do with the cheating so if a DC resident snuck his or her way into another school I am not about to risk humiliating a child and getting him or her kicked out. Sorry, shoot me.

Not going to shoot you, drama mama. Just observing that you are morally derelict, and that I would further suggest to the other school parents that there are good reasons not to let our children play with yours.

[Anonymous]

PP -- I agree completely. It's amazing how parents look the other way because their kids are friends with our kids etc.... all it takes is to break it by June, no major disruption to the child. Please, anyone out there who disagrees, explain why it is okay for you to cheat the system and pretend your child lives in a home they do not in order to go to a school for your convenience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I completely understand your sense of frustration and desperation. I was there at this time last year when we didn't get in anywhere. It can make you insane and then you imagine all the people who are gaming the system and it makes you feel like you must be the only sucker who follows the rules. I get it. My husband and I discussed doing the very same thing you suggest...we were committed to the idea of renting a small apartment in-boundary while still maintaining our home in another neighborhood. We figured it still beat tuition at many privates. Luckily we were never forced to actually to decide if we had the balls to do that. We ended up getting a spot in September. But I know the feeling of which you speak. You're angry at everyone, feeling the pressure that your child's education experience rests on you and not wanting to fail him/her.

Here's the problem about the plan you describe, and it's not all the DMV, records stuff...when you join a school you become part of that community. Your child makes friends. You get to know the parents. There are birthday parties and play dates. Sooner or later that "apartment ruse" becomes an issue. Innocent questions from parents like, "Where do you live?" are fraught with anxiety. You become evasive and weird. People pick up on it and suspect something is not quite right. You become one of those people that are talked about on this Board ("I think one of our son's friends is OOB but claiming IB status...what should I do?). And God forbid you ever put your angel in a position where he/she is told not to talk about where they live. It's like one of those bed of lies things. So, I get why you're tempted, but don't do it. Try to tap into the good karma, be patient (and persistent) and hope that you get a legit OOB spot. Then you can OWN your OOB status.

I want to be yout frind

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I completely understand your sense of frustration and desperation. I was there at this time last year when we didn't get in anywhere. It can make you insane and then you imagine all the people who are gaming the system and it makes you feel like you must be the only sucker who follows the rules. I get it. My husband and I discussed doing the very same thing you suggest...we were committed to the idea of renting a small apartment in-boundary while still maintaining our home in another neighborhood. We figured it still beat tuition at many privates. Luckily we were never forced to actually to decide if we had the balls to do that. We ended up getting a spot in September. But I know the feeling of which you speak. You're angry at everyone, feeling the pressure that your child's education experience rests on you and not wanting to fail him/her.

Here's the problem about the plan you describe, and it's not all the DMV, records stuff...when you join a school you become part of that community. Your child makes friends. You get to know the parents. There are birthday parties and play dates. Sooner or later that "apartment ruse" becomes an issue. Innocent questions from parents like, "Where do you live?" are fraught with anxiety. You become evasive and weird. People pick up on it and suspect something is not quite right. You become one of those people that are talked about on this Board ("I think one of our son's friends is OOB but claiming IB status...what should I do?). And God forbid you ever put your angel in a position where he/she is told not to talk about where they live. It's like one of those bed of lies things. So, I get why you're tempted, but don't do it. Try to tap into the good karma, be patient (and persistent) and hope that you get a legit OOB spot. Then you can OWN your OOB status.

I want to be yout frind

...er...I meant "friend"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All you have to do is sit outside a DCPS or Charter during drop off and see all the MD plates. There have been complaints about that for years. The thing is that the schools don't really care if the child is gaming the system. They get paid per head count so the follow up by the "authorities" (use that term very loosely) just isn't done.

Oh right, I know all those MD kids are just being dropped off by Grandma......

A lot of those MD kids have fathers who live in DC. Parents are not married (probably never were). Mom is working as a secretary, daycare teacher, nurse, etc. in the city and DCPS and Charters are better than PG county schools. The father of her kid (who she is wisely not married to) is still living in the city. Those kids have a parent who lives in the city thus they are entitled to DC schools even if they live in MD with their mother.

And, as for the above "legal" way to get into a JKLM, what is the problem, as long as the parent actually rents the place in the JKLM district, who cares? The rule is that parents have to have a permanent residence in the boundary. If the parent rents a place in district, what is the problem. I'm not suggesting asking the kids to lie about where they live. (in effect, this is what Michele Rhee did to get her kids into Oyster -- her ex-husband lived there, not her)

I think you are wrong on this point, PP. The child must actually reside at the address that is being used to establish DC residency or IB status. It is not enough for the non-custodial parent to live in the city or IB. It is especially not enough to rent an efficiency apartment IB while the entire family lives OOB.

Sorry, you are wrong. A parent must live it DC IB, not the child. The child can live in MD or OOB as long as a parent (perhaps parent probably has to have some custodial rights, but it does not need to be primary).

Allow me to quote from the DCPS Residency Verification Guidelines, which can be found at the following URL: http://www.dc.gov/DCPS/Files/downloads/Learn-About-Schools/DCPS-Residency-Verification-Guidelines.pdf

"Only residents of the District of Columbia are eligible to receive a free public education in the District. Consequently, all
public school students in the District are required to provide proof of their residency in the District or pay tuition. The
current Residency Verification Rules governing the process of residency verification are designed to ensure that only
those students who are District residents attend public schools in the District without paying tuition (Title 5 DCMR
Chapter 50). These Guidelines are intended to provide school staff, parents and others with clear directions for
implementation of the Residency Verification Rules."

Seems pretty clear that it is the residency of the child that counts, not that of the parent. Do you have an official document from DCPS stating that the policy is as you describe, PP?

[Anonymous]

Not the PP, just curious how this policy addresses the status of a child in a joint custody situation? Surely both parents don't have to prove residency, so who's to say what exactly is going on with the 2nd parent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not the PP, just curious how this policy addresses the status of a child in a joint custody situation? Surely both parents don't have to prove residency, so who's to say what exactly is going on with the 2nd parent?

I would imagine that if the child spends more time in one jurisdiction, he would be considered a resident of that jurisdiction for the purposes of public education.

[Anonymous]

Once you are in the school, and you "move" back, your child should be able to stay, even if the address has changed.