I'm wondering whether putting Bancroft on my list of 12 for PS3 as an out-of-boundary family is just a waste of a spot. I heard that there were several in-boundary families who were shut out last year (did not get in by count day). I like that it is an all-school dual language program (like Oyster), as opposed to a program offered within a school that has English-only offerings (like all the other DCPS dual-language schools). It is convenient for us, but not close enough so we get a proximity preference. I don't want to waste my spot, so am leaning toward listing a different school in its place.
I'm wondering whether last year was an anomaly, or whether it's normal for all spots to go to in-boundary students. Thanks for any insights you can provide. |
I think that all in boundary children were offerred a spot before count day. If not, it was awfully close. I also think that in the past couple of years more in boundary parents have seriously considered the school. This in combination with the fact that there are more young children in the neighborhood and more difficult to get spots in charters or wotp schools (although for pk4) make it more difficult to get spots. |
Mt. Pleasant families are trying to get the sibling preference removed because it skips ahead of inbounds families. I believe this is because the school is filled up at PS3 before all inbounds families get a seat. Not a good situation.
I would skip it and put another dual-language school on your list. |
Thanks for the response! I have met two families in the past month who were in-boundary and were shut out for PS3, so they definitely did not get all the way through the IB families. However, good to know that it was close. I'm wondering whether the common lottery will make a difference, since families are limited in the # of charters they can apply to. I think it is unlikely to make a huge difference, though, since we're talking about in-boundary families who probably place an emphasis in at least having the option to attend a very close-by school with lots of neighborhood kids. |
Is this up to the school, or a DCPS policy? If the latter, I imagine that will only change after the boundary review process next year. In any case, I don't think that makes a difference to an OOB family because both IB and OOB w/sibling come before OOB w/o sibling. |
OOB with sibling trumps inbounds and no sibs. So a preschooler younger sibling with OOB older sibling already at the school (or admitted that year) wins out over inbounds families. |
Right, but PP said that Mt. Pleasant families are trying to change this for Bancroft. It seems like it's not going to happen specifically for Bancroft--it will either happen for all dual lang schools through the boundary/review process, or it won't happen. |
No, no, no. Order is:
IB w/ sib IB OOB w/ sib http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Link%20Collections/PS%20PK%20Lottery%202011-2012%20FAQ%20Final.pdf Rules for pre-k3/4 haven changes since this document was written. |
Oh wait-- dual language. Sorry! Do they not do the lottery? Of so how do they get around the computer or do they only open spots for those not filled by OOB sibs?
As and IB family this wouldn't sit well with me. |
The computer just changes the order for the dual language schools, so OOB w/sib comes before IB. And no, this does not sit well with IB families. |
Mr/Ms. No, no, no, please see the following:
https://lottery.dcps.dc.gov/pdf/Final%202013-2014_Post%20Lottery%20FAQ.pdf "For the dual?language/Spanish immersion programs at Oyster?Adams, Bancroft, Bruce?Monroe, Cleveland, Powell, Marie Reed, Tyler, preferences #2 [PS/PK IB w/o sibling] and #3 [PS/PM OOB w/sibling] above are reversed in order to support the programs' language acquisition goals." That is to say, at Bancroft and other dual-language schools, out-of-boundary with sibling gets in before inbound without sibling. |
It's not a good school. |
The irony of DC!! Clamoring to get in crappy schools bc PK is free, then leaving after a couple years when reality kicks in. |
+1 |
I wonder how many parents put kids into Bancroft at PS3 then go to Hearst or Eaton etc. at PK or K. |