MD kids lying to get into DC Schools

[Anonymous]

I live and work in DC. My DS is attending a Charter with a long waiting list. We did the lottery and won!! I am concerned about the number of associates that I have come across that speak freely about "duping" the system and using a DC address to get their kids in DC Schools. I think despite the criticism of DC Schools, with free 3 and 4 year old all day programs, there is a quiet increase in the number of lying MD residents accessing DC Schools.

I am not writing this post to start a conversation about why someone would lie to get in DC Schools. I am writing because I know that these persons are not DC residents and we personally experienced a great deal of stress to get our coveted "spot".

Is there a better way to prevent this theft from the District? Should I report them or is it just a reality that DC residents also steal from MD school resources as well?

[Anonymous]

This is fraud - they are stealing $ from you. Do you think it is OK to steal $25K a year?

Report them.

[Anonymous]

Just make sure they really are "stealing. " At our DCPS, we had a number of "stealers" (who were reported) but we also had a number of Maryland folks who PAID the out-of-state tuition to attend our DCPS.

[Anonymous]

My child attended HD Cooke when it was in its temporary building behind Howard University. At least 5 kids in my child's class were Maryland residents - parents worked at Howard and used grandma's address to enroll their kids. Kids picked up in cars with Maryland tags - It makes me fume, too.

[Anonymous]

There is a confidential hotline you may call to report non-DC residents attending DCPS. It's 202 442-5215. You should have the family's name, DC address and phone number they are using.

[Anonymous]

You can't assume that because they have MD tags that they live in MD. I have MD tags but live in DC. One day I will get down to the DMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can't assume that because they have MD tags that they live in MD. I have MD tags but live in DC. One day I will get down to the DMV.

well, then you are breaking the law.

[Anonymous]

This post really strikes a nerve. As a city, how are we to improve the educational opportunities for all if we turn a blind eye to this problem.

I believe that the schools are trying - and once they get over a hump instead of having spaces available to the residents of DC, non-DC residents are stealing them.

This is a variation on the problem that was uncovered a few years ago that non-resident parents of children with special education needs were claiming they were DC residents so that they could get the city to pay for their child's private school. I can not find the details on this right now, but I remember that millions of dollars were taken through this fraud. Monies that could have been allocated to improving OUR programs and schools.

Just because DC may not have the systems to check these things, does not make it OK. We as residents should step up and report the cases that we are aware of.

[Anonymous]

I've heard this multiple times about using grandma's address from friends whose kids attend a charter school. Perhaps it is a charter school thing because i had to bring in all sorts of paperwork to prove i was a dc resident to enroll in my local elementary school. I guess if grandma is the guardian of the child, there isn't a problem but i think that needs to be documented. Do the charter schools ask for the same documentation as DCPS schools?

[Anonymous]

This is up there with the empty DCPS school buses i see running around the city. And most time i see another adult in there chatting with the driver but rarely have i seen more than 1 kid in the bus.

[Anonymous]

It happens in public (non-charter) schools. My friend's friend's housekeeper's daughter used their address to get into a top DCPS school! (This is not hearsay. My friend's friend described the scenario to me in person.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've heard this multiple times about using grandma's address from friends whose kids attend a charter school. Perhaps it is a charter school thing because i had to bring in all sorts of paperwork to prove i was a dc resident to enroll in my local elementary school. I guess if grandma is the guardian of the child, there isn't a problem but i think that needs to be documented. Do the charter schools ask for the same documentation as DCPS schools?

If the grandmother is the leagal guardian, then they are not using Grandma's address - becaure it legally is the child's address.

Charters are DCPS and they have the same requirements for DC residency that the rest of DCPS have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is up there with the empty DCPS school buses i see running around the city. And most time i see another adult in there chatting with the driver but rarely have i seen more than 1 kid in the bus.

Those are most likely the Special Ed buses. DC is required to provide transportation to private schools for those families who have taken DC to court over lack of services for their kids who need special education. DC pays private school tuition for over 2000 kids -- which ends up being about a quarter of the whole school budget. The City Paper did an interesting piece where they analyzed these kids by where they lived. Ward 3 had the most kids getting free private school while Ward 8 had the least. Surprise, surprise...

[Anonymous]

This is just one of the many things about MD (read Prince Georges county residents) residents. They speed through the city, they have no regard for laws such as "DC Law: Stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk", they're mostly rude, many are employed in the ever expanding government, and they act as if PG is an extension of DC. It's not. I like on the Hill and see this everyday. People from PG speeding by Lincoln park, blaring loud family unfriendly music. Keep the crime and noise in your own county. Most of them abandoned the city when it was in a pretty bad shape and they look down on us who are "moving in to their neighborhoods". How can this be your neighborhood when you only show up on Sunday's to go to church?

I've wanted to say that for a long time. Getting off soapbox now.

[Anonymous]

You can't assume that because they have MD tags that they live in MD. I have MD tags but live in DC. One day I will get down to the DMV.


well, then you are breaking the law.

Birthday party invitations for the kids were to addresses in Lanham MD and Bowie.