Moving to DC this summer. What are our school options?

[Anonymous]

Hi. My family is moving to DC from Chicago this summer. My kids will be in first grade and PK4 this fall. I signed both up for the DCPS lottery and we are waitlisted everywhere (lowest # is 20). I imagine we’ll just end up paying for pre-school, which is fine, but I’m still trying to sort out options for my first grader. I’m looking for a school that is very diverse, has a foreign language program, and allows in-boundary registration outside of the lottery. We are quite flexible on which neighborhood we move to in DC and will decide where to live based on where our kids can go to school. Any good options? Any particular schools you all would recommend I look into that we can get into without a lottery spot?

[Anonymous]

Once you register your child in your neighborhood school, your PreK student jumps to the top of the waitlist.

Most schools will claim they have a foreign language program - these are mostly window dressing. Have Spanish for 30 minutes a week checks a box but that is about it.

[Anonymous]

Where are you waitlisted and which kid is waitlisted?

Not all schools have boundaries here. Every address is assigned to a DCPS "neighborhood" school, but there are also DCPS-operated schools that do not have bounaries, and charter schools do not have boundaries.

I hope you like Spanish, because that's really the only language available to you in this situation. This is a list of DCPS dual language schools (this means not immersion, both English and Spanish are taught so kids learn both). https://dcps.dc.gov/DL If I were you I would strongly consider moving in-boundary for Bancroft, Bruce-Monroe, Powell, or Marie Reed. I would pass on Tyler because it has just become dual language so probably isn't a great program yet, Cleveland doesn't have the best reputation academically, and Houston is in a less developed neighborhood farther from downtown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi. My family is moving to DC from Chicago this summer. My kids will be in first grade and PK4 this fall. I signed both up for the DCPS lottery and we are waitlisted everywhere (lowest # is 20). I imagine we’ll just end up paying for pre-school, which is fine, but I’m still trying to sort out options for my first grader. I’m looking for a school that is very diverse, has a foreign language program, and allows in-boundary registration outside of the lottery. We are quite flexible on which neighborhood we move to in DC and will decide where to live based on where our kids can go to school. Any good options? Any particular schools you all would recommend I look into that we can get into without a lottery spot?

Try Sela in Takoma, DC. Maybe also Bethune.

[Anonymous]

Suggest Bancroft followed by Oyster as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Suggest Bancroft followed by Oyster as well.

+1 these are good options if you can afford Mount pleasant or Adams Morgan.

[Anonymous]

Oh right Oyster. Totally missed that one. If you've got a lot to spend on rent or a mortgage, go for it! You don't need a yard if you live near the Zoo.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for these suggestions. My first grader is #20 on the waitlist for E.W. Stokes’ French program.

I didn’t realize my preschooler would jump to top of waitlist once we register in-boundary somewhere. That’s good to know.

I’ve been looking at Powell, Marie Reed, Oyster-Adams, Bancroft and Cleveland. Either French or Spanish would be fine. My kids studied both in a preschool immersion program here in Chicago. Hoping to help them maintain it if at all possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for these suggestions. My first grader is #20 on the waitlist for E.W. Stokes’ French program.

I didn’t realize my preschooler would jump to top of waitlist once we register in-boundary somewhere. That’s good to know.

I’ve been looking at Powell, Marie Reed, Oyster-Adams, Bancroft and Cleveland. Either French or Spanish would be fine. My kids studied both in a preschool immersion program here in Chicago. Hoping to help them maintain it if at all possible.

You gotta understand that Stokes is a charter and, as such, does not have a boundary. So your kid will not have in-boundary status there ever. It's not a thing.

When you move IB for a DCPS school, you should register your older child right away-- literally the same day you can prove residency. Then your PK4 will jump to almost the top of the list as an in-boundary student who is a sibling of an enrolled student. Even so, might not get in, those schools don't have enough preschool capacity to meet demand.

Waitlists move here through October, so it's possible your PK4 might get in after the start of the school year.

[Anonymous]

What are your long-term plans? If you will be here through middle school or even high school try to map that out too.

[Anonymous]

No long term plans. We move to a different city/country every 2-3 years with my job, so I’m really only focused on the next 2 years at this point. We may buy a house in DC at some point before our next move, so I would research middle/high school options before doing that, but to be honest, I’d be too overwhelmed to think through all of that now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for these suggestions. My first grader is #20 on the waitlist for E.W. Stokes’ French program.

I didn’t realize my preschooler would jump to top of waitlist once we register in-boundary somewhere. That’s good to know.

I’ve been looking at Powell, Marie Reed, Oyster-Adams, Bancroft and Cleveland. Either French or Spanish would be fine. My kids studied both in a preschool immersion program here in Chicago. Hoping to help them maintain it if at all possible.

They do not typically move that much so you need another plan.

One option is to move IB for Hearst and enroll your PreK child in a Communikids language immersion free PreSchool. There are a few in that area.

[Anonymous]

Recommend Bethune 16th Street. It checks all of your boxes. It is a newer school and still growing/establishing itself. The staff and teachers are excellent. Our kid has absolutely loved pre-K there and is speaking Spanish more than I expected. Also, it will likely be moving to a new campus this year bc they are growing out of their current campus. I believe it will be somewhere close to the neighborhood it’s in now.

[Anonymous]

Check out Global Citizens. They are a dual language school in either Spanish or Chinese track east of the river. They are still accepting applications. Great school, staff and program. They are accepting students from Pre K 3 to First Grade.

https://www.globalcitizensschool.org/

[Anonymous]

Since you can move anywhere in DC, I'd suggest in boundary for Mann or Murch. Hearst and Eaton too.