So frustrated with PG County specialty schools lottery!

[Anonymous]

Grrrr ... I am so frustrated with the PG county specialty schools lottery. I've applied to the Robert Goddard French Immersion program for my daughter who is starting K in the fall. If she's not admitted, we are probably going to have to pick up and move to Mongtomer County. So, it would really help to know soon if she has been admitted. They did their lottery on April 6th, but won't release the information!!! I called the office number listed on the lottery page, and was told that they "only communicate by letter, and will mail the letters out in late April - or maybe early May." I asked if she could look it up for me - and she said she COULD, but she wouldn't, because it wasn't their policy. I asked why not, and she gave no reason - not even "we're too busy" - just that it wasn't their policy! I am so frustrated.

Anyone else waiting to hear about Robert Goddard?

[Anonymous]

Contact your school board member to complain!

[Anonymous]

http://www1.pgcps.org/board/

The DO respond to concerns. the more people who contact them about this the better. I know a lot of parents who are in limbo right now, and it is ridiculous in this day and age that the results can't be posted on line -- the entire lottery process is handled by computer as I understand it.

Parents have decisions to make about schools and especially transportation and aftercare (since they are cutting transportatino to lottery programs). they need this information as soon as possible.

[Anonymous]

Any news yet on the lottery results?

[Anonymous]

I couldn't agree more! We should have online access to results and not be forced to wait for weeks to make school decisions. I didn't think to complain, but I will now.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I did contact my local board of education rep, and then I got a letter with a bit more information (see below.)
It still doesn't explain why they can't post the results online, or provide information over the phone once they have it.

I haven't heard anything about the french immersion results for my 5 year old, so I guess she didn't get in. I did hear that my younger daughter (age 3) was admitted to the montessori program at Robert Goddard, so I guess they've sent out all the admission letters at this point. I would like to know what number we are on the waiting list for my 5 year old; the website has been updated to say that "waiting list results will be mailed in mid-May." It just keeps dragging on.


Good Afternoon xxx:

Ms. Rosalind Johnson, Board Member, District I, has forwarded your concern to our office regarding the lottery placement of your daughter at the French Immersion school. Please know that to ensure equitable access to Specialty programs, we have a process in place for Lottery placements and notifications. Final program/school assignments are based upon space availability. Availability differs by grade level, Specialty Program, and Specialty/Public Charter School location. This process takes time to ensure accuracy and fairness to all that have applied. When all available slots are filled, all other applications are given a waiting list number based on their Specialty Program/Public Charter School choice, grade level, and lottery drawing number. Although the actual computer drawing has concluded, the very detailed process of placing students based on those results has continued. At the time of this email, we have not made any placements and unfortunately, we are not able to provide any further information.

Please know that once the process is completed, information will be mailed to parents. In compliance with our procedures and fairness to all parents who are as eager and excited about the results, you will have to wait until that time.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't hold my breath for admission to this school. (if you haven't heard already). We applied last as did several friends. My number on the waitlist was something like #180. Ridiculous.

For a school system that seems to care so much about equity, there is something very INequitable about this system, why so few get such a great experience and most others are left with, well, CRAP in their neighborhood schools.

I was told that, in our year, more than a third (!) of the few available seats were taken up by siblings. Huh? Yet, there is no sibling tag-along to the TAG magnets. How does this happen?

In other words, I hope no one is pinning their hopes on this program, that is available to only a select few.

[Anonymous]

The sibling "TAG-along" policy referred to allowing siblings to be placed at the TAG school in grades K and 1 if a sibling was enrolled in the TAG program (starting in grade 2) ONLY if there was room in grades K and 1 for those siblings.

My understanding was that this TAG-along sibling palcement policy was stopped this year but I admit I am not sure.

However, the policy of allowing siblings of current TAG school students to enter the TAG school in grade 2 presuming they are TAG identified has not been ended -- as far as I know that continues. That is, siblings DO need to "test in" but they do NOT need to enter the lottery.

Just my understanding.

[Anonymous]

They don't allow tag-alongs anymore in K or 1. They used to allow it. I guess I don't understand why it's OK for families with one Tag-Identified kid and one non to send the kids to different schools, but the Goddard parents kicked up a HUGE fuss when the idea of ending the sibling policy was raised. Doesn't seem fair to me. That's all I was saying. Although not well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They don't allow tag-alongs anymore in K or 1. They used to allow it. I guess I don't understand why it's OK for families with one Tag-Identified kid and one non to send the kids to different schools, but the Goddard parents kicked up a HUGE fuss when the idea of ending the sibling policy was raised. Doesn't seem fair to me. That's all I was saying. Although not well.

You are comparing two different policies.

TAG-along was a sibling placement policy of placing siblings in grades K and 1 at a TAG center school along with an older sibling. The cihld wasn't being placed IN the TAG program, just being allowed to go to the school fro K and 1 if there was space. I think you are correct that this program has been ended.

Sibling preference in the lottery is what the parents at the French immersion/Montessori programs you refer to wanted. Allowing siblings to have preference in the lottery at entry at age preK 3 or preK4 for the montessori program, or grade K for the French Immersion. There is also sibling preference in the lottery for children who have tested into the TAG program. If you test into TAG and have an older sibling at the TAG center school, then you get preference in the lottery and will probably gain admission to the center school in 2nd grade if you want the spot.

TAG along (to grades K and 1) at the TAG center has been stopped, but sibling preference (Grades 2+ if the cihld tests into TAG) has not been stopped. Get it?

That's how i

[Anonymous]

My daughter is a current 7th grader at Robert Goddard French Immersion. When my daughter was accepted years ago at Kindergarten she was number 20-30 or so on the waitlist and I received notice of the opening the second week of school, so I pulled her out of another school in Lanham. My plan back then, if she hadn't been admitted at kindergarten, was to study French with her and see is she could test in at first grade- which may still be allowed or I planned to look for other specialty tag programs or other county school systems.

I do wish that the county would invest more into similar programs, but due to funding or lack of resources they have not. I now have a toddler and of course she will not be eligible for any sort of sibling placement since my daughter is almost finished, but too am considering what options to pursue with her in the next 3-4 years when it’s time for her to start elementary school.

Miss D

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don't allow tag-alongs anymore in K or 1. They used to allow it. I guess I don't understand why it's OK for families with one Tag-Identified kid and one non to send the kids to different schools, but the Goddard parents kicked up a HUGE fuss when the idea of ending the sibling policy was raised. Doesn't seem fair to me. That's all I was saying. Although not well.

You are comparing two different policies.

TAG-along was a sibling placement policy of placing siblings in grades K and 1 at a TAG center school along with an older sibling. The cihld wasn't being placed IN the TAG program, just being allowed to go to the school fro K and 1 if there was space. I think you are correct that this program has been ended.

Sibling preference in the lottery is what the parents at the French immersion/Montessori programs you refer to wanted. Allowing siblings to have preference in the lottery at entry at age preK 3 or preK4 for the montessori program, or grade K for the French Immersion. There is also sibling preference in the lottery for children who have tested into the TAG program. If you test into TAG and have an older sibling at the TAG center school, then you get preference in the lottery and will probably gain admission to the center school in 2nd grade if you want the spot.

TAG along (to grades K and 1) at the TAG center has been stopped, but sibling preference (Grades 2+ if the cihld tests into TAG) has not been stopped. Get it?

That's how i

Why must people be so SNIDE? One would think you didn't live in PG with that attitude. My point was (and is) that for two years, until child #2 tests into TAG, they are forced to attend a different school. Our tag magnet has non-TAG classes -- why not allow the subsequent sibs in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is a current 7th grader at Robert Goddard French Immersion. When my daughter was accepted years ago at Kindergarten she was number 20-30 or so on the waitlist and I received notice of the opening the second week of school, so I pulled her out of another school in Lanham. My plan back then, if she hadn't been admitted at kindergarten, was to study French with her and see is she could test in at first grade- which may still be allowed or I planned to look for other specialty tag programs or other county school systems.

Last year, we tried to get permission for my daughter to test in first grade at Robert Goddard. Her birthday is just a few days after the cut-off, so she was ineligible for the Kindergarten lottery due to age, but she was able to test in to the neighborhood school's kindergarten. We did some tutoring and at-home work in French to prep her for testing in, but, after a lot of back and forth with PGCPS, were ultimately told that Goddard was oversubscribed for 2nd grade and they would not even conduct testing. There wasn't a formal end to the testing-in possibility, but it seems like it is very dependent upon attrition.

[Anonymous]

If any of you PPs are still around, can you tell me when you received the letter re: either of the Goddard schools (Montessori or French Immersion)? No news here and we are trying to figure out what to do with my daughter for next year - neighborhood school is not an option, but I'm afraid the local private school seats will all be taken if we don't enroll her now. I'm wondering how much longer we'll be waiting on the letter...

[Anonymous]

I would not hold your breath, I would make other arrangements even if you have to abandon a deposit, or take a look at a school with rolling admissions. Their lottery system is poorly run, perhaps intentionally so anyone considering private school will go. We had to way back, I don't think we heard until June. And everyone I knew got the same vague letter about contacting their office...it wasn't an official waitlist. No acceptance or rejection, just a way to push back deciding. This was maybe 5 years ago?

Perhaps you could find childcare in a school that's ok with you? accepting those kids seems at the discretion of the principle so it might be worth a try.