Moving but would like to keep DC in current MCPS school - is this possible?

[Anonymous]

My 3rd grader is at a school that he loves and is well adjusted in. We will likely move at the end of next year (end of 3rd grade) due to a sad set of circumstances that I don't want to share on this board. Staying in our current home and even in the surrounding area is not possible. We are moving in with a relative.

However, I would like to keep him at his current school if at all possible for 4th and 5th. We will likely move to a neighborhood in Bethesda, the current school is in the DCC. What are the prospects of a COSA to keep my DC at his current ES through 5th grade? I would be able to drive him back and forth so that is not an issue. I would love for this one aspect of his life to remain solid and positive while so many things are, frankly, pretty sad and painful elsewhere in our lives.

The current school is not overcrowded and my son has done well there - no behavior issues, etc.

Welcome any perspectives and advice on how to approach this with MCPS. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine in the special needs arena is asked all the time to write up the COSA application -- emphasizing mental health, issues with anxiety, etc. Don't make stuff up, but to the extent you can show it's for your child's best interest, do so.

And I don't know if it applies, but if you have day care in the area of the current school, like a fellow parent or after school program, that helps too.

[Anonymous]

They are really unlikely to grant a cosa. I would just not tell them and have your mail forwarded

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are really unlikely to grant a cosa. I would just not tell them and have your mail forwarded

Thanks, PP. I've heard of other families getting COSAs (not at this school, necessarily, but others). Can you share a bit more about why you say that? Only asking to better understand - I'm not challenging your assertion.

[Anonymous]

https://www.peoples-law.org/homeless-students-and-school

Living with a family member of friend may qualify your child to stay at their present school. Check out the link above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend of mine in the special needs arena is asked all the time to write up the COSA application -- emphasizing mental health, issues with anxiety, etc. Don't make stuff up, but to the extent you can show it's for your child's best interest, do so.

And I don't know if it applies, but if you have day care in the area of the current school, like a fellow parent or after school program, that helps too.

Thank you, PP. We do have an aftercare program at the school which is one of the things that my son loves. Appreciate your reply.

[Anonymous]

Talk to the principal. We were considering moving when my son was in 3rd grade and I asked the principal about it and he said it wouldn’t be a problem to have him stay since he was so far along at the school - as long as we were still in Montgomery County. The school in question was overcrowded at the time as well.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know but just wanted to say that consider if you think he will be attending middle school in the new neighborhood it might be easier to switch and meet people in the elementary school rather than have to go to a middle school not knowing anyone.

[Anonymous]

He can stay under McKinney Vento. I’m sorry about your situation.

[Anonymous]

Successul COSA requires - “UNIQUE HARDSHIP”—Students may apply for a COSA when extenuating circumstances related to their specific physical, mental, or emotional well-being or their family’s individual or personal situation could be mitigated by a change of school assignment.

That’s from the COSA. I’m sorry about your sad circumstances but maybe they are things that don’t happen to everyone? death in the family? serious illness requiring the move? bankruptcy?

Divorce requiring a move, in and of itself, isn’t “unique” enough to qualify.

[Anonymous]

If the school's not overcrowded, you might be able to pull a COSA off.

[Anonymous]

Think about the benefits of neighborhood friends he will lose and starting again for middle school.

[Anonymous]

Tough loss. Things happen. People go broke and get divorced. Builds character. Help your child make new friends and keep the old. All will be fine. Many kids deal with more and are just fine.

[Anonymous]

Tough love/reality - you are moving to a new living situation and your child will need to go to a new school. You don't get to stay "because you want to." As a pp mentioned, it is better for your child to make new friends in 4th grade at a new ES school so they will already have friends when they get to MS, rather than being a new MS kid.

[Anonymous]

Wow, some of you are really cruel. Do you have so little in your lives that you have to post caustic responses? Tough love? You don’t get to just because you want to? Where in the world did the OP insinuate anything like that? It’s a reasonable question and people successfully get COSAs for all sorts of reasons.