Considering moving to DC

[Anonymous]

Is it possible to rent a place in DC send kids to public elementary and not be crazy rich? I am considering moving to DC. I am tired of living in Baltimore City the cost of living went up so much but nothing else has improved. My employer is also DC based.

I am also interested in the universal prek at age 3 that dcps offers. I know very little about DCPS. Can someone please give me a brief run down or just tell me if I am wasting my time even considering moving to DC.

Are all the good schools charters and do.you need to be a resident before entering the lotteries? Are there any zone schools that are good with at or under 3k a month for a 3 bedroom? I am assuming buying anything affordable is out of the question.

[Anonymous]

Pre-K 3 is generally available to everyone who wants it, but it’s not everywhere—you may have to drive across the city for it. It’s also all lottery based so even if your neighborhood school has Pre-K, you’re not guaranteed to get a spot.

You don’t need to be a resident to do the lottery, but since boundaries matter for DCPS (they don’t for charter), you need to put a DC address. Some people lost their future home address others just one in bounds. You’ll need an actual address to enroll around May.

[Anonymous]

I used Redfin to do a quick search of 3 bedroom rentals under $3k. Looks like you’re looking at mostly east of the river or along the north east Maryland border. For me personally, those are so far from being in the heart of the city I would just look in Maryland. You’ll probably bet better housing stock and not have to deal with the lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible to rent a place in DC send kids to public elementary and not be crazy rich? I am considering moving to DC. I am tired of living in Baltimore City the cost of living went up so much but nothing else has improved. My employer is also DC based.

I am also interested in the universal prek at age 3 that dcps offers. I know very little about DCPS. Can someone please give me a brief run down or just tell me if I am wasting my time even considering moving to DC.

Are all the good schools charters and do.you need to be a resident before entering the lotteries? Are there any zone schools that are good with at or under 3k a month for a 3 bedroom? I am assuming buying anything affordable is out of the question.

How old are your kids? Do you really need a 3 bedroom?
You can definitely get a 2 bedroom in an area zoned for a solid elementary school and get universal preK under 3K
The 3 bedroom will be more challenging - but doable

[Anonymous]

Kids are between 8 and 3. Could squeeze in a 2bedroom. What areas would you recommend that are zoned to a solid elementary? Do most families flee the city for middle and high school? That is what happens where I live now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Kids are between 8 and 3. Could squeeze in a 2bedroom. What areas would you recommend that are zoned to a solid elementary? Do most families flee the city for middle and high school? That is what happens where I live now.

No, they are families who stay for middle and high school. I don’t know anyone who moved for MS/HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Kids are between 8 and 3. Could squeeze in a 2bedroom. What areas would you recommend that are zoned to a solid elementary? Do most families flee the city for middle and high school? That is what happens where I live now.

Look at apartments in ward 3. there are great buildings up and down wisconsin and connecticut, Mass and Cathedral (even if GGW claims otherwise -- the local densifying lobbying group). These are family friendly neighborhoods, walk to shop etc. You'll love it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Kids are between 8 and 3. Could squeeze in a 2bedroom. What areas would you recommend that are zoned to a solid elementary? Do most families flee the city for middle and high school? That is what happens where I live now.

No, they are families who stay for middle and high school. I don’t know anyone who moved for MS/HS.

uh, a ton of people move for MS/HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Kids are between 8 and 3. Could squeeze in a 2bedroom. What areas would you recommend that are zoned to a solid elementary? Do most families flee the city for middle and high school? That is what happens where I live now.

This will cause an argument, I'm sure, but really the only decent non-charter HS in DC is Jackson Reed (fka Wilson). So whatever the elementaries are that feed to that. They are in Ward 3. Can you get a 3-bedroom for $3K in Ward 3? I don't think so, but maybe a 2br.

[Anonymous]

Exactly. If families aren’t going to Wilson, they are either moving or going private. That’s the reality. If you get into a school that feeds to Wilson, you are all set.

[Anonymous]

Another thing to consider is when your kids might outgrow the 2-bedroom. Teenagers tend to like their privacy. Then you might feel the need to move again. Which may be fine, but it's another disruption, and you might as well move to the suburbs just the once.

If it's DC, I agree with the other posters about moving to a Jackson-Reed feed. But 3K can get you a two-bedroom, probably not three.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. If families aren’t going to Wilson, they are either moving or going private. That’s the reality. If you get into a school that feeds to Wilson, you are all set.

They also go to SWW and Banneker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. If (white) families aren’t going to Wilson, they are either moving or going private. That’s the reality. If you get into a school that feeds to Wilson, you are all set.

fixed it for you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Kids are between 8 and 3. Could squeeze in a 2bedroom. What areas would you recommend that are zoned to a solid elementary? Do most families flee the city for middle and high school? That is what happens where I live now.

Look at apartments in ward 3. there are great buildings up and down wisconsin and connecticut, Mass and Cathedral (even if GGW claims otherwise -- the local densifying lobbying group). These are family friendly neighborhoods, walk to shop etc. You'll love it.

If you do this, you will not have in-bounds PreK3, and you may not get in for PreK4 either, though with older siblings enrolling your odds are good.

[Anonymous]

for K and up, you can move at any time w rights to attend the in- bound neighborhood dcps school. you could move mid-year and enroll your older child now if you wanted to. a lot of the dcps elementary schools are varying degrees of pretty could where families mostly like them. preK you have to do the lottery on or about march (i think), with enrollment in may. if an older sibling already attends a school, you get a sibling preference in the lottery. there are some limited prek spaces still available even after the lottery (and waitlist movement) but to be able to enroll in a prek program close to home and at a school your child can just remain at long-term the lottery is really best.