Language immersion and siblings

[Anonymous]

My oldest child is starting kindergarten in September and we are interested in entering the language immersion lottery -- a couple of them.

I know it's a long shot but I also know we'd have to make a decision fast so I'm trying to think through it carefully.

We have another child who will enter elementary school two years after she does, and our younger child three years after that. I know that if Oldest gets in language immersion, it's no guarantee for siblings. But it seems like we could at least apply for them to attend the same elementary school. But if for example Oldest is the only one who gets into a French or Spanish program, would younger siblings revert to our home elementary school after Oldest moves on to middle school? I would hate for them to have to change schools abruptly. Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

You would get a preference for the younger child (not a guarantee, but a much higher likelihood of getting in). And if the younger child does not get in, you could request a COSA to attend the English program at that school.

[Anonymous]

So your question assumes that they'll be granted a change of school request if your younger 2 kids don't get accepted into immersion. Not sure that you can count on the COSA being accepted, but you can certainly try.

If the COSAs are accepted, and the oldest child moves onto MS, not sure if the other siblings would need to go back to the home school ... good question.

[Anonymous]

Oh, also, not sure you'd want the COSA if your home school is good. Many of these schools are in rougher neighborhoods. Our DD is in an immersion program, and the English Academy kids are definitely rougher around the edges. Just fyi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So your question assumes that they'll be granted a change of school request if your younger 2 kids don't get accepted into immersion. Not sure that you can count on the COSA being accepted, but you can certainly try.

If the COSAs are accepted, and the oldest child moves onto MS, not sure if the other siblings would need to go back to the home school ... good question.

Thanks. True that they might not be granted a change at all. Trying to think this through from every angle.

I just hate the thought of prioritizing an exciting opportunity for one child and then having the others get potentially messed up. Maybe letting younger kid(s) go to the neighborhood school wouldn’t be so bad, but sending kids to different elementary schools seems odd to me.

[Anonymous]

I do not believe they would put a kid out of an ES when their older sibling moves on to MS. I would be really surprised at this.

Please don't rely on dcum for info though - email the Division of Consortia and Choice and they will get back to you with the right answer!

[e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, also, not sure you'd want the COSA if your home school is good. Many of these schools are in rougher neighborhoods. Our DD is in an immersion program, and the English Academy kids are definitely rougher around the edges. Just fyi.

Nice!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not believe they would put a kid out of an ES when their older sibling moves on to MS. I would be really surprised at this.

Please don't rely on dcum for info though - email the Division of Consortia and Choice and they will get back to you with the right answer!

[e-mail]

Thank you!!

[Anonymous]

RCF family here- we’ve seen several parents apply for a COSA for their younger child and be denied. The school is at/slightly over capacity right now so there is very little appetite to grant COSAs. Just a thought!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So your question assumes that they'll be granted a change of school request if your younger 2 kids don't get accepted into immersion. Not sure that you can count on the COSA being accepted, but you can certainly try.

If the COSAs are accepted, and the oldest child moves onto MS, not sure if the other siblings would need to go back to the home school ... good question.

Thanks. True that they might not be granted a change at all. Trying to think this through from every angle.

I just hate the thought of prioritizing an exciting opportunity for one child and then having the others get potentially messed up. Maybe letting younger kid(s) go to the neighborhood school wouldn’t be so bad, but sending kids to different elementary schools seems odd to me.

I would send the younger ones to the neighborhood school if they don’t get an immersion spot and not worry about trying to get a cosa. From our experience with CES, it wasn’t a big deal to have older child at one school and younger child at neighborhood school. The older child took the bus from the neighborhood school in the morning and got dropped back off there and went to aftercare at the neighborhood school with the younger sibling.