Lottery/school despair

[Anonymous]

Crap lottery number. Unhappy at current school. Trying the "short waitlists" but those lists aren't moving either and the distances are daunting.

I just feel like crap. Worse, every time I talk to ANYONE else in the DC public school system, it feels like they are announcing that they just moved IB for Murch or got a much coveted spot at SWS that they TURNED DOWN to stay at LAMB or some such nonsense.

Anyone have good stories of being shut out of the lottery in PK-early elementary and it all working out okay in the end? Would be great if these stories did not involve buying a home for more than 600k somewhere because that is not in the cards. I just need to feel less miserable.

[Anonymous]

Sure. Struck out for PK3 and PK4, then got into ITS with a bad number for K, not sure how or why that happened, but you only need to get lucky once.

Tell us what kind of school you actually want, and we can help you.

[Anonymous]

We rented IB for our target school. It was a nice building with lots of other families and classmates.

[Anonymous]

When you can't get into any school that you are happy with, you need to accept that the DC public school system is simply not going to provide what you want. A lot of us who are happy with our school are happy because we just aren't that picky, or we've decided to accept a less good school so that we can live here.

[Anonymous]

We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

[Anonymous]

Our strategy was to understand that a really good elementary school is, for our kids, a want but not a real need until 3rd grade. So we played the lottery for a while. It gets much easier in older grades.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, SWS isn't all that so don't get too upset about it. And, it's time to move. I wish we had moved earlier (we haven't yet, but I suspect we will in the next year). Rent somewhere. You will build a community and you will not have to deal with the school insecurity (it doesn't stop once you enter PK3 if you are not in a district with a clear path, you will have this insecurity again for middle and high school and even if you get into a "good" charter, you may not like it or it may not be a good fit...). Time to cut your losses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, SWS isn't all that so don't get too upset about it. And, it's time to move. I wish we had moved earlier (we haven't yet, but I suspect we will in the next year). Rent somewhere. You will build a community and you will not have to deal with the school insecurity (it doesn't stop once you enter PK3 if you are not in a district with a clear path, you will have this insecurity again for middle and high school and even if you get into a "good" charter, you may not like it or it may not be a good fit...). Time to cut your losses.

OP here and I get this. I am not sure it is even possible for us to move. Small budget/own a condo we're not sure we can sell in current market/cannot buy without selling it. This is a huge source of my stress -- feeling somewhat stuck where we are but still hitting a wall with the lottery. I feel very trapped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our strategy was to understand that a really good elementary school is, for our kids, a want but not a real need until 3rd grade. So we played the lottery for a while. It gets much easier in older grades.

Was it hard for your kids to switch schools mid-elementary? This is an anxiety for me. One thing to move a 4 yr old and explain it to them, something else to move an 8 yr old.

[Anonymous]

OP buck up and move. MS will be here before you know it.

[Anonymous]

If you can't afford to buy or rent the real estate for a safe bet, you can't plan on lottery luck. It's that simple. Lottery results usually improve as you move up into the lower and upper grades, with a good many DC families peeling off for privates and the burbs. You might be better off in the burbs if your lottery luck isn't good for K. DC public elementary schools aren't all that hot in the upper grades anyway. They're no great prize. We spent around 7K in 5th grade on writing tutors and Mathnasium so that my high performing kid was challenged and working above grade level.

[Anonymous]

People are off right now -
Think about it - who is calling a school to say we are not coming right after July 4th?

The lists will move the 1st week of August when some families will make the decision to stay at a private daycare / preschool. But this is not a massive amount so do not expect major changes.

The next round will be the week that school starts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP buck up and move. MS will be here before you know it.

+1. Move to the burbs in good pyramid now and you are set till you decide college. Huge removal of stress/uncertainty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crap lottery number. Unhappy at current school. Trying the "short waitlists" but those lists aren't moving either and the distances are daunting.

I just feel like crap. Worse, every time I talk to ANYONE else in the DC public school system, it feels like they are announcing that they just moved IB for Murch or got a much coveted spot at SWS that they TURNED DOWN to stay at LAMB or some such nonsense.

Anyone have good stories of being shut out of the lottery in PK-early elementary and it all working out okay in the end? Would be great if these stories did not involve buying a home for more than 600k somewhere because that is not in the cards. I just need to feel less miserable.

We struck out 4 years in a row and gave up and moved to Bowie, MD. House cost less than $400 then, worth less than $500 now. We did public elementary, and are now doing private for MS/HS.