In-bounds verification

[Anonymous]

Hi,

It is still 3 more years before my first kid will be in Kindergarten but I am starting to do the research on what the different options are. And one thing that isn't crystal clear to me is how the in-boundary schools are verified or chosen. My circumstance is a little unique in that we own a few different houses in the city. Does this mean we can select whichever in-bounds school we want out of those various addresses?

I would assume not. I would assume it would have to be the property we used as our primary residence. But then how is that verified? I see how city residency overall is verified but not necessarily how in-bounds residency is verified.

Thanks ahead of time for any information.

[Anonymous]

https://osse.dc.gov/page/office-enrollment-residency-supporting-families-students

[Anonymous]

You have to actually live there, at least at the time of enrollment. Owning property isn't enough. They might not check, but if you want to know the rule, it's that you have to live there.

Consider how you would explain it to other parents if you want to have any playdates at your house. There's a lot of social shade thrown at boundary cheaters.

[Anonymous]

You have to attest that the address you use is your residence, which is where you actually live. Don’t lie.

[Anonymous]

The truth is, nobody is paying attention. There are lots of people who live in Maryland enrolled in DC schools. At least you're a DC taxpayer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to actually live there, at least at the time of enrollment. Owning property isn't enough. They might not check, but if you want to know the rule, it's that you have to live there.

Consider how you would explain it to other parents if you want to have any playdates at your house. There's a lot of social shade thrown at boundary cheaters.

I think it’s actually ambiguous if you have multiple houses that no one lives in, especially if you could legitimately meet the residency documentation requirements at multiple of them. Then for most legal purposes, you could claim any as your residence. If what you mean is you own a house you rent out to someone else, then legally they can claim that as their residence and you cannot.

[Anonymous]

on which property do you get the homestead deduction? at what address are you registered to vote?
if your kid invited a friend over for a playdate, where would it happen?

OP, you know where you live. If you want to be IB at a different school, live IB for it. Why have this hanging over your head? Who knows when it could come back to haunt you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to actually live there, at least at the time of enrollment. Owning property isn't enough. They might not check, but if you want to know the rule, it's that you have to live there.

Consider how you would explain it to other parents if you want to have any playdates at your house. There's a lot of social shade thrown at boundary cheaters.

I think it’s actually ambiguous if you have multiple houses that no one lives in, especially if you could legitimately meet the residency documentation requirements at multiple of them. Then for most legal purposes, you could claim any as your residence. If what you mean is you own a house you rent out to someone else, then legally they can claim that as their residence and you cannot.

Yes, I think that's right. I know of a family that lives in bounds for Garrison but owns property in Dupont and I know their kids go to Ross. So people can fudge a bit.

[Anonymous]

(but at our school, they verify our address using documents like Drivers license, utility bills, car registration)

[Anonymous]

Some schools also do home visits. And if you move after you are enrolled as IB you are allowed to stay, at least through the end of the school.

[Anonymous]

When my kids were in elementary I knew several families who were enrollment cheats. It seemed like a constant stressor for them, having to teach the kids to lie when asked where they live and always having to come up with excuses why they couldn't do playdates or carpool to soccer or birthday parties.

If you have the money to own several homes you don't need that stress.

[Anonymous]

Do what you want OP, just make sure you create all the residency docs DCPS wants to verify residency. We started on gf in a small house in Ward 6 during the ECE years. We continued to use that address for six years after we’d moved out, living in a much bigger house nearby. We rented the small house to young single people month to month during the 6 years. People at our DCPS didn’t necessarily know if we’d lotteried in or had an IB address. No great stress involved in staying at the same DCPS ES for 8 years. You pay taxes and own real estate. Use the IB address you want for school of the residential properties you own. Just be careful who you tell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to actually live there, at least at the time of enrollment. Owning property isn't enough. They might not check, but if you want to know the rule, it's that you have to live there.

Consider how you would explain it to other parents if you want to have any playdates at your house. There's a lot of social shade thrown at boundary cheaters.

I think it’s actually ambiguous if you have multiple houses that no one lives in, especially if you could legitimately meet the residency documentation requirements at multiple of them. Then for most legal purposes, you could claim any as your residence. If what you mean is you own a house you rent out to someone else, then legally they can claim that as their residence and you cannot.

No, residency means where you *actually live.*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do what you want OP, just make sure you create all the residency docs DCPS wants to verify residency. We started on gf in a small house in Ward 6 during the ECE years. We continued to use that address for six years after we’d moved out, living in a much bigger house nearby. We rented the small house to young single people month to month during the 6 years. People at our DCPS didn’t necessarily know if we’d lotteried in or had an IB address. No great stress involved in staying at the same DCPS ES for 8 years. You pay taxes and own real estate. Use the IB address you want for school of the residential properties you own. Just be careful who you tell.

this is allowed at DCPS to stay at the same school after you move.

[Anonymous]

It’s a gray area, especially if parents continue using the original address with DCPS. But if you own residential DC real estate that you don’t formally rent out, do what you want when registering in boundary. Just make sure that you pick up mail at the property you use for school residency regularly. In our experience, things will work out if you cover your bases on the residency docs and mail collection fronts. Asking permission from DCPS is the last thing you want to do, OP. Opening that can of worms would be naive and dumb.