DCI didn't offer any non-preference seats for 6th grade Chinese or Spanish - What gives?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:6 pages of this thread with people obsessing about non-feeder spots.

It’s not going to happen so move on and make other plans. Even if there are a few spots, your chance is going to be basically in the single digits.

So make other plans and worry less about things that are totally out of your control.

Honestly, I would just move to the burbs, be done with it, and have a sure middle and high school track.

The earlier you do that, the better for your kid. Very disruptive to move in later elementary or middle school.

Characterize this discussion however you want to. This thread has unveiled information that we didn't know when we ranked 6th grade spots for our current 5th grader.

We wouldn't have wasted our top three spots on DCI non-feeder spots if we'd known that feeder school sibling preference and slots moved from one language to another make it effectively impossible to get a non-feeder spot. Maybe even worse than the chances of getting a match at other high-demand schools like Latin or BASIS. Heck, we wouldn't have wasted our evening going to the Open House if we'd known this information, or we would have asked administrators more directly about it.

Sounds like we're not alone or unusual.

This information will definitely inform how we rank 6th grade spots for our current 2nd grader. Thank you to the parents who have explained it so clearly.

This is the type of question that you should have asked at the open house.

Yes, this is obvious in retrospect. We'll share this information with rising 5th grade families so they can publicly ask DCI admin about it at open houses. And DCI admin will have to respond publicly.

This is also the type of information that DCI admin could have proactively clarified. By avoiding sharing this information, they tacitly deceive non-feeder families at open houses into thinking there's any chance of entering into IB education or established semesters abroad.

[Anonymous]

I understand the frustration, but I don't understand the feeling that you were surprised. This is the THIRD year that DCI has offered zero spanish seats to non-feeder families in the initial round of the lottery. The data is all publicly available. This is not some brand-new, covered-up revelation.

https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay Scroll to DCI - Spanish Track. There were zero seats offered in the initial lottery in 21-22 and 22-23 and now in 23-24.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:6 pages of this thread with people obsessing about non-feeder spots.

It’s not going to happen so move on and make other plans. Even if there are a few spots, your chance is going to be basically in the single digits.

So make other plans and worry less about things that are totally out of your control.

Honestly, I would just move to the burbs, be done with it, and have a sure middle and high school track.

The earlier you do that, the better for your kid. Very disruptive to move in later elementary or middle school.

The odds for non feeder spots have been small for at least the last few years.
If DCI is still your top choice, though, it still makes sense to rank it at the top of your lottery list. Unless somehow you have 12 other schools you like better, you should still try to lottery in because some kids do get in.

It is a good question on whether you can hold on to feeder preference if for some reason you don't get in at sixth or don't attend (e.g. foreign service posting that has you move away).

Characterize this discussion however you want to. This thread has unveiled information that we didn't know when we ranked 6th grade spots for our current 5th grader.

We wouldn't have wasted our top three spots on DCI non-feeder spots if we'd known that feeder school sibling preference and slots moved from one language to another make it effectively impossible to get a non-feeder spot. Maybe even worse than the chances of getting a match at other high-demand schools like Latin or BASIS. Heck, we wouldn't have wasted our evening going to the Open House if we'd known this information, or we would have asked administrators more directly about it.

Sounds like we're not alone or unusual.

This information will definitely inform how we rank 6th grade spots for our current 2nd grader. Thank you to the parents who have explained it so clearly.

This is the type of question that you should have asked at the open house.

Yes, this is obvious in retrospect. We'll share this information with rising 5th grade families so they can publicly ask DCI admin about it at open houses. And DCI admin will have to respond publicly.

This is also the type of information that DCI admin could have proactively clarified. By avoiding sharing this information, they tacitly deceive non-feeder families at open houses into thinking there's any chance of entering into IB education or established semesters abroad.

[Anonymous]

Again, just go to MV for fifth then matriculate to DCI. It’s still a sure thing this year, so the choice is yours if you want it.

[Anonymous]

^^
The odds for non feeder spots have been small for at least the last few years.
If DCI is still your top choice, though, it still makes sense to rank it at the top of your lottery list. Unless somehow you have 12 other schools you like better, you should still try to lottery in because some kids do get in.

It is a good question on whether you can hold on to feeder preference if for some reason you don't get in at sixth or don't attend (e.g. foreign service posting that has you move away).