Brent - next 5 years

[Anonymous]

I know there has already been a lot of chatter on this, but what is the deal with Brent for the next few years?

[Anonymous]

Specifically, can someone just lay out each year and what the plan is? We are thinking of buying IB to Brent now but can't quite figure out what the year to year plan is and how we need to think about PK-3 access. Child is currently a little over 1.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean? Year to year plan?

[Anonymous]

You mean the modernization and swing space?

[Anonymous]

The modernization is expected to be completed by the 2027-2028 school year. Your 1 year old will presumably start PK3 in the 2026-27 school year so if you don't want to send a preschooler to the swing space then you will need another plan.

But since PK isn't guaranteed for IB kids you might need another plan anyway. So the renovation honestly doesn't impact you that much. If you like Brent and like the neighborhood then go ahead and buy there and your kid can attend starting in K for sure (which won't be until the 28-29 school year anyway). Then you will play the lottery for PK like you would no matter what and you will go with the best available option. Could be another PK on the Hill or in Navy Yard or a charter. Could be Brent in the swing space (still TBD) if that makes the most sense for you and you get in. You could wind up striking out on the lottery and paying for a year or two of PK -- that happens to people too.

Building will be ready by 27-28 school year (your kids PK4 year) and you could try to lottery in that year with IB preference if you don't attend the prior year. Or stay with wherever you are for PK3 if you are elsewhere. Then your kid can enroll in K as an IB student with guaranteed enrollment.

You don't really need to know much else at this point. It's not like you are moving with a raising 2nd grader and trying to figure out if you want to bus them to a swing space for their 3rd and 4th grade years. You are just talking about PK which isn't guaranteed at Brent anyway so the modernization actually has fairly minimal impact on your family should you choose to buy IB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The modernization is expected to be completed by the 2027-2028 school year. Your 1 year old will presumably start PK3 in the 2026-27 school year so if you don't want to send a preschooler to the swing space then you will need another plan.

But since PK isn't guaranteed for IB kids you might need another plan anyway. So the renovation honestly doesn't impact you that much. If you like Brent and like the neighborhood then go ahead and buy there and your kid can attend starting in K for sure (which won't be until the 28-29 school year anyway). Then you will play the lottery for PK like you would no matter what and you will go with the best available option. Could be another PK on the Hill or in Navy Yard or a charter. Could be Brent in the swing space (still TBD) if that makes the most sense for you and you get in. You could wind up striking out on the lottery and paying for a year or two of PK -- that happens to people too.

Building will be ready by 27-28 school year (your kids PK4 year) and you could try to lottery in that year with IB preference if you don't attend the prior year. Or stay with wherever you are for PK3 if you are elsewhere. Then your kid can enroll in K as an IB student with guaranteed enrollment.

You don't really need to know much else at this point. It's not like you are moving with a raising 2nd grader and trying to figure out if you want to bus them to a swing space for their 3rd and 4th grade years. You are just talking about PK which isn't guaranteed at Brent anyway so the modernization actually has fairly minimal impact on your family should you choose to buy IB.

TYSM - this is very helpful as I think through impact and each year of the modernization project / my kid's school timing. Can you elaborate a bit further on the PK dynamics in Capitol Hill? I am surprised at the comments on how PK is tough to guarantee even with IB preference. Taking Brent aside (where PK is off the table anyways because of the modernization project) - is this the case for every pre-K (i assume there is some "ranking" from the more experienced parents of "even if you are IB, these are the hardest public PKs to get your kid into).

[Anonymous]

OP so you're saying you're figuring out the implications of the plus on the pregnancy test?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The modernization is expected to be completed by the 2027-2028 school year. Your 1 year old will presumably start PK3 in the 2026-27 school year so if you don't want to send a preschooler to the swing space then you will need another plan.

But since PK isn't guaranteed for IB kids you might need another plan anyway. So the renovation honestly doesn't impact you that much. If you like Brent and like the neighborhood then go ahead and buy there and your kid can attend starting in K for sure (which won't be until the 28-29 school year anyway). Then you will play the lottery for PK like you would no matter what and you will go with the best available option. Could be another PK on the Hill or in Navy Yard or a charter. Could be Brent in the swing space (still TBD) if that makes the most sense for you and you get in. You could wind up striking out on the lottery and paying for a year or two of PK -- that happens to people too.

Building will be ready by 27-28 school year (your kids PK4 year) and you could try to lottery in that year with IB preference if you don't attend the prior year. Or stay with wherever you are for PK3 if you are elsewhere. Then your kid can enroll in K as an IB student with guaranteed enrollment.

You don't really need to know much else at this point. It's not like you are moving with a raising 2nd grader and trying to figure out if you want to bus them to a swing space for their 3rd and 4th grade years. You are just talking about PK which isn't guaranteed at Brent anyway so the modernization actually has fairly minimal impact on your family should you choose to buy IB.

TYSM - this is very helpful as I think through impact and each year of the modernization project / my kid's school timing. Can you elaborate a bit further on the PK dynamics in Capitol Hill? I am surprised at the comments on how PK is tough to guarantee even with IB preference. Taking Brent aside (where PK is off the table anyways because of the modernization project) - is this the case for every pre-K (i assume there is some "ranking" from the more experienced parents of "even if you are IB, these are the hardest public PKs to get your kid into).

PK seats are by lottery. Most good Capitol Hill ECEs don't have space for all of their IB families. It's particularly true at schools with fewer ECE classes than upper grade classes (e.g., Brent, Maury). But even at a school like L-T, which has the same number of ECE classes (3) as upper grade classes, ECE classes are smaller and nearly everyone IB wants free ECE, so admission is not a guaranteed unless you have a sibling.

[Anonymous]

It has been a few years now, but even an IB sibling does not guarantee PS/PK admission. It gets you in 99.9% of the time but that isn’t a guarantee.

[Anonymous]

OP here - is it true that you don't need to prove residency until time of ECE enrollment? And I assume K onwards if you are IB is 100% guaranteed, none of this lottery stuff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - is it true that you don't need to prove residency until time of ECE enrollment? And I assume K onwards if you are IB is 100% guaranteed, none of this lottery stuff?

Yes to both.

When you enter the lottery you need to include your address, but you don't actually need to show documentation (proof) until enrollment. Once in K, you don't need to enter the lottery but you do need to provide residency documentation every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - is it true that you don't need to prove residency until time of ECE enrollment? And I assume K onwards if you are IB is 100% guaranteed, none of this lottery stuff?

Residency yes but be aware enrollment happens in April for people who get spots off the lottery so you do not have until they get before school starts.

And yes starting in K your IB school is guaranteed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It has been a few years now, but even an IB sibling does not guarantee PS/PK admission. It gets you in 99.9% of the time but that isn’t a guarantee.

Sorry, I meant guarantee practically speaking and was really speaking specifically to a school w/ a right-sized ECE. FWIW I am aware of a single year of Brent and Maury (PK3 in each case) where all siblings did not get in initially; they did eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It has been a few years now, but even an IB sibling does not guarantee PS/PK admission. It gets you in 99.9% of the time but that isn’t a guarantee.

Sorry, I meant guarantee practically speaking and was really speaking specifically to a school w/ a right-sized ECE. FWIW I am aware of a single year of Brent and Maury (PK3 in each case) where all siblings did not get in initially; they did eventually.

Again, it was only one year but I know at least 2 of the sibs didn’t get in until PK4. And I think some didn’t get in until K or just moved on. Sorry for the tangent, it just sucks when your lottery luck is that bad (even though it was a long time ago).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It has been a few years now, but even an IB sibling does not guarantee PS/PK admission. It gets you in 99.9% of the time but that isn’t a guarantee.

Sorry, I meant guarantee practically speaking and was really speaking specifically to a school w/ a right-sized ECE. FWIW I am aware of a single year of Brent and Maury (PK3 in each case) where all siblings did not get in initially; they did eventually.

Again, it was only one year but I know at least 2 of the sibs didn’t get in until PK4. And I think some didn’t get in until K or just moved on. Sorry for the tangent, it just sucks when your lottery luck is that bad (even though it was a long time ago).

Looking at the historical lottery data, I do not believe this is correct. They may not have been willing to take an offer after the year started though.