Please help me understand the CES appeal process

[Anonymous]

Hoping someone can help me understand the CES appeal process. The website says you will be notified by March 10th if you were *both* selected to be in the lottery and selected to be in the program. It also says you can appeal getting into the lottery until April 11.

What is the value in appealing getting into the lottery if all of the spots have been offered in March? Or is it a waste of time to appeal? Appreciate any insight.

[Anonymous]

It’s not a waste of time to appeal. I appealed and then my child was randomly selected for admission and ended up attending. I’m not sure they invite enough students to fill 100% of the seats in the first round of admissions, but even if they do, not everyone accepts their seat.

[Anonymous]

You get placed into the lottery for future runs (to fill spots when kids turn down the offer). It would definitely be more fair to tell people earlier (say in Feb) whether their kid would be included in the lottery and to process appeals prior to running the lottery for the first time. But MCPS really doesn't care about being fair in this case -- that would be more work for DCCAPS.

[Anonymous]

It also ensures access to enrichment at the home school. It’s not the only way to get it, and it’s not clear what that will look like next year, but still.

[Anonymous]

Interesting. I thought they will let parents know in February if kids are in the CES lottery round, will they? Parenyvue or mail?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. I thought they will let parents know in February if kids are in the CES lottery round, will they? Parenyvue or mail?

They will let you know AFTER the initially lottery is run. That might be in Feb this year, but when my kid was in 3rd grade, it was in March. Regardless of timing, they definitely will not let you know if your child was included in the lottery until the initial lottery is run. That means if MCPS erroneously does not include your child in the lottery and you successfully appeal that decision, the child's chance of getting a slot are much slimmer -- becuase most spots are filled in the initial lotteyr.

It's a bad system, and people have complainted repeatedly about it over the years, but the system remains in place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hoping someone can help me understand the CES appeal process. The website says you will be notified by March 10th if you were *both* selected to be in the lottery and selected to be in the program. It also says you can appeal getting into the lottery until April 11.

What is the value in appealing getting into the lottery if all of the spots have been offered in March? Or is it a waste of time to appeal? Appreciate any insight.

Why would you expect you would have to appeal? It would only be if there was an error in your child's record (or occasionally some kind of extraordinary justification for why your child didn't meet the criteria but should have, like they got a B because of some major health issue or something but meet all other criteria and otherwise get As.) Appeals are not for "my kid is really smart and you should put them in CES.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a waste of time to appeal. I appealed and then my child was randomly selected for admission and ended up attending. I’m not sure they invite enough students to fill 100% of the seats in the first round of admissions, but even if they do, not everyone accepts their seat.

+1 our experience too

[Anonymous]

My kid ended up going to a CES program but didn't get picked until late-May. His friend who went with him didn't find out he was selected until late-August. Multiple rounds of kids gave up the two spots alotted for their home school. A lot of parents don't think it's worth the bother or think that enrichment at their home school is just as good. So yes, there's definitely a chance if your kid didn't get selected the first round that they could still get picked later. If you're appealing, do it sooner rather than later though!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hoping someone can help me understand the CES appeal process. The website says you will be notified by March 10th if you were *both* selected to be in the lottery and selected to be in the program. It also says you can appeal getting into the lottery until April 11.

What is the value in appealing getting into the lottery if all of the spots have been offered in March? Or is it a waste of time to appeal? Appreciate any insight.

Why would you expect you would have to appeal? It would only be if there was an error in your child's record (or occasionally some kind of extraordinary justification for why your child didn't meet the criteria but should have, like they got a B because of some major health issue or something but meet all other criteria and otherwise get As.) Appeals are not for "my kid is really smart and you should put them in CES.)

I appealed under the old process they had before Covid (when CogAt was used and the whole thing wasn’t a lottery, but people were selected from the waitpool via lottery). My child wasn’t in the waitpool. I told them about my child and their interests and included a writing sample that dc had written for fun. My appeal was successful and dc was moved to the waitpool. The only way to find out if an appeal will work is to try it. There’s no downside to trying.

[Anonymous]

Not op. What happens if our school happen to be one of the few local CES school. That means CES happens at the same school as the home school, and they don't take outside kids. What are the differences between the notification time and appeal process? Same as what other PPs mention above? I have asked the teacher, and she says there are like 45 spots something like that for CES at 4th grade, and there's like 110 kids or more/less 3rd graders now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not op. What happens if our school happen to be one of the few local CES school. That means CES happens at the same school as the home school, and they don't take outside kids. What are the differences between the notification time and appeal process? Same as what other PPs mention above? I have asked the teacher, and she says there are like 45 spots something like that for CES at 4th grade, and there's like 110 kids or more/less 3rd graders now.

I think the process is the same. All run by central office.

If there are 110 3rd graders, and 45 spots, even if all 3rd graders make the pool (highly unlikely) the odds are much better than in regional CES programs.

[Anonymous]

Op here: Thank you for this very helpful information. Helpful to know this applies for enrichment regardless of CES.

For the person that asked, my kid has an IEP related to a specific aspect of the criteria. (Yes, the know MAP-R is adjusted, but that is not the point of discrepancy).

Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not op. What happens if our school happen to be one of the few local CES school. That means CES happens at the same school as the home school, and they don't take outside kids. What are the differences between the notification time and appeal process? Same as what other PPs mention above? I have asked the teacher, and she says there are like 45 spots something like that for CES at 4th grade, and there's like 110 kids or more/less 3rd graders now.

I think the process is the same. All run by central office.

If there are 110 3rd graders, and 45 spots, even if all 3rd graders make the pool (highly unlikely) the odds are much better than in regional CES programs.

Huge inequity.