PRE-K Questions For Those That Miss the Lottery Deadline

[Anonymous]

We're moving to DC this summer (in July) and have a rising 1st grader and a little one heading into Pre-K3. I've been hearing mixed things about how Pre-K works, especially since we've missed the lottery deadline.

I’m hoping someone can clarify—what happens for families who move to the city over the summer or during the school year? I understand we likely won’t get our top Pre-K choice and may not get into the school we're zoned for, but I’m wondering if there’s a system in place for new families like ours.

Some parents have told me we’d need to find private daycare at this point, but I also spoke with a school secretary (at an elementary school in NW), who mentioned that some schools hold spots for incoming families over the summer.

Any insight or advice would be so appreciated—thank you!

[Anonymous]

First of all, do you know your future address? Or the neighborhoods you're looking at?

Make an account on MySchoolDC now and you can look at the locations and features of the schools. People here can really help you out. There is no special system for late arrivals. Your first grader will have the right to whatever school your address is zoned for, and your younger child would have sibling preference there. Either or both kids can also lottery into other schools. Put them on lots of waitlists now so that you have options.

[Anonymous]

I think the most important way to think about it is that PK is not a right (the way that K-12 education is).

It's a privilege and parents who are lucky get a free lottery spot. Believe me, we are all super grateful for it!

But there is no "system" for families who move in late for PK. Of course, your 1st grader can enroll at your neighborhood school.

[Anonymous]

Enroll the first grader asap. You will then get sibling preference (bumped immediately to top of list) for preK. Then check out short waitlists on myschool for open preK3 spots. Look near where you work in addition to home. It is slim pickings post-lottery but there are still some spaces at some of the Appletrees etc. Then look at daycare or private preschool as a backup for this year only. Daycare probably has the advantage that its mostly month to month where you could switch out if you get the sibling spot. Private preschool means being locked in for the year. Prepare to be flexible for this one year. NW elementaries dont actually have preK3 just preK4. You will get preK4 as a sibling so its most likely just the one first challenging year.

[Anonymous]

There is no system for PK. You don’t get a slot, you can try for PK4. Time to start looking for a private daycare/preschool.

[Anonymous]

Can she create a MySchoolDC account and pick a PK3 school with no waitlist? Or a multiple with short waitlists?

[Anonymous]

Where do you want to live? Are you planning to stay long-term? Are you concerned about a middle school in high school feeder? I think recommendations will vary based on your responses to those questions. You can definitely get a pre-K spot at an apple tree Location they have a short waitlists. You probably won’t get a pre-K spot at a northwest school even with sibling preference at this point but could at some schools in Capitol Hill or the NE.

[Anonymous]

Is your priority to get a free spot anywhere? If so, go onto myschooldc once you have an address and put in as many post lottery applications as you can. You'll get in somewhere.

But if you are prioritizing being close to your house, you need to apply to private daycares/preschools. It's not like they save spots for families who move after the deadline.

[Anonymous]

Just FYI most aftercare signups start in May so even if you get a spot for PreK you might not get an aftercare spot at the school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is your priority to get a free spot anywhere? If so, go onto myschooldc once you have an address and put in as many post lottery applications as you can. You'll get in somewhere.

But if you are prioritizing being close to your house, you need to apply to private daycares/preschools. It's not like they save spots for families who move after the deadline.

Yes this. But also, if your 1st grader gets into a school this summer, your PK-3 kid has a much better chance of getting in either this year or next than they would have due to sibling preference. So, research as though you have all the options anyone would have because you will next year, but give special care in choosing your neighborhood as your neighborhood school is likely to be where your 1st grader will settle.

[Anonymous]

Oh, also, use the short wait list tool to see which schools have openings at PK-3 if it's really important to you to have mostly free daycare this year. Also, there are other options covered by the state that are not in the lottery. If free daycare is a big motivation, you may need to find a home with a decent commute to the PK3 spot you've found. As someone who continued to pay for and provide childcare in the home for one of my children at the PK-3 level (he was a bit delayed socially and not really ready for full time school.) I wouldn't do that. I'd prioritize a good school for my first grader. But, if money is quite tight, then you might have a different equation.