Switching immersion elemen. schools

[Anonymous]

The waitlist for Rock Creek Forest is much higher and longer than Page and Burnt Mills. My older child went to Rock Creek Forest and my younger is at Page. A number of Rock creek family have been applying to get their younger kids in for years. Very very low chance of getting into Rock creek Forest after K. But a decent chance for Page and Burnt Mills. RCF seems to have the highest demand, but Page and Burt Mills are fantastic programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually you may not have bad chances — that means your kid would have to rest in correct? Maybe the waitlist to test in is not as high.

OP here-Interesting, didn’t know a waitlist to test in exists. Finding so many hidden rules and policies within MCPS.

You can ask for a cosa but very hard to get for want, not need.

[Anonymous]

People do move away etc in upper ES grades. At that age students are expected to be able to read novels and write essays in the target language. Most ES students not growing up in Spanish-speaking household would not have this capability—therefore student must test in. This should be obvious.

Any newly vacant seats in upper grades would be harder to fill because they are not going to revert back to ABCs due to one student, so your kid might have an ok chance of switching to those less popular host schools after the second grade.

[Anonymous]

As an immersion parent, I've definitely seen it happen. I have no idea how easy or frequent it is.

[Anonymous]

If there is space, I don’t see how switching schools in immersion, so long as it’s the same language, would be a problem. But the first step is to ask those schools’ coordinators (both current and the one you’d like to switch to). They wouldn’t need to test in if the current school can just share how they’re doing.

But this is all theoretical. Ask the coordinators.

[Anonymous]

Former RCF parent. I saw it happen from RCF to another school for one of the reasons listed above (home school, commute/ childcare). I do remember kids coming into immersion at RCF but they tested in and were all U.S. kids who had attended schools in Spanish.

[Anonymous]

This is all going to run through the lottery. I’d be curious whether an immersion student at another MCPS program really had to sit the test, but the first step is certainly going to be winning a seat via the lottery. They run it for every grade in ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is all going to run through the lottery. I’d be curious whether an immersion student at another MCPS program really had to sit the test, but the first step is certainly going to be winning a seat via the lottery. They run it for every grade in ES.

Why are you so sure it runs through the lottery? In our immersion ES, we have had a couple of kids move to the other ES offering the program in only the first four years—each time mid-year. Seems likelier than a lottery would allow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is all going to run through the lottery. I’d be curious whether an immersion student at another MCPS program really had to sit the test, but the first step is certainly going to be winning a seat via the lottery. They run it for every grade in ES.

Are you sure there’s a lottery for every grade? I’m the previous RCF parent that posted above and kids left every grade. There were definitely spots by grades 3, 4 and 5. But most kids wouldn’t be able to test at the appropriate level for those spots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all going to run through the lottery. I’d be curious whether an immersion student at another MCPS program really had to sit the test, but the first step is certainly going to be winning a seat via the lottery. They run it for every grade in ES.

Are you sure there’s a lottery for every grade? I’m the previous RCF parent that posted above and kids left every grade. There were definitely spots by grades 3, 4 and 5. But most kids wouldn’t be able to test at the appropriate level for those spots.

They run the same application process for every grade, but you’re right that they only conduct an actual lottery if applications exceed available space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all going to run through the lottery. I’d be curious whether an immersion student at another MCPS program really had to sit the test, but the first step is certainly going to be winning a seat via the lottery. They run it for every grade in ES.

Are you sure there’s a lottery for every grade? I’m the previous RCF parent that posted above and kids left every grade. There were definitely spots by grades 3, 4 and 5. But most kids wouldn’t be able to test at the appropriate level for those spots.

They run the same application process for every grade, but you’re right that they only conduct an actual lottery if applications exceed available space.

We participated in the lottery for RCF last year for 2nd grade and received a high waitlist number, so I would say demand is still high.
After three years of not getting in, we are throwing in the towel. 😒