Report Residency Fraud (non resident cheaters)

[Anonymous]

Public schools require the parent registering the child to prove they are a DC resident through various means.The person picking up could be a grandparent, older sibling, or the other parent who might live out of state. I don't see the reason behind suspecting residency fraud simply becuase parent/guardian picking up a child has MD/VA plates. If it were a New York plate would that make a difference? In all likelihood the one case mentioned earlier might have been through the school and boards own controls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would call OSSE and tell them what you have. What I'm sure they don't want is people to approach kids and ask them their names. Believe me, I've been tempted, but know that is totally inappropriate. Explain that you know the grade and class of the student and provide the license no. Let them take it from there. Or, you could tell the school. They'll be better able to identify any potential cheaters. The child who is attending the school is not the offender. It's their parents' fault and it's our duty to report residency fraud, while preserving the dignity of the children forced in to cheating.

A lot of the schools know about that they have MD residents in their school so it might be dismissed when you tell them. Contact OSSE or the DC charter board online form..

[Anonymous]

Why is everyone so quick to assume that people are cheating? When my partner and I had our first daughter he lived in MD while our daughter lived in DC with me. Some children do come from seperated families. Also, what about nannies or before/after care arrangements? I know several families who have uncles/ grandparents/daycare providers doing drop offs and pick ups. Finally, what about people who simply live in DC but have their cars registered in MD for lower car insurance? Is this every case? No. But is it some, yes. I'd advise you investigators to proceed with caution before you start making people's lives hell for no reason.

[Anonymous]

You must be new here. Welcome.

[Anonymous]

But it is not hard to prove residency, right? So this wouldn't be making people's lives hell, unless of course they weren't residents.

[Anonymous]

If you people are in the schools, why the intensity to report? What do you gain? How strange the school community must feel, with every MD driver, a grandparent or divorced parent, who had a student legitimately enrolled but has to wonder if they're being reported for their license plate.

There has to be a better way ...

[Anonymous]

P.S. I get that the fraud is bad, but some of you have gone vigilante. Is DCPS discussing a way around this ... maybe co-parents can get a sticker or something that proves they are legit. This surveillance by other parents sounds insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is everyone so quick to assume that people are cheating? When my partner and I had our first daughter he lived in MD while our daughter lived in DC with me. Some children do come from seperated families. Also, what about nannies or before/after care arrangements? I know several families who have uncles/ grandparents/daycare providers doing drop offs and pick ups. Finally, what about people who simply live in DC but have their cars registered in MD for lower car insurance? Is this every case? No. But is it some, yes. I'd advise you investigators to proceed with caution before you start making people's lives hell for no reason.

you know this is illegal. if you live in DC, your car MUST be registered in DC. if you move from somewhere else you have, if I remember, 30 days to get a DC license plate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you people are in the schools, why the intensity to report? What do you gain? How strange the school community must feel, with every MD driver, a grandparent or divorced parent, who had a student legitimately enrolled but has to wonder if they're being reported for their license plate.

There has to be a better way ...

let's see: DC kids can get the education they are entitled to, instead of be left on a waitlist (e.g. recent case of 6 cheaters found at Stokes, other cheaters found a while ago at YY); my tax dollars go to fund education of DC kids, and not of kids of people who chose to live and pay taxes elsewhere

I really do not see the drama of being investigated. I could not care less if we are investigated. I could welcome the investigators to our home in DC, invte them to talk to our neighbors who see us every morning get out of our house, show them our paystubs with DC taxes, our car with DC license plate. if we had a grandma or nanny with a MD license plate, it would be pretty easy to show we live in DC. if a family has a more complex situation, they can still accept to be audited. getting an education in a DCPS or DC charter is a service that is free for DC residents. if I apply for any public benefits (food stamps, public housing) I would find normal that I can be audited. and if I drove a mercedes I would find it even more normal.

the reality is that in some schools it appears that residency cheaters exist in good numbers. people who complain about reporting cheaters are probably the cheaters themselves

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But it is not hard to prove residency, right? So this wouldn't be making people's lives hell, unless of course they weren't residents.

+1

"Making their lives hell" is a little dramatic, don't you think PP? If, for example, the parents are separated and one lives in Maryland, if the school inquires then you explain the situation, prove the residency of the custodial (DC) parent, and you're done. Is that really hellish?

[Anonymous]

But schools already do that! Each year you have to prove residency. This extra scrutiny is what can make people's lives hellish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But schools already do that! Each year you have to prove residency. This extra scrutiny is what can make people's lives hellish.

Can we get some testimony from a person here who is a legal District resident who has had a "hellish" experience with the extra scrutiny? No?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:a Maryland resident was just withdrawn from our DCPS today and handed a bill for retroactive tuition. Report suspected fraud. DCPS does investigate and they do bill offenders.

Why did they not let the kid finish out the year. The parents received the tuition bill for the entire school year, so why not let the kid continue until June. Two-thirds of the year was complete. BTW-- what grade was the kid enrolled?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But schools already do that! Each year you have to prove residency. This extra scrutiny is what can make people's lives hellish.

Can we get some testimony from a person here who is a legal District resident who has had a "hellish" experience with the extra scrutiny? No?

You haven't given a logical reason for the extra scrutiny, though. If schools have controls in place to prevent this, why take it upon yourself to do this--even though your kid maybe in at that school.

I'm not condoning cheaters, but what's your reason for being a 'bounty hunter'? Schools already require people to prove residency, and if they are found in breach, are charged accordingly. Your time could be better spent, IMHO, fund raising and building up the school community.

[Anonymous]

Nothing is confidential and you have to absolutely sure. A person has right to face their accuser and I have seen confrotational between the pointer and the pointee. The fingers became fists and it was not pretty at all. An angry parent is wrath that many are not prepared to defend when confronted.