DC Govt Employees Enrolling Kids in School Near Office

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recommend perusing the DCPS website or giving them a call to find out for certain. You never know. There could be some loophole many don't know about. I doubt a person doing this illegally would speak openly about it, claiming that it's all above board. Everyone knows residency fraud is a real thing in DC, and there have been articles about families being sued because of it. Anyone (knowingly) doing it does so in a hush-hush manner.

This was my thought. I was surprised to hear her say she did this, and she's not a cheat the system kind of person. She implied that it happens across the city, so I wonder if it is a small loophole or "unofficial" loophole that DCPS turns a blind eye to. Just curious if others had heard of such a thing. I don't actually think it's a terrible thing to give DC government employees (who actually are DC residents of course) this kind of perk for government service, especially if it's just limited to the school in-bounds to their office.

The rules are published. There's a handbook. Make the bad man stop. Oh, and learn to read instead of listening to your stupid friends and then coming here to spread noise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recommend perusing the DCPS website or giving them a call to find out for certain. You never know. There could be some loophole many don't know about. I doubt a person doing this illegally would speak openly about it, claiming that it's all above board. Everyone knows residency fraud is a real thing in DC, and there have been articles about families being sued because of it. Anyone (knowingly) doing it does so in a hush-hush manner.

This was my thought. I was surprised to hear her say she did this, and she's not a cheat the system kind of person. She implied that it happens across the city, so I wonder if it is a small loophole or "unofficial" loophole that DCPS turns a blind eye to. Just curious if others had heard of such a thing. I don't actually think it's a terrible thing to give DC government employees (who actually are DC residents of course) this kind of perk for government service, especially if it's just limited to the school in-bounds to their office.

The rules are published. There's a handbook. Make the bad man stop. Oh, and learn to read instead of listening to your stupid friends and then coming here to spread noise.

In DC, published rules and actual practice do not always line up. The original question was about the latter, if you read the thread. But thanks for the name calling.

[Anonymous]

There's no special treatment for DC Gov't employees. My inbound school sucks, so I pay for private. No Janney for us!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recommend perusing the DCPS website or giving them a call to find out for certain. You never know. There could be some loophole many don't know about. I doubt a person doing this illegally would speak openly about it, claiming that it's all above board. Everyone knows residency fraud is a real thing in DC, and there have been articles about families being sued because of it. Anyone (knowingly) doing it does so in a hush-hush manner.

This was my thought. I was surprised to hear her say she did this, and she's not a cheat the system kind of person. She implied that it happens across the city, so I wonder if it is a small loophole or "unofficial" loophole that DCPS turns a blind eye to. Just curious if others had heard of such a thing. I don't actually think it's a terrible thing to give DC government employees (who actually are DC residents of course) this kind of perk for government service, especially if it's just limited to the school in-bounds to their office.

Nope she flat out lied.

[Anonymous]

As a DC government employee myself, I would love it if I could just enroll my kid in any school I felt like, but such a policy does not exist.

It's hard to understand what is actually happening from the description posted above. You stated that this person is "allowed" to enroll their child in a certain school. It is true that they are "allowed" to enroll their child at this school, if they are DC residents who live out of boundary, this means applying via myschool.dc for an out of boundary placement.

[Anonymous]

The policy does not exist, but we did play the lottery for Watkins and got in.

My job is 5 blocks away

[Anonymous]

if you want to report the kid - do it. If not, don't worry about it. They did just pull a kid from our school where a parent was faking a work address as a home address. It happens. I feel bad for the kid who is being penalized with consequences of a bad situation cased by the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Report them for residency violation.

How is this a residency violation if someone tells the principal, I live in SE, but work a block away, and the principal enrolls them? It's not like they're pretending to live in-bounds?

Because OOB seats have to be distributed via the lottery.

But what if they were low on the waitlist, and they were bumped up? Not being argumentative, I'm just trying to understand the story I heard from a DC employee who said she did this and it was totally above board.

Because there are some specific preferences: sibling, IB, parent/staff, OOB with proximity. There is no "my mommy works nearby" preference.

You must be new here, because you don't really "get DC."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's no special treatment for DC Gov't employees. My inbound school sucks, so I pay for private. No Janney for us!

There may be a certain informal "professional courtesy," especially if the principal's family and the DC employee's family are acquainted somehow, or have a church or fraternity connection. This is how the District works

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It isn't above board. If someone is doing it, they are breaking the rules.

That said, it used to happen prior to the common lottery. So someone could have done this back then and their child remains at the school.

This is very true, would apply to siblings as well of the older admitted student. Even as few as 6-7 years ago waitlists at most non-Ward 3 schools were pretty short, and principals had a lot more discretion. There were definitely a few shady things going on. Almost all of that has stopped now with the common lottery, thankfully.

You are joking - Hearst Principal did this 3 years ago - not 6 to 7.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recommend perusing the DCPS website or giving them a call to find out for certain. You never know. There could be some loophole many don't know about. I doubt a person doing this illegally would speak openly about it, claiming that it's all above board. Everyone knows residency fraud is a real thing in DC, and there have been articles about families being sued because of it. Anyone (knowingly) doing it does so in a hush-hush manner.

This was my thought. I was surprised to hear her say she did this, and she's not a cheat the system kind of person. She implied that it happens across the city, so I wonder if it is a small loophole or "unofficial" loophole that DCPS turns a blind eye to. Just curious if others had heard of such a thing. I don't actually think it's a terrible thing to give DC government employees (who actually are DC residents of course) this kind of perk for government service, especially if it's just limited to the school in-bounds to their office.

You get very bad behavior with rules like this. I am making this up - but I have seen examples like I am presenting with my work:
Every police officer gets a transfer to the Idaho Ave location when they have a child entering PreK (IB for Eaton) OR when their child is entering 9th grade
Every EMS, Fire Department employee gets stationed near a desirable school for a period of time

It is very difficult to administer the plan - what happens when the parent gets transferred? Quits?

[Anonymous]

OP, please call and find out. I taught in DC schools and my school had tons of out-of-bound students. My principal informed many students they could not return the following year--his school improvement strategy. Some parents went scrambling with their head between their legs. Others advocated for their children and kept them in the school because DCPS rules allow students to go to any school they want. This is at the HS level. I'm not sure if your co-worker's child is elementary or if that even matters.

Some in the public are simply not aware of many things when it comes to DC schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, please call and find out. I taught in DC schools and my school had tons of out-of-bound students. My principal informed many students they could not return the following year--his school improvement strategy. Some parents went scrambling with their head between their legs. Others advocated for their children and kept them in the school because DCPS rules allow students to go to any school they want. This is at the HS level. I'm not sure if your co-worker's child is elementary or if that even matters.

Some in the public are simply not aware of many things when it comes to DC schools.

Once in, students get to stay in a school and its feeder pattern, so long as they don't accumulate too many absences or tardies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's no special treatment for DC Gov't employees. My inbound school sucks, so I pay for private. No Janney for us!

There may be a certain informal "professional courtesy," especially if the principal's family and the DC employee's family are acquainted somehow, or have a church or fraternity connection. This is how the District works

I believe that fraternal and church connections extend beyond the District. I don't understand why people like you often act like SAE bros don't look out for one another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Report them for residency violation.

How is this a residency violation if someone tells the principal, I live in SE, but work a block away, and the principal enrolls them? It's not like they're pretending to live in-bounds?

Because OOB seats have to be distributed via the lottery.

But what if they were low on the waitlist, and they were bumped up? Not being argumentative, I'm just trying to understand the story I heard from a DC employee who said she did this and it was totally above board.

Because there are some specific preferences: sibling, IB, parent/staff, OOB with proximity. There is no "my mommy works nearby" preference.

You must be new here, because you don't really "get DC."

I've lived here for 20 years. I "get DC." Is it a town with a long history of graft and corruption among municipal employees? Hell, yes! The Barry work-ethic lives on! The Barry honesty lives on!

That's the whole point. There is no LEGAL "my mommy works nearby" preference. But who cares? Not long-time DC residents. They're entitled to anything they can imagine and spread a rumor about.

Does some foolish, entitled woman in DC Government believe there is? Probably so. Incidentally, that's why I'm glad I voted against DC Statehood (an occurrence which would never take place no matter whom was elected President, because it would require the majority rule of both Houses of Congress. Obama shot that wad). Too many residents are too stupid and corrupt to be allowed to influence U.S. policy.

Vote to exempt us from federal taxes, instead.