Thoughts about sibling preference in lottery

[Anonymous]

Part of the benefit of the sibling system is that it creates family investment in the school which means fundraising, volunteering, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

That has long been the dumbest argument about this topic. It's like complaining that housing prices were lower five years ago so some could afford to buy IB WOPT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

That has long been the dumbest argument about this topic. It's like complaining that housing prices were lower five years ago so some could afford to buy IB WOPT.

?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

Some did, some didn't. But don't say the odds are the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

That has long been the dumbest argument about this topic. It's like complaining that housing prices were lower five years ago so some could afford to buy IB WOPT.

No, it's like complaining that someone who bought a house in Columbia Heights 10 years ago was more fortunate. But that person took a risk on a "transitional" neighborhood that has panned out. Go and buy in Michigan Park if you want to try the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

That has long been the dumbest argument about this topic. It's like complaining that housing prices were lower five years ago so some could afford to buy IB WOPT.

No, it's like complaining that someone who bought a house in Columbia Heights 10 years ago was more fortunate. But that person took a risk on a "transitional" neighborhood that has panned out. Go and buy in Michigan Park if you want to try the same thing.

Um, really? Michigan Park? Not quite CH back in the day! Wow what a risky gamble

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

That has long been the dumbest argument about this topic. It's like complaining that housing prices were lower five years ago so some could afford to buy IB WOPT.

No, it's like complaining that someone who bought a house in Columbia Heights 10 years ago was more fortunate. But that person took a risk on a "transitional" neighborhood that has panned out. Go and buy in Michigan Park if you want to try the same thing.

Actually it is nothing like buying a house.

In our IB school, roughly 40 to 50 students had been applying to the ECE program for years. Our year it was 75 and it hasn't dropped below 65 in the 6 years since. These things make massive jumps year to year and DCPS is unable to plan for it in a meaningful way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

That has long been the dumbest argument about this topic. It's like complaining that housing prices were lower five years ago so some could afford to buy IB WOPT.

No, it's like complaining that someone who bought a house in Columbia Heights 10 years ago was more fortunate. But that person took a risk on a "transitional" neighborhood that has panned out. Go and buy in Michigan Park if you want to try the same thing.

Actually it is nothing like buying a house.

In our IB school, roughly 40 to 50 students had been applying to the ECE program for years. Our year it was 75 and it hasn't dropped below 65 in the 6 years since. These things make massive jumps year to year and DCPS is unable to plan for it in a meaningful way.

PP was saying it was like buying a house 10 years ago, and on that point she isn't wrong. 11 years ago, I got up early one morning to stand in line for SWS as in-bound. I had already called about and was offered an IB spot at Peabody downstairs. I also put DD's name in the lotteries for Brent and CH Montessori (then at Watkins) and Two Rivers, all for PK4. We got in everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

That has long been the dumbest argument about this topic. It's like complaining that housing prices were lower five years ago so some could afford to buy IB WOPT.

No, it's like complaining that someone who bought a house in Columbia Heights 10 years ago was more fortunate. But that person took a risk on a "transitional" neighborhood that has panned out. Go and buy in Michigan Park if you want to try the same thing.

Actually it is nothing like buying a house.

In our IB school, roughly 40 to 50 students had been applying to the ECE program for years. Our year it was 75 and it hasn't dropped below 65 in the 6 years since. These things make massive jumps year to year and DCPS is unable to plan for it in a meaningful way.

That being said, you have to have sib preference in some way. I'm just always amazed how quickly people are to shut the door on the people behind them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

That has long been the dumbest argument about this topic. It's like complaining that housing prices were lower five years ago so some could afford to buy IB WOPT.

No, it's like complaining that someone who bought a house in Columbia Heights 10 years ago was more fortunate. But that person took a risk on a "transitional" neighborhood that has panned out. Go and buy in Michigan Park if you want to try the same thing.

Actually it is nothing like buying a house.

In our IB school, roughly 40 to 50 students had been applying to the ECE program for years. Our year it was 75 and it hasn't dropped below 65 in the 6 years since. These things make massive jumps year to year and DCPS is unable to plan for it in a meaningful way.

You have no right to ECE. It is a program to fill under-enrolled schools and while getting economically disadvantaged kids into preschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dealing with the school lottery over the years, I am conflicted about the sibling preference option. (I have one kid).

I get it for preschool/elementary school--it's easier for the family.

But for middle and high school? Seriously? The goose keeps laying the golden eggs for these people.

What opinions do you have about it?

The first child in every family has the same odds.

And then there are a bunch of miscellaneous dynamics at play. For example, what about the younger siblings who don’t apply widely because their family wants them to go where their older sibling got in?

The sibling preference exists for good reasons and you are not disadvantaged by it as much as you want to believe.

This. I have foregone spots at both Yu Ying and LAMB because siblings would never get in.

Without sibling preference, I would have had to spend all my time commuting and would not have been able to do anywhere near as much volunteering, and try to divide my volunteering across two schools. That would preclude any significant role.

The real problem, obviously, is not enough good schools.

If sibling preference was restricted to elementary school, as OP suggested, the would not be any commuting impacts since MS/HS kids can get around on their own in DC. So it would not impact your total amount of volunteering time.

What? Sorry but some schools do not have good transit availability. It significantly complicates family life even if I don't have to drive them. And then there are the late evening events, when transit is even worse. And of course, different off days and breaks. It would suck.

Even if the amount of volunteering is the same number of hours, dividing across schools means no major role at either one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

That has long been the dumbest argument about this topic. It's like complaining that housing prices were lower five years ago so some could afford to buy IB WOPT.

No, it's like complaining that someone who bought a house in Columbia Heights 10 years ago was more fortunate. But that person took a risk on a "transitional" neighborhood that has panned out. Go and buy in Michigan Park if you want to try the same thing.

Actually it is nothing like buying a house.

In our IB school, roughly 40 to 50 students had been applying to the ECE program for years. Our year it was 75 and it hasn't dropped below 65 in the 6 years since. These things make massive jumps year to year and DCPS is unable to plan for it in a meaningful way.

You have no right to ECE. It is a program to fill under-enrolled schools and while getting economically disadvantaged kids into preschool.

I know all of these things. But is that what is happening? In practice, it is full of younger sibs of parents that made wise housing choices. So I think it is a fair question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

That has long been the dumbest argument about this topic. It's like complaining that housing prices were lower five years ago so some could afford to buy IB WOPT.

No, it's like complaining that someone who bought a house in Columbia Heights 10 years ago was more fortunate. But that person took a risk on a "transitional" neighborhood that has panned out. Go and buy in Michigan Park if you want to try the same thing.

Actually it is nothing like buying a house.

In our IB school, roughly 40 to 50 students had been applying to the ECE program for years. Our year it was 75 and it hasn't dropped below 65 in the 6 years since. These things make massive jumps year to year and DCPS is unable to plan for it in a meaningful way.

That being said, you have to have sib preference in some way. I'm just always amazed how quickly people are to shut the door on the people behind them.

I’m just not sure I agree that at a neighborhood school sibling #4 from across the street should have more right to an ECE spot than child 1 of another family. Assuming of course that neither is at risk. (I would be totally on board for an economic preference). I get that the family commuting across town to a charter is in a different position but in a neighborhood school Baby 4 can wait a year or find another option just as easily as Baby 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I don't think older kids had the same odds. Wait lists in many neighborhoods across the city are much longer now than they were 5 years ago.

Please. Most of those kids took a flyer on an unknown quantity back in the day. They were willing to take the risk and helped to make the successful charters what they are now. You are welcome to do that with new charters as well.

That has long been the dumbest argument about this topic. It's like complaining that housing prices were lower five years ago so some could afford to buy IB WOPT.

No, it's like complaining that someone who bought a house in Columbia Heights 10 years ago was more fortunate. But that person took a risk on a "transitional" neighborhood that has panned out. Go and buy in Michigan Park if you want to try the same thing.

Actually it is nothing like buying a house.

In our IB school, roughly 40 to 50 students had been applying to the ECE program for years. Our year it was 75 and it hasn't dropped below 65 in the 6 years since. These things make massive jumps year to year and DCPS is unable to plan for it in a meaningful way.

That being said, you have to have sib preference in some way. I'm just always amazed how quickly people are to shut the door on the people behind them.

I’m just not sure I agree that at a neighborhood school sibling #4 from across the street should have more right to an ECE spot than child 1 of another family. Assuming of course that neither is at risk. (I would be totally on board for an economic preference). I get that the family commuting across town to a charter is in a different position but in a neighborhood school Baby 4 can wait a year or find another option just as easily as Baby 1.

So you're just talking about JKLM again? Or what? Because the IBs I know have plenty of space. Or, at least, a pretty good amount of space. And, you're guaranteed at K so who cares, private daycare for 2 more years. Big whoop. Cry me a river.