DC house hunting in quality school districts

[Anonymous]

We have a 6 month old son and are in the preliminary stages of a DC house hunt. We would very much like to remain in the District and are looking into neighborhoods where we can send our son to public elementary school, including pre-K. We are still settling into our work/baby/family life routine, so have not yet actually embarked on the house search. My hope is that we can find a 3-bedroom house for less than $600K. After our budget, the quality of the school, and proximity to Union station where my husband works, will be the second most important consideration for us. I searched the DCPS site and have not been able to locate an in-bound map for individual schools. For other parents who made the decision about where to live based on school choices, can you please advise where you found information about the zoned school boundaries and recommend any other resources you found useful in researching where to live based on school options?

[Anonymous]

Here is a link to the boundaries for elementary schools:
http://www.hydeaddison.com/files/393338/DCPS-Attendance-Zones-Elementary-Grades-September-2009.pdf

It is from 09 - should be a good start for you.

Have you thought aout Takoma Park? The elementary school is getting a major face lift after the fire in December and not too far from the red line to go down to Union Station.

[Anonymous]

Try the following link:

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Files/downloads/SCHOOLS/Boundary%20Maps%20-%202009/DCPS-Attendance-Zones-Elementary-Grades-September-2009.pdf

[Anonymous]

Getting a 3 bedroom house in one of the top school boundaries for under 600k will be a real challenge. You will most likely need to look beyond the JKLM schools and look at the second-third tier, of which there are some decent options for the early years.

[Anonymous]

Please don't consider non JKLM schools as 2nd or 3rd tier. If you are adamant on DCPS as opposed to Charters, there are still some very great schools east of the park (80% scores Vs 90% WOTP). In fact, I am in the same boat as you. My son has a good WL # at Logan Montessori and we are thinking of buying in that area. We love the houses in Brookland ($500k-$600k for a very nice house), but we would be doing Brookland area charters in that case (Yu Ying, Stokes). We like the Hill schools (primarily Logan) and are looking at Cap Hill and Eckington. You can find a nice rowhouse in Cap Hill for $600k. A whole different thing we are considering is to stay Charter thru middle school then go to DCPS in which case Deal is the only option. Thus, we have also been looking in the parts of 16th Street Heights (that feed into Deal) and Crestwood. I find it easier to plug in the address and get the updated schools http://dcatlas.dcgis.dc.gov/schools/ because there have been some changes and it leaves no question.

Please, do stay in DC. We love it and the educational options. You've got some time, but when the time comes, please don't let it stress you out. Because your price range takes you out of the JKLM neighborhoods (as it does us, which we don't even know if that's where we'd want to be), you have plenty of options.

[Anonymous]

OK I agree, JKLM schools are not the only option, but folks also need to be realistic. I live in Brookland. I was shut out of the lotteries for all the desirable charters. So were my neighbors down the street. They are only going to get more difficult to get into given the number of small children in the area.

If you are moving from an area where there are not charters spend some time looking through the DCUM archives for better or worse you will get a sense of the challenges of relying on this strategy.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the previous poster that you CAN'T rely on getting a space in any of the charters. This year the only schools that more than a handful of children without a sibling got
PK spaces in were: Yu Ying (because it's a bubble year and the class size was bigger), Inspired Teaching, and Mundo Verde (both new schools currently without buildings or teachers). Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Lamb, Stokes, Haynes, 2 Rivers, Capitol City, etc. had any spots in PS, PK or K for non-sibling applicants. NONE. (or very, very close to it).
The charter "scene" today is completely different than it was even 2 years ago. I know quite a few families who were shut out across the board.

Similarly, these days you generally won't get a PK spot at a JKLMM school without an older current sibling enrolled. However, you are guaranteed a spot for K and beyond.

I agree with the previous poster that the schools I'd target are those second tier type DCPS like Eaton, Stoddart, Hyde, Hearst. However, the problem with these schools is that the reason they can accommodate all in boundary students for PK is that most in boundary kids use private schools---because they're wealthy. And as such these areas are likely out of your price range.

I know nothing about the Capitol Hill schools but I've heard good things on this forum. Maybe someone else can address this in detail?

[Anonymous]

@ 19:59--I agree with your overall point, but Two Rivers does expand for PreK and does have about one classroom of spots each year, however they get 300 application so the chances are low! LAMB expanded this year but your point still stands.

OP, consider Capitol Hill, Cluster Schools, Maury, and Brent. Search the forums for more info.

[Anonymous]

If you are adamant on DCPS as opposed to Charters, there are still some very great schools east of the park (80% scores Vs 90% WOTP).

What are the elementary schools east of the park that have 80% proficient (or better) student bodies? Meaning 3rd grade on up, because that's when they begin testing, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don't consider non JKLM schools as 2nd or 3rd tier. If you are adamant on DCPS as opposed to Charters, there are still some very great schools east of the park (80% scores Vs 90% WOTP). In fact, I am in the same boat as you. My son has a good WL # at Logan Montessori and we are thinking of buying in that area. We love the houses in Brookland ($500k-$600k for a very nice house), but we would be doing Brookland area charters in that case (Yu Ying, Stokes). We like the Hill schools (primarily Logan) and are looking at Cap Hill and Eckington. You can find a nice rowhouse in Cap Hill for $600k. A whole different thing we are considering is to stay Charter thru middle school then go to DCPS in which case Deal is the only option. Thus, we have also been looking in the parts of 16th Street Heights (that feed into Deal) and Crestwood. I find it easier to plug in the address and get the updated schools http://dcatlas.dcgis.dc.gov/schools/ because there have been some changes and it leaves no question.

Please, do stay in DC. We love it and the educational options. You've got some time, but when the time comes, please don't let it stress you out. Because your price range takes you out of the JKLM neighborhoods (as it does us, which we don't even know if that's where we'd want to be), you have plenty of options.

Just an FYI we live in Brookland and our daughter goes to Logan and the commute isn't bad at all 10-15 minutes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Similarly, these days you generally won't get a PK spot at a JKLMM school without an older current sibling enrolled. However, you are guaranteed a spot for K and beyond.

I *believe* (and I know someone will correct me if I'm wrong) that the plan is to have universal pre-K in 2014, which would be in time for PP's child. Possible that budget problems will kill that, though.

Also, OP, there are some 3 BR houses in the Murch district for under $700K; the first one is $625K:

http://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/3719-Jenifer-St-NW-20015/home/9971261 (We live in this neighborhood and love it!)

http://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/5235-Nebraska-Ave-NW-20015/home/9977717

http://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/2914-Military-Rd-NW-20015/home/9992585

Good luck to you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the previous poster that you CAN'T rely on getting a space in any of the charters. This year the only schools that more than a handful of children without a sibling got
PK spaces in were: Yu Ying (because it's a bubble year and the class size was bigger), Inspired Teaching, and Mundo Verde (both new schools currently without buildings or teachers). Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Lamb, Stokes, Haynes, 2 Rivers, Capitol City, etc. had any spots in PS, PK or K for non-sibling applicants. NONE. (or very, very close to it).
The charter "scene" today is completely different than it was even 2 years ago. I know quite a few families who were shut out across the board.

Similarly, these days you generally won't get a PK spot at a JKLMM school without an older current sibling enrolled. However, you are guaranteed a spot for K and beyond.

I agree with the previous poster that the schools I'd target are those second tier type DCPS like Eaton, Stoddart, Hyde, Hearst. However, the problem with these schools is that the reason they can accommodate all in boundary students for PK is that most in boundary kids use private schools---because they're wealthy. And as such these areas are likely out of your price range.

I know nothing about the Capitol Hill schools but I've heard good things on this forum. Maybe someone else can address this in detail?

That Yu Ying bubble for fall 2011 is going to become a real challenge for fall 2013. 100 news kids = lots more siblings 2 years later. It's going to be damn near impossible to get in after that.

[Anonymous]

You can get into the Lafayette district for your price range, but would not be as metro accesible, unless one of the townhouses either in Friendship Heights or near CT Ave are available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can get into the Lafayette district for your price range, but would not be as metro accesible, unless one of the townhouses either in Friendship Heights or near CT Ave are available.

Friendship Heights and CC west of Conn Ave. are Murch or Janney, not Lafayette. The semi-detached houses south of Military are also Murch.

[Anonymous]

Agree with previous posters: charter lotteries are a total crap shoot, and in all likelihood you'll get shut out like we have been til this year's Yu Ying bubble miracle. Likewise, the DCPS PS and PK lotteries - don't get your hopes up. I am in the exact same boat as you, just fast forwarded 5 years. Bought a house in Petworth, figuring we'd have plenty of time before we had to make school decisions and assuming the schools would improve in the next 5 years, plus I'm a resourceful, determined professional - I should be able to get my kid into a decent school, right? Ha! That's why its called a lottery... persistence and determination mean nothing. So, our options are buy/rent a tiny condo somewhere in Ward 3 so we're in- boundary at a tolerable school. Or take our $600k and buy a 3-bedroom in Falls Church. Or stay in Petworth and homeschool.