In-bounds verification

[Anonymous]

We live IB for Maury, 30 yrs after we landed on the Hill as college sweethearts. Our youngest completed 5th grade at Maury in the spring. Our Maury tenure was of 10 years duration. We knew a few “boundary cheaters” at Maury whom we met when they had toddlers lived in small houses near ours. Later on, they moved to larger houses IB for other Hill schools. I can’t remember exactly when these folks moved OOB and could care less where they live now. We’re far too busy to fuss about such things, like most Hill families with older kids and teens. Fact is, you’re not at Maury, or Brent or LT, all that long before you’re worried about MS and HS (since EH is no great prize, like Jefferson and SH). If you’re hung up on the lives of ES boundary cheaters please get a life yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live IB for Maury, 30 yrs after we landed on the Hill as college sweethearts. Our youngest completed 5th grade at Maury in the spring. Our Maury tenure was of 10 years duration. We knew a few “boundary cheaters” at Maury whom we met when they had toddlers lived in small houses near ours. Later on, they moved to larger houses IB for other Hill schools. I can’t remember exactly when these folks moved OOB and could care less where they live now. We’re far too busy to fuss about such things, like most Hill families with older kids and teens. Fact is, you’re not at Maury, or Brent or LT, all that long before you’re worried about MS and HS (since EH is no great prize, like Jefferson and SH). If you’re hung up on the lives of ES boundary cheaters please get a life yourself.

Again, of course you don't care -- your kids went to Maury. Why would you resent people who also sent their kids to Maury even if they lived elsewhere, especially if you knew and liked them already?

Though that's interesting because presumably anyone who rented their Maury-assigned "small homes" could also enroll at Maury. Maury is at capacity. If it gets more crowded, I would imagine having multiple families using the same address to claim IB spots (even though only one of those families actually lives there) would become quite problematic, no?

Anyway, the people who care have kids at Payne, Miner, JOW, and yes they are bothered by IB families who use their former address to get their kids into Maury/Brent/LT and spare their kids having to attend their IB school. But are happy to buy homes IB for these schools.

Turns out there are actually downsides to this practice but I'm aware the cheaters who engage in it like to pretend they don't exist as long as they themselves don't experience any of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live IB for Maury, 30 yrs after we landed on the Hill as college sweethearts. Our youngest completed 5th grade at Maury in the spring. Our Maury tenure was of 10 years duration. We knew a few “boundary cheaters” at Maury whom we met when they had toddlers lived in small houses near ours. Later on, they moved to larger houses IB for other Hill schools. I can’t remember exactly when these folks moved OOB and could care less where they live now. We’re far too busy to fuss about such things, like most Hill families with older kids and teens. Fact is, you’re not at Maury, or Brent or LT, all that long before you’re worried about MS and HS (since EH is no great prize, like Jefferson and SH). If you’re hung up on the lives of ES boundary cheaters please get a life yourself.

Again, of course you don't care -- your kids went to Maury. Why would you resent people who also sent their kids to Maury even if they lived elsewhere, especially if you knew and liked them already?

Though that's interesting because presumably anyone who rented their Maury-assigned "small homes" could also enroll at Maury. Maury is at capacity. If it gets more crowded, I would imagine having multiple families using the same address to claim IB spots (even though only one of those families actually lives there) would become quite problematic, no?

Anyway, the people who care have kids at Payne, Miner, JOW, and yes they are bothered by IB families who use their former address to get their kids into Maury/Brent/LT and spare their kids having to attend their IB school. But are happy to buy homes IB for these schools.

Turns out there are actually downsides to this practice but I'm aware the cheaters who engage in it like to pretend they don't exist as long as they themselves don't experience any of them.

This reason for being mad—the kids aren’t at your kids’ school, where presumably they would be a positive influence—is the funniest one yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The OSSE online tip form for reporting non-residency explicitly states that OSSE does not investigate boundary fraud. If that’s not clear enough, I’m not sure there’s any convincing the posters on this thread.

https://dc-osse-oer.i-sight.com/portal

[i] OSSE does not investigate District of Columbia Public School boundary issues, only issues of non-residency.[i]

I feel like people so dead set on minimizing this have a real lack of understanding of how law enforcement works. If you report a false address and OSSE (or another agency) finds out, they *do not know* you live in the district. Because you have reported a false address, not your actual address. So this becomes a residency investigation. God speed to you if you believe that you can then continue to report your false address to investigators, or that there will be zero repercussions when it is revealed you made a false attestation. No you will not be prosecuted under the residency fraud statute, but you are absolutely smoking something if you don’t understand that law enforcement gets very pissed if you lie.

More to the point, you have a real lack of real understanding how DCPS enrollment works. Own an IB property where you file DC income tax and enroll your kid in your by-right DCPS schools without penalty. That's the system de facto. Nobody much is getting "very pissed" but you and the like-minded on DCUM.

You realize that reporting a false address on your taxes is also illegal?

I'm honestly trying to understand how this could be a problem. Say you own and/or rent two properties in the District. You file taxes, claim the Homestead Deduction, etc. with one address, and use the second address to enroll in school. If you use your paystub to verify your address with the school, which is the simplest method without using the OTR system (which is only available for re-enrollment), you change your paystub to the second address for a month or two, submit the paystub, then change it back to the first address. You then file your DC taxes under the first address, claim your Homestead Deduction, and OTR has no idea (or would even care?) you changed your address for a month. You're paying DC taxes either way, and the Homestead Deduction is prorated based on whether you apply for it in the first or second half of the year, not based on the exact month. You don't have to file taxes under the second address to enroll as an IB family, you only need a paystub that shows DC tax withholding and that IB address. For all anyone knows, your house was unlivable for that month and you moved into a temporary rental/your second house. Which IS a legitimate way to legally circumvent the boundary rules, and technically by the book as long as you actually lived in the second house when you enrolled in the school.

I think this happens all of the time, and neither OSSE nor OTR give a hoot as long as you still pay your DC taxes and don't actually live in Maryland. What exactly is the legal violation that law enforcement is going to prosecute?

don’t ask me, ask the US Attorney when they ask why you falsified your address. tax authorities very much care that you not lie on the forms.

that’s what’s so annoying about you people - you believe you’re above the law just because “who could possibly care about my eensy weensy fraud!”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live IB for Maury, 30 yrs after we landed on the Hill as college sweethearts. Our youngest completed 5th grade at Maury in the spring. Our Maury tenure was of 10 years duration. We knew a few “boundary cheaters” at Maury whom we met when they had toddlers lived in small houses near ours. Later on, they moved to larger houses IB for other Hill schools. I can’t remember exactly when these folks moved OOB and could care less where they live now. We’re far too busy to fuss about such things, like most Hill families with older kids and teens. Fact is, you’re not at Maury, or Brent or LT, all that long before you’re worried about MS and HS (since EH is no great prize, like Jefferson and SH). If you’re hung up on the lives of ES boundary cheaters please get a life yourself.

Again, of course you don't care -- your kids went to Maury. Why would you resent people who also sent their kids to Maury even if they lived elsewhere, especially if you knew and liked them already?

Though that's interesting because presumably anyone who rented their Maury-assigned "small homes" could also enroll at Maury. Maury is at capacity. If it gets more crowded, I would imagine having multiple families using the same address to claim IB spots (even though only one of those families actually lives there) would become quite problematic, no?

Anyway, the people who care have kids at Payne, Miner, JOW, and yes they are bothered by IB families who use their former address to get their kids into Maury/Brent/LT and spare their kids having to attend their IB school. But are happy to buy homes IB for these schools.

Turns out there are actually downsides to this practice but I'm aware the cheaters who engage in it like to pretend they don't exist as long as they themselves don't experience any of them.

For the 100th time, moving OOB after enrolling is ALLOWED under DCPS policy. It is not cheating, it is following the DCPS policy. Even if they rent out their former address, even if it's sold 10 times and 10 different families enroll. That's not cheating, that's the rules (on page 9).

https://enrolldcps.dc.gov/sites/dcpsenrollment/files/page_content/attachments/SY22-23%20Enrollment%20and%20Lottery%20Handbook%20FINAL_0.pdf

[Anonymous]

Federal tax authorities simply care that US citizens and permanent residents pay all taxes owed by established deadlines. So says my spouse, tax attorney. Where taxpayers claim domicile and pay state income tax doesn’t bother tax authorities in the least, as long as taxpayers claim but one domicile and no other party claims the same domicile unreasonably and coterminously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Federal tax authorities simply care that US citizens and permanent residents pay all taxes owed by established deadlines. So says my spouse, tax attorney. Where taxpayers claim domicile and pay state income tax doesn’t bother tax authorities in the least, as long as taxpayers claim but one domicile and no other party claims the same domicile unreasonably and coterminously.

that’s a lot of qualifications there! and of course the renters would also be claiming the address as their domicile.

and of course DC tax authories don’t want you to lie about your domicile either …

[Anonymous]

Renters may or may not be living in the house used for IB enrollment. Relatives may be living there, or short-term subletters or nobody. Not a safe assumption that two families are filing taxes there. Far from it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Federal tax authorities simply care that US citizens and permanent residents pay all taxes owed by established deadlines. So says my spouse, tax attorney. Where taxpayers claim domicile and pay state income tax doesn’t bother tax authorities in the least, as long as taxpayers claim but one domicile and no other party claims the same domicile unreasonably and coterminously.

that’s a lot of qualifications there! and of course the renters would also be claiming the address as their domicile.

and of course DC tax authories don’t want you to lie about your domicile either …

But you’re not lying on your tax forms, you’re listing the address you live at. You’re lying to OSSE (unless you did actually move back temporarily), and OSSE says in writing that they don’t care as long as you’re a DC resident paying DC taxes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The OSSE online tip form for reporting non-residency explicitly states that OSSE does not investigate boundary fraud. If that’s not clear enough, I’m not sure there’s any convincing the posters on this thread.

https://dc-osse-oer.i-sight.com/portal

[i] OSSE does not investigate District of Columbia Public School boundary issues, only issues of non-residency.[i]

I feel like people so dead set on minimizing this have a real lack of understanding of how law enforcement works. If you report a false address and OSSE (or another agency) finds out, they *do not know* you live in the district. Because you have reported a false address, not your actual address. So this becomes a residency investigation. God speed to you if you believe that you can then continue to report your false address to investigators, or that there will be zero repercussions when it is revealed you made a false attestation. No you will not be prosecuted under the residency fraud statute, but you are absolutely smoking something if you don’t understand that law enforcement gets very pissed if you lie.

More to the point, you have a real lack of real understanding how DCPS enrollment works. Own an IB property where you file DC income tax and enroll your kid in your by-right DCPS schools without penalty. That's the system de facto. Nobody much is getting "very pissed" but you and the like-minded on DCUM.

You realize that reporting a false address on your taxes is also illegal?

I'm honestly trying to understand how this could be a problem. Say you own and/or rent two properties in the District. You file taxes, claim the Homestead Deduction, etc. with one address, and use the second address to enroll in school. If you use your paystub to verify your address with the school, which is the simplest method without using the OTR system (which is only available for re-enrollment), you change your paystub to the second address for a month or two, submit the paystub, then change it back to the first address. You then file your DC taxes under the first address, claim your Homestead Deduction, and OTR has no idea (or would even care?) you changed your address for a month. You're paying DC taxes either way, and the Homestead Deduction is prorated based on whether you apply for it in the first or second half of the year, not based on the exact month. You don't have to file taxes under the second address to enroll as an IB family, you only need a paystub that shows DC tax withholding and that IB address. For all anyone knows, your house was unlivable for that month and you moved into a temporary rental/your second house. Which IS a legitimate way to legally circumvent the boundary rules, and technically by the book as long as you actually lived in the second house when you enrolled in the school.

I think this happens all of the time, and neither OSSE nor OTR give a hoot as long as you still pay your DC taxes and don't actually live in Maryland. What exactly is the legal violation that law enforcement is going to prosecute?

don’t ask me, ask the US Attorney when they ask why you falsified your address. tax authorities very much care that you not lie on the forms.

that’s what’s so annoying about you people - you believe you’re above the law just because “who could possibly care about my eensy weensy fraud!”

Never had to lie on a tax form. And my youngest is in his last year at the school, so unless there’s some investigation between now and June 🤷‍♂️

[Anonymous]

No one has explained what happens when the IB house is rented by another family and then both families (the one who owns it but lives elsewhere, and the one renting it and actually living it) claim it as their "residence" in order to get into the IB school. Or is this another thing that "doesn't matter" and "no one cares" and is a "victimless crime" and actually, are you aware, is actually what OSSE intended!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one has explained what happens when the IB house is rented by another family and then both families (the one who owns it but lives elsewhere, and the one renting it and actually living it) claim it as their "residence" in order to get into the IB school. Or is this another thing that "doesn't matter" and "no one cares" and is a "victimless crime" and actually, are you aware, is actually what OSSE intended!

Well I mean, if the family enrolled in their IB while living there, then moved and rented it out, it IS what OSSE intended or at least intentionally allows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Federal tax authorities simply care that US citizens and permanent residents pay all taxes owed by established deadlines. So says my spouse, tax attorney. Where taxpayers claim domicile and pay state income tax doesn’t bother tax authorities in the least, as long as taxpayers claim but one domicile and no other party claims the same domicile unreasonably and coterminously.

that’s a lot of qualifications there! and of course the renters would also be claiming the address as their domicile.

and of course DC tax authories don’t want you to lie about your domicile either …

But you’re not lying on your tax forms, you’re listing the address you live at. You’re lying to OSSE (unless you did actually move back temporarily), and OSSE says in writing that they don’t care as long as you’re a DC resident paying DC taxes.

People are suggesting lying on the tax returns though.

[Anonymous]

Horrors. I suggest making your own decisions about DCPS enrollment privately and confidently, based on your understanding of the rules, the laws, the risks and the benefits. You certainly don't need to answer to your neighbors' envy of the real property you can afford, or the judgements of those stopping by DCUM hoping to frighten and shame you into moving, going private or enrolling in an iffy IB school.

PS. If you're going to rent out/sublet a property you use for enrolment and filing taxes, don't be dumb enough to rent to a family with kids in a neighborhood not short on childless young people in need of housing. Keep things simple by avoiding the headaches associated with tenants with dependents and long-term rentals.

[Anonymous]

My take on this long thread is that there have been several types of posts.

*Posts from people with an axe to grind with "boundary cheaters." They either don't want them to have a ready escape hatch to bail from struggling DCPS elementary schools or don't want them contributing to crowding in JKLM schools.
*Posts from people who want to encourage fellow UMC Ward 6 families who pay DC taxes to stay in neighborhood schools, even if they enroll IB from properties they own but have never lived in.
*Posts from people who want to find out how IB verification really works in DCPS, and what the rules on enrollment really say.

Enough name-calling, judging and fearmongering already. We can disagree without being disagreeable.