WaPo takes deep dive into DCPS residency fraud

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s no reason DC couldn’t adopt the residency rules that other states use that require a child to be primarily domiciled in the jurisdiction in order to attend school there.

Because then they'd have to admit that despite everything the population of DC children has not grown, except in the pre-k arena early years. In my street in DC due to gentrification all the families have moved out and single people have moved in, the section 8 apartment buildings are now condos and there are only a handful of children on my street and they are toddlers.

This is mostly what the city wants. It's very obvious from the policy decisions pushed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s no reason DC couldn’t adopt the residency rules that other states use that require a child to be primarily domiciled in the jurisdiction in order to attend school there.

Because then they'd have to admit that despite everything the population of DC children has not grown, except in the pre-k arena early years. In my street in DC due to gentrification all the families have moved out and single people have moved in, the section 8 apartment buildings are now condos and there are only a handful of children on my street and they are toddlers.

This is mostly what the city wants. It's very obvious from the policy decisions pushed.

Not sure this is true. See here:

https://bit.ly/2iTrvsG

"Since 2011, the number of children began to grow, and in the last four years, the child population has grown at a faster rate than the adult population."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s no reason DC couldn’t adopt the residency rules that other states use that require a child to be primarily domiciled in the jurisdiction in order to attend school there.

Because then they'd have to admit that despite everything the population of DC children has not grown, except in the pre-k arena early years. In my street in DC due to gentrification all the families have moved out and single people have moved in, the section 8 apartment buildings are now condos and there are only a handful of children on my street and they are toddlers.

DC has added something like 17,000 kids in the past four years. But DCPS is flat except for the kids who have been taken out of private special ed placements. All the added kids have gone charter or private. Both are booming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s no reason DC couldn’t adopt the residency rules that other states use that require a child to be primarily domiciled in the jurisdiction in order to attend school there.

Because then they'd have to admit that despite everything the population of DC children has not grown, except in the pre-k arena early years. In my street in DC due to gentrification all the families have moved out and single people have moved in, the section 8 apartment buildings are now condos and there are only a handful of children on my street and they are toddlers.

This is mostly what the city wants. It's very obvious from the policy decisions pushed.

Not sure this is true. See here:

https://bit.ly/2iTrvsG

"Since 2011, the number of children began to grow, and in the last four years, the child population has grown at a faster rate than the adult population."

Different parts of the city different things are going on The population dynamics across neighborhoods provide yet another picture of gentrification and where we are most likely to find it. The city’s most expensive neighborhoods (when it comes to housing) are holding on to the school-age children but are not able to add young families. While east of the river continues to have the highest concentration of children, if trends continue, neighborhoods near the 16th Street and Georgia Avenue corridors could claim this distinction soon. Neighborhoods east of the river are adding younger children, but rapidly losing school-age children, and on the net losing families.

Also where are they getting the data from, if we are looking at school records we know they are fraudulent, are we looking at birth records? Most of the Latino population of Adams Morgan and Mount Pleasant have been priced out, have you been to that area recently. Although CHEC is full, I'm not sure if all the students are living in that area it's becoming very pricy to live there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a co-worker who did not think twice at enrolling his DS at a HRC Middle School. He was divorced. Wife had custody. He lived in DC. Wife lived in MD.

Just b/c Dad lives in DC does not make you a resident.

Agree. But better than neither parent in DC.

+1

I think OSSE should require certified tax returns for all. For divorced parents or parents who were never married, they should require a certified copy of the custody agreement so residency can be properly determined.

The DC Code does not go this far. Any parent or guardian who lives in DC can enroll their child in a DC public school, regardless of custody agreements.

Let's have OSSE enforce the rules on the books before we try to create new ones. https://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/sections/38-308.html

I just read the relevant sections of the DC Code - it's so loosy-goosy as to what DC residents can use to establish residency (https://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/sections/38-309.html) or attest to being the primary caregiver of the child (https://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/sections/38-310.html). The residency proof can easily be gamed by using a relative's address. The standard of proof to be a "primary caregiver"? A sworn oath under penalty of perjury.

The DC Code needs to change, as it's impossible to adequately enforce the current provisions in the Code. It's insane that lawmakers wrote a law that's so obviously easy to evade.

Thanks for looking this up. This code absolutely needs to be changed. If you say you're a primary caregiver, we should be able to either look at your tax returns and see you claim the child as a dependent. Or you need to produce court/legal records showing you as guardian or foster parent. It's these kinds of loopholes that need to be fixed. For kids of divorce, custody needs to show that the child resides in DC at least 51% of the time. I understand people want to make exceptions for things, but if we do that, it just allows people to get around the system. To enroll kids in DC schools, you need to show them as a dependent on your DC tax return, no exceptions, and those kids need to actually live in DC for at least 51% of the time. Sorry cheaters, but it's time to play by the rules!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:once again, "the legacy of racism" justifies the problem, the illegality, or the rule-breaking. Rather than being appalled at the rationalization, I think spending time to contemplate that perspective explains a lot.

It is just outrageous that they feel it’s a right because they were born here. That isn’t how life works for anybody! They likely moved out to the suburbs because they wanted a bigger house for less.

That entitlement is a problem and needs to be met head on. This sense of a "right" coupled with the apparent fact that a large proportion are DC government employees shows clearly why OSSE and even the Council are not rushing to hire a full team of fraud investigators.

A large percentage of the DC government workforce lives not in DC but in PG. DC schools provide free pre-K and favorable before and after school care, closer to mom or dad's workplace. Add to that the almost Communist Party-era sense of entitlement for government functionaries, and is it any wonder that such parents have no problem working the system (i.e., cheating the system) for a cheaper/better/more convenient school "option"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:once again, "the legacy of racism" justifies the problem, the illegality, or the rule-breaking. Rather than being appalled at the rationalization, I think spending time to contemplate that perspective explains a lot.

It is just outrageous that they feel it’s a right because they were born here. That isn’t how life works for anybody! They likely moved out to the suburbs because they wanted a bigger house for less.

That entitlement is a problem and needs to be met head on. This sense of a "right" coupled with the apparent fact that a large proportion are DC government employees shows clearly why OSSE and even the Council are not rushing to hire a full team of fraud investigators.

A large percentage of the DC government workforce lives not in DC but in PG. DC schools provide free pre-K and favorable before and after school care, closer to mom or dad's workplace. Add to that the almost Communist Party-era sense of entitlement for government functionaries, and is it any wonder that such parents have no problem working the system (i.e., cheating the system) for a cheaper/better/more convenient school "option"?

New to the area. I don't understand why so many live in PG? Is it like the earlier poster said, the schools and real estate are better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a co-worker who did not think twice at enrolling his DS at a HRC Middle School. He was divorced. Wife had custody. He lived in DC. Wife lived in MD.

Just b/c Dad lives in DC does not make you a resident.

Agree. But better than neither parent in DC.

+1

I think OSSE should require certified tax returns for all. For divorced parents or parents who were never married, they should require a certified copy of the custody agreement so residency can be properly determined.

The DC Code does not go this far. Any parent or guardian who lives in DC can enroll their child in a DC public school, regardless of custody agreements.

Let's have OSSE enforce the rules on the books before we try to create new ones. https://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/sections/38-308.html

I just read the relevant sections of the DC Code - it's so loosy-goosy as to what DC residents can use to establish residency (https://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/sections/38-309.html) or attest to being the primary caregiver of the child (https://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/sections/38-310.html). The residency proof can easily be gamed by using a relative's address. The standard of proof to be a "primary caregiver"? A sworn oath under penalty of perjury.

The DC Code needs to change, as it's impossible to adequately enforce the current provisions in the Code. It's insane that lawmakers wrote a law that's so obviously easy to evade.

Thanks for looking this up. This code absolutely needs to be changed. If you say you're a primary caregiver, we should be able to either look at your tax returns and see you claim the child as a dependent. Or you need to produce court/legal records showing you as guardian or foster parent. It's these kinds of loopholes that need to be fixed. For kids of divorce, custody needs to show that the child resides in DC at least 51% of the time. I understand people want to make exceptions for things, but if we do that, it just allows people to get around the system. To enroll kids in DC schools, you need to show them as a dependent on your DC tax return, no exceptions, and those kids need to actually live in DC for at least 51% of the time. Sorry cheaters, but it's time to play by the rules!

I’m the PP from above who keeps mentioning guardianship fraud. I think it’s a bigger loophole than fake residency documents. Basically you just get grandma in DC to write a letter swearing child resides with her, and you’re good. It’s insane that it does not have to be an official legal document.

[Anonymous]

Prince George’s has more affordable housing. More house for less money. But he schools aren’t great. And there is no PK3.

There are also some who feel a connection to the school they attended, and want their kids to graduate from their alma mater. But they can’t afford to buy a nice house IB for those schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:once again, "the legacy of racism" justifies the problem, the illegality, or the rule-breaking. Rather than being appalled at the rationalization, I think spending time to contemplate that perspective explains a lot.

It is just outrageous that they feel it’s a right because they were born here. That isn’t how life works for anybody! They likely moved out to the suburbs because they wanted a bigger house for less.

That entitlement is a problem and needs to be met head on. This sense of a "right" coupled with the apparent fact that a large proportion are DC government employees shows clearly why OSSE and even the Council are not rushing to hire a full team of fraud investigators.

A large percentage of the DC government workforce lives not in DC but in PG. DC schools provide free pre-K and favorable before and after school care, closer to mom or dad's workplace. Add to that the almost Communist Party-era sense of entitlement for government functionaries, and is it any wonder that such parents have no problem working the system (i.e., cheating the system) for a cheaper/better/more convenient school "option"?

Where has it been shown that a large proportion of residency cheaters are DC government employees? There's been no concrete data about this.

The non-DC families I know who are enrolled in DC schools aren't government employees and don't have jobs in DC at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Prince George’s has more affordable housing. More house for less money. But he schools aren’t great. And there is no PK3.

There are also some who feel a connection to the school they attended, and want their kids to graduate from their alma mater. But they can’t afford to buy a nice house IB for those schools.

If they wanted to keep their children in DC schools, they should have thought twice before moving out of DC lol!

Seriously Ihave a hard time believing that schools in Prince George's are worse than DC. I'm amazed at how bad the public schools are here and that people are lying to get in. I attended public school in the Midwest.My community there would never have stood for any of the bs that's happening here. We haven't lived here long, but have already decided to do private!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prince George’s has more affordable housing. More house for less money. But he schools aren’t great. And there is no PK3.

There are also some who feel a connection to the school they attended, and want their kids to graduate from their alma mater. But they can’t afford to buy a nice house IB for those schools.

If they wanted to keep their children in DC schools, they should have thought twice before moving out of DC lol!

Seriously Ihave a hard time believing that schools in Prince George's are worse than DC. I'm amazed at how bad the public schools are here and that people are lying to get in. I attended public school in the Midwest.My community there would never have stood for any of the bs that's happening here. We haven't lived here long, but have already decided to do private!

Look at the Prince George’s PARCC scores. They are about the same as DC and a number of DC schools are better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prince George’s has more affordable housing. More house for less money. But he schools aren’t great. And there is no PK3.

There are also some who feel a connection to the school they attended, and want their kids to graduate from their alma mater. But they can’t afford to buy a nice house IB for those schools.

If they wanted to keep their children in DC schools, they should have thought twice before moving out of DC lol!

Seriously Ihave a hard time believing that schools in Prince George's are worse than DC. I'm amazed at how bad the public schools are here and that people are lying to get in. I attended public school in the Midwest.My community there would never have stood for any of the bs that's happening here. We haven't lived here long, but have already decided to do private!

They became worse as gentrification pushed out more and more people with lower SES ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prince George’s has more affordable housing. More house for less money. But he schools aren’t great. And there is no PK3.

There are also some who feel a connection to the school they attended, and want their kids to graduate from their alma mater. But they can’t afford to buy a nice house IB for those schools.

If they wanted to keep their children in DC schools, they should have thought twice before moving out of DC lol!

Seriously Ihave a hard time believing that schools in Prince George's are worse than DC. I'm amazed at how bad the public schools are here and that people are lying to get in. I attended public school in the Midwest.My community there would never have stood for any of the bs that's happening here. We haven't lived here long, but have already decided to do private!

Look at the Prince George’s PARCC scores. They are about the same as DC and a number of DC schools are better.

Overall, just like DC there are pockets of generational poverty and struggling schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:once again, "the legacy of racism" justifies the problem, the illegality, or the rule-breaking. Rather than being appalled at the rationalization, I think spending time to contemplate that perspective explains a lot.

It is just outrageous that they feel it’s a right because they were born here. That isn’t how life works for anybody! They likely moved out to the suburbs because they wanted a bigger house for less.

That entitlement is a problem and needs to be met head on. This sense of a "right" coupled with the apparent fact that a large proportion are DC government employees shows clearly why OSSE and even the Council are not rushing to hire a full team of fraud investigators.

A large percentage of the DC government workforce lives not in DC but in PG. DC schools provide free pre-K and favorable before and after school care, closer to mom or dad's workplace. Add to that the almost Communist Party-era sense of entitlement for government functionaries, and is it any wonder that such parents have no problem working the system (i.e., cheating the system) for a cheaper/better/more convenient school "option"?

Where has it been shown that a large proportion of residency cheaters are DC government employees? There's been no concrete data about this.

The non-DC families I know who are enrolled in DC schools aren't government employees and don't have jobs in DC at all.

Most of those coming into the city everyday from the burbs are Feds, they are using the preK/K slots.