MD scofflaws?

[Anonymous]

Starting both DCs at new charter shools this year after attending DCPS. Same thing as always -- MD plates on cars dropping off and picking up.

Are Washington's schools that much better than the ones in the eastern MD suburbs? Are there that many children in the custody of DC-dwelling relatives with parents who live in MD? Does every divorced family in the area have shared custody with one parent in DC and one in MD? Do that many DC residents cheat the system by registering their cars in MD and if so, what do they do about residential parking? And yes, these are exclusively AA drivers with the MD plates.

I just don't get it and have heard all these excuses for years, which just can't be true.

[Anonymous]

These kids all live in MD. The MD plates are registered appropriately.

One issue is that wrt Prince Georges County - many schools do not have aftercare; they do not have PreS / PreK programs - and I can not remember if they have full or 1/2 day K.

These families think nothing of cheating the system.

I had a co-worker who did it- did not think twice about it - and she had clearance.
She did not look at it as if she was stealing 12K a year.

[Anonymous]

Who gives clearance? How can this be stopped?

[Anonymous]

To enroll in DCPS you must provide proof of DC residency. There's a checklist of what is to be accepted by the school as acceptable documentation. To investigate it as fraud would require an investigative unit/inspector general office set-up.

It will never be stopped, it will be perpetually ignored.

What I find to be more outrageous, it is not view as a cheating issue but an entitlement issue. That might seem ludicrous but it's true.

[Anonymous]

An entitlement issue? As in, MD residents are entitled to DCPS educations for their kids? Just trying to understand.

[Anonymous]

It's convenient when the parent works in DC or they send their kid to a popular charter b/c it's a better education. Know both. They don't think anything of it.

[Anonymous]

Please do report it to your child's school and to the public charter school board. At our charter, they do take it seriously and will do a home visit at which they expect to see the child's bedroom, clothes, etc.

[Anonymous]

The schools have no incentive to inquire/care. They would just lose the family and child. If they lose dollars it's bad for them. Some charters don't take kids after a certain grade, and other schools can't fill the slots readily, so if they keep the child out they lose the funding that follows that child (illegally follows that child, I should say). And they like the kids and the families in many instances so they don't want to disrupt their lives by denying them entry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The schools have no incentive to inquire/care. They would just lose the family and child. If they lose dollars it's bad for them. Some charters don't take kids after a certain grade, and other schools can't fill the slots readily, so if they keep the child out they lose the funding that follows that child (illegally follows that child, I should say). And they like the kids and the families in many instances so they don't want to disrupt their lives by denying them entry.

IIRC, someone proved that not to be the case. It seems the schools in question have waiting lists and would have no problem with filling the spot with a child from DC.

[Anonymous]

Our school (charter) has aggressively and successfully rooted out fake residents and taken hits both financially and from parents (who then love to post ugliness on DCUM). No matter what, it is cheating/dishonest and parents who do pay taxes and vie for spaces in DC should out these scofflaws to the PCSB.

[Anonymous]

DC parents need to start photographing the license plates of the cheaters. Take the photos to the school, and then ask what the follow up has been. If you get not satisfaction, raise it with the charter school board staff (if a charter, they will take it seriously) or with your DC councilmember if it a regular DCPS school. Enough is enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please do report it to your child's school and to the public charter school board. At our charter, they do take it seriously and will do a home visit at which they expect to see the child's bedroom, clothes, etc.

It's to a charter and DCPS I live near but have no association with. People, scofflaws, volunteer this info in passing like it's no big deal... probably b/c they know nothing can/will be done about it. DC should create a bounty, seriously.

[Anonymous]

No being a MD resident is not the entitlement. It's as mundane as "I used to live in DC" and they owe me. More often, many feel they are doing DC a service by enrolling a student. Remember, the newspaper will lead with DCPS is losing enrollment and so there are some justifying the supply with the demand. Crazy-azz way of thinking but it's the truth.

[Anonymous]

If a military member lives in DC their child/children can attend a DC public/charter school. Their car can be registered in any state or US territory.

[Anonymous]

Actually, if a military member lives in DC they are legally obligated to register their vehicles in DC too (regardless of state of residency). We are a military family