Charter Schools giving neighborhood students preference?

[Anonymous]

You realize, don't you, that there isn't an infinite supply of surplus DCPS buildings, right? Neighborhood preference or not, there will always be competition for available buildings. You aren't guaranteed one. And if your charter doesn't want to do neighborhood preference, another charter will be right in line behind you.

Besides, MANY successful charters have found non-DCPS space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You realize, don't you, that there isn't an infinite supply of surplus DCPS buildings, right? Neighborhood preference or not, there will always be competition for available buildings. You aren't guaranteed one. And if your charter doesn't want to do neighborhood preference, another charter will be right in line behind you.

Besides, MANY successful charters have found non-DCPS space.

Do you realize how many DCPS buildings are sitting empty right now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You realize, don't you, that there isn't an infinite supply of surplus DCPS buildings, right? Neighborhood preference or not, there will always be competition for available buildings. You aren't guaranteed one. And if your charter doesn't want to do neighborhood preference, another charter will be right in line behind you.

Besides, MANY successful charters have found non-DCPS space.

Do you realize how many DCPS buildings are sitting empty right now?

+1 There isn't an infinite supply; that's why it's criminal how many have been handed over for profit development by this city. To wring hands now and demand neighborhood preference is kind of funny, but along the lines of what I'd expect. Boo Tommy Wells! More quality charters = more choices for people from every neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:
NP here-- the single lottery approach would seem to accomplish the goal, but I was under the impression that charter schools would fight against a single lottery because it would infringe on their independent process. I think it would be great and I hope charters do decide to support a single charter application. It could be done so that each child gets, for example, 10 points to award. If there are no particular schools he has his mind set upon, he can choose to designate one point to each of ten different schools. But if there is really only one school (within his neighborhood, for example) that he wants, he can award all ten to that one school and thereby have a much greater likelihood of getting in to the school. I'm not a charter school parent, but if there were a system like this, I would be much more supportive and interested in considering charter school for my kids.

That sounds incredibly complicated and likely to lead to results where some children are shut out. Why don't they just rank them by order of preference?

It is not complicated-- rather than merely rank in order of preference-- which would certainly be an improvement-- go one step further and allow people to make a weighted preference. I don't see how some children are more likely to be shut out compared to any other. If you put "all your eggs into one basket" for one charter, it would likely be because if you lose out you have a good safety neighborhood school or other option as backup.

But sure if the weighted preference seems too complicated, a straight rank in order of preference would work better than what is currently in place and would help parents get into a charter school in their neighborhood, if that is what they want.

Another possibility is to allow parents to swap charter spots. "I have a LAMB spot, seeking a swap for Two Rivers". If you find a willing party to swap, the parties inform the Charter Board and the spots are officially swapped. That is another way to increase the likeliHood that parents will get a charter they really want, including one in their neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Just as long as they don't try to pull this "neighborhood preference" crap with the DCI. Walter Reed was hardly a DCPS site.