We own in DC and VA, ok to go to school in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here, I find it ironic that someone who's probably paying in more to fund DCPS (via property taxes) than many of the LEGAL families attending DCPS schools is considered a "cheater".

So then what of the children of people who actually reside here? Where should they go to school? Or should we simply ship them off and gas them along with their parents since they are so fucking useless?

Some of you people amaze me. There is a special place in hell for people who think the way you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I would not give up so easily. I've heard of a families in which one spouse sublet a room and lived there during the work week to establish in-boundary status for a desirable DCPS elementary school.

I recommend that you first apply to the charter using the address of your DC property. You will not have to establish DC residency until you are admitted, which could take months if you are wait-listed. If you are offered a spot, you will then have to decide if the school is worth having to establish DC residency. If, for example, your tenants move out in the next few months, you could move your family in over the summer to establish DC residency.

I know families that own homes in different states -- one in a desirable vacation spot -- and maintain the vacation home as their primary residence despite spending many more days per year at the other home. Residency is not a simple concept . My understanding is that once you have established residency in a state, if you move to another state but intend eventually to return to the first, your state of residency does not change. For example, college students can opt to maintain residency in their home states for years while they attend school. In fact, many states make it difficult for college students to benefit from the in-state tuition that a change in residency would entitle them to.

Once you've established DC residency and secured a spot at the charter school, you will then have to decide if the benefits of being a VA resident outweigh the non-resident tuition you would need to pay to attend the charter. From the charter law:

Nonresident student. -- The term “nonresident student” means:

(A) An individual under the age of 18 who is enrolled in a District of Columbia public school or a public charter school, and does not have a parent, guardian, custodian, or primary care giver, as determined pursuant to Chapter 3 of this title, residing in the District of Columbia; or

(B) An individual who is age 18 or older and is enrolled in a District of Columbia public school or public charter school, and does not reside in the District of Columbia.

and

(e) Nonresident students. -- Nonresident students shall pay tuition to attend a public charter school at the applicable rate established for District of Columbia public schools administered by the Board of Education for the type of program in which the student is enrolled.

One issue you would want to resolve is whether your child might lose his or her spot at the charter to an enrolling DC resident in subsequent years if you move back to VA. That is, does a returning student who was once a DC resident and who is now a non-resident whose family pays non-resident tuition get to keep his or her spot even if a DC resident applies for the same spot. The charter law suggests that non-residents might get to keep their spots:

(a) Open enrollment. -- Enrollment in a public charter school shall be open to all students who are residents of the District of Columbia and, if space is available, to nonresident students who meet the tuition requirement in subsection (e) of this section.

(b) Criteria for admission. -- A public charter school may not limit enrollment on the basis of a student's race, color, religion, national origin, language spoken, intellectual or athletic ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, or status as a student with special needs. A public charter school may limit enrollment to specific grade levels.

(c) Random selection. -- If there are more applications to enroll in a public charter school from students who are residents of the District of Columbia than there are spaces available, students shall be admitted using a random selection process, except that a preference in admission may be given to an applicant who is a sibling of a student already attending or selected for admission to the public charter school in which the applicant is seeking enrollment, or an applicant who is a child of a member of the public charter school's founding board, so long as enrollment of founders' children is limited to no more than 10% of the school's total enrollment or to 20 students, whichever is less.

The law does not define the term "enrollment". Note, though, that paragraph (c) does not authorize charters to grant a preference in admission to returning students. So, returning students must not be "enrolling" under the law. Otherwise, paragraph (c) would apply to returning students and they would have to enter the lottery each year, which they do not have to do at any DC charter school. Consequently, paragraph (a) probably does not apply to returning students either. That is, a charter school does not have to boot returning non-resident students to make space for residents who are applying to the school for the first time. Of course, you would want to confirm this policy with the charter school.

This is complete bullshit, and is indicative of what is wrong with so many people in this country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here, I find it ironic that someone who's probably paying in more to fund DCPS (via property taxes) than many of the LEGAL families attending DCPS schools is considered a "cheater".

So then what of the children of people who actually reside here? Where should they go to school? Or should we simply ship them off and gas them along with their parents since they are so fucking useless?

Some of you people amaze me. There is a special place in hell for people who think the way you do.

What if we ALL sat back and expected something for nothing? Hell of a world that would be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IOW, paying income taxes gets you into a DC school, but it is your residence (which determines your property taxes) that determines which school you may attend. At least charters disambiguate the two.

In any event, any school you would actually want to enroll your child in (either DCPS or charter) most likely has a waiting list. By law, you can attend as long as you pay tuition. However, you should be aware that your position on the waitlist will - by law - be subordinate to the position of any DC resident, even one who signed up after you.

It's effectively impossible to attend a desirable DC public school (DCPS or Charter) from outside the District, despite a willingness to pay tuition. You'll always come in last place on the priority list, and all the good (even some of the mediocre) schools have lists.

While this bolded part makes sense, I am skeptical if DCPS schools are operating as they should. My DC is at Banneker HS, and she says she has a friend who says parents pay tuition to attend Banneker because they are not DC residents. Banneker is an application school, and they take about 100 new students every year. I am sure there are more than 100 applicants every year, because there are many students who get rejected. So, if a non-DC resident is on the lowest priority for admission, how did my DC's friend get in to Banneker? Shouldn't those DC resident students get accepted before the non-resident student, regardless of their willingness to pay tuition? This will only make sense if there are less than 100 applicants to begin with, say only 95 applicants, and the remaining 5 seats can be filled by non-residents who are willing to pay tuition. Can someone crack the code on this one, because I feel like I am missing a point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IOW, paying income taxes gets you into a DC school, but it is your residence (which determines your property taxes) that determines which school you may attend. At least charters disambiguate the two.

In any event, any school you would actually want to enroll your child in (either DCPS or charter) most likely has a waiting list. By law, you can attend as long as you pay tuition. However, you should be aware that your position on the waitlist will - by law - be subordinate to the position of any DC resident, even one who signed up after you.

It's effectively impossible to attend a desirable DC public school (DCPS or Charter) from outside the District, despite a willingness to pay tuition. You'll always come in last place on the priority list, and all the good (even some of the mediocre) schools have lists.

While this bolded part makes sense, I am skeptical if DCPS schools are operating as they should. My DC is at Banneker HS, and she says she has a friend who says parents pay tuition to attend Banneker because they are not DC residents. Banneker is an application school, and they take about 100 new students every year. I am sure there are more than 100 applicants every year, because there are many students who get rejected. So, if a non-DC resident is on the lowest priority for admission, how did my DC's friend get in to Banneker? Shouldn't those DC resident students get accepted before the non-resident student, regardless of their willingness to pay tuition? This will only make sense if there are less than 100 applicants to begin with, say only 95 applicants, and the remaining 5 seats can be filled by non-residents who are willing to pay tuition. Can someone crack the code on this one, because I feel like I am missing a point.

I love how everyoneo n this board thinks they know every scenario possible. As explained upthread, there are other ways to explain this. Your DC's classmate could have entered Banneker as a DC resident and then the parents could have moved out of state the following year, that student already has his spot and can keep it by paying tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here, I find it ironic that someone who's probably paying in more to fund DCPS (via property taxes) than many of the LEGAL families attending DCPS schools is considered a "cheater".

So then what of the children of people who actually reside here? Where should they go to school? Or should we simply ship them off and gas them along with their parents since they are so fucking useless?

Some of you people amaze me. There is a special place in hell for people who think the way you do.

What if we ALL sat back and expected something for nothing? Hell of a world that would be.

I am so sick of people somehow thinking that because they pay more taxes that they should get more of everything. You don't get to have more of the roads or sidewalks or more of a choice in public schools than any other person. You are a richer person and by definition are getting a hell of a lot more goodies in your life than poorer people. Public education is meant to educate ALL of our children, regardless of ability to pay. This stupid argument that people who have fancier houses (or more houses) should have fancier public schools is absolutely sickening.

Signed - a high-earning tier-2 charter parent who pays a lot of taxes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IOW, paying income taxes gets you into a DC school, but it is your residence (which determines your property taxes) that determines which school you may attend. At least charters disambiguate the two.

In any event, any school you would actually want to enroll your child in (either DCPS or charter) most likely has a waiting list. By law, you can attend as long as you pay tuition. However, you should be aware that your position on the waitlist will - by law - be subordinate to the position of any DC resident, even one who signed up after you.

It's effectively impossible to attend a desirable DC public school (DCPS or Charter) from outside the District, despite a willingness to pay tuition. You'll always come in last place on the priority list, and all the good (even some of the mediocre) schools have lists.

While this bolded part makes sense, I am skeptical if DCPS schools are operating as they should. My DC is at Banneker HS, and she says she has a friend who says parents pay tuition to attend Banneker because they are not DC residents. Banneker is an application school, and they take about 100 new students every year. I am sure there are more than 100 applicants every year, because there are many students who get rejected. So, if a non-DC resident is on the lowest priority for admission, how did my DC's friend get in to Banneker? Shouldn't those DC resident students get accepted before the non-resident student, regardless of their willingness to pay tuition? This will only make sense if there are less than 100 applicants to begin with, say only 95 applicants, and the remaining 5 seats can be filled by non-residents who are willing to pay tuition. Can someone crack the code on this one, because I feel like I am missing a point.

I love how everyoneo n this board thinks they know every scenario possible. As explained upthread, there are other ways to explain this. Your DC's classmate could have entered Banneker as a DC resident and then the parents could have moved out of state the following year, that student already has his spot and can keep it by paying tuition.

And that "everyone" includes you, right? You came up with a possible scenario on this one. But what if I told you that the non-resident student was a non-resident to begin with? Because she is. From the very beginning of application, she was already a non-resident. That's why it pauses a question for me.

[Anonymous]

^ Quite a leap you went to.

It's not about "getting more", it's about helping to pay for the things that you do get, and not taking everything for granted. "Community" means everyone pitches in, everyone does their part. That needs to be culturally ingrained, else "community" is meaningless. Guess that explains the "rich vs. poor" divisiveness you seem to be all about.

[Anonymous]

It's not a leap, actually. Somebody suggested that the OP, who is paying property taxes on a rental property in DC, had more of a right to a DCPS than a legal DC resident who doesn't pay as much (anything?) in taxes. I see this viewpoint on DCUM all the time, and it is disgusting.

Are you trying to suggest that people who don't pay property taxes aren't paying for what they get? Are they not a part of the community? Is paying taxes the only thing that makes you a community member?

[Anonymous]

No, actually it's pretty clear that DC treats people who own property in DC and pay property taxes in DC as having lesser rights who don't own property in DC, because that is the net result of current policy.

The leap was in going straight from a discussion of property taxes to shipping folks off to have them gassed.

[Anonymous]

Come on now, OP you own 2 properties and honestly don't know which one you live in. Did you just grow a brain, just have kids and have never sent them to school before (remember all that paper work you fill out), are confused about the tax perks of being a landlord or wanted to find out ways to cheat!!! Give me a break, this has to be a joke, no?

[Anonymous]

Ellington regularly has out-of-state students who pay tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Wow, OP has already admitted they don't live in the rental. You ar basically instructing them on how to cheat, the bottom line of your post is that simple. I guess I shouldn't be suprised, but it still bugs the crap out of me that someone will advertise ways to cheat the system even after someone has said they want to do the right thing. You suck PP. And karma, it isn't always instant, but it always gets ya. Wonder what someone is going to cheat you out of down the line....

OP does not live in the rental now. People move across state lines for schools all the time, e.g., DC to MoCo and VA.

I'm not advising OP to cheat. I'm advising OP to move to DC if the charter is that important. I'm also suggesting that once OP's child is enrolled, OP might be able to move back to VA and keep the spot at the charter, at the cost of paying non-resident tuition.

There is no cheating involved.

no, if you are 11:32 you are actually instructing OP how to cheat (something she expressly said she does not want to do). let's call things with their name. OP says that she owns a small, prekids 2bd home in DC, and that now she has 4 kids. she is obviously not thinking about moving back to the rented home, 6 people in 2bd. and you are not telling her to move back to DC with her family (like in renting or buying a suitable home for a family of 6, where they can move for good). she would not need to turn to DCUM for this kind of obvious advice. she does not want to move her family back to DC, otherwise there would be no issue and no post. it is right that people move across state lines all the time for schools, but they "really" move, like buying a home in Bethesda for MCPS for the entire family, not using the address of a place they do not live in. people who use fake addresses or temporary rooms subleased just to "establish residency" are cheaters. what you are suggesting is first, to use an address where nobody in her family resides, and second, if the child gets a spot, to sublet a room somewhere where one of the parent can stay (or better pretend to live) just to establish residency, and then go back happily to Virginia, after (presumably) having taken a spot away from a DC resident kid. you are instructing her on how to cheat, have at least the decency of admitting it. (just to be clear, I have nothing against OP, actually I appreciate that she is being honest)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, actually it's pretty clear that DC treats people who own property in DC and pay property taxes in DC as having lesser rights who don't own property in DC, because that is the net result of current policy.

The leap was in going straight from a discussion of property taxes to shipping folks off to have them gassed.

this is not a discussion on property taxes, this is a discussion about access to DC public school. To me it seems a no brainer that access must be open to DC residents, regardless of what they pay for what types of taxes. if spots are vacant and out of states kids want to attend, they can by paying tuition.

parent of kids in DCPS, DC resident and DC homeowner, frankly much happier to know that my property taxes fund decent schools for poor kids whose parents do not pay taxes than Kwame Brown's fully loaded black on black SUV and similar crap

[Anonymous]

By the way, school snail-mail will go to your D.C. address. So your tenants will know you are cheating (and your kids' grades) which puts you in a vulnerable position. Also, your tenants' address will be put in the address in the school book. How then do you explain birthday parties out in VA? Or playdates?