2009-10 Pre-K lotteries to be done by DCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As long as you're in-boundary, it's only a matter of time before you get the super-school for your already privileged child.

For the child from Ward 7 - it's a once in a lifetime shot.

This just isn't hard for me.

Do you have any stats on the number of Ward 7 kids who go to upper NW schools out of boundary? Because my understanding is that OOB kids at Murch, Lafayette, Janney, etc. are largely white, mostly from just across the park. And, in case you're interested, Murch's boundaries include a large number of new immigrants who rent in the large apartment buildings on Conn. Ave. I'm guessing many of them chose their apartments in hopes of having their kids attend a top elementary school. Is it fair that they have to find other accommodations for pre-K because an OOB sibling from Shepherd Park got in instead? Do you think their parents are paying for Aidan Montessori? Don't those kids who deserve a shot at pre-K at their neighborhood school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have any stats on the number of Ward 7 kids who go to upper NW schools out of boundary? Because my understanding is that OOB kids at Murch, Lafayette, Janney, etc. are largely white, mostly from just across the park. And, in case you're interested, Murch's boundaries include a large number of new immigrants who rent in the large apartment buildings on Conn. Ave. I'm guessing many of them chose their apartments in hopes of having their kids attend a top elementary school. Is it fair that they have to find other accommodations for pre-K because an OOB sibling from Shepherd Park got in instead? Do you think their parents are paying for Aidan Montessori? Don't those kids who deserve a shot at pre-K at their neighborhood school?

No, I don't have any stats, nor do I care. The kids who are in-boundary will get in sooner or later. Maybe not for Pre-K, but the next year, so they're safe. The ones applying OOB simply don't have that safety net. Sure, it's POSSIBLE that they're from Shepherd Park, but numerically it's not only POSSIBLE but also much MORE LIKELY that they're from somewhere unsatisfactory or even dismal. So their one slim advantage is an OOB sibling. I'm totally fine with those OOB sibling preferences outranking firstborn in-boundaries. Guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

[Anonymous]

I take that most of you are unfamiliar with ward 7. I live in ward 7 and envy those that can afford to live in the Hillcrest neighborhood but not the crappy school that is in-boundary to that community. Ward 7 comprises of a variety of communities rich, poor, and in-between. Some ward 7 communities are more peaceful and beautiful than a lot of neighborhoods in other wards. Personally, I changed my mind about Key and Mann because of their historical geography. Much of ward 3 sits on top of a huge munitions dump created by the US Army at the turn of the century. Thanks to AU and the US Army, the exclusive neighborhoods of Palisades and Spring Valley are sitting on dangerous and contaminated soil. The residents there want to keep this fact hush-hush because of property values. I think I'll stay east and south of the park.......If you don't believe read for yourself....

http://www.publicpolicy.umd.edu/faculty/nelson/740%20-%20Sally%20Wengrover.pdf

[Anonymous]

Q: Why cannot the Ward 7 parents who are savvy and motivated enough to navigate the OOB system, aiming for Murch or Eaton, instead just move to either a home or an apartment in-boundary for Murch or Eaton?

Not everyone, including myself, can afford to purchase an $800K house in-boundary for Murch. However there are many, many rental apartments in-boundary along Connecticut Ave. and some of them are moderately priced. My sister lives in one, it's not fantasy or rent control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have any stats on the number of Ward 7 kids who go to upper NW schools out of boundary? Because my understanding is that OOB kids at Murch, Lafayette, Janney, etc. are largely white, mostly from just across the park. And, in case you're interested, Murch's boundaries include a large number of new immigrants who rent in the large apartment buildings on Conn. Ave. I'm guessing many of them chose their apartments in hopes of having their kids attend a top elementary school. Is it fair that they have to find other accommodations for pre-K because an OOB sibling from Shepherd Park got in instead? Do you think their parents are paying for Aidan Montessori? Don't those kids who deserve a shot at pre-K at their neighborhood school?

No, I don't have any stats, nor do I care. The kids who are in-boundary will get in sooner or later. Maybe not for Pre-K, but the next year, so they're safe. The ones applying OOB simply don't have that safety net. Sure, it's POSSIBLE that they're from Shepherd Park, but numerically it's not only POSSIBLE but also much MORE LIKELY that they're from somewhere unsatisfactory or even dismal. So their one slim advantage is an OOB sibling. I'm totally fine with those OOB sibling preferences outranking firstborn in-boundaries. Guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

Yes, we will agree to disagree on the merits or lack thereof of OOB sibling preference. But I won't let stand the idea that it's "much more likely that they're from somewhere unsatisfactory or even dismal," because that simply isn't supported by fact. OOB admissions to different school depends on who applies. And the people applying to Murch, Lafayette, etc., are generally not from clear across the city. Yes, a few are. But most are from neighborhoods relatively nearby, from families who actually do have resources and options beyond being saved by OOB admissions. So if you're going to support the concept, at least base your support on actual circumstances, not some Hollywood-inspired ideal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And the people applying to Murch, Lafayette, etc., are generally not from clear across the city. Yes, a few are. But most are from neighborhoods relatively nearby, from families who actually do have resources and options beyond being saved by OOB admissions.

Interesting. Where did you get your data?

[Anonymous]

Pre-K is a luxury. If you don't automatically qualify it's because you're too wealthy for Head Start. Ergo, if you don't get priority in your neighborhood super-school until Kindergarten I just don't feel sorry for you. You're an idiot if you think this is about falling for a Hollywood sob story, I'm basing my opinion on families in my neighborhood who'd otherwise be attending Emery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pre-K is a luxury. If you don't automatically qualify it's because you're too wealthy for Head Start. Ergo, if you don't get priority in your neighborhood super-school until Kindergarten I just don't feel sorry for you. You're an idiot if you think this is about falling for a Hollywood sob story, I'm basing my opinion on families in my neighborhood who'd otherwise be attending Emery.

I don't want to debate this anymore, so you get the last word. Congratulations!

I do, however, want to bump this back up to the top in hopes of finding out the answer to the original question: Does anyone know if OOB siblings will continue to get pre-K preference under the new DCPS lottery?

[Anonymous]

2009 lottery info is up: http://www.k12.dc.us/enrollment/pre-school-pre-k.htm

As I read it, all siblings will receive preference, although the language is a little vague.

[Anonymous]

I do, however, want to bump this back up to the top in hopes of finding out the answer to the original question: Does anyone know if OOB siblings will continue to get pre-K preference under the new DCPS lottery?

this is from an inquiry i made to dcps:


Does a child with a sibling at the school who is applying out
of boundary, have priority over in boundry children (without
siblings at the school) for preK placement?
ANSWER:

In-boundary and Out-of-boundary students with siblings all receive preference equally in the lottery.

Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.

Thank you,
Kathryn Russell

Senior Associate

Critical Response Team

Office of the Chancellor

DC Public Schools

[phone]

[e-mail]

It sounds as if oob siblings and in boundry non-sibs and in boundry sibs are all in the same lottery.
oob non sibling lottery is its own thing if there are slots left. is that what is sounds like to you?

[Anonymous]

It sounds to me like DCPS is challenged by a direct question and refuses to give a simple, straightforward, clear answer which requires no follow-up.

But why that should be, God only knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds to me like DCPS is challenged by a direct question and refuses to give a simple, straightforward, clear answer which requires no follow-up.

But why that should be, God only knows.

So disappointing. I e-mailed with Michelle Rhee about this last year and was impressed with her direct responses. But this is BS. I'm going to e-mail her directly again and see if I can get a real response.

[Anonymous]

PP here, and I just sent an e-mail to Ms. Russell and Chancellor Rhee that gave two ranking lists and asked Ms. Russell to choose the one that reflected the new pre-K lottery preference system. I'll post the response.

[Anonymous]

Pre-k 4 is not legally compulsory in DC. So don't hold your breath on anything OTHER than sibling preference. Off the top of my head, the numbers of oob students with siblings in a a popular school entering prek 4 likely vastly outnumber the in boundary pre-k4 kids seeking an early slot in a school they will attend by right a year later at age 5. When it is legally required.

DCPS can't give a direct answer to a question that is legally irrelevant for the time being. Hate to say it, and I've had to suck it up on oob sibling preference with my DC, but it's true. Siblings get preference.

Being faced with a city-wide teachers' strike impacting 50,000 kids versus a few pissed off pre-k parents, which would you think Rhee will have to deal with more urgently ?

I do hope I'm wrong, but I wouldn't put any money on priorities changing before March 13. That said, it might be helpful if every parent applied to the schools they would like their kids to attend regardless of the odds. The principals have no way of knowing the potential non-sibling students are out there if you don't apply. Principals can be empowered to expand resources when they have the data. At least, that's the theory.

6 weeks from now, much of this will be moot. Scary, huh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being faced with a city-wide teachers' strike impacting 50,000 kids versus a few pissed off pre-k parents, which would you think Rhee will have to deal with more urgently ?

Can you elaborate please, PP?