Waitlists are moving like crazy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are on PK4 for Stokes Spanish and French, MV, CHML, LT, TRY, and others, and have seen a lot of movement. We won't count any chickens until they hatch, but compared to the movement we saw for these same schools for PK3, I'm a lot more optimistic. Though I feel generally anxious about what it means for DC public schools (including charters) that demand for these spots seems to be down over prior years. Hopefully it's a blip and the folks who stuck it out through the pandemic will be extra committed.

The only schools that haven't moved at all are SWS and Maury. That makes sense because SWS is always very in demand and my impression on Capitol Hill is that a TON of people with young kids have moved inbounds for Maury in the last couple years, plus it's the #1 choice for a lot of people trying to lottery out of Miner. But a lot of movement elsewhere on the Hill.

How do you know this info about capitol hill schools? My kid's number at brent hasn't moved at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just wondering if we have any chance at BASIS with a current waitlist number in the 60's...we were in the 200s at first...but it seems highly unlikely that many people would turn a spot down?

your number was in the 200's? The waitlist for basis was much shorter this year than last year. It says here the waitlist was 114 this year on results day. Last year for 5th, they made 130 waitlist offers by August:

https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay

As a current basis family, I know they did tell us that they took more kids this year from the lottery than they did last year so they wouldn't have to go as deep into the waitlist, but based on previous years, I still think you have a very good chance. Also, I know a handful of folks from last year who got 5th grade waitlist offers in late august.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enrollment is down. More room for kids on waitlists.

yes everyone fled for private

that would make sense, but how can it be true? there aren't enough spaces in the privates for such a massive shift to happen right? i'm just thinking out loud, baffled on where all these kids are going...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are on PK4 for Stokes Spanish and French, MV, CHML, LT, TRY, and others, and have seen a lot of movement. We won't count any chickens until they hatch, but compared to the movement we saw for these same schools for PK3, I'm a lot more optimistic. Though I feel generally anxious about what it means for DC public schools (including charters) that demand for these spots seems to be down over prior years. Hopefully it's a blip and the folks who stuck it out through the pandemic will be extra committed.

The only schools that haven't moved at all are SWS and Maury. That makes sense because SWS is always very in demand and my impression on Capitol Hill is that a TON of people with young kids have moved inbounds for Maury in the last couple years, plus it's the #1 choice for a lot of people trying to lottery out of Miner. But a lot of movement elsewhere on the Hill.

How do you know this info about capitol hill schools? My kid's number at brent hasn't moved at all.

Brent lost few students during its virtual learning phase and got all the kids whose families wanted them to attend in-person at least 2 days a week by March, then full-time for Quarter 4.

The principal inspired loyalty by working hard to get everybody back. Enrollment seems to have held steady, helping explain why WLs aren't moving much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enrollment is down. More room for kids on waitlists.

yes everyone fled for private

that would make sense, but how can it be true? there aren't enough spaces in the privates for such a massive shift to happen right? i'm just thinking out loud, baffled on where all these kids are going...

They’re moving out of DC. I know 2 families from my DC’s class of 12, 2 more families from DC’s church class, and a few acquaintances in the neighborhood. People were looking for an excuse to move home or relocate somewhere cheaper, and remote work and in person schools gave it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh man, I'm not seeing any movement on my son's Prek4 waitlists. Ugh..

I had heard to anticipate some movement in early July - does anyone know why?

Our PK4 isn’t moving either. Granted we only put long shots, but I think our lowest number is in the 80s.

If by "long shots", you picked only schools WTOP, you aren't going to see any meaningful movement.

No we have a bunch of immersion charters on there. We’re happy where we are, so it doesn’t really matter. But I’m not seeing our numbers go down much.

[Anonymous]

We had a terrible number and started around 100 at the immersion charters for K. Now we’ve been stuck around 40 at LAMB SD and both MVs, but haven’t moved from there in a few weeks. I think the registrars are just waiting until August to start making offers again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enrollment is down. More room for kids on waitlists.

yes everyone fled for private

that would make sense, but how can it be true? there aren't enough spaces in the privates for such a massive shift to happen right? i'm just thinking out loud, baffled on where all these kids are going...

It's not true, for the reason you provide. So many people here think you can just fill out an application, write a check and get in to any private school you desire.

It's easier to just move than to get your kid into a good private school here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enrollment is down. More room for kids on waitlists.

yes everyone fled for private

that would make sense, but how can it be true? there aren't enough spaces in the privates for such a massive shift to happen right? i'm just thinking out loud, baffled on where all these kids are going...

They’re moving out of DC. I know 2 families from my DC’s class of 12, 2 more families from DC’s church class, and a few acquaintances in the neighborhood. People were looking for an excuse to move home or relocate somewhere cheaper, and remote work and in person schools gave it.

Not totally accurate about people moving 'home'. Lots of movement to the suburbs for long term school issues and more space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are on PK4 for Stokes Spanish and French, MV, CHML, LT, TRY, and others, and have seen a lot of movement. We won't count any chickens until they hatch, but compared to the movement we saw for these same schools for PK3, I'm a lot more optimistic. Though I feel generally anxious about what it means for DC public schools (including charters) that demand for these spots seems to be down over prior years. Hopefully it's a blip and the folks who stuck it out through the pandemic will be extra committed.

The only schools that haven't moved at all are SWS and Maury. That makes sense because SWS is always very in demand and my impression on Capitol Hill is that a TON of people with young kids have moved inbounds for Maury in the last couple years, plus it's the #1 choice for a lot of people trying to lottery out of Miner. But a lot of movement elsewhere on the Hill.

How do you know this info about capitol hill schools? My kid's number at brent hasn't moved at all.

PP here. This is based entirely on watching our own waitlist numbers move -- many have jumped a lot, but SWS and Maury have barely moved (we're in the 100s for both those schools but have jumped to 10-50 for all the others).

We did not lottery for Brent, so I don't know anything about movement on those lists. But I know historically Brent is an extremely hard school to lottery into for PK if you are not IB, even more so than the other popular Capitol Hill DCPS schools. Often they only make 3 or 4 waitlist offers total for the PK classes (like even through October).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have anyone seen in certain grades and areas of the city that waitlists are moving crazy?

Anyone over K can basically get into Hyde Addison.

Stokes has a vacant 5th grade list in French and almost in Spanish for anyone trying to get into DCI.

If you check the Montessori block you can get into CHML at 3rd+

Ludlow Taylor is almost cleared in upper grades for a Stuart Hobson feed.

TRY/TR4 are trucking through their list at major speed.

Shining Stars Montessori is cleared in almost every grade.

Anyone wanting Spanish at any level starting at PK3 can get in at Bethune (at least Brooklands)

Langley and Seaton and Cleveland are pretty easy to get into for PK3 OOB. Thomson at K.

I'm assuming it is a pandemic blip, but for those schools on an upswing the pandemic has been brutal EOTP.

Not so at CHML. We are on the waitlist there for 3rd + and the list moved 20 spots or so since lists came out, but hasn't budged in weeks now.

I have been wondering how they are enforcing the Montessori block for CHML this year for early grades. Most public Montessori schools have had very little in-person for the last year and a half, including CHML. They might be kind of waiving the requirement as a result, understanding pretty much all the kids are going to need to reacclimatize in the fall. That could result in their waitlist moving much slower than it normally does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just wondering if we have any chance at BASIS with a current waitlist number in the 60's...we were in the 200s at first...but it seems highly unlikely that many people would turn a spot down?

Ugh...got confused, that was for LATIN not BASIS...100s for BASIS, 200s for LATIN

This doesn’t make sense. We were in the 60’s for Latin, and have only moved up to the 50’s. Are you saying you went from the 200’s to the 60’s? For 5th? If so, don’t bet on getting in/the waitlist moving any further.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just wondering if we have any chance at BASIS with a current waitlist number in the 60's...we were in the 200s at first...but it seems highly unlikely that many people would turn a spot down?

Ugh...got confused, that was for LATIN not BASIS...100s for BASIS, 200s for LATIN

This doesn’t make sense. We were in the 60’s for Latin, and have only moved up to the 50’s. Are you saying you went from the 200’s to the 60’s? For 5th? If so, don’t bet on getting in/the waitlist moving any further.

No, she’s saying her original WL for BASIS was in the 100s. She’s now in the 60s and hoping for a spot at BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just wondering if we have any chance at BASIS with a current waitlist number in the 60's...we were in the 200s at first...but it seems highly unlikely that many people would turn a spot down?

your number was in the 200's? The waitlist for basis was much shorter this year than last year. It says here the waitlist was 114 this year on results day. Last year for 5th, they made 130 waitlist offers by August:

https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay

As a current basis family, I know they did tell us that they took more kids this year from the lottery than they did last year so they wouldn't have to go as deep into the waitlist, but based on previous years, I still think you have a very good chance. Also, I know a handful of folks from last year who got 5th grade waitlist offers in late august.

Yes, sorry l got confused we were in the 100s for BASIS… 200s was for LATIN… we were really at the very bottom …if they get to us, it will be very good luck 😬

[Anonymous]

Stokes third grade spanish isn't moving much. I have only moved 4 spots in three months.