DCPS lottery data

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The main issue is that dcps isn't releasing the data because they specifically do not want the public to have it. That rubs people the wrong way.

+1000 Parents and tax payers should have access to this info since we are a free society and not a society that censors info like that.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Agree completely with all of the above. The only thing I would add (and I believe the data would show this, if available) is that your list in #1 now includes a number of additional schools.

PP here. That's what I meant by #4, but the schools specifically mentioned in #1 are completely out of the question for anyone in ECE who doesn't live in-bounds and have been for years. There is also a growing list of schools where even if you are in-bounds, there is no guarantee due to the sheer number of kids.

13:01 / 13:13 here: It sounds like we are on the same page. For someone with an excellent IB who is shut out of that IB for PK (due to the sheer number of kids), as well as shut out of 11 other choices which included some that were previously known as "safety" schools, it would be very helpful to see what schools let in OOB kids this year. The data would be useful for purposes of the PK4 lottery as well as the PK3 lottery for next year and so on (yes, I have 3 kids under 4).

But you can already see which schools let in OOB students with current data.

You can see that for 2015-16 but not for 2016-17. Someone correct me if I'm wrong and post a link.

Oh, I see. You need to be planning your lottery choices 9 months in advance ... is that what this is all about?

No - it's so that you can better make an assessment between moving and playing the lottery.

You can already see how deeply all schools went into their waitlists (if they had one to begin with) for this 15-16 year on the My School DC site.

The point that I and other PPs are making is that, in certain areas, things appear to have changed considerably from the 15-16 school year to the 16-17 lottery (see PP's post about Van Ness for an example). So that's why the 15-16 data is not as helpful as you might think.

well guess what, the world and DCPS don't revolve around you. You have plenty of information now to make informed choices. Schools haven't even finished enrollment yet so 2016-17 data doesn't really exist.

This PP posts with same crappy attitude on all of the threads about lottery data for SY 16-17. Better to ignore than take the bait and engage.

No, this is the first time I've posted. I just think the whining about data is annoying and entitled.

[Anonymous]

I agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree.

Then congrats on never losing in the lottery. If you were totally shut out of your IB school and the next 10 closest, you might feel differently.

Again, we are just asking for what has been provided for the last 10 years. People seem to think that DCPS is upset that people keep applying to schools they have no chance of getting into. I'm not sure this will really solve that problem. Several parents have admitted that they have "thrown away" choices 9-12 on schools they have no chance of getting into because why not. The lottery situation at schools can change really quickly. Chances are you won't get in but you have to play to win.

DCPS should be a better job of highlighting up and coming schools in each of the Wards to try and get people there. The path they selected seems lazy and I doubt it works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree.

Then congrats on never losing in the lottery. If you were totally shut out of your IB school and the next 10 closest, you might feel differently.

Again, we are just asking for what has been provided for the last 10 years. People seem to think that DCPS is upset that people keep applying to schools they have no chance of getting into. I'm not sure this will really solve that problem. Several parents have admitted that they have "thrown away" choices 9-12 on schools they have no chance of getting into because why not. The lottery situation at schools can change really quickly. Chances are you won't get in but you have to play to win.

DCPS should be a better job of highlighting up and coming schools in each of the Wards to try and get people there. The path they selected seems lazy and I doubt it works.

I just don't understand what data you think is going to help you so much here. At this point I think everyone knows that most IB and charters have WLs of some sort, so it is the nature of a lottery that you have a chance of not getting in. You have to have a plan B no matter what. I doubt people who are reading DCUM are really interested in enrolling their kids at places with very short waitlists.

[Anonymous]

I agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree.

Then congrats on never losing in the lottery. If you were totally shut out of your IB school and the next 10 closest, you might feel differently.

Again, we are just asking for what has been provided for the last 10 years. People seem to think that DCPS is upset that people keep applying to schools they have no chance of getting into. I'm not sure this will really solve that problem. Several parents have admitted that they have "thrown away" choices 9-12 on schools they have no chance of getting into because why not. The lottery situation at schools can change really quickly. Chances are you won't get in but you have to play to win.

DCPS should be a better job of highlighting up and coming schools in each of the Wards to try and get people there. The path they selected seems lazy and I doubt it works.

I just don't understand what data you think is going to help you so much here. At this point I think everyone knows that most IB and charters have WLs of some sort, so it is the nature of a lottery that you have a chance of not getting in. You have to have a plan B no matter what. I doubt people who are reading DCUM are really interested in enrolling their kids at places with very short waitlists.

Sure they do. It's called a safety school, and many people use that tactic.
The top 5 on their list may be strongly desired schools, but the bottom few might be schools that they are just OK with, but have a higher likelihood of getting into.
Just knowing that 5 got in off the waitlist doesn't help if they don't know how long the waitlist is. If it's 5 out of 500, that's not great odds. But 5 out of 20 might put it in reach.

[Anonymous]

I live in a District whose IB WL jumped from 5 to 40 in one year. If I was going to enter the lottery next year, I would want to know my odds dropped from 95% to 50%.

And the fact of the matter is people use this information for several legitimate reasons based on their families' needs. I'm not sure why they have to be justified on this board? In general, transparency in government is a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is what is known about the DCPS lottery:

1) Unless you are in-bounds, there is no use putting Ross, Brent, or any of the JKLMs on your PK3/PK4 list. None. Those schools haven't admitted OOB 3yos in years.

2) Generally, ranking in your true order of preference is the best way to make your list, unless your true order of preference includes any of the schools mentioned in #1.

3) The in-demand charters will also have insanely long waitlists for a very limited number of seats. However, someone always gets in.

4) DCPS schools in wards 1, 2, and 4 are likely to fill all their PK3 seats with in-bounds children. Even schools that were considered safety schools 3 years ago have waitlists this year. Some of those waitlists include in-bounds children.

5) Consider your neighborhood school, no matter where you live. It may be your only option.

+1 this is a good depiction of what's going on

I also think it's why the school landscape in wards 1, 2, and 4 are changing little by little.

I think more of ward 6 is experiencing what you have in your #4 than many realize (in part because DCPS hasn't released the stats)

With the exception of Van Ness and maybe A-B, I doubt other Ward 6 elementary schools are taking OOB students. Even the VN WL jumped from like 30 to 120. So basically in half of the Wards in the city, if you are locked out of your IB school (some who let in only half of their IB population), you are locked out of the system.

By why would parents want to know that?

I just want to remind everyone that you can place your kid in your IB by right at Kindergarten, so we're not shut out of the system altogether.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in a District whose IB WL jumped from 5 to 40 in one year. If I was going to enter the lottery next year, I would want to know my odds dropped from 95% to 50%.

And the fact of the matter is people use this information for several legitimate reasons based on their families' needs. I'm not sure why they have to be justified on this board? In general, transparency in government is a good thing.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is what is known about the DCPS lottery:

1) Unless you are in-bounds, there is no use putting Ross, Brent, or any of the JKLMs on your PK3/PK4 list. None. Those schools haven't admitted OOB 3yos in years.

2) Generally, ranking in your true order of preference is the best way to make your list, unless your true order of preference includes any of the schools mentioned in #1.

3) The in-demand charters will also have insanely long waitlists for a very limited number of seats. However, someone always gets in.

4) DCPS schools in wards 1, 2, and 4 are likely to fill all their PK3 seats with in-bounds children. Even schools that were considered safety schools 3 years ago have waitlists this year. Some of those waitlists include in-bounds children.

5) Consider your neighborhood school, no matter where you live. It may be your only option.

+1 this is a good depiction of what's going on

I also think it's why the school landscape in wards 1, 2, and 4 are changing little by little.

I think more of ward 6 is experiencing what you have in your #4 than many realize (in part because DCPS hasn't released the stats)

With the exception of Van Ness and maybe A-B, I doubt other Ward 6 elementary schools are taking OOB students. Even the VN WL jumped from like 30 to 120. So basically in half of the Wards in the city, if you are locked out of your IB school (some who let in only half of their IB population), you are locked out of the system.

By why would parents want to know that?

I just want to remind everyone that you can place your kid in your IB by right at Kindergarten, so we're not shut out of the system altogether.

I'm not the pp, but we have to admit the prospect of free preschool has been a big factor in keeping families in the city the last few years and enticing new ones. If the option is dwindling parents should know that. In its data does Myschooldc even break out the number of children shut out of pk3/Pk4? And my kid is done with preschool so I have no dog in this fight, just believe in transparency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is what is known about the DCPS lottery:

1) Unless you are in-bounds, there is no use putting Ross, Brent, or any of the JKLMs on your PK3/PK4 list. None. Those schools haven't admitted OOB 3yos in years.

2) Generally, ranking in your true order of preference is the best way to make your list, unless your true order of preference includes any of the schools mentioned in #1.

3) The in-demand charters will also have insanely long waitlists for a very limited number of seats. However, someone always gets in.

4) DCPS schools in wards 1, 2, and 4 are likely to fill all their PK3 seats with in-bounds children. Even schools that were considered safety schools 3 years ago have waitlists this year. Some of those waitlists include in-bounds children.

5) Consider your neighborhood school, no matter where you live. It may be your only option.

+1 this is a good depiction of what's going on

I also think it's why the school landscape in wards 1, 2, and 4 are changing little by little.

I think more of ward 6 is experiencing what you have in your #4 than many realize (in part because DCPS hasn't released the stats)

With the exception of Van Ness and maybe A-B, I doubt other Ward 6 elementary schools are taking OOB students. Even the VN WL jumped from like 30 to 120. So basically in half of the Wards in the city, if you are locked out of your IB school (some who let in only half of their IB population), you are locked out of the system.

By why would parents want to know that?

I just want to remind everyone that you can place your kid in your IB by right at Kindergarten, so we're not shut out of the system altogether.

I'm not the pp, but we have to admit the prospect of free preschool has been a big factor in keeping families in the city the last few years and enticing new ones. If the option is dwindling parents should know that. In its data does Myschooldc even break out the number of children shut out of pk3/Pk4? And my kid is done with preschool so I have no dog in this fight, just believe in transparency.

Yes they do --

https://ms-dc.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/2016-lottery-unique-applicants-on-wls-by-grade.pdf
https://ms-dc.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/2016-lottery-match-rate-by-grade-and-number-of-s.pdf
https://ms-dc.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/2016-lottery-number-of-applications-by-grade.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is what is known about the DCPS lottery:

1) Unless you are in-bounds, there is no use putting Ross, Brent, or any of the JKLMs on your PK3/PK4 list. None. Those schools haven't admitted OOB 3yos in years.

2) Generally, ranking in your true order of preference is the best way to make your list, unless your true order of preference includes any of the schools mentioned in #1.

3) The in-demand charters will also have insanely long waitlists for a very limited number of seats. However, someone always gets in.

4) DCPS schools in wards 1, 2, and 4 are likely to fill all their PK3 seats with in-bounds children. Even schools that were considered safety schools 3 years ago have waitlists this year. Some of those waitlists include in-bounds children.

5) Consider your neighborhood school, no matter where you live. It may be your only option.

+1 this is a good depiction of what's going on

I also think it's why the school landscape in wards 1, 2, and 4 are changing little by little.

I think more of ward 6 is experiencing what you have in your #4 than many realize (in part because DCPS hasn't released the stats)

With the exception of Van Ness and maybe A-B, I doubt other Ward 6 elementary schools are taking OOB students. Even the VN WL jumped from like 30 to 120. So basically in half of the Wards in the city, if you are locked out of your IB school (some who let in only half of their IB population), you are locked out of the system.

By why would parents want to know that?

I just want to remind everyone that you can place your kid in your IB by right at Kindergarten, so we're not shut out of the system altogether.

Yes - just like in Montgomery, Arlington or Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree.

Then congrats on never losing in the lottery. If you were totally shut out of your IB school and the next 10 closest, you might feel differently.

Again, we are just asking for what has been provided for the last 10 years. People seem to think that DCPS is upset that people keep applying to schools they have no chance of getting into. I'm not sure this will really solve that problem. Several parents have admitted that they have "thrown away" choices 9-12 on schools they have no chance of getting into because why not. The lottery situation at schools can change really quickly. Chances are you won't get in but you have to play to win.

DCPS should be a better job of highlighting up and coming schools in each of the Wards to try and get people there. The path they selected seems lazy and I doubt it works.

I just don't understand what data you think is going to help you so much here. At this point I think everyone knows that most IB and charters have WLs of some sort, so it is the nature of a lottery that you have a chance of not getting in. You have to have a plan B no matter what. I doubt people who are reading DCUM are really interested in enrolling their kids at places with very short waitlists.

But I can't even tell what a "safety school" is unless I know how many people applied for how many slots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree.

Then congrats on never losing in the lottery. If you were totally shut out of your IB school and the next 10 closest, you might feel differently.

Again, we are just asking for what has been provided for the last 10 years. People seem to think that DCPS is upset that people keep applying to schools they have no chance of getting into. I'm not sure this will really solve that problem. Several parents have admitted that they have "thrown away" choices 9-12 on schools they have no chance of getting into because why not. The lottery situation at schools can change really quickly. Chances are you won't get in but you have to play to win.

DCPS should be a better job of highlighting up and coming schools in each of the Wards to try and get people there. The path they selected seems lazy and I doubt it works.

I just don't understand what data you think is going to help you so much here. At this point I think everyone knows that most IB and charters have WLs of some sort, so it is the nature of a lottery that you have a chance of not getting in. You have to have a plan B no matter what. I doubt people who are reading DCUM are really interested in enrolling their kids at places with very short waitlists.

But I can't even tell what a "safety school" is unless I know how many people applied for how many slots.

Well you know this for the charters because they released it.

You can get this info at open houses and by talking to the principals. Yes it's a pain in the neck and I agree it should be released and think people should be complaining loudly to Niles and Henderson and the others on the MYDC board. But it's not like you are totally without resources in the meantime.