Wait list spots if we go to private preschool in August

[Anonymous]

We did the lottery for PK3 this spring, got into a pretty good school for PK3, but not a school that i would plan on sending my son to for K and beyond. We have also been exceptionally happy with his private preschool that he currently attends. We did the math and found that it wasn't that much more expensive to do full day private preschool than to do DCPS PK3 but get a nanny for 3 hours every afternoon (aftercare wasn't viable in the DCPS school). So we have decided to stick with private for next year and try the lottery again in PK4. We had already enrolled in the DCPS PK3 program while we were undecided about next year, and we haven't told the school yet that we plan to unenroll.

But we have a decent waitlist number on the next school on our lottery list. It is a dual language program, close to our home, that gets excellent test scores. It has a great PK program, and would be a good choice for K and beyond. I think it's unlikely we would ever get a call from this school so i wouldn't want to plan on the chance of getting it. But maybe a 10% chance that we get a call in the couple days before school starts or in the first couple weeks of the school year. I would pull our son out of private preschool to attend this school if we got in in september.

Are there any ways to strategize for this? I feel bad holding the spot in the DCPS school we won't attend, since it's preventing other parents from knowing that they have a spot. But i'm assuming once i tell the school we aren't coming, that we lose our waitlist spots at the other school?

[Anonymous]

You can decline the school you are currently enrolled in and will stay on the waiting list for school you ranked higher in the lottery. Go ahead and release the spot.

[Anonymous]

PP is right but go ahead and call MySchoolDC if you want additional confirmation. Then release the spot.

[dcmom]

If you know you won't go to the school you enrolled in, decline the spot ASAP so they can offer it to be next person on the waitlist. Then you can enroll in the dual language school if you get in. There is no "strategy" and no benefit to staying enrolled in a school you will not attend.

[Anonymous]

Wondering what dual language school has "excellent" test scores?

[Anonymous]

Did OP rank the matched school first? Then wouldn't others be dropped?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did OP rank the matched school first? Then wouldn't others be dropped?

I don't think so. We got in off the waiting list at our number 3 spot. We declined, but are still on the waiting list for the schools above and below that school.

[Anonymous]

If they already enrolled at a school, they should have already been dropped from the waitlists of lower ranked schools. So presumably the bilingual school was ranked higher (lower number).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wondering what dual language school has "excellent" test scores?

Oyster has (and has always had) the best test scores among dual language schools. Among all DCPS elementary schools, it's top 8-10.

[Anonymous]

I bet it's Cleveland.

[Anonymous]

Oyster, then Cleveland (a great school, but far less affluent--free lunch for all).