Residency requirement--at what time?

[Anonymous]

I had a quick question regarding DC public schools that you may be able to answer. If we move to the neighborhood we want our DC to attend school in the 2010-2011 school year next summer, would they give him a spot at the school? Or do we have to be in the neighborhood at the specific time of year (this Nov?) when we all apply? I'm wondering, because our current lease is up, and if we renew, then we won't be able to move again till July 2010.

[Anonymous]

We won't be in-boundary until this summer for our new school. The school told us to present our residency documents as soon as we moved (July 2009), and that would satisfy requirements for this Fall 2009.

[Anonymous]

I'd get this info directly from DCPS, in writing i.e., have them send an email or reference points on the website, copy and save what's on the website. It may vary from school to school, etc. I believe you can move into a district during the school year and be entitled to a slot at your neighborhood school but who's to know that things won't change, especially at in-demand schools. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd get this info directly from DCPS, in writing i.e., have them send an email or reference points on the website, copy and save what's on the website. It may vary from school to school, etc. I believe you can move into a district during the school year and be entitled to a slot at your neighborhood school but who's to know that things won't change, especially at in-demand schools. Good luck!

Very true! Some schools (upper NW) run out of space, it won't matter that you're in boundary.

[Anonymous]

This year, for pre-K at schools with lotteries, you had to register (and therefore show residency) by May 15 or risk losing the spot.

[Anonymous]

If you are sending your child to grade K or above, your in boundary school has to provide you a spot at any time -- even if you show up the first day, even if you show up 3 weeks in, whatever. If you move over the summer, it is courteous to go to the school to register, so they know how many kids will be there, and so that they can assign your child properly.

If you move to a school district in preK, then your in boundary school is NOT required to provide space for you. Pre-k is not mandatory schooling. If your in boundary school provides preK, call to find out whether it is full, whether they conducted a lottery for the spaces, if there's a waitlist, etc. Even if they had a waitlist and lottery, I would still put my name down, as by August many parents have committed to other school arrangements, and you might get lucky when a space opens up.

IMO, this is one of the advantages of renting in DC. If you rent, you can choose among a few pretty good elementary schools, and then find an in district apartment to move to. There are good rental apartments or houses in Janney, Murch, Mann, Key and Lafayette.

[Anonymous]

pp sounds correct

[Anonymous]

14:28 is correct. If you are applying to the pre-K lottery, you will need to give a in boundary address for the application (which was online this year, I expect it will be again) and you will need to provide proof of in boundary residency at the date of registration if you get an in boundary spot. This year, that date was May 15.

[Anonymous]

OP: What grade? I would confirm 14:28's response in writing. Look what's happening in NYC schools (they've put a cap on neighborhood school enrollment).

[Anonymous]

I emailed DCPS about this very question and received a phone call back from Michelle Rhee's assistant. She said that children are guaranteed a spot in their boundary public school (not for pre-K, but for K and up) regardless of when the child moves into the boundary. You can show up to the school with a copy of the lease, for example, as proof of your residency. (I was concerned that if we move in August and didn't have a few months worth of utility bills, that we wouldn't have a spot for DC.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: What grade? I would confirm 14:28's response in writing. Look what's happening in NYC schools (they've put a cap on neighborhood school enrollment).

Why are you all creating trouble?

This has NOT happened in DC. There are NO CAPS FOR INBOUNDS KIDS in K and above. NONE. You can show up whenever you want and they are required by law to admit your child.

[Anonymous]

I'm one of the PPs and after eight years of surprises and uncertainty from DCPS I think everyone should be ready for anything. My understanding is that there are overenrolled schools that technically could be closed by the Fire Marshall for overcrowding. It's not "creating trouble." It's a reality check. I frankly would expect anything from Fenty/Rhee.

[Anonymous]

I know why they're creating trouble. They're afraid that somebody who lives OOB will rent an apt. inbounds and show up with a child on the 1st day of school and be able to enroll their child in the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: What grade? I would confirm 14:28's response in writing. Look what's happening in NYC schools (they've put a cap on neighborhood school enrollment).

There's a great article in New York magazine about this situation, alhtough I don't there's a current analogy to DCPS. NYC has seen a huge spike in births since 2001 (under 5 has increased by 25% while all other age groups have increased by only 4%), and the school system essentially didn't have/use this demographic information and now literally has no room for all of the kids to attend their neighborhood schools.

While more and more families do seem to be staying in DC, I don't think demographics show a similar trend here, although you could envision certain schools -- Murch, Janney, Lafayette, Oyster, Mann -- in a crunch if all of the families who have bought in these neighborhoods in the last decade stay and send their kids to DCPS. And the philosophy ascribed to the NYC superintendent in NY Mag -- he's "agnostic" on the neighborhood schools concept and puts more emphasis on providing consistently high-quality teaching across all schools -- doesn't sound so foreign from Rhee's approach. So I'd be curious to see the relevant DC birth-rate trends and school enrollment projections. I'm guessing this info is out there somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Suggesting that OP get something in writing from DCPS before relocating is creating trouble?
Sorry but the intention was trying to prevent trouble for OP.
As for a version of the NYC situation not happening here at some point, who knows. NYC is Rhee's model.
My child was in a school that could have been closed by the Fire Marshall. Literally, it was that overcrowded.
This was two years ago, I do not know if that's changed.
Also, I have nothing to lose here, my child is in Middle School, OP seems to be looking at elementary.
Good luck, OP.