Is residency fraud a real issue or is it overblown?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't seen one of these cases happen in a while. I think they did a big data match, caught a bunch of school and city employees, and that must have had some sort of deterrent effect. And cases that reach a settlement don't tend to make the news.


https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-sues-seven-adults-residency-fraud-dc

https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-sues-six-maryland-parents-residency

https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-sues-four-maryland-parents-and-dcps

I don't think Schwalb is nearly as interested as Racine was in catching residency cheaters. For one, I don't think he's particularly competent. And for two, I don't think he would like what he finds if he were to investigate.

Residency fraud is an issue, but not at the schools that get posted about here. Too many struggling charters would go under if they didn't look the other way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think residency fraud is probably not widespread at popular DCPS schools.

People with out of state tags living in DC, however…

THIS.

(and also: yes, it's maybe more visible for free PK3 and PK4 ...less so after)

[Anonymous]

The registrar at our NW DC elementary school is a stickler.. glad for her thoroughness!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't seen one of these cases happen in a while. I think they did a big data match, caught a bunch of school and city employees, and that must have had some sort of deterrent effect. And cases that reach a settlement don't tend to make the news.


https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-sues-seven-adults-residency-fraud-dc

https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-sues-six-maryland-parents-residency

https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-sues-four-maryland-parents-and-dcps

I don't think Schwalb is nearly as interested as Racine was in catching residency cheaters. For one, I don't think he's particularly competent. And for two, I don't think he would like what he finds if he were to investigate.

Residency fraud is an issue, but not at the schools that get posted about here. Too many struggling charters would go under if they didn't look the other way.

+1. Most of the popular schools on DCUM are full of in-boundary kids.

[Anonymous]

The cheater who uses my address went to Walker Jones and Phelps.

[Anonymous]

I live in NE and I think it's a real issue. But I also think it's a bigger issue at schools that most on DCUM would never consider sending their kids too. It might be a problem at some charters and a few of the more desirable schools, but for the most part the administration at those schools have a strong interest in verifying residency and keeping everyone on the up and up, because having a lot of kids who don't even live in the district at your school is bad for fostering a sense of community, which is part of what makes an elementary school more desirable for a lot of parents. Though, hilariously, I know of at least one NE school that has a strong sense of community among the PG County families who commit residency fraud to send their kids there. In that case (and no, I will NOT be naming the school, I don't want to get in the middle of this) many of these kids have parents or grandparents who attended the school in question, and there is a sense of ownership even though their families have since moved to PG. It is, IMO, a very messy situation and unlikely to end soon.

I also know of one NE charter that has a somewhat notorious problem with residency fraud, which has emerged in the last few years. The gossip on this school is that it has fallen in esteem among DC families looking at charters in the last few years and struggled to fill out classes past PK3, and that they have handled this by turning a bit of a blind eye to irregular residency paperwork because they just need students. This school is on a very popular commuting route and has a popular ECE program, though there are many rumblings about poor teaching and low standards in upper grades. Among the families I know, there is a belief that an increase in residency fraud at the school has contributed to its declining rep. The school used to be known as a "neighborhood" school, and was popular with neighborhood families unhappy with DCPS options but who really liked having a walkable commute to school and the option to form community with nearby families. You can see how residency fraud would have an impact on that -- kids get older and want to walk to school with friends, but hmmm, the friends arrive via a car with Maryland plates every day.

I'm not really even judging the families doing this -- people just want what is best with their kids, and I have friends in PG county who have struggled with the schools there. I do have an issue with school administrators who use people committing residency fraud for their own purposes. And ultimately I think this practice is really bad for schools and communities, even if I don't think the people doing it are bad people.

[Anonymous]

After my divorce, my ex moved to Maryland while I remained in DC.

We were at a popular charter where we knew many parents and interacted at school events, Stoddert soccer, etc, and--all of a sudden--quite a few moms and dads felt the need to casually ask, "so where are you living these days."

Our registar was a stickler and I had to not only show my license but show that it matched recent paystubs.

Most of the fraud takes place at schools that need more kids for their headcount. Other states have sent school leaders to prison for allowing such fraud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in NE and I think it's a real issue. But I also think it's a bigger issue at schools that most on DCUM would never consider sending their kids too. It might be a problem at some charters and a few of the more desirable schools, but for the most part the administration at those schools have a strong interest in verifying residency and keeping everyone on the up and up, because having a lot of kids who don't even live in the district at your school is bad for fostering a sense of community, which is part of what makes an elementary school more desirable for a lot of parents. Though, hilariously, I know of at least one NE school that has a strong sense of community among the PG County families who commit residency fraud to send their kids there. In that case (and no, I will NOT be naming the school, I don't want to get in the middle of this) many of these kids have parents or grandparents who attended the school in question, and there is a sense of ownership even though their families have since moved to PG. It is, IMO, a very messy situation and unlikely to end soon.

I also know of one NE charter that has a somewhat notorious problem with residency fraud, which has emerged in the last few years. The gossip on this school is that it has fallen in esteem among DC families looking at charters in the last few years and struggled to fill out classes past PK3, and that they have handled this by turning a bit of a blind eye to irregular residency paperwork because they just need students. This school is on a very popular commuting route and has a popular ECE program, though there are many rumblings about poor teaching and low standards in upper grades. Among the families I know, there is a belief that an increase in residency fraud at the school has contributed to its declining rep. The school used to be known as a "neighborhood" school, and was popular with neighborhood families unhappy with DCPS options but who really liked having a walkable commute to school and the option to form community with nearby families. You can see how residency fraud would have an impact on that -- kids get older and want to walk to school with friends, but hmmm, the friends arrive via a car with Maryland plates every day.

I'm not really even judging the families doing this -- people just want what is best with their kids, and I have friends in PG county who have struggled with the schools there. I do have an issue with school administrators who use people committing residency fraud for their own purposes. And ultimately I think this practice is really bad for schools and communities, even if I don't think the people doing it are bad people.

I know a couple residency fraud examples- both first hand and scurrilous rumors- due to football. Dunbar and baillou. Seems ridiculous to me, but I also get the sense of ownership they feel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After my divorce, my ex moved to Maryland while I remained in DC.

We were at a popular charter where we knew many parents and interacted at school events, Stoddert soccer, etc, and--all of a sudden--quite a few moms and dads felt the need to casually ask, "so where are you living these days."

Our registar was a stickler and I had to not only show my license but show that it matched recent paystubs.

Most of the fraud takes place at schools that need more kids for their headcount. Other states have sent school leaders to prison for allowing such fraud.

I appreciate your story -- especially about how people questioned your status even though you had the paperwork to prove your residency. There is residency fraud and it is an issue but what's overblown, IMO, is the idea that it's the school that is skirting the rules rather than parents. It is the parents. I am at a school (charter) and OSSE does a review of 100% of the paperwork submitted by parents. Maybe there are different rules for DCPS or maybe OSSE is sloppy and only full audits some charters but I don't understand how it's possible that there are schools that are not getting proper paperwork. A DC license alone is not sufficient to prove residency according to OSSE's rules. If you are using a license for residency, you must provide a second document as evidence. Your registrar isn't a "stickler". He/she is simply following the rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After my divorce, my ex moved to Maryland while I remained in DC.

We were at a popular charter where we knew many parents and interacted at school events, Stoddert soccer, etc, and--all of a sudden--quite a few moms and dads felt the need to casually ask, "so where are you living these days."

Our registar was a stickler and I had to not only show my license but show that it matched recent paystubs.

Most of the fraud takes place at schools that need more kids for their headcount. Other states have sent school leaders to prison for allowing such fraud.

I appreciate your story -- especially about how people questioned your status even though you had the paperwork to prove your residency. There is residency fraud and it is an issue but what's overblown, IMO, is the idea that it's the school that is skirting the rules rather than parents. It is the parents. I am at a school (charter) and OSSE does a review of 100% of the paperwork submitted by parents. Maybe there are different rules for DCPS or maybe OSSE is sloppy and only full audits some charters but I don't understand how it's possible that there are schools that are not getting proper paperwork. A DC license alone is not sufficient to prove residency according to OSSE's rules. If you are using a license for residency, you must provide a second document as evidence. Your registrar isn't a "stickler". He/she is simply following the rules.

OSSE absolutely does not review the paperwork submitted by parents. That is fully the responsibility of the school. OSSE may audit schools and conducts individual level residency investigations, but the OSSE staff of two in the residency investigation team certainly are not reviewing paperwork for hundreds or thousands of kids on a routine basis.

And yes, a paystub is sufficient to verify residency, but a driver's license requires a secondary source (like a paystub).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After my divorce, my ex moved to Maryland while I remained in DC.

We were at a popular charter where we knew many parents and interacted at school events, Stoddert soccer, etc, and--all of a sudden--quite a few moms and dads felt the need to casually ask, "so where are you living these days."

Our registar was a stickler and I had to not only show my license but show that it matched recent paystubs.

Most of the fraud takes place at schools that need more kids for their headcount. Other states have sent school leaders to prison for allowing such fraud.

I appreciate your story -- especially about how people questioned your status even though you had the paperwork to prove your residency. There is residency fraud and it is an issue but what's overblown, IMO, is the idea that it's the school that is skirting the rules rather than parents. It is the parents. I am at a school (charter) and OSSE does a review of 100% of the paperwork submitted by parents. Maybe there are different rules for DCPS or maybe OSSE is sloppy and only full audits some charters but I don't understand how it's possible that there are schools that are not getting proper paperwork. A DC license alone is not sufficient to prove residency according to OSSE's rules. If you are using a license for residency, you must provide a second document as evidence. Your registrar isn't a "stickler". He/she is simply following the rules.

OSSE absolutely does not review the paperwork submitted by parents. That is fully the responsibility of the school. OSSE may audit schools and conducts individual level residency investigations, but the OSSE staff of two in the residency investigation team certainly are not reviewing paperwork for hundreds or thousands of kids on a routine basis.

And yes, a paystub is sufficient to verify residency, but a driver's license requires a secondary source (like a paystub).

I'm glad you cleared up the part about the license. The registrar is doing their job (not extra) by getting a second document when the parent only presents a license. Schools have to keep and submit annually to OSSE the entire set of information showing verification of residency for every enrollee except those who are already "OSSE verified". There is an OSSE enrollment audit handbook that schools must follow and it clearly states that "LEAs shall upload all residency forms and supporting residency documents to BOX by their LEA e-file deadline."

OSSE may only have a small staff but they contract a team of auditors each year that do this work and review submissions.

[Anonymous]

At least some schools are taking things seriously - my good friend's 3 year old is still not officially registered for our ward 5 dcps elementary school because her HR left out the quadrant on her pay stubs. So her address on her ID matches the address on her paystubs except one says (not real address) 11 Main Street NW and the other says 11 Main Street. They will NOT let her register with her docs this way.

[Anonymous]

I don't worry about it - all kids are our kids. Its none of my business. I am a DCPS teacher, have kids in DCPCS and have lived in the District since 2005. My plates say VA at drop off. I don't own the car, but garage it for a family member who is typically out of the country. Every family is unique. I don't own a car at all.

But I have to admit that the MD people that buy one-bedrooms in the District to get their kids into Duke Ellington really do piss me off. They do steal spots from more deserving kids. PAY THE TUITION!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't seen one of these cases happen in a while. I think they did a big data match, caught a bunch of school and city employees, and that must have had some sort of deterrent effect. And cases that reach a settlement don't tend to make the news.


https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-sues-seven-adults-residency-fraud-dc

https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-sues-six-maryland-parents-residency

https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-sues-four-maryland-parents-and-dcps

I don't think Schwalb is nearly as interested as Racine was in catching residency cheaters. For one, I don't think he's particularly competent. And for two, I don't think he would like what he finds if he were to investigate.

Residency fraud is an issue, but not at the schools that get posted about here. Too many struggling charters would go under if they didn't look the other way.

So true. Even in DCPS, its far more common at schools like Dunbar or Eastern than top HSs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't worry about it - all kids are our kids. Its none of my business. I am a DCPS teacher, have kids in DCPCS and have lived in the District since 2005. My plates say VA at drop off. I don't own the car, but garage it for a family member who is typically out of the country. Every family is unique. I don't own a car at all.

But I have to admit that the MD people that buy one-bedrooms in the District to get their kids into Duke Ellington really do piss me off. They do steal spots from more deserving kids. PAY THE TUITION!!!!!!!!!!!

They're at least paying taxes.