hard to get into Duke Ellington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that DC taxpayers have invested about $200 Million into Ellington, time to put it under DC control as a school for DC kids. And frankly, I think every spot should be filled with a DC kid. My sister auditioned for Ellington in the 80s (and got in). However, auditions are incredibly subjective and talent can be developed. I find it difficult to believe that we don't have enough artistically inclined students in all of DC to fill Ellington's seats.

For Museum Studies, Theatre Tech, Visual Arts, Vocal, etc., yes you can fill almost all the seats with DC kids. They are looking for raw talent and drive (as it presents in an auditioning 8th grader-- the kids don't have to be crazy-committed 14 year olds). But for the instrumental department in particular, you need certain instruments to round out the orchestra/ensembles. Hardy used to be a great feeder but it's no longer an arts-centered school. Jefferson Junior High (as it was known) also had a very good instrumental program, but not any more. Most other DC middle schools don't have good instrumental programs. I hope this is changing so that the middle schools develop excellent arts programs which then can feed Ellington and fill all of the seats.

In the meantime, there's a process for out of state tuition-paying students run by OSSE, and which is capped for Ellington at 10% of its students.

Wow -- It appears that Ellington then is in violation of OSSE's policy on out of state tuition paying students, if there are more DC-resident students who want to enroll there than are spots made available to them.

OSSE's policy provides that out of state students "must pay tuition after meeting established criteria. In addition, in order to be accepted/admitted as a non-resident, schools should not have any residents on its waiting list."

Deal and SWW are also out of compliance. Both have tuition paying students and students on a waitlist.

How can Deal and SWW possibly be getting away with admitting non-resident students when there are so many DC residents stuck on the waiting lists? I am mystified and would like to see 1) documentation that it's actually happening and, if it is, 2) an official explanation for the past/current practice and 3) the revision of policies to prevent it from happening again.

FWIW, I should probably be characterized as a Duke Ellington booster. I love their performances and think that they do a good job making kids college-ready, even if the academics aren't as rigorous as some other high schools and even if the colleges aren't ones that DCUM favors. I see some merit to the argument that non-residents might be admitted to play a handful of less popular instruments. An orchestra needs a bassoonist, for instance, and it's unlikely that DC middle schools, given their lackluster music programs, will always manage to produce a competent one who also applies to Duke Ellington. You could also argue, however, that Duke Ellington could just admit extra woodwind players with the caveat that one or two or them need to retrain as bassoonists. Not that big a deal to do this when you're 14.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that DC taxpayers have invested about $200 Million into Ellington, time to put it under DC control as a school for DC kids. And frankly, I think every spot should be filled with a DC kid. My sister auditioned for Ellington in the 80s (and got in). However, auditions are incredibly subjective and talent can be developed. I find it difficult to believe that we don't have enough artistically inclined students in all of DC to fill Ellington's seats.

For Museum Studies, Theatre Tech, Visual Arts, Vocal, etc., yes you can fill almost all the seats with DC kids. They are looking for raw talent and drive (as it presents in an auditioning 8th grader-- the kids don't have to be crazy-committed 14 year olds). But for the instrumental department in particular, you need certain instruments to round out the orchestra/ensembles. Hardy used to be a great feeder but it's no longer an arts-centered school. Jefferson Junior High (as it was known) also had a very good instrumental program, but not any more. Most other DC middle schools don't have good instrumental programs. I hope this is changing so that the middle schools develop excellent arts programs which then can feed Ellington and fill all of the seats.

In the meantime, there's a process for out of state tuition-paying students run by OSSE, and which is capped for Ellington at 10% of its students.

Wow -- It appears that Ellington then is in violation of OSSE's policy on out of state tuition paying students, if there are more DC-resident students who want to enroll there than are spots made available to them.

OSSE's policy provides that out of state students "must pay tuition after meeting established criteria. In addition, in order to be accepted/admitted as a non-resident, schools should not have any residents on its waiting list."

Deal and SWW are also out of compliance. Both have tuition paying students and students on a waitlist.

How can Deal and SWW possibly be getting away with admitting non-resident students when there are so many DC residents stuck on the waiting lists? I am mystified and would like to see 1) documentation that it's actually happening and, if it is, 2) an official explanation for the past/current practice and 3) the revision of policies to prevent it from happening again.

It's definitely happening. Can't tell you why.

The annual OSSE enrollment audit report lists how many tuition paying students are at each school. For 2016-17 there was 1 out of state student at SWW and 1 at Deal. You can see the list (it's attachment G) in the audit report

https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/2016-17%20School%20Year%20Enrollment%20Audit%20Report_0.pdf

In 2015-16 SWW had 3 out of state students, Banneker had 2 and Deal had 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that DC taxpayers have invested about $200 Million into Ellington, time to put it under DC control as a school for DC kids. And frankly, I think every spot should be filled with a DC kid. My sister auditioned for Ellington in the 80s (and got in). However, auditions are incredibly subjective and talent can be developed. I find it difficult to believe that we don't have enough artistically inclined students in all of DC to fill Ellington's seats.

For Museum Studies, Theatre Tech, Visual Arts, Vocal, etc., yes you can fill almost all the seats with DC kids. They are looking for raw talent and drive (as it presents in an auditioning 8th grader-- the kids don't have to be crazy-committed 14 year olds). But for the instrumental department in particular, you need certain instruments to round out the orchestra/ensembles. Hardy used to be a great feeder but it's no longer an arts-centered school. Jefferson Junior High (as it was known) also had a very good instrumental program, but not any more. Most other DC middle schools don't have good instrumental programs. I hope this is changing so that the middle schools develop excellent arts programs which then can feed Ellington and fill all of the seats.

In the meantime, there's a process for out of state tuition-paying students run by OSSE, and which is capped for Ellington at 10% of its students.

Wow -- It appears that Ellington then is in violation of OSSE's policy on out of state tuition paying students, if there are more DC-resident students who want to enroll there than are spots made available to them.

OSSE's policy provides that out of state students "must pay tuition after meeting established criteria. In addition, in order to be accepted/admitted as a non-resident, schools should not have any residents on its waiting list."

Deal and SWW are also out of compliance. Both have tuition paying students and students on a waitlist.

How can Deal and SWW possibly be getting away with admitting non-resident students when there are so many DC residents stuck on the waiting lists? I am mystified and would like to see 1) documentation that it's actually happening and, if it is, 2) an official explanation for the past/current practice and 3) the revision of policies to prevent it from happening again.

It's definitely happening. Can't tell you why.

The annual OSSE enrollment audit report lists how many tuition paying students are at each school. For 2016-17 there was 1 out of state student at SWW and 1 at Deal. You can see the list (it's attachment G) in the audit report

https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/2016-17%20School%20Year%20Enrollment%20Audit%20Report_0.pdf

In 2015-16 SWW had 3 out of state students, Banneker had 2 and Deal had 1.

I've certainly seem way more than simply one student arriving at Deal in a vehicle registered in Maryland. My daughter tells me that a number of her Deal classmates live in Maryland. The numbers for 'tuition paying' students (leaving aside the questions of heavily subsidized tuition and whether it's always collected) and just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface likely are the more numerous students whose parents claim DC residency but don't live in D.C. It's shameful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that DC taxpayers have invested about $200 Million into Ellington, time to put it under DC control as a school for DC kids. And frankly, I think every spot should be filled with a DC kid. My sister auditioned for Ellington in the 80s (and got in). However, auditions are incredibly subjective and talent can be developed. I find it difficult to believe that we don't have enough artistically inclined students in all of DC to fill Ellington's seats.

For Museum Studies, Theatre Tech, Visual Arts, Vocal, etc., yes you can fill almost all the seats with DC kids. They are looking for raw talent and drive (as it presents in an auditioning 8th grader-- the kids don't have to be crazy-committed 14 year olds). But for the instrumental department in particular, you need certain instruments to round out the orchestra/ensembles. Hardy used to be a great feeder but it's no longer an arts-centered school. Jefferson Junior High (as it was known) also had a very good instrumental program, but not any more. Most other DC middle schools don't have good instrumental programs. I hope this is changing so that the middle schools develop excellent arts programs which then can feed Ellington and fill all of the seats.

In the meantime, there's a process for out of state tuition-paying students run by OSSE, and which is capped for Ellington at 10% of its students.

Wow -- It appears that Ellington then is in violation of OSSE's policy on out of state tuition paying students, if there are more DC-resident students who want to enroll there than are spots made available to them.

OSSE's policy provides that out of state students "must pay tuition after meeting established criteria. In addition, in order to be accepted/admitted as a non-resident, schools should not have any residents on its waiting list."

Deal and SWW are also out of compliance. Both have tuition paying students and students on a waitlist.

With the school bureaucracy looking the other way, there seems to be something to this unofficial "Ward 9" notion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that DC taxpayers have invested about $200 Million into Ellington, time to put it under DC control as a school for DC kids. And frankly, I think every spot should be filled with a DC kid. My sister auditioned for Ellington in the 80s (and got in). However, auditions are incredibly subjective and talent can be developed. I find it difficult to believe that we don't have enough artistically inclined students in all of DC to fill Ellington's seats.

For Museum Studies, Theatre Tech, Visual Arts, Vocal, etc., yes you can fill almost all the seats with DC kids. They are looking for raw talent and drive (as it presents in an auditioning 8th grader-- the kids don't have to be crazy-committed 14 year olds). But for the instrumental department in particular, you need certain instruments to round out the orchestra/ensembles. Hardy used to be a great feeder but it's no longer an arts-centered school. Jefferson Junior High (as it was known) also had a very good instrumental program, but not any more. Most other DC middle schools don't have good instrumental programs. I hope this is changing so that the middle schools develop excellent arts programs which then can feed Ellington and fill all of the seats.

In the meantime, there's a process for out of state tuition-paying students run by OSSE, and which is capped for Ellington at 10% of its students.

Wow -- It appears that Ellington then is in violation of OSSE's policy on out of state tuition paying students, if there are more DC-resident students who want to enroll there than are spots made available to them.

OSSE's policy provides that out of state students "must pay tuition after meeting established criteria. In addition, in order to be accepted/admitted as a non-resident, schools should not have any residents on its waiting list."

Deal and SWW are also out of compliance. Both have tuition paying students and students on a waitlist.

How can Deal and SWW possibly be getting away with admitting non-resident students when there are so many DC residents stuck on the waiting lists? I am mystified and would like to see 1) documentation that it's actually happening and, if it is, 2) an official explanation for the past/current practice and 3) the revision of policies to prevent it from happening again.

It's definitely happening. Can't tell you why.

The annual OSSE enrollment audit report lists how many tuition paying students are at each school. For 2016-17 there was 1 out of state student at SWW and 1 at Deal. You can see the list (it's attachment G) in the audit report

https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/2016-17%20School%20Year%20Enrollment%20Audit%20Report_0.pdf

In 2015-16 SWW had 3 out of state students, Banneker had 2 and Deal had 1.

I've certainly seem way more than simply one student arriving at Deal in a vehicle registered in Maryland. My daughter tells me that a number of her Deal classmates live in Maryland. The numbers for 'tuition paying' students (leaving aside the questions of heavily subsidized tuition and whether it's always collected) and just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface likely are the more numerous students whose parents claim DC residency but don't live in D.C. It's shameful.

I've posted a version of this comment whenever this debate erupts but a couple of years ago I was part of a group working on some safety issues around Deal and Wilson so we spent a lot of mornings and afternoons observing traffic flows and student behavior during drop-off and pick-up.

And an astonishing number of kids at both schools are getting in and out of MD plated cars. I've no way to estimate what % of the total population this covers since a lot of kids walk and take transit to get there but among the people arriving in cars I'd guess about half the kids are getting dropped off from MD cars.

Sure there are all sorts of reasons why on a given day you'd see some out of state drops for legitimately enrolled kids but there are so many and it also wasn't lost on me that there were never any VA cars which should happen if the offered excuses are valid.

[Anonymous]

But the issue of residency cheating is separate and different than Deal, SWW and Banneker accepting tuition paying students when they have a waiting lists of DC residents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But the issue of residency cheating is separate and different than Deal, SWW and Banneker accepting tuition paying students when they have a waiting lists of DC residents.

It's the flipside of the same coin - slots that should go to legitimate DC residents are going to non-residents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But the issue of residency cheating is separate and different than Deal, SWW and Banneker accepting tuition paying students when they have a waiting lists of DC residents.

It's the flipside of the same coin - slots that should go to legitimate DC residents are going to non-residents.

The tuition payers are being honest and playing by the stated rules (they applied - and DCPS/OSSE could have said no). I just can't figure out why the schools and OSSE are giving them a pass.

I think the residency cheating is much harder. Lots of housing insecurity, family ties across borders, children whose parents don't live together, and other things that make it hard to catch, especially when so many folks don't think they are doing anything wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that DC taxpayers have invested about $200 Million into Ellington, time to put it under DC control as a school for DC kids. And frankly, I think every spot should be filled with a DC kid. My sister auditioned for Ellington in the 80s (and got in). However, auditions are incredibly subjective and talent can be developed. I find it difficult to believe that we don't have enough artistically inclined students in all of DC to fill Ellington's seats.

For Museum Studies, Theatre Tech, Visual Arts, Vocal, etc., yes you can fill almost all the seats with DC kids. They are looking for raw talent and drive (as it presents in an auditioning 8th grader-- the kids don't have to be crazy-committed 14 year olds). But for the instrumental department in particular, you need certain instruments to round out the orchestra/ensembles. Hardy used to be a great feeder but it's no longer an arts-centered school. Jefferson Junior High (as it was known) also had a very good instrumental program, but not any more. Most other DC middle schools don't have good instrumental programs. I hope this is changing so that the middle schools develop excellent arts programs which then can feed Ellington and fill all of the seats.

In the meantime, there's a process for out of state tuition-paying students run by OSSE, and which is capped for Ellington at 10% of its students.

Wow -- It appears that Ellington then is in violation of OSSE's policy on out of state tuition paying students, if there are more DC-resident students who want to enroll there than are spots made available to them.

OSSE's policy provides that out of state students "must pay tuition after meeting established criteria. In addition, in order to be accepted/admitted as a non-resident, schools should not have any residents on its waiting list."

Deal and SWW are also out of compliance. Both have tuition paying students and students on a waitlist.

How can Deal and SWW possibly be getting away with admitting non-resident students when there are so many DC residents stuck on the waiting lists? I am mystified and would like to see 1) documentation that it's actually happening and, if it is, 2) an official explanation for the past/current practice and 3) the revision of policies to prevent it from happening again.

FWIW, I should probably be characterized as a Duke Ellington booster. I love their performances and think that they do a good job making kids college-ready, even if the academics aren't as rigorous as some other high schools and even if the colleges aren't ones that DCUM favors. I see some merit to the argument that non-residents might be admitted to play a handful of less popular instruments. An orchestra needs a bassoonist, for instance, and it's unlikely that DC middle schools, given their lackluster music programs, will always manage to produce a competent one who also applies to Duke Ellington. You could also argue, however, that Duke Ellington could just admit extra woodwind players with the caveat that one or two or them need to retrain as bassoonists. Not that big a deal to do this when you're 14.


Ellington parent here: Yes and this does happen. DCPS trumpet player admitted last year and retrained on French horn as an example. Still there are holes and vacancies across some of the programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But the issue of residency cheating is separate and different than Deal, SWW and Banneker accepting tuition paying students when they have a waiting lists of DC residents.

It's the flipside of the same coin - slots that should go to legitimate DC residents are going to non-residents.

The tuition payers are being honest and playing by the stated rules (they applied - and DCPS/OSSE could have said no). I just can't figure out why the schools and OSSE are giving them a pass.

I think the residency cheating is much harder. Lots of housing insecurity, family ties across borders, children whose parents don't live together, and other things that make it hard to catch, especially when so many folks don't think they are doing anything wrong.

Believe me, the parents know that they are doing something wrong. My kids have classmates who are trained to be evasive about where they live, and who seldom get picked up in front of the school, but more like a block away. This puts their kids in an untenable situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But the issue of residency cheating is separate and different than Deal, SWW and Banneker accepting tuition paying students when they have a waiting lists of DC residents.

It's the flipside of the same coin - slots that should go to legitimate DC residents are going to non-residents.

The tuition payers are being honest and playing by the stated rules (they applied - and DCPS/OSSE could have said no). I just can't figure out why the schools and OSSE are giving them a pass.

I think the residency cheating is much harder. Lots of housing insecurity, family ties across borders, children whose parents don't live together, and other things that make it hard to catch, especially when so many folks don't think they are doing anything wrong.

It's very possible to feel entitled yet know that what you are doing is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that DC taxpayers have invested about $200 Million into Ellington, time to put it under DC control as a school for DC kids. And frankly, I think every spot should be filled with a DC kid. My sister auditioned for Ellington in the 80s (and got in). However, auditions are incredibly subjective and talent can be developed. I find it difficult to believe that we don't have enough artistically inclined students in all of DC to fill Ellington's seats.

For Museum Studies, Theatre Tech, Visual Arts, Vocal, etc., yes you can fill almost all the seats with DC kids. They are looking for raw talent and drive (as it presents in an auditioning 8th grader-- the kids don't have to be crazy-committed 14 year olds). But for the instrumental department in particular, you need certain instruments to round out the orchestra/ensembles. Hardy used to be a great feeder but it's no longer an arts-centered school. Jefferson Junior High (as it was known) also had a very good instrumental program, but not any more. Most other DC middle schools don't have good instrumental programs. I hope this is changing so that the middle schools develop excellent arts programs which then can feed Ellington and fill all of the seats.

In the meantime, there's a process for out of state tuition-paying students run by OSSE, and which is capped for Ellington at 10% of its students.

Wow -- It appears that Ellington then is in violation of OSSE's policy on out of state tuition paying students, if there are more DC-resident students who want to enroll there than are spots made available to them.

OSSE's policy provides that out of state students "must pay tuition after meeting established criteria. In addition, in order to be accepted/admitted as a non-resident, schools should not have any residents on its waiting list."

Deal and SWW are also out of compliance. Both have tuition paying students and students on a waitlist.

How can Deal and SWW possibly be getting away with admitting non-resident students when there are so many DC residents stuck on the waiting lists? I am mystified and would like to see 1) documentation that it's actually happening and, if it is, 2) an official explanation for the past/current practice and 3) the revision of policies to prevent it from happening again.

It's definitely happening. Can't tell you why.

The annual OSSE enrollment audit report lists how many tuition paying students are at each school. For 2016-17 there was 1 out of state student at SWW and 1 at Deal. You can see the list (it's attachment G) in the audit report

https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/2016-17%20School%20Year%20Enrollment%20Audit%20Report_0.pdf

In 2015-16 SWW had 3 out of state students, Banneker had 2 and Deal had 1.

I've certainly seem way more than simply one student arriving at Deal in a vehicle registered in Maryland. My daughter tells me that a number of her Deal classmates live in Maryland. The numbers for 'tuition paying' students (leaving aside the questions of heavily subsidized tuition and whether it's always collected) and just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface likely are the more numerous students whose parents claim DC residency but don't live in D.C. It's shameful.

I've posted a version of this comment whenever this debate erupts but a couple of years ago I was part of a group working on some safety issues around Deal and Wilson so we spent a lot of mornings and afternoons observing traffic flows and student behavior during drop-off and pick-up.

And an astonishing number of kids at both schools are getting in and out of MD plated cars. I've no way to estimate what % of the total population this covers since a lot of kids walk and take transit to get there but among the people arriving in cars I'd guess about half the kids are getting dropped off from MD cars.

Sure there are all sorts of reasons why on a given day you'd see some out of state drops for legitimately enrolled kids but there are so many and it also wasn't lost on me that there were never any VA cars which should happen if the offered excuses are valid.

Someone who used to work at DCPS told me that she figures that at least 10 percent of Deal and Wilson students may really be Maryland residents, and Wilson may even be slightly higher. She said that the problem really compounds by the time that the kids reach Wilson, because their families have successfully burrowed into elementary and middle school feeders for years. If DC could get a handle on even half of the residency fraud cases in those schools, we might not have so many debates about overcrowding and further shifting school boundaries. Every fraud case is not only a theft from DC taxpayers; as we can see, it is often a direct theft from students who otherwise might get a coveted slot at (or not be re-districted away from) a desirable, oversubscribed school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
In 2015-16 SWW had 3 out of state students, Banneker had 2 and Deal had 1.

I've certainly seem way more than simply one student arriving at Deal in a vehicle registered in Maryland. My daughter tells me that a number of her Deal classmates live in Maryland. The numbers for 'tuition paying' students (leaving aside the questions of heavily subsidized tuition and whether it's always collected) and just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface likely are the more numerous students whose parents claim DC residency but don't live in D.C. It's shameful.



Have you had a conversation with your daughter what fraud is - and that these families are each stealing over $10K a year from DC residents? And to show her how to step up and have a voice and do the right thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very. There's an audition, exam, and family interview.

So why, with the latest $200 million subsidy from D.C. Taxpayers, does Ellington take kids from Maryland while it turns away kids from Washington?!

Go to an open house and ask.

Why don't you tell us taxpayers. We'd love to know why we're subsidizing MoCo and PG kids when DC kids are being rejected. How is educating Maryland students part of Ellington's mission?

If no bass players from DC apply, and a talented bass player from Silver Spring wants to pay tuition and attend, why not?

So you're telling us that zero D.C. kids are turned away in favor of MD kids?

No, simply that it's not as simple as you make it out to be. A DC kid who has no talent, or an empty slot, will go to an out of state kid. They decide yes/no on all the DC kids before they consider any from out of state.

In addition, the percentage of tuition paying students is capped at 10%. The out of state enrollment is below that limit now (42 out of 575).

But instead of essentially having 10 percent of sears thst are officially for out of district students (ignoring the fraudsers), why doesn't Ellington do more outreach to recruit a greater number of talented D.C. Kids?

They are in every high school, they are at Ed Fest, they recruit at DCYO, and community based arts group.

Applications have been down while they were in swing space for 3 years. THey've also had interim heads of school for 3 years, which isn't ideal.

I would imagine the building will spur new interest now -- especially as SWW gets more competitive and Wilson gets more crowded. And there is now permanent leadership in place.

Perhaps, but then Ellington will have to enhance its academic quality. It may be good in arts, but no way is comparable academically to SWW or even Wilson.

Ellington wasn't intended to compete with Banneker and SWW, no more than Julliard was intended to compete with Stanford. By your foolish logic, Harvard has a better music program than Peabody Conservatory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that DC taxpayers have invested about $200 Million into Ellington, time to put it under DC control as a school for DC kids. And frankly, I think every spot should be filled with a DC kid. My sister auditioned for Ellington in the 80s (and got in). However, auditions are incredibly subjective and talent can be developed. I find it difficult to believe that we don't have enough artistically inclined students in all of DC to fill Ellington's seats.

For Museum Studies, Theatre Tech, Visual Arts, Vocal, etc., yes you can fill almost all the seats with DC kids. They are looking for raw talent and drive (as it presents in an auditioning 8th grader-- the kids don't have to be crazy-committed 14 year olds). But for the instrumental department in particular, you need certain instruments to round out the orchestra/ensembles. Hardy used to be a great feeder but it's no longer an arts-centered school. Jefferson Junior High (as it was known) also had a very good instrumental program, but not any more. Most other DC middle schools don't have good instrumental programs. I hope this is changing so that the middle schools develop excellent arts programs which then can feed Ellington and fill all of the seats.

In the meantime, there's a process for out of state tuition-paying students run by OSSE, and which is capped for Ellington at 10% of its students.

Wow -- It appears that Ellington then is in violation of OSSE's policy on out of state tuition paying students, if there are more DC-resident students who want to enroll there than are spots made available to them.

OSSE's policy provides that out of state students "must pay tuition after meeting established criteria. In addition, in order to be accepted/admitted as a non-resident, schools should not have any residents on its waiting list."

Deal and SWW are also out of compliance. Both have tuition paying students and students on a waitlist.

How can Deal and SWW possibly be getting away with admitting non-resident students when there are so many DC residents stuck on the waiting lists? I am mystified and would like to see 1) documentation that it's actually happening and, if it is, 2) an official explanation for the past/current practice and 3) the revision of policies to prevent it from happening again.

It's definitely happening. Can't tell you why.

The annual OSSE enrollment audit report lists how many tuition paying students are at each school. For 2016-17 there was 1 out of state student at SWW and 1 at Deal. You can see the list (it's attachment G) in the audit report

https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/2016-17%20School%20Year%20Enrollment%20Audit%20Report_0.pdf

In 2015-16 SWW had 3 out of state students, Banneker had 2 and Deal had 1.

I've certainly seem way more than simply one student arriving at Deal in a vehicle registered in Maryland. My daughter tells me that a number of her Deal classmates live in Maryland. The numbers for 'tuition paying' students (leaving aside the questions of heavily subsidized tuition and whether it's always collected) and just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface likely are the more numerous students whose parents claim DC residency but don't live in D.C. It's shameful.

I've posted a version of this comment whenever this debate erupts but a couple of years ago I was part of a group working on some safety issues around Deal and Wilson so we spent a lot of mornings and afternoons observing traffic flows and student behavior during drop-off and pick-up.

And an astonishing number of kids at both schools are getting in and out of MD plated cars. I've no way to estimate what % of the total population this covers since a lot of kids walk and take transit to get there but among the people arriving in cars I'd guess about half the kids are getting dropped off from MD cars.

Sure there are all sorts of reasons why on a given day you'd see some out of state drops for legitimately enrolled kids but there are so many and it also wasn't lost on me that there were never any VA cars which should happen if the offered excuses are valid.

PG isn't in VA.