considering relocating for work, is lottery still an option?

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

I'm considering relocating to DC for a great (although modestly-paying) job. Right now I'm running numbers to see whether I can balance the household budget in such a HCOL area, particularly where it comes to childcare. I understand there is free universal preK, but at this point in the year is there any shred of hope that my son could get a preK3 spot for fall? Tell it to me straight.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

He could get *a* PK3 spot, but unlikely to be at a school desired by upper middle class families.

[Anonymous]

Many schools are considered fine for PK3 through K. Then many people get pickier.

[Anonymous]

Can you afford to live in DC proper for the free preK? We make 130 and that will go to 200 when I go back to work and we live in a nice suburb with no universal preK and spending 30k a year on Montessori. We can't afford DC housing prices to be frank with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you afford to live in DC proper for the free preK? We make 130 and that will go to 200 when I go back to work and we live in a nice suburb with no universal preK and spending 30k a year on Montessori. We can't afford DC housing prices to be frank with you.

That's funny because we happily live in DC on the same income.

[Anonymous]

Are you looking to rent or buy? You could consider renting near a Title I school and being in-boundary, you would be high on the list for any spots that open up. That should hold you through K or until you figure out where you actually want to move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you afford to live in DC proper for the free preK? We make 130 and that will go to 200 when I go back to work and we live in a nice suburb with no universal preK and spending 30k a year on Montessori. We can't afford DC housing prices to be frank with you.

That's funny because we happily live in DC on the same income.

and you bought when?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you afford to live in DC proper for the free preK? We make 130 and that will go to 200 when I go back to work and we live in a nice suburb with no universal preK and spending 30k a year on Montessori. We can't afford DC housing prices to be frank with you.

That's funny because we happily live in DC on the same income.

Not going to lie the kids have trust funds but how do you save any money living in DC? How do you pay off your student loans? You must have bought in Petworth or Ft. Totten like a decade ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you afford to live in DC proper for the free preK? We make 130 and that will go to 200 when I go back to work and we live in a nice suburb with no universal preK and spending 30k a year on Montessori. We can't afford DC housing prices to be frank with you.

That's funny because we happily live in DC on the same income.

Not going to lie the kids have trust funds but how do you save any money living in DC? How do you pay off your student loans? You must have bought in Petworth or Ft. Totten like a decade ago.

Not PP, but we bought in Brookland less than 5 years ago, have kid in Montessori (public charter) and one in the fall, have a HHI of 180k and just finished paying off our loans (which were undergrad not grad/post-grad)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you afford to live in DC proper for the free preK? We make 130 and that will go to 200 when I go back to work and we live in a nice suburb with no universal preK and spending 30k a year on Montessori. We can't afford DC housing prices to be frank with you.

That's funny because we happily live in DC on the same income.

Not going to lie the kids have trust funds but how do you save any money living in DC? How do you pay off your student loans? You must have bought in Petworth or Ft. Totten like a decade ago.

Not PP, but we bought in Brookland less than 5 years ago, have kid in Montessori (public charter) and one in the fall, have a HHI of 180k and just finished paying off our loans (which were undergrad not grad/post-grad)

Okay this makes sense. We have PhDs so we didn't have a decent income until fairly recently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you looking to rent or buy? You could consider renting near a Title I school and being in-boundary, you would be high on the list for any spots that open up. That should hold you through K or until you figure out where you actually want to move.

Definitely renting for now. I would still not be guaranteed a spot at my IB school though, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He could get *a* PK3 spot, but unlikely to be at a school desired by upper middle class families.

What about regular middle class families? At this stage I just want him to be in a place where he feels safe and has fun playing with the other kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you looking to rent or buy? You could consider renting near a Title I school and being in-boundary, you would be high on the list for any spots that open up. That should hold you through K or until you figure out where you actually want to move.

Definitely renting for now. I would still not be guaranteed a spot at my IB school though, right?

Not until K. Some don't offer very much preschool, some have room for all, it just depends.

You might like Bloomingdale/Eckington. Langley and Seaton are fine through K, very kid-friendly neighborhood, and short commute to downtown. You could see how you do in the PK4 lottery for charters and then move or not, depending.
.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He could get *a* PK3 spot, but unlikely to be at a school desired by upper middle class families.

What about regular middle class families? At this stage I just want him to be in a place where he feels safe and has fun playing with the other kids.

There aren't many middle class families in DC; IMO. I've been here a few years and it seems most are either affluent or working class/low SES; you'll have to go to the suburbs for tre middle class families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He could get *a* PK3 spot, but unlikely to be at a school desired by upper middle class families.

What about regular middle class families? At this stage I just want him to be in a place where he feels safe and has fun playing with the other kids.

There aren't many middle class families in DC; IMO. I've been here a few years and it seems most are either affluent or working class/low SES; you'll have to go to the suburbs for tre middle class families.

There are plenty of middle class families in DC (incomes of ~$45-90,000/year). There aren't a lot of white families in that income bracket in the city though.