can someone "explain like I'm 5" the pk3/pk4 lottery system?

[Anonymous]

Is PK guaranteed to all residents? Is there such thing as being "inbound" to a school for PK? Is it totally free? Full day? We are a few years out from aging into this program and confused about what we have heard.

[Anonymous]

Start here:

http://www.myschooldc.org/faq/faqs/

[Anonymous]

Also, these two videos are a great primer: http://www.myschooldc.org/resources/my-school-dc-videos

[Anonymous]

Is PK guaranteed to all residents?
Yes.

Is there such thing as being "inbound" to a school for PK?
Yes in some neighborhoods but not most.

Is it totally free?
Yes for school. Breakfast/lunch/aftercare snacks vary based on the school. If you are an upper middle class family used to daycare and who will require aftercare arrangements, expect to not save as much money monthly as you think you will now.

Full day?
Yes.

We are a few years out from aging into this program and confused about what we have heard.
It is confusing at first but not at all after a little bit of research.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is PK guaranteed to all residents?
Yes.

Is there such thing as being "inbound" to a school for PK?
Yes in some neighborhoods but not most.

Is it totally free?
Yes for school. Breakfast/lunch/aftercare snacks vary based on the school. If you are an upper middle class family used to daycare and who will require aftercare arrangements, expect to not save as much money monthly as you think you will now.

Full day?
Yes.

We are a few years out from aging into this program and confused about what we have heard.
It is confusing at first but not at all after a little bit of research.

These answers are confusing/wrong. No time to correct them, hope someonr else can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is PK guaranteed to all residents?
Yes.

Is there such thing as being "inbound" to a school for PK?
Yes in some neighborhoods but not most.

Is it totally free?
Yes for school. Breakfast/lunch/aftercare snacks vary based on the school. If you are an upper middle class family used to daycare and who will require aftercare arrangements, expect to not save as much money monthly as you think you will now.

Full day?
Yes.

We are a few years out from aging into this program and confused about what we have heard.
It is confusing at first but not at all after a little bit of research.

This isn't quite right.

Is PK3/4 guaranteed:
You are guaranteed a spot, but it might not be one that you want. The lottery is used to assign seats, and there are more seats than students, but that doesn't mean it's a school you'd want.

Is there a such thing as an "inbound" school?
Yes, IB schools exist, but this also isn't guaranteed. Not all IBs have PK3/Pk4, especially those west of the park. If you school offers PK3/PK4, you'd get preference there, but there could be too many kids IB for the number of slots available. A number of schools will have IB kids on their waitlists. A guaranteed seat at an IB school doesn't started until K.

But watch the MySchoolDC videos. They're quite helpful.

[Anonymous]

NP here. Is there a page on the website, or a booklet, that gives information on the different schools and their curriculums? I'm particularly interested in the charter montessories. Our IB school is Eaton, which has PK4. So you're saying we don't get automatic enrollment in Eaton when my son turns 4?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. Is there a page on the website, or a booklet, that gives information on the different schools and their curriculums? I'm particularly interested in the charter montessories. Our IB school is Eaton, which has PK4. So you're saying we don't get automatic enrollment in Eaton when my son turns 4?

That's correct, but you do have a preference, behind IB families whose older children already attend but ahead of OOB families (with or without children already enrolled).

And you don't start school when he turns 4 -- you're eligible for PK4 in August of the year that he'll be 4 by September 30 (so if his birthday is in February, he'll be eligible to start when he's 4.5; if his birthday is in September, he'll be eligible to start when he's 3 and about to turn 4).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. Is there a page on the website, or a booklet, that gives information on the different schools and their curriculums? I'm particularly interested in the charter montessories. Our IB school is Eaton, which has PK4. So you're saying we don't get automatic enrollment in Eaton when my son turns 4?

You don't get automatic enrollment for Pk4 at Eaton. You will get automatic enrollment starting at K. You will enter the lottery for Pk4 at Eaton. Children whose families also live IB for Eaton whose older siblings attend Eaton already will have priority over you for admission. Most IB families get in, but not necessarily all of them.

The exceptions are if your in-bound DCPS is an 'early action' school (typically Title 1 schools - so not Eaton) which offer guaranteed enrollment for Pk3 or Pk4.

Most school information is online, not in a booklet. Use the DCPCSB website to begin your search for various charter school options and find more on each school's website. You should also go to the Ed Fest school fair event in December as well.

As for charter Montessori schools, your choices are LAMB PCS (also dual-language); Breakthrough Montessori, Shining Stars Montessori and Lee Montessori.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. Is there a page on the website, or a booklet, that gives information on the different schools and their curriculums? I'm particularly interested in the charter montessories. Our IB school is Eaton, which has PK4. So you're saying we don't get automatic enrollment in Eaton when my son turns 4?

That's correct, but you do have a preference, behind IB families whose older children already attend but ahead of OOB families (with or without children already enrolled).

And you don't start school when he turns 4 -- you're eligible for PK4 in August of the year that he'll be 4 by September 30 (so if his birthday is in February, he'll be eligible to start when he's 4.5; if his birthday is in September, he'll be eligible to start when he's 3 and about to turn 4).

Yes, I realize that. School starts at the end of August, and my son will be eligible if he is 4 by September 30 of that year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is PK guaranteed to all residents?
Yes.

Is there such thing as being "inbound" to a school for PK?
Yes in some neighborhoods but not most.

Is it totally free?
Yes for school. Breakfast/lunch/aftercare snacks vary based on the school. If you are an upper middle class family used to daycare and who will require aftercare arrangements, expect to not save as much money monthly as you think you will now.

Full day?
Yes.

We are a few years out from aging into this program and confused about what we have heard.
It is confusing at first but not at all after a little bit of research.

These answers are confusing/wrong. No time to correct them, hope someonr else can.

I love DCUM!!! To OP: this incorrect answer is the reason you should have asked the threshold question: Should I ever rely in DCUM for anything but bitterness, snark and amusement? NO!!!

The myschoolsdc materials are really quite good. If you really want to understand the system then take a few minutes and read the handbook cover to cover. It is well written and comprehensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is PK guaranteed to all residents?
Yes.

Is there such thing as being "inbound" to a school for PK?
Yes in some neighborhoods but not most.

Is it totally free?
Yes for school. Breakfast/lunch/aftercare snacks vary based on the school. If you are an upper middle class family used to daycare and who will require aftercare arrangements, expect to not save as much money monthly as you think you will now.

Full day?
Yes.

We are a few years out from aging into this program and confused about what we have heard.
It is confusing at first but not at all after a little bit of research.

These answers are confusing/wrong. No time to correct them, hope someonr else can.

I love DCUM!!! To OP: this incorrect answer is the reason you should have asked the threshold question: Should I ever rely in DCUM for anything but bitterness, snark and amusement? NO!!!

The myschoolsdc materials are really quite good. If you really want to understand the system then take a few minutes and read the handbook cover to cover. It is well written and comprehensive.

Everything there is the reality in practice for speaking to someone like a 5yo.

[Anonymous]

If my kid has an early October birthday, does that mean in DC she is not eligible for PK3 until she is almost 4? I realize this is a stupid question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If my kid has an early October birthday, does that mean in DC she is not eligible for PK3 until she is almost 4? I realize this is a stupid question.

Yes. The cut-off is still a full month later than in Montgomery County.

[Anonymous]

Is PK guaranteed to all residents?

No, PK is AVAILABLE to all residents at some school, but not necessarily the school you want or even your in bounds school. PK is a lottery. Some schools have guaranteed PK and others have very competitive lotteries.

Is there such thing as being "inbound" to a school for PK?

Yes. All addresses in DC are geographically zoned for one DCPS PK program. Whether your child gets into that program is based on a lottery. Some schools have guaranteed PK, but you still have to enter the lottery - it's not like kindergarten where you can basically show up whenever you want with your registration paperwork and enroll on the spot. Charter schools do not have geographic boundaries, so no one is "inbound" for them. There are also other types of preference, mostly related to having a sibling at the school.

Is it totally free? Full day?

The school day (8:45 to 3:15 or so) is free. Aftercare (3:15 to 6pm) is not free. How much it costs varies based on the school. Schools with high populations of low income students generally have cheaper aftercare rates, particularly if they're run by DCPS vs. a private program. At our school, aftercare was free for several years, and this past year it's been $82.50/month for families not receiving government assistance of some kind. For families on government assistance, it's still free. School lunch has a similar variation in cost. Charters set their own rates for both of those things. "Full day" in DCPS means 8:45 to 3:15 or 3:30. PK has the same hours as the rest of the school.