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Red-shirting in DCPS/Charters
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Anonymous
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Trying to get an idea of if this is done and how it is done. DC's bday is the end of May, he would be 4 by 9/1/2012. Our neighborhood school is not an option so we are going to be trying to get him into a charter or into a different DCPS OOB. If we don't have any luck when we do the lottery for pre-k, he can stay at his current daycare which offers pre-k. The next year, would we be able to try again for a pre-k spot in a charter and DCPS or would we have to try to get him into K? It seems, based on a lot of what I've been reading/hearing, that the chances of getting in at pre-k are always better than K for charters/OOB. FWIW, we are only talking about schools that are metro-accessible (so not Murch, Stoddert, Mann, etc.) or walkable (Capitol Hill).
Any insight would be appreciated, thanks. |
Anonymous
| I believe it's done at the principal's discretion, whether it's a charter school or not. My sense is a May birthday would be a tough sell. That's the middle of the year. I believe the cutoff date is September 30 for both. I think applying for pre-K two years in a row would raise red flags, since you'd be redshirting for the right school, not for developmental reasons. |
Anonymous
| i agree with pp. this is highly unlikely. |
Anonymous
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Many chartered schools have prek3-age 3. Charter school cut off dates vary per school. most are age 3 by Sept 30 and a few are Age 3 by December 30. I beleive Potomac and HOPE cut off is in December.
A few DCPS schools also offer preschool -age 3 by Sept 30. Maybe you should try for preschool (age three) and then the following year if you don't like the school apply to Prek at another school. |
Anonymous
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At age 3 you will apply to preschool or Prek. Some schools call them Prek3 and Prek4.
DC regulations only allow a child to enter K if they turn 5 before Sept 30. They used to make exceptions but for some reason they no longer make exceptions for K. |
Anonymous
CORRECTION ALTA's cut off if Decmeber ( Not Potomac-theirs is Sept 30) I apologize for the incorrect info. FYI have been going thru the Prek3 and Prek4 process for the past 2 year. My child did Prek3(preschool) last year and is now in PreK(age 4) |
Anonymous
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Cut off for DCPS is sept 30th.
we were lucky enough to get a spot at a DC Charter, but my son was the youngest in the whole school, as he just made the cut off by 2 weeks. Best decision we ever made. there is another child in the class who entered pre-k for the first time at the age of 5....so I think it IS possible. |
Anonymous
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The OP is not asking if you can redshirt - rather if they don't get a spot in the lottery in year 1 can they go back for another try at the large entry class (PreK 4) in the schools that she is intereted in year 2.
I believe the schools keep a running wait list based on the lottery in year 1 - so if you did not clear the waitlist throughout the school year, your child's name will still be on the waitlist the following year for K, and the following year for 1 etc etc |
Anonymous
I re-read your post and realized your child will be ready for PreK4 in 3 years! My recommendation - relax. Why not volunteer at your local neighborhood school to held more it from the "Not an option" category to a definite consideration. Neighborhood involvement from those who do not yet have children school aged can really help the schools and build a solid foundation for years to come. |
Anonymous
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19:11 correction.
Schools do not keep running wait lists. For quite a few years Capital City did this, but I believe they were told by the charter board that they could not anymore. If your kid doesn't get in to preK4, reenter the lottery the next year for K, reenter the next year for 1st, etc. The entered names are reshuffled and reordered at a new lottery every spring. |
Anonymous
This is incorrect. Each lottery generates a new waitlist. This is a requirement from the Charter Board. There are no running waitlists from year to year. |
Anonymous
The waiting list in DCPS and chartered schools renews each year. Meaning every year yo uwill have to put in an application. There are no "running" waiting list. NEW ones are created each year based on the parents that apply yearly. |
Anonymous
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OP here. Thanks for everyone's input so far. I know I am a bit ahead of myself but I really want to learn as much as possible about the process and all the options so that I don't miss out on any chances to get DS into a school where he can learn and be happy. And I guess with the prek-3 option I am not that ahead of myself since I would have to be applying winter 2010/2011.
I just wanted to directly address two of the posts. The PP who mentioned prek-3 options, would you recommend any specific schools? I am not familiar with ALTA or Potomac but will look into them. To the poster who suggested volunteering at my local school, I think you overestimate the value of my volunteering. I do volunteer there, as do some of my co-workers, through a work-sponsored program to help our "local, underperforming school." However, nothing I do is going to remove the school from the old, falling-apart building it is in, make the principal speak proper English, have more than 50% of students pass standardized tests, make parents become more involved or remedy the myriad of other problems the school has. Obviously if everyone in my situation (plus some others from the community) volunteered it would make some difference, but that realistically isn't going to happen. Sometimes "not an option," is really just not an option. And I am relaxed, but relaxed to me is not the same as uninformed. |
Anonymous
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Hi OP. I know of the following schools which offer Pre-K3:
Watkins Montessori (this is a Capitol Hill cluster school - you have to go through DCPS OOB to get in. The year I applied we were over 100 on the waitlist - so if you don't live in the cluster your odds are pretty grim) Appletree PCS Bridges PCS Centronia/DC Bilingual PCS Potomac Lighthouse PCS WEDJ PCS I've heard nothing but good things about Appletree and Bridges - they're both very diverse and they're both ONLY pre-schools. I've heard good things about DC Bilingual for their pre-school and early childhood programs, but mixed reviews for the older grades. I've heard negative feedback about Potomac Lighthouse, which I'm sorry to say because they currently share a building with Yu Ying. Since I have a child at Yu Ying it would be very convenient to have two children in the same building instead of having to drive across town. I've heard good things about WEDJ too. |
Anonymous
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Quite a few charter school have prek3-HOPE (either location is good for early childhood) Personally, after K I woudleave the school. (MY child attended the preschool), DC Prep, Haynes, LAMB,etc. (I have been to just about all of the schools open houses. You might want to start with doing some research at the DCpublic chartered school website. Wuite a few DCPS school also offer Preschool, and if you qualify some offer HEADStart instead.
What portion of the city are you interested in? |