Going to School in a Different District

[Anonymous]

I live in a good location, own a few rental properties. The school in my district are at risk schools, and rated near the bottom for Fairfax County. My kids are miserable. We have issues with bullies.
My rental properties are in very good school districts. I was thinking of using one of these properties listing it as my home so I can get my kids into the better school district. I know it's not the right thing to do, and its dishonest, but I need my kids out of the other school. Does anyone have a suggestion, or have you done something like this?

[Anonymous]

I know someone who did. They got caught (suspect they got ratted out by a neighbor). 2nd child didn't get to go to highly rated school and was very upset.
Don't do it.

[Anonymous]

Of course you can move into one of your rental properties and send your kid to the zoned neighborhood school.

[Anonymous]

This one is really easy. Hire movers, move your belongings from your current residence to one of your rental properties, and rent out your current residence. Straighten it all out with the bank, after doing so.

Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

You have to actually sleep there 51% of the time is what I was told. So.... live there during the school week and you can keep both residences if you can afford to do that. Or just move there and rent your current residence out. Then once your kid is a senior - they can stay in the school regardless of where you live and you can move back home if you miss your old house.

I would not cheat. Schools are overcrowded and people don’t like cheaters. Someone will tell on you. Or it will get innocently discovered when you pick up your kid and someone notices your drivers license address or your kid writes the wrong address on a form or when they show their license to get a parking space. Then your kid loses. This happened to a neighbor who bought a new home in January. They still owned the old house. A nasty neighbor who doesn’t even have kids called the school. They made the kid switch schools because they no longer lived here. All they wanted to do was finish out the year. It wasn’t nice of the neighbor or school.

Moving because of schools is a very common reason to move. So...

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for the responses. It gives me something to think about. My problem is that we have renters in all locations. I know how it sounds, I have rental properties, and I am crying about schools. I just want the best for my family. Again Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in a good location, own a few rental properties. The school in my district are at risk schools, and rated near the bottom for Fairfax County. My kids are miserable. We have issues with bullies.
My rental properties are in very good school districts. I was thinking of using one of these properties listing it as my home so I can get my kids into the better school district. I know it's not the right thing to do, and its dishonest, but I need my kids out of the other school. Does anyone have a suggestion, or have you done something like this?

Move

[Anonymous]

No you cannot use your rental address unless you live there. Don’t cheat. Move if so important to you.

[Anonymous]

We spent a lot of $$ to move out of our school district and into a much higher rated zone (within fcps). We heard that some people (not often, but sometimes) will rent an efficiency unit in a good zone and just have the kid commute (leaving the rental apartment empty). Of course, that requires your kid to keep up the lie for 4 years or more. We sold our house, lived in temp housing, and bought at $200K more in the better zone. It cost us a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We spent a lot of $$ to move out of our school district and into a much higher rated zone (within fcps). We heard that some people (not often, but sometimes) will rent an efficiency unit in a good zone and just have the kid commute (leaving the rental apartment empty). Of course, that requires your kid to keep up the lie for 4 years or more. We sold our house, lived in temp housing, and bought at $200K more in the better zone. It cost us a lot.

Wow! It's a lot of work. We used to live in the house, but hated the neighborhood. Now we are in a better neighborhood, but hate the school. It's never an easy day.

[Anonymous]

Can I use the grandparent's house? For example, grand parents can pick the kid up after school but the kid doesn't sleep there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can I use the grandparent's house? For example, grand parents can pick the kid up after school but the kid doesn't sleep there?

No! Getting picked up by grandparents does not establish residency for school enrollment purposes. It’s based on where the child lives and sleepers at night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can I use the grandparent's house? For example, grand parents can pick the kid up after school but the kid doesn't sleep there?

It has to be the child's residence. Do they live with their grandparents more than 50% of the time (such that the Grandparents are considered their guardians)?

[Anonymous]

Someone (and you won’t know who) will report your kid the first time you have a playdate or your kid slips where they really live. Your kid will be immediately sent back to their home school & you’ll be fined. Someone went to jail in Ohio for this.

It’s telling that you prioritize rental property income over your children’s education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all for the responses. It gives me something to think about. My problem is that we have renters in all locations. I know how it sounds, I have rental properties, and I am crying about schools. I just want the best for my family. Again Thank you!

Tell them you won’t be renewing their leases.