WaPo takes deep dive into DCPS residency fraud

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS is never going to have more than one investigator. Since the WaPo has done this breaking story they might hire 2 more people. However, more bodies in DCPS seats equal growth and more money for each student received from the federal gov. Many of the SE schools in Wards 7 & 8 are filled with PG residents but the administrators and Central office look the other way. These students get free lunch, free before/after care and SPED services. I knew of a family with 4 children enrolled in a school (Turner ES) to be exact and the mother lived in PG county. The mother was using the grandmother's address. The mother then also received social security checks for her children's ADHD disability and SPED services.

Yes this happens so much at my school. Although I’ve said this here before and no one believed me.

Same thing at my EOTR school. I would estimate between 25 and 49% of my students live in PG County. They aren’t even discrete about it- they use their grandparent or another relative’s address for residency purposes.

Are PG schools really that bad?

Not all of them. But for early childhood / elementary DCPS is certainly the same, and in fact better. There is no PK3 or PK4 at all in Prince George's; if you're in a Title 1 DC school before and aftercare is also free. If you live in Prince George's and work in DC and go to a school along your commute it's also pretty convenient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PG schools are not that bad, but it is more convenient for parents who work in DC to have their kids in DC schools - especially given "perks" like free meals, free aftercare, and free summer school. The logistics are easier, whether or not the school quality is much different.

And free PK3/4 is another big perk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do people mostly think this is a PG county issue? Mostly because there are cultural linkages between inner-ring suburbs and DC proper?

Ward 9, baby! The Barry generation and their progeny basically moved to PG a long time ago.

No, it’s people who live in Bethesda and Arlington. The Hill elementary schools are far preferable to Wood Acres, Westbrook, and Arlington schools.

Don’t be dense. Of course it’s PG residents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do people mostly think this is a PG county issue? Mostly because there are cultural linkages between inner-ring suburbs and DC proper?

Ward 9, baby! The Barry generation and their progeny basically moved to PG a long time ago.

No, it’s people who live in Bethesda and Arlington. The Hill elementary schools are far preferable to Wood Acres, Westbrook, and Arlington schools.

Don’t be dense. Of course it’s PG residents.

Not all. I know of folks in Silver Spring with their kids at Deal feeders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last year OSSE piloted a program to verify enrollment via your income tax forms filed Office of Tax and Revenue records or alternatively with city records documenting receipt of some form of public assistance (TANF or SNAP).

For 2018-19 anyone who is enrolling in school can opt to have their residency verified this way.

I truly think this is the only way to fix this, and needs to become mandatory.

Yeah. I am not sure why this is not a requirement. Either you are paying taxes, or receiving government benefits, or documented homeless child through social services. The only vulnerable population would be undocumented immigrants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year OSSE piloted a program to verify enrollment via your income tax forms filed Office of Tax and Revenue records or alternatively with city records documenting receipt of some form of public assistance (TANF or SNAP).

For 2018-19 anyone who is enrolling in school can opt to have their residency verified this way.

I truly think this is the only way to fix this, and needs to become mandatory.

Yeah. I am not sure why this is not a requirement. Either you are paying taxes, or receiving government benefits, or documented homeless child through social services. The only vulnerable population would be undocumented immigrants.

Who can be checked via a home visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year OSSE piloted a program to verify enrollment via your income tax forms filed Office of Tax and Revenue records or alternatively with city records documenting receipt of some form of public assistance (TANF or SNAP).

For 2018-19 anyone who is enrolling in school can opt to have their residency verified this way.

I truly think this is the only way to fix this, and needs to become mandatory.

Yeah. I am not sure why this is not a requirement. Either you are paying taxes, or receiving government benefits, or documented homeless child through social services. The only vulnerable population would be undocumented immigrants.

Who can be checked via a home visit.

There was a debate about that in previous threads. As a public policy matter, schools/society/etc. do not want the home visits to turn into an enforcement mechanism because it would undermine the goal of building relationships and encouraging trust and parental engagement among vulnerable populations. The home visits also allow for families to schedule them at parks, or coffee shops, etc. to allow flexibility, alleviate any feelings of shame regarding living situation. Also, as mandatory reporters, some homes may be so unsanitary/neglectful that may cause some issues. But as the Pps before have said, this will address 90% of the people. In past threads there was also a lot of hub-bub regarding shared custody arrangements among divorcees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year OSSE piloted a program to verify enrollment via your income tax forms filed Office of Tax and Revenue records or alternatively with city records documenting receipt of some form of public assistance (TANF or SNAP).

For 2018-19 anyone who is enrolling in school can opt to have their residency verified this way.

I truly think this is the only way to fix this, and needs to become mandatory.

Yeah. I am not sure why this is not a requirement. Either you are paying taxes, or receiving government benefits, or documented homeless child through social services. The only vulnerable population would be undocumented immigrants.

Who can be checked via a home visit.

There was a debate about that in previous threads. As a public policy matter, schools/society/etc. do not want the home visits to turn into an enforcement mechanism because it would undermine the goal of building relationships and encouraging trust and parental engagement among vulnerable populations. The home visits also allow for families to schedule them at parks, or coffee shops, etc. to allow flexibility, alleviate any feelings of shame regarding living situation. Also, as mandatory reporters, some homes may be so unsanitary/neglectful that may cause some issues. But as the Pps before have said, this will address 90% of the people. In past threads there was also a lot of hub-bub regarding shared custody arrangements among divorcees.

Different thing. The DC laws provide for a home visit by the registrar if no other means of verifying residency are available.

The teacher home visits are a different matter for a different purpose.

[Anonymous]

I am a DC resident with multiple children in DCPS. The vitriol on this thread is disturbing. The lack of empathy for the non-resident children who are enrolled by their parents through no fault of their own, and the consequences for these children of publicly shaming their parents. The demonization of non-resident parents, who, with regard to PG County in particular, were pushed out or priced out of DC.

I’m not suggesting that gentrifiers or white people should feel guilty, but hoping they would have some sensitivity to the complicated racial history and dynamics linking PG and DC.

Plus, the suggestion that tax returns/government benefits paperwork should be a singular means of proving residence shows serious a lack of understanding of and bias against poor communities.Too bad the energy isn’t channeled into legitimate advocacy for underserved families in DC instead of advocating for a witch hunt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this bothers you, bang on your Council Member to do something. Based off of the Antwan Wilson situation--unless your council member is Brandon Todd, who will merely put out a press release that says nothing--he or she will respond to constituent complaints about this.

So true about useless Brandon Todd, how do we get him out, he is as bad as it gets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a DC resident with multiple children in DCPS. The vitriol on this thread is disturbing. The lack of empathy for the non-resident children who are enrolled by their parents through no fault of their own, and the consequences for these children of publicly shaming their parents. The demonization of non-resident parents, who, with regard to PG County in particular, were pushed out or priced out of DC.

I’m not suggesting that gentrifiers or white people should feel guilty, but hoping they would have some sensitivity to the complicated racial history and dynamics linking PG and DC.

Plus, the suggestion that tax returns/government benefits paperwork should be a singular means of proving residence shows serious a lack of understanding of and bias against poor communities.Too bad the energy isn’t channeled into legitimate advocacy for underserved families in DC instead of advocating for a witch hunt.

I am angry at people highlighted in the article including Kaya Henderson’s assistant’sgrandkids, who commuted from Fredrick MD and dropped her kids at a D school and the former principal of Leckie and her husband. These are NOT poor people. These are upper middle class city employees who are supposed to enforce the city’s rules. Not break them themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a DC resident with multiple children in DCPS. The vitriol on this thread is disturbing. The lack of empathy for the non-resident children who are enrolled by their parents through no fault of their own, and the consequences for these children of publicly shaming their parents. The demonization of non-resident parents, who, with regard to PG County in particular, were pushed out or priced out of DC.

I’m not suggesting that gentrifiers or white people should feel guilty, but hoping they would have some sensitivity to the complicated racial history and dynamics linking PG and DC.

Plus, the suggestion that tax returns/government benefits paperwork should be a singular means of proving residence shows serious a lack of understanding of and bias against poor communities.Too bad the energy isn’t channeled into legitimate advocacy for underserved families in DC instead of advocating for a witch hunt.

+100, well put, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a DC resident with multiple children in DCPS. The vitriol on this thread is disturbing. The lack of empathy for the non-resident children who are enrolled by their parents through no fault of their own, and the consequences for these children of publicly shaming their parents. The demonization of non-resident parents, who, with regard to PG County in particular, were pushed out or priced out of DC.

I’m not suggesting that gentrifiers or white people should feel guilty, but hoping they would have some sensitivity to the complicated racial history and dynamics linking PG and DC.

Plus, the suggestion that tax returns/government benefits paperwork should be a singular means of proving residence shows serious a lack of understanding of and bias against poor communities.Too bad the energy isn’t channeled into legitimate advocacy for underserved families in DC instead of advocating for a witch hunt.

I am angry at people highlighted in the article including Kaya Henderson’s assistant’sgrandkids, who commuted from Fredrick MD and dropped her kids at a D school and the former principal of Leckie and her husband. These are NOT poor people. These are upper middle class city employees who are supposed to enforce the city’s rules. Not break them themselves.

Let's have some empathy but all the folks cited in the article and the Chancellor are all folks making beaucoup bucks, the teacher and her husband were making 100,000 each!!! Let's start with those types of folks ....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a DC resident with multiple children in DCPS. The vitriol on this thread is disturbing. The lack of empathy for the non-resident children who are enrolled by their parents through no fault of their own, and the consequences for these children of publicly shaming their parents. The demonization of non-resident parents, who, with regard to PG County in particular, were pushed out or priced out of DC.

I’m not suggesting that gentrifiers or white people should feel guilty, but hoping they would have some sensitivity to the complicated racial history and dynamics linking PG and DC.

Plus, the suggestion that tax returns/government benefits paperwork should be a singular means of proving residence shows serious a lack of understanding of and bias against poor communities.Too bad the energy isn’t channeled into legitimate advocacy for underserved families in DC instead of advocating for a witch hunt.

I agree with what you are saying, but what is the solution?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a DC resident with multiple children in DCPS. The vitriol on this thread is disturbing. The lack of empathy for the non-resident children who are enrolled by their parents through no fault of their own, and the consequences for these children of publicly shaming their parents. The demonization of non-resident parents, who, with regard to PG County in particular, were pushed out or priced out of DC.

I’m not suggesting that gentrifiers or white people should feel guilty, but hoping they would have some sensitivity to the complicated racial history and dynamics linking PG and DC.

Plus, the suggestion that tax returns/government benefits paperwork should be a singular means of proving residence shows serious a lack of understanding of and bias against poor communities.Too bad the energy isn’t channeled into legitimate advocacy for underserved families in DC instead of advocating for a witch hunt.

What part of DCPS central office do you work in?