When do I need to close on a house?

[Anonymous]

Hope to move to a DC neighborhood with a PK3 in-bounds. Child would start next September. When do I need to close by in order for my child to be on the list for PK3.

[Anonymous]

No one will verify your address until spring 2019, when you enroll. But all PK3 is done through the lottery and many aren't guaranteed. So you need to have an address to put into the MySchoolDC lottery when you enter (deadline is March 1st). For simplicity's sake, it's helpful to know your address by that March 1 deadline. You don't need to have actually closed by then, though. Address verification doesn't happen until you enroll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one will verify your address until spring 2019, when you enroll. But all PK3 is done through the lottery and many aren't guaranteed. So you need to have an address to put into the MySchoolDC lottery when you enter (deadline is March 1st). For simplicity's sake, it's helpful to know your address by that March 1 deadline. You don't need to have actually closed by then, though. Address verification doesn't happen until you enroll.

Thanks. When is enrollment usually during the spring? Huge difference for us between April and June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one will verify your address until spring 2019, when you enroll. But all PK3 is done through the lottery and many aren't guaranteed. So you need to have an address to put into the MySchoolDC lottery when you enter (deadline is March 1st). For simplicity's sake, it's helpful to know your address by that March 1 deadline. You don't need to have actually closed by then, though. Address verification doesn't happen until you enroll.

Thanks. When is enrollment usually during the spring? Huge difference for us between April and June.

You'll need to accept your spot and prove residency by May 1.

[Anonymous]

Also what if we still haven’t moved by the enrollment deadline? What if we miss it? Surely there have to be some sort of exceptions because what if someone moves to dc from out of state?

[Anonymous]

Enrollment for people who match in the initial lottery begins April 1 and the deadline is May 1.

But -- note that at some schools, families who live IB may not get seats for Pk3 or Pk4 via the lottery. There are just too many families competing for the seats that are available.

You can enter the lottery without having to prove your address -- call and ask MSDC how to do it so you are in the lottery mix with the other IB applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also what if we still haven’t moved by the enrollment deadline? What if we miss it? Surely there have to be some sort of exceptions because what if someone moves to dc from out of state?

It is up to each school to decide how flexible -- or not -- to be.

If you have a contract but have not closed some may let you enroll. Generally people who move late though may be out of luck.

There are always PK3 seats available somewhere in the city -- but it may not be close to you, or at a school that would be your first choice.

The FAQ on the myschoolDC website covers the scenarios you are asking about. They are also very helpful if you give them a call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also what if we still haven’t moved by the enrollment deadline? What if we miss it? Surely there have to be some sort of exceptions because what if someone moves to dc from out of state?

You might be able to get an exception, but surely you can see that the lottery is meant for DC residents, not those who plan to move to DC at some date to be determined. I don't think you need a fixed DC address to enter the lottery, but you need an address to enroll. Consider that timeframe between entering and enrolling to be your grace period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also what if we still haven’t moved by the enrollment deadline? What if we miss it? Surely there have to be some sort of exceptions because what if someone moves to dc from out of state?

If you can prove residency any time between the enrollment deadline (May 1) and the start of school (August whatever), you will receive in-boundary status and move to the bottom of those in-boundary students on the waiting list. Most PK3 waiting lists move some over the summer, and this should allow you to get in with two exceptions.

1. If PK3 is largely filled with siblings of older students, the waiting list won't move much.
2. If your school waitlists in-boundary PK3 kids and doesn't offer spots to all of them by the start of the school year.

If you share the name of the school, folks here can tell you if you are likely to experience those problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also what if we still haven’t moved by the enrollment deadline? What if we miss it? Surely there have to be some sort of exceptions because what if someone moves to dc from out of state?

There are no exceptions to get you in-bounds preference for PK3 after the initial lottery, because you're not guaranteed a PK3 seat at your in-bounds school. You'd be behind everyone else who already has the preference (and possibly behind everyone else, period, but I'm not certain about that).

If you're moving for a by-right year, i.e., K and up, you can stroll up and enroll on or after the first day of school as long as you have your proof of residency. It'll be difficult to prove residency before you close, but here's the list of documents required in case you think you can manage some of this when you're simply under contract: https://osse.dc.gov/service/2018-19-school-year-residency-verification

[Anonymous]

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

Also it takes more than an address to prove residency -- the easiest form is a pay stub that shows DC state taxes being withheld.

See documents list here https://osse.dc.gov/service/2018-19-school-year-residency-verification

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also what if we still haven’t moved by the enrollment deadline? What if we miss it? Surely there have to be some sort of exceptions because what if someone moves to dc from out of state?

There are no exceptions to get you in-bounds preference for PK3 after the initial lottery, because you're not guaranteed a PK3 seat at your in-bounds school. You'd be behind everyone else who already has the preference (and possibly behind everyone else, period, but I'm not certain about that).

If you're moving for a by-right year, i.e., K and up, you can stroll up and enroll on or after the first day of school as long as you have your proof of residency. It'll be difficult to prove residency before you close, but here's the list of documents required in case you think you can manage some of this when you're simply under contract: https://osse.dc.gov/service/2018-19-school-year-residency-verification

If she applies to the schools after the deadline, she will go to the back of the line in her preference category - so for her IB school, the back of the IB waitlist, if there is one. She will still be ahead of people who have no preference.

[Anonymous]

You need a neighborhood that does not have a high inbounds wait list for prek 3. Some schools most of the pre k3 sports are taken by in bound families with siblings in the school already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need a neighborhood that does not have a high inbounds wait list for prek 3. Some schools most of the pre k3 sports are taken by in bound families with siblings in the school already.

Also need a neighborhood that has PK3.