Moving - continue attending old school

[Anonymous]

If we move, can our son continue attending the same school next year? He got enrolled as IB student. Our lease will expire this summer. we are not not sure what we will be able to buy/rent and where. Is there an official Dcps policy?

[Anonymous]

Yes there is a policy (google DCPS enrollment guide).

You can stay until end of the school year. If K or above, with the principal’s permission, you can stay until the school’s terminal grade (5th/8th).

You do not have the right to continue in the feeder pattern unless you lottery and secure an OOB seat.

[Anonymous]

The enrollment guide says "Where a student has been attending an in-boundary school and then moves out of boundary in the middle of the school year (a transfer due to change of address), the controlling regulation is 5-E DCMR 2105, which explains that the transferring student generally must attend the school in the new boundary, but the principal can, in his or her discretion, allow attendance at the prior school through the end of the terminal grade. They also have the right to attend their in-boundary school."

It doesn't seem to make a distinction between K and PK.

Anonymous wrote:Yes there is a policy (google DCPS enrollment guide).

You can stay until end of the school year. If K or above, with the principal’s permission, you can stay until the school’s terminal grade (5th/8th).

You do not have the right to continue in the feeder pattern unless you lottery and secure an OOB seat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The enrollment guide says "Where a student has been attending an in-boundary school and then moves out of boundary in the middle of the school year (a transfer due to change of address), the controlling regulation is 5-E DCMR 2105, which explains that the transferring student generally must attend the school in the new boundary, but the principal can, in his or her discretion, allow attendance at the prior school through the end of the terminal grade. They also have the right to attend their in-boundary school."

It doesn't seem to make a distinction between K and PK.

Anonymous wrote:Yes there is a policy (google DCPS enrollment guide).

You can stay until end of the school year. If K or above, with the principal’s permission, you can stay until the school’s terminal grade (5th/8th).

You do not have the right to continue in the feeder pattern unless you lottery and secure an OOB seat.

You are correct - it seems that they have changed from the 2018-10 guide to the 2019-20 and added "PK." It seems to shift every year, which seems like a bad idea.

The policy for the current year said:

Attending Schools Other Than One’s In-Boundary School

For students eligible to enroll in grades K-12 who wish to gain access to an out-of-boundary school, families must apply through the My School DC lottery.

When a student has been attending an in-boundary school but moves out-of-boundary during the school year (a transfer due to change of address), the transferring student attends the school within the
boundaries of their new residence. However, the new in-boundary school’s principal may use his or her discretion to allow the student to attend their prior school through the end of the school year. To
continue attending the school of origin after a student has moved out-of-boundary, the student must adhere to the out-of-boundary attendance policy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The enrollment guide says "Where a student has been attending an in-boundary school and then moves out of boundary in the middle of the school year (a transfer due to change of address), the controlling regulation is 5-E DCMR 2105, which explains that the transferring student generally must attend the school in the new boundary, but the principal can, in his or her discretion, allow attendance at the prior school through the end of the terminal grade. They also have the right to attend their in-boundary school."

It doesn't seem to make a distinction between K and PK.

Anonymous wrote:Yes there is a policy (google DCPS enrollment guide).

You can stay until end of the school year. If K or above, with the principal’s permission, you can stay until the school’s terminal grade (5th/8th).

You do not have the right to continue in the feeder pattern unless you lottery and secure an OOB seat.

You are correct - it seems that they have changed from the 2018-10 guide to the 2019-20 and added "PK." It seems to shift every year, which seems like a bad idea.

The policy for the current year said:

Attending Schools Other Than One’s In-Boundary School

For students eligible to enroll in grades K-12 who wish to gain access to an out-of-boundary school, families must apply through the My School DC lottery.

When a student has been attending an in-boundary school but moves out-of-boundary during the school year (a transfer due to change of address), the transferring student attends the school within the
boundaries of their new residence. However, the new in-boundary school’s principal may use his or her discretion to allow the student to attend their prior school through the end of the school year. To
continue attending the school of origin after a student has moved out-of-boundary, the student must adhere to the out-of-boundary attendance policy

At our school it is entirely at the discretion of the principal. I would say that this is much easier to do at EOTP/Title 1 schools than other places. I can't imagine it would be a problem at our school, for example where an extra K class was added this year and the numbers start to dwindle in higher grades. Good luck, OP!

[Anonymous]

Why would it be up the new in-boundary principal’s discretion? What if the parents chose to homeschool, charter or private?

[Anonymous]

Op here. Thank you for the feedback. Two questions: is it at a discretion of the old or new IB school principal to continue attending the “old/currently “ school. Does it mean we can only attend the current school year or continue attending all grades?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you for the feedback. Two questions: is it at a discretion of the old or new IB school principal to continue attending the “old/currently “ school. Does it mean we can only attend the current school year or continue attending all grades?

It's up to the "old" principal whether you can stay through the terminal grade; you will be allowed to finish the school year no matter what.

You need to talk to the principal, and probably keep in mind that the principal could leave. If it's important for you to be sure you can stay, enter the lottery every year for the school you are attending in hopes of securing a OOB seat, which would remove the uncertainty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would it be up the new in-boundary principal’s discretion? What if the parents chose to homeschool, charter or private?

Because DCPS can't write a proper policy?

If the parents choose to homeschool, charter or private for a time, they will not be able to return to the original school under any circumstances.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, I was wondering the same as our lease is up in June. We've been attending our school now for 3.5 years (it goes to 8th) and I asked DCPS if I could apply for an OOB slot at the school so that way we could guarantee staying at the school. They told me it was not necessary.

I also checked with the registrar, and she said that we could stay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, I was wondering the same as our lease is up in June. We've been attending our school now for 3.5 years (it goes to 8th) and I asked DCPS if I could apply for an OOB slot at the school so that way we could guarantee staying at the school. They told me it was not necessary.

I also checked with the registrar, and she said that we could stay.

The only reason to apply for an OOB spot is if you want to continue to the high school in your feeder pattern. If that doesn't matter to you it makes less sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, I was wondering the same as our lease is up in June. We've been attending our school now for 3.5 years (it goes to 8th) and I asked DCPS if I could apply for an OOB slot at the school so that way we could guarantee staying at the school. They told me it was not necessary.

I also checked with the registrar, and she said that we could stay.

The only reason to apply for an OOB spot is if you want to continue to the high school in your feeder pattern. If that doesn't matter to you it makes less sense.

When I asked DCPS I hadn't asked the registrar ... now that I've asked both, I feel that we can look inbounds as well as in close in neighborhoods to find something. Somehow the pressure is lessened as we look.

[Anonymous]

From DCPS 2018-2019 policy

“
Where a K-12 student has been attending an in-boundary school and then moves out of boundary (a transfer due to change of address) 2, the student has the right to attend their new in-boundary school. The student may also continue to attend the current school through the end of the school’s terminal grade. If the student continues attending the current school after moving out-of-boundary, the student must adhere to the out-of-boundary attendance policy (available to review at https://dcps.dc.gov/node/1207627). After the terminal grade, the student has the right to attend the in- boundary school assigned for their next grade based on their home address, and can apply to schools outside of the boundary via the My School DC lottery.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From DCPS 2018-2019 policy

“
Where a K-12 student has been attending an in-boundary school and then moves out of boundary (a transfer due to change of address) 2, the student has the right to attend their new in-boundary school. The student may also continue to attend the current school through the end of the school’s terminal grade. If the student continues attending the current school after moving out-of-boundary, the student must adhere to the out-of-boundary attendance policy (available to review at https://dcps.dc.gov/node/1207627). After the terminal grade, the student has the right to attend the in- boundary school assigned for their next grade based on their home address, and can apply to schools outside of the boundary via the My School DC lottery.”

I think I've posted this before, but schools don't have the info to enforce this. My kid entered school before the common lottery, they have no idea if I entered in-bounds and moved, or entered out of bounds from the start. Policy sounds fine but not enforceable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you for the feedback. Two questions: is it at a discretion of the old or new IB school principal to continue attending the “old/currently “ school. Does it mean we can only attend the current school year or continue attending all grades?

It's up to the "old" principal whether you can stay through the terminal grade; you will be allowed to finish the school year no matter what.

You need to talk to the principal, and probably keep in mind that the principal could leave. If it's important for you to be sure you can stay, enter the lottery every year for the school you are attending in hopes of securing a OOB seat, which would remove the uncertainty.

Pretty sure the 19-20 policy quoted above says it's up to the "new" principal whether you are allowed to stay in your "old" school. Which doesn't make a lot of sense.