Out of Boundary for 2010 -11

[Anonymous]

DCPS website has some preliminary info for out of boundary process, 2010- 2011. The website states that each child can apply to up to 6 out of boundary schools, that siblings of admitted OOB students will be moved to the top of the wait list, that you have to specify a rank order for the OOB schools, a child will be admitted to only the top OOB where he/she gets a slot, and then wait listed at the other schools (if lucky enough to get in to more than 1, will only be admitted to 1).

Next year's process preserves the feeder / destination school right to attend.

It appears to be much more difficult to see how many slots are anticipated at each grade in each school. Last year there was a master spreadsheet. This year it appears that you have to go through and make your school / grade level selection, as if entering the lottery, to see the number of anticipated slots. Those data, of course, are not yet available.

The lottery is also earlier this year, the first week in March. Should give DCPS a jump on most of the charter lotteries.

If you follow DCPS, you might want to print out the preliminary info now. Last year the Q&As changed quite a bit after the first version. However, it is encouraging to me that some info is already available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS website has some preliminary info for out of boundary process, 2010- 2011. The website states that each child can apply to up to 6 out of boundary schools, that siblings of admitted OOB students will be moved to the top of the wait list, that you have to specify a rank order for the OOB schools, a child will be admitted to only the top OOB where he/she gets a slot, and then wait listed at the other schools (if lucky enough to get in to more than 1, will only be admitted to 1).

This is not correct--OOB siblings will not get priority. The priority order is: in-boundary siblings, all other in-boundary students, OOB siblings, students within 3 blocks of the school, all other OOB students.

I may be misreading what you wrote above--apologize if I am. But this issue is a point of major debate each year, and for the first time ever DCPS is being very clear about lottery decisions. From the DCPS doc (posted on Murch's website):

Applicants will be placed into available seats in their particular grade at each school based on their 
preference order and their random number order. The following is the order of preferences for the Pre?
school and Pre?k Lottery: 
1. Students who live in?boundary with a sibling at the school are placed first, in random number order.  
2. Students who live in?boundary without a sibling at the school are placed next, in random number order. 
3. Students who live out?of?boundary with a sibling at the school are placed next, in random number order. 
4. Students who live within three blocks of the school without a sibling at the school are placed next, in  
random number order.*  
5. Any remaining seats will go to students who have neither in?boundary, sibling, nor proximity preferences, 
in random number order.  

[Anonymous]

I think you all are saying the same thing (and that those DCPS guidelines are confusing). All in boundary students are accepted automatically, no matter what (sibling or no sibling) then the list begins with out of boundary applicants who have a sibling at the school...

[Anonymous]

I think 22:14 is talking about applying to schools (at any grade) from out of boundary and the next poster is just talking about the pre-k lottery (that even in-boundary kids must participate in).

[Anonymous]

OP back, 09:17 has it correct, my vantage point with 2 kids that are both beyond preK is on trying to get them in the same OOB place. For example, as I read the guidelines for 2010-11, if my rising 4th grader is admitted OOB to a school, my rising 3rd grader would be moved up to the top of his category on the wait list. His category would be students without a sibling, and without a 3 block (or other mileage TBD, whatever the * footnote says). So, the

[Anonymous]

oops, 9:38 hit enter too soon,

So, the odds of getting 2 siblings into a DCPS school improve slightly. My experience is that charters have done this automatically, and are pretty good about getting siblings admitted the same year, if at all possible. DCPS OOB schools have been much more hesitant to give sibling preference when a newly admitted child is joining a school for the first time and has a sibling. The DCPS policy statement seems to be adopting a charter school practice.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that info! We'll probably be applying to Deal and Hardy both. Do I need to decide now which is my first choice, or does that not apply since one is OOB and one is an "application"?

[Anonymous]

Unless things change for Hardy (definitely possible given the things Rhee has been saying), admission there is by application, not OOB process. If that stays the same, you could apply to Hardy as a special program school and Deal as your number 1 OOB pick. I'd call Hardy to see what they say about the application process this year.