Are we fools not to play lottery for our 3 y o?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am very much not a troll and I agree that there is a lot of entitlement on this thread. First, this is a poor city that had for many years extremely poor citizens. The city designed the free PS and PK as an offshoot of Head Start to provide free early education to kids whose parents can't afford it. It's great that you would prefer to have your child spend time with a nanny or you and only attend preschool part time. Then do that. But it is entitled to demand that the city offer you the free preschool that you want in addition to the free preschool that the city believes the poor children of this city need. Second, the problem that people seem to have really stems from your own decision to live in a neighborhood that does not offer a school that you find acceptable. Living here requires trade offs. If you choose to live in the biggest house you can afford in a transitional neighborhood then you have to play the lottery and take the full day PS and PK. If you want to pick your preschool and still have a guaranteed K then you will have to move to a neighborhood that allows that.

+1!!! I can't believe how entitled some of these posters are-- if you have the economic means to "keep your child home" until K then you are just not in the same boat as so many of the other families in your neighborhood!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's sad is that what's best for our kids takes a back seat to not being shut out by waiting. Your DC may not be ready right now, but if you don't apply and take a spot now you may be SOL later. We all lose in this game!

I disagree with using the term "sad". The option for free PK3 and PK4 is very rare in DC. You don't have to participate in the madness if you do not want. K is a good year to enter charters so if you opt to keep your child at home you have that right, but don't call it sad because its a daunting process if you wish to participate. All I see about preschool craziness in lotteries etc baffles me, it's more of an entitlement feeling from other parents rather than looking at it as a great benefit to utilize to offset expensive daycare and prepare our youngsters for Kinder (even of you're destined to a tier 2 option).

Say what? You sound so completely out of touch and I try to be respectful on this site but -- really? Perhaps it is just that you do not fully appreciate what the system means to children whose families do not live within bounds for a decent school. This isn't a matter of looking a "gift horse" (free preschool) in the mouth. This is feeling forced into sending a child to all day every day preschool because if you do not, your child will have a VERY small chance of getting into a workable public or charter school in kindergarten, which is mandatory. So yes, on the surface, DC's free preschool is nice. But it is very clearly geared toward children who need childcare. Those who do not need childcare, or those who believe their kids are better off with their nanny / play based preschool / whatever, still end up going to those preschools. Why? Because of the way the lottery works. If a school has a PS3, that is where the entry points are. If a school has a PK4, that's the entry point. So the slots get filled up by the students who get their toddler sized feet in the door. By the time my kid hits kindergarten, the only spots left are if a kid moves or ends up in a school that is a better fit. That kind of movement is comparatively minuscule when you think of the numbers of children applying. So it's far from feeling entitled. I would happily skip the DC public and charter school preschool. The problem is that by skipping it, I'm basically stuck with my in bounds. Which has had problems with violence (in elementary school) and where the children do not really get recess, and have gym 1x a week (for a half an hour!). I don't want my kids in that environment, so I feel stuck.

How is that entitlement exactly?

You apparently have the economic means to have a nanny or do private preschool since you "do not need childcare"; yet, you believe that the system (which was originally designed to be a way for low-income kids to get a "head start" on early childhood education) should cater to you. If you live in a neighborhood that does not have a good in-bounds school, I am guessing that most of the families there "need child care" because both parents (or a single mom) need to work! DC is a poor city, and it is pretty entitled of you to think that the system should revolve around your needs and not the needs of the kids who are clearly needy.

What keeps you from just sending your child to PS/PK only 3 days/week or picking him up after lunch??

Wow, you are really some kind of soothsayer. You nailed it! Oh, wait, no. My husband works nights. We make, together, just over 60K per year. Wanna keep making bad assumptions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am very much not a troll and I agree that there is a lot of entitlement on this thread. First, this is a poor city that had for many years extremely poor citizens. The city designed the free PS and PK as an offshoot of Head Start to provide free early education to kids whose parents can't afford it. It's great that you would prefer to have your child spend time with a nanny or you and only attend preschool part time. Then do that. But it is entitled to demand that the city offer you the free preschool that you want in addition to the free preschool that the city believes the poor children of this city need. Second, the problem that people seem to have really stems from your own decision to live in a neighborhood that does not offer a school that you find acceptable. Living here requires trade offs. If you choose to live in the biggest house you can afford in a transitional neighborhood then you have to play the lottery and take the full day PS and PK. If you want to pick your preschool and still have a guaranteed K then you will have to move to a neighborhood that allows that.

+1!!! I can't believe how entitled some of these posters are-- if you have the economic means to "keep your child home" until K then you are just not in the same boat as so many of the other families in your neighborhood!

''

I can't believe how little reading some of these posters do. My family struggles to make ends meet. We are not wealthy. We are not upper middle class. I'm not sure we are middle class. We have a HHI of well under 6 figures. You're right - we are damn lucky compared to many. We both have jobs (DH works nights mainly) and we have health care. Life is stable. But we can't afford what you seem to think we can afford. Before making asumptions, here's a novel idea. Just -- LISTEN. (or, read, as it were).

[Anonymous]

Because you are either a troll or delusional if you think the PUBLIC education system, set up to serve families who either cannot afford to send their kids to school or value/prioritize factors that make them choose a public school even if they could afford private, PUBLIC schools are NOT set up to serve higer SES families, nor are the kids of higher SES families "just as deserving" of free quality schools as Ward 7 and 8 kids.

NP to this particular rant, but I have to point out that the bolded part is just ridiculous. Public education is for everyone, not just a select few, whether they be high SES or low SES. The notion that the public school system should ignore the needs of high SES families because they can "just go private" is really offensive. I'm not saying that the schools need to cater to high SES families, but dismissing them with a wave of the hand isn't the answer either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Because you are either a troll or delusional if you think the PUBLIC education system, set up to serve families who either cannot afford to send their kids to school or value/prioritize factors that make them choose a public school even if they could afford private, PUBLIC schools are NOT set up to serve higer SES families, nor are the kids of higher SES families "just as deserving" of free quality schools as Ward 7 and 8 kids.

NP to this particular rant, but I have to point out that the bolded part is just ridiculous. Public education is for everyone, not just a select few, whether they be high SES or low SES. The notion that the public school system should ignore the needs of high SES families because they can "just go private" is really offensive. I'm not saying that the schools need to cater to high SES families, but dismissing them with a wave of the hand isn't the answer either.

Different PP but then what are you saying? Some people here are complaining about basically wanting public dollars to support family choices they are making that the majority of working class people couldn't make use of even if they wanted to (I.e. partial day pre-s). And yes, I agree with PP that this is a public school system that needs to focus on educating those most challenged in getting educations. If that can be done while making it look enough like a private school for you or other posters to stay in DC and want to go, fine, join in, but NO public schools should NOT equally weigh the desires of those who could easily choose other options for their kids with those who have no other options.

What are you specifically saying is equally important that public schools consider on behalf of high SES parents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because you are either a troll or delusional if you think the PUBLIC education system, set up to serve families who either cannot afford to send their kids to school or value/prioritize factors that make them choose a public school even if they could afford private, PUBLIC schools are NOT set up to serve higer SES families, nor are the kids of higher SES families "just as deserving" of free quality schools as Ward 7 and 8 kids.

NP to this particular rant, but I have to point out that the bolded part is just ridiculous. Public education is for everyone, not just a select few, whether they be high SES or low SES. The notion that the public school system should ignore the needs of high SES families because they can "just go private" is really offensive. I'm not saying that the schools need to cater to high SES families, but dismissing them with a wave of the hand isn't the answer either.

Different PP but then what are you saying? Some people here are complaining about basically wanting public dollars to support family choices they are making that the majority of working class people couldn't make use of even if they wanted to (I.e. partial day pre-s). And yes, I agree with PP that this is a public school system that needs to focus on educating those most challenged in getting educations. If that can be done while making it look enough like a private school for you or other posters to stay in DC and want to go, fine, join in, but NO public schools should NOT equally weigh the desires of those who could easily choose other options for their kids with those who have no other options.

What are you specifically saying is equally important that public schools consider on behalf of high SES parents?

OMG. Please find one instance where I said that. FIND ONE. You people do not get it. I do not, and not one other poster that I noticed wants, FREE PART TIME PS / PK for my kids. I do not want that! I am happy to pay for and use a private school. What I DO want is for the lottery system not to be set up so that I cannot enter the public school system in a tenable way at kindergarten. Do you seriously not know how to read? The current system basically forces you to either enter the system at PS3 or 4 (whatever the first program of a particular school is, that is where you must enter, to seriously have a shot at getting your kid in) regardless of whether you want to use it. My argument all along has NEVER been that I want free services. Nor did the OP of this thread. We simply do not want to enter the school system this soon. We are being forced to enter and use services we don't want. This is because despite all the hot air about improvements to DCPS that others have made, many-many-many kids have in-bounds schools that are fundamentally unacceptable. Not ONE of you posters would send a kid to my in-bounds school. Not one of you and I'm sure of it. We have one of hte highest percentages of non-reading kids. Parental involvement is zilch. Every score you could use the school demonstrates that it is sinking. The local, engaged families here don't give a shit about it because they don't have to - they can lottery out. The lottery system is fucked, though. It presents parents like me, in communities like mine, with two realistic choices. 1. send your kids across town to whatever lottery you get into, at whatever age that particular school starts. And it WILL BE at four or younger. Full time. OR 2. skip preschool (again, we're not rich or "choosing" to live on one income - DH works evenings) and try to compete for the 14 slots city wide that happen to open up at kindergarten. Since this is highly unlikely to be a successful strategy, that leaves one with the option of sending kid to a school where the word "underperforming" is the understatement of the century, or, I don't know. Homeschooling, I guess. In fact, a growing number of people are homeschooling for this very reason - because they are the losers in the winners and losers game of DC schools. Schools should not force parents to play musical chairs when there are not enough chairs. Charter schools have been the nail in the coffin of DCPS, and now all of you who are so damn happy about it should get over yourselves with suggesting that you're the good guys in this fight. You're not! You haven't helped the poor kids, you haven't lifed all the boats. You've served yourselves and a handful of people like you. The large majority of kids are still stuck in a sinking system. The only way out is to be forced into PS or PK before you want your kid to go. BECAUSE that's the entry point.

Do you not get it? NOBODY WANTS FREE PART TIME PK / PS on this thread. If it were available, fine. But I wouldn't push for it. I'd simply push for a fair entry point for folks who choose not to use those services. CAn you really not see how it's not fair to require something that should not be mandatory? And how that is limiting, not increasing, MY choice for the sake of yours?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not take the 'free' preschool slote and pick your dc up at lunchtime every day? Or only send a few days a week?

No schools, Charter or DCPS, work that way. If you enroll your child you are expected to adhere to the daily schedule and set calendar. You would be asked to leave unless there was some extraordinary circumstance that excused it. If your kid truly isn't ready you shouldn't take the spot.

That said, our DD was in one, very intimate full-time daycare setting her entire life. We both work and need full-time care but were worried that a school day and then aftercare would be too much. Our solution was to hire a sitter to pick her up and bring her home everyday. Works great for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because you are either a troll or delusional if you think the PUBLIC education system, set up to serve families who either cannot afford to send their kids to school or value/prioritize factors that make them choose a public school even if they could afford private, PUBLIC schools are NOT set up to serve higer SES families, nor are the kids of higher SES families "just as deserving" of free quality schools as Ward 7 and 8 kids.

NP to this particular rant, but I have to point out that the bolded part is just ridiculous. Public education is for everyone, not just a select few, whether they be high SES or low SES. The notion that the public school system should ignore the needs of high SES families because they can "just go private" is really offensive. I'm not saying that the schools need to cater to high SES families, but dismissing them with a wave of the hand isn't the answer either.

Different PP but then what are you saying? Some people here are complaining about basically wanting public dollars to support family choices they are making that the majority of working class people couldn't make use of even if they wanted to (I.e. partial day pre-s). And yes, I agree with PP that this is a public school system that needs to focus on educating those most challenged in getting educations. If that can be done while making it look enough like a private school for you or other posters to stay in DC and want to go, fine, join in, but NO public schools should NOT equally weigh the desires of those who could easily choose other options for their kids with those who have no other options.

What are you specifically saying is equally important that public schools consider on behalf of high SES parents?

OMG. Please find one instance where I said that. FIND ONE. You people do not get it. I do not, and not one other poster that I noticed wants, FREE PART TIME PS / PK for my kids. I do not want that! I am happy to pay for and use a private school. What I DO want is for the lottery system not to be set up so that I cannot enter the public school system in a tenable way at kindergarten. Do you seriously not know how to read? The current system basically forces you to either enter the system at PS3 or 4 (whatever the first program of a particular school is, that is where you must enter, to seriously have a shot at getting your kid in) regardless of whether you want to use it. My argument all along has NEVER been that I want free services. Nor did the OP of this thread. We simply do not want to enter the school system this soon. We are being forced to enter and use services we don't want. This is because despite all the hot air about improvements to DCPS that others have made, many-many-many kids have in-bounds schools that are fundamentally unacceptable. Not ONE of you posters would send a kid to my in-bounds school. Not one of you and I'm sure of it. We have one of hte highest percentages of non-reading kids. Parental involvement is zilch. Every score you could use the school demonstrates that it is sinking. The local, engaged families here don't give a shit about it because they don't have to - they can lottery out. The lottery system is fucked, though. It presents parents like me, in communities like mine, with two realistic choices. 1. send your kids across town to whatever lottery you get into, at whatever age that particular school starts. And it WILL BE at four or younger. Full time. OR 2. skip preschool (again, we're not rich or "choosing" to live on one income - DH works evenings) and try to compete for the 14 slots city wide that happen to open up at kindergarten. Since this is highly unlikely to be a successful strategy, that leaves one with the option of sending kid to a school where the word "underperforming" is the understatement of the century, or, I don't know. Homeschooling, I guess. In fact, a growing number of people are homeschooling for this very reason - because they are the losers in the winners and losers game of DC schools. Schools should not force parents to play musical chairs when there are not enough chairs. Charter schools have been the nail in the coffin of DCPS, and now all of you who are so damn happy about it should get over yourselves with suggesting that you're the good guys in this fight. You're not! You haven't helped the poor kids, you haven't lifed all the boats. You've served yourselves and a handful of people like you. The large majority of kids are still stuck in a sinking system. The only way out is to be forced into PS or PK before you want your kid to go. BECAUSE that's the entry point.

Do you not get it? NOBODY WANTS FREE PART TIME PK / PS on this thread. If it were available, fine. But I wouldn't push for it. I'd simply push for a fair entry point for folks who choose not to use those services. CAn you really not see how it's not fair to require something that should not be mandatory? And how that is limiting, not increasing, MY choice for the sake of yours?

You really need to calm down. I get that school decisions in this area are frustrating and stressful. We all feel it. But you seem to be really feeling very deeply and maybe need to take a step back to reduce your anger. Everyone who lives here makes trade offs. Being livid about the fact that DC doesn't offer you a perfect set up for your family isn't going to get you anywhere.

[Anonymous]

You seem really stressed. Maybe you should send your kid to school during the day so that you will have some down time. I'm concerned you are going to blow otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because you are either a troll or delusional if you think the PUBLIC education system, set up to serve families who either cannot afford to send their kids to school or value/prioritize factors that make them choose a public school even if they could afford private, PUBLIC schools are NOT set up to serve higer SES families, nor are the kids of higher SES families "just as deserving" of free quality schools as Ward 7 and 8 kids.

NP to this particular rant, but I have to point out that the bolded part is just ridiculous. Public education is for everyone, not just a select few, whether they be high SES or low SES. The notion that the public school system should ignore the needs of high SES families because they can "just go private" is really offensive. I'm not saying that the schools need to cater to high SES families, but dismissing them with a wave of the hand isn't the answer either.

Different PP but then what are you saying? Some people here are complaining about basically wanting public dollars to support family choices they are making that the majority of working class people couldn't make use of even if they wanted to (I.e. partial day pre-s). And yes, I agree with PP that this is a public school system that needs to focus on educating those most challenged in getting educations. If that can be done while making it look enough like a private school for you or other posters to stay in DC and want to go, fine, join in, but NO public schools should NOT equally weigh the desires of those who could easily choose other options for their kids with those who have no other options.

What are you specifically saying is equally important that public schools consider on behalf of high SES parents?

OMG. Please find one instance where I said that. FIND ONE. You people do not get it. I do not, and not one other poster that I noticed wants, FREE PART TIME PS / PK for my kids. I do not want that! I am happy to pay for and use a private school. What I DO want is for the lottery system not to be set up so that I cannot enter the public school system in a tenable way at kindergarten. Do you seriously not know how to read? The current system basically forces you to either enter the system at PS3 or 4 (whatever the first program of a particular school is, that is where you must enter, to seriously have a shot at getting your kid in) regardless of whether you want to use it. My argument all along has NEVER been that I want free services. Nor did the OP of this thread. We simply do not want to enter the school system this soon. We are being forced to enter and use services we don't want. This is because despite all the hot air about improvements to DCPS that others have made, many-many-many kids have in-bounds schools that are fundamentally unacceptable. Not ONE of you posters would send a kid to my in-bounds school. Not one of you and I'm sure of it. We have one of hte highest percentages of non-reading kids. Parental involvement is zilch. Every score you could use the school demonstrates that it is sinking. The local, engaged families here don't give a shit about it because they don't have to - they can lottery out. The lottery system is fucked, though. It presents parents like me, in communities like mine, with two realistic choices. 1. send your kids across town to whatever lottery you get into, at whatever age that particular school starts. And it WILL BE at four or younger. Full time. OR 2. skip preschool (again, we're not rich or "choosing" to live on one income - DH works evenings) and try to compete for the 14 slots city wide that happen to open up at kindergarten. Since this is highly unlikely to be a successful strategy, that leaves one with the option of sending kid to a school where the word "underperforming" is the understatement of the century, or, I don't know. Homeschooling, I guess. In fact, a growing number of people are homeschooling for this very reason - because they are the losers in the winners and losers game of DC schools. Schools should not force parents to play musical chairs when there are not enough chairs. Charter schools have been the nail in the coffin of DCPS, and now all of you who are so damn happy about it should get over yourselves with suggesting that you're the good guys in this fight. You're not! You haven't helped the poor kids, you haven't lifed all the boats. You've served yourselves and a handful of people like you. The large majority of kids are still stuck in a sinking system. The only way out is to be forced into PS or PK before you want your kid to go. BECAUSE that's the entry point.

Do you not get it? NOBODY WANTS FREE PART TIME PK / PS on this thread. If it were available, fine. But I wouldn't push for it. I'd simply push for a fair entry point for folks who choose not to use those services. CAn you really not see how it's not fair to require something that should not be mandatory? And how that is limiting, not increasing, MY choice for the sake of yours?

You really need to calm down. I get that school decisions in this area are frustrating and stressful. We all feel it. But you seem to be really feeling very deeply and maybe need to take a step back to reduce your anger. Everyone who lives here makes trade offs. Being livid about the fact that DC doesn't offer you a perfect set up for your family isn't going to get you anywhere.

Oh, stuff it. You don't get to decide who gets to feel strongly about something. It's irritating when people patronize you and misrepresent your position and then when you get piqued about it, say "oh calm down." In fact, if you aren't pissed off, you're either lucky, lame, or not paying attention. Feel free to go on, there's lots of sand here for you to put your head into. And, you don't even need it since you can obviously keep your head firmly up your arse.

[Anonymous]

And then when you calm down PP who's gonna blow, please explain what solution to your concern you are proposing. Because the only one I've seen anyone on this board propose is to change the rules so those who want pre-s or pre-k lottery in for those, and then everyone starts over with the lottery for K, including those already enrolled in school. You have every right to gripe all you want, but if you don't recognize the gross entitled thinking of that (sorry working class fams who need pre-s & pre-k, the needs of those who can CHOOSE not to send their kids until K trumps those of you who are already in schools and your kids are already connected. You need to start the lotteries all over again for K to suit the parents with choices.").

But let me guess - once your kid is in if you have other kids you're all for sibling preference, cuz once your family is connected to a good school you want to stay connected? But screw the families who got connscted before you because they're messing up your odds of gettong in?

If that's the solution you're proposing, it's just as counter to the interests of underserved families as wanting some pre-s slots to be part time.

And if a startover lottery at K is NOT what you're proposing, then what solution would address your complaint?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You seem really stressed. Maybe you should send your kid to school during the day so that you will have some down time. I'm concerned you are going to blow otherwise.

Kid is at home with dad. I'm at work. Thank you for your concern trolling, though. Now go away.

[Anonymous]

And then when you calm down PP who's gonna blow, please explain what solution to your concern you are proposing. Because the only one I've seen anyone on this board propose is to change the rules so those who want pre-s or pre-k lottery in for those, and then everyone starts over with the lottery for K, including those already enrolled in school. You have every right to gripe all you want, but if you don't recognize the gross entitled thinking of that (sorry working class fams who need pre-s & pre-k, the needs of those who can CHOOSE not to send their kids until K trumps those of you who are already in schools and your kids are already connected. You need to start the lotteries all over again for K to suit the parents with choices.").

But let me guess - once your kid is in if you have other kids you're all for sibling preference, cuz once your family is connected to a good school you want to stay connected? But screw the families who got connscted before you because they're messing up your odds of gettong in?

If that's the solution you're proposing, it's just as counter to the interests of underserved families as wanting some pre-s slots to be part time.

And if a startover lottery at K is NOT what you're proposing, then what solution would address your complaint?

[Anonymous]

^^Oops, didnt mean to post twice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And then when you calm down PP who's gonna blow, please explain what solution to your concern you are proposing. Because the only one I've seen anyone on this board propose is to change the rules so those who want pre-s or pre-k lottery in for those, and then everyone starts over with the lottery for K, including those already enrolled in school. You have every right to gripe all you want, but if you don't recognize the gross entitled thinking of that (sorry working class fams who need pre-s & pre-k, the needs of those who can CHOOSE not to send their kids until K trumps those of you who are already in schools and your kids are already connected. You need to start the lotteries all over again for K to suit the parents with choices.").

But let me guess - once your kid is in if you have other kids you're all for sibling preference, cuz once your family is connected to a good school you want to stay connected? But screw the families who got connscted before you because they're messing up your odds of gettong in?

If that's the solution you're proposing, it's just as counter to the interests of underserved families as wanting some pre-s slots to be part time.

And if a startover lottery at K is NOT what you're proposing, then what solution would address your complaint?

Heavens, I had NO IDEA that I was not supposed to point out a deficiency in a system if I were not ready with a white paper and power point presentation outlining my solutions. I forgot that on these boards, there's no such thing as a first step of identifying a problem and talking about it before taking the next step of solving it.

For the record: I did not propose starting over at K. I agree that would not be fair. I didn't propose a solution because I think we need to think about it. My first shot at it, though, would be to explore a staggered approach where schools would need to hold some slots open for children not in the system, or parents could lottery in to kindergarten a few years ahead of time so they had a placeholder even if they didn't go, or some other method where they would get an entry point to the system. I don't wish to displace other children, but there's this "get your foot in the door" approach that is not really workable. You may be surprised, PP, to find that such an approach might actually free up spots for those who really need the PS3 or PK4 because parents who DON'T need it are not using it and therefore are not taking up spots simply as placeholders. However, I certainly would want to talk with other parents and stakeholders, including those already in the system, about making fair changes.