Reply to Early PK3 via Early Stages question

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It's not because your post merely mentions DCPS. It's because you're asking a legal or regulatory and procedural question that is specific to DCPS.

Regardless of the rules, it seems like your charter is determined to refuse you. Your situation is uncommon enough that you might not find anyone here who has experienced it. You can hire a professional to try and help you, but ultimately that may not succeed.

I would try the DCPS Office of the Ombudsperson next.

Try to bear in mind, before you go to battle with your school, that OSSE may be incorrect. They often are.[/quote]

The thing is, they're really not looking to refuse us. The school's leadership is new enough to DC that they literally had no idea that there's a policy that allows some kids to start early. The issue is that this leadership has now gone to Early Stages twice to get guidance on how to engage in this unfamiliar process, and twice been given either irrelevant or baseless information [b]from the agency[/b] that is confusing and misleading school staffers about my kid's eligibility, and seems designed to discourage us from pursuing any avenue but our zoned school. After the second round, ES contacted me also and said charters weren't service providers for early PK3, just DCPS - and I responded that OSSE guidance says the two are considered the same category when it comes to this process, and that they should point me toward any written guidance to the contrary. They have not yet responded.

The charter seems to be doing its (confused, less-informed) best, but is being steered badly by ES, and the result is that we're caught in crazy-making situation: all we need is for ES to confirm the clearly written existing policy, after which the charter can confirm whether or not we can enroll, and then ES can release an accurate IEP with an accurate school destination...whatever that school may be! Instead, we can't even have a conversation about enrollment with a school that by every other indication [b]does[/b] want us, because the relevant agency is giving everyone irrelevant or misleading information about existing policy. I'm happy to reach out to the DC ombudsman, but posted here first to see if there were any parents who had experience with early PK3 who could confirm or rebut my understanding of this process. The OSSE language all reads pretty straightforward, but maybe I've missed something? Has anyone ever enrolled in early PK3 anywhere, DCPS or charter, that wasn't their zoned school? Or tried to do so and been told they couldn't - not due to space, but due to some OSSE requirement that isn't listed with posted web guidance? [/quote]

Well, what your school says to your face vs what they actually want may be different. They might be thrilled that they can blame ES while still not taking a high needs kid for free. Sorry to be so cynical but I've been a parent in this system for 10 years.

There is tons of OSSE guidance that isn't posted or is hard to dig up.

Whoever you're talking to at ES, try escalating to their manager. [/quote]

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