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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I feel the same way. But her current school isn’t very academically rigorous and I feel she does need more structure. Unsure if Truth is the answer either. That’s IF we get in. And if don’t then moving might be only option left. [/quote]

Why not try BASIS for 5th and lottery again for 6th if you're still not sure? Based on comments here seems like 5th is a more "gentle" year at BASIS - a lot of teaching the kids organization and study skills and no comps.[/quote]

I feel like people underestimate how stressful switching schools is. I have an extroverted, generally pretty easy kid, and he still talks about how stressful it was switching in second grade. [/quote]

The difference here is that, no matter what you decide, there will be multiple transitions. It's just the nature of 5th and 6th grade in DC.

If they stay at current elementary school for 5th, it's still a "transition" since many 4th grade classmates will move on to charters or better middle school feeders. And they will still have to transition to a new school in 6th. If they don't lottery into something they like for 6th, they're not just looking at moving schools but moving out of DC entirely, which is obviously a much bigger transition.

If instead they go to BASIS for 5th, yeah it's a transition. But if they end up liking it, they're set. If they don't, they're in the same position lotterying for 6th as they would be anyway. But maybe it buys them a little extra time to make a game plan if they're willing to stick with BASIS for 6th. [/quote]

No you’re right - especially in this instance. I just see moving schools/relotterying thrown out a lot on here, and I’m always a bit surprised. We’re now facing another possible move at 5th and I haven’t even told my kid they got in yet.[/quote]

My feeling is most people who recommend this are trying to optimize middle and/or high school feeds and see a middle or high school transition as more harmful than an elementary transition (or two).

But some are definitely of the "grass is always greener" mentality and that feels harmful. Have acquaintances whose 2nd grader is struggling a bit both academically and socially, and I wonder how much of it is that she's never been in any childcare setting or school for more than a year before being moved again for something "better."[/quote]

There is absolutely a cost to moving that needs to be part of the equation for parents... Constantly seeking the "best" option is going to be a mindf*** for the kids and parents. Every time something bad happens, you'll wonder if you made the right choice to move.

That said, I did move my kids -- one to BASIS for 5th, and another mid elementary to a better school. The BASIS move was a complete non-issue. All the kids are new, they are coming from literally every Ward in the city, the school has camps and orientations that help the kids bond, the parents are all on a WhatsApp and organize their own events, the kids are grouped together in various ways and get to know each other, and there is just very little bullying at the school. It's not cliquey, for whatever reason. And almost everyone is coming with a handful of friendly faces from their old school.

The mid-elementary move, was definitely trickier. there were various elements of the new school that were objectively better, and of the old school that were pushing us away. The new school was also very conscientious about incorporating my kid, setting him up with a "buddy" and giving him a lot of extra attention to make sure he was OK. We have no regrets about it, and maybe I'm just trying to justify the decision, but it feels like one of the best decisions I've made for him. He actually is learning a lot more, in a more peaceful environment. He is being more pushed to meet his potential.

School choice is a very tricky thing to manage. It can make you feel like you need to optimize, and chasing the "best" option never ends. But sometimes, moving schools does work out. 
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