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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I didn't mean to imply that starting a k start charter school is the only way.  That is what jumps out at me as a good solution that would make all parties happy.

And I don't know why you think there are fewer spots for low income kids.  I've read that there a spots for all kids in dc.  I don't mean to sound grumpy, but I think that is just not true.   Those schools with highest concentrations of poverty are the ones most likely to have plenty of spots.[/quote]

Because they are not good options. Attending PS3 or PK4 at that shitty school is not going to help these kids. BUT, attending PS3 at a better school with a wait list, is. So until you're willing to send  your kid to one of those empty spots, they don't count.

Now, let me ask you, did YOU start a charter school? This is public education we are talking about here! "starting a charter school" is not realistic or feasible for the vast majority of parents in this city. Also, as stunning as you may find it, most DC families do NOT want a K start. And those who do want diverse choices. We don't want to all go to the one charter school based on the distinguishing feature of starting at K. We just don't want "mandatory" school forced on our kids at three years old. [/quote]

How do you know they aren't good options?  Who are you to deem schools "shitty"?  No I haven't started a charter school, but I have great respect those that did.  They went through hell I'm sure to get their schoolset up and determined that ps3 or prek 4 was what works for their school and the population they are trying to reach.  You are free to second guess them.  If starting a chart with K start seems to burdensome to you, then I recommend you politely request that this charter you want your child to attend consider opening a few spots in k.  Of course they may say no, but they may go along with it.  But there is no way that they could guarantee that your child wouldbe the lucky one the get one of the k slots.

Our kids attend our in boundary school and put sweat equity into the school to make it as good as possible as we were chicken to play the charter game. It worked very well for us.  Maybe you could try that too--sort of hedge your bets in case the " entering charter at k " plan doesn't pan out for you.

Good luck!  It's great that you are so passionate about education for your child! [/quote]

I think I see a morsel of advice in here - ask charters to consider opening up spots in K. Done and done - many of us are doing that. Otherwise, you may want to read over the past few pages. At least 3 of us posting here have tried to get the neighborhood into our in-bounds schools but now that the charter game has started, there simply are zero to VERY few families willing to do it.

Quite honestly, my choice is that all in bound schools are decent. ALL of them. they're not. And instead of saying, hey, holy cow, let's fix all of the schools in DC so that ALL of the kids can benefit, they've created charters here, there, and ALMOST (but not quite) everywhere, so that parents who are not opposed to charters (even those who are, but end up feeling locked into the better of two evils) can save their own kids - maybe.

Charters are doing exactly what parents like me were afraid they would do. They're ensuring that when professional families start moving into a community, they focus on safety, police presence, and even the appearance of the local parks and green spaces, but they pay lip service only to the schools while jumping onto a rickety lifeboat in the form of charters. In the meantime, those lifeboats are full by PK4. So throw your three year old into the boat even if she doesn't need it. Doesn't matter if it takes the spot of a kid who is really sinking, hey, all's fair in love and the DC charter school mess.

Since beginning to participate in this thread (I am not the OP) I have basically become convinced that we're going to say screw this system right now, and basically spend every bit of spare time we have trying to effect change within the system. You'll see another thread from me when the small working group we've put together has a few basic ideas on how to restore fairness back into the system, and how to redirect the focus on the city's inbounds schools (all of them) and force the charters to play fair with our kids.

Good luck to all of you who are struggling to make this dysfunctional system work for your family. It's sad that we are all pitted against one another so much. I want my neighbor to be able to use the full time PS services she needs. I want to be able to get into a decent school, in bounds or not, at K, which is when school becomes mandatory in this city.

Enough with all of us fiercely holding on to our corner of the blanket. Make more blankets, and make them without so many holes. [/quote]

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