Reply to Common Lottery Algorithm

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
We were arguing this point yesterday, but as of yesterday, who is disputing this part of it?

The part we are now disputing is this:
Same scenario as above EXCEPT Child #2 DOES have sibling preference.  Who gets the spot then if both children have sibling preference but Child #1 ranked the school #3 and didn't get into 1-2, vs. Child #2 who ranked the school #1?

If you believe parent ranking has no effect beyond what order the computer tries to place you, you believe basically that at this point it's random.  Those of us saying parent ranking matters are saying that in THIS scenario, Child #2 will get the spot.  Hands down.  And random computer assigned lottery number does not impact anything at this point.[/quote]

From the FAQ:
[quote=FAQ]
How does the My School DC common lottery work?
Student-school matches are based on the number of spaces at each school; sibling, proximity, and other preferences; and each student’s choices. (Through the My School DC common lottery, the six DCPS specialized high schools admit students based on specific criteria.)
 
When there are more students than spaces at a school, students who have a preference (such as a sibling preference) will be the first to be offered spaces. Then, random selection decides which other students will be offered spaces.
 
Students will be matched with no more than one school. My School DC will try to match each student with their 1st choice, then their 2nd choice, and so on through the student’s list.

What are preferences (sibling preference, proximity preference, in-boundary preference)?
Students may have a preference at one or more schools. Students with a preference at a particular school are offered space at that school before students who don’t have a preference. There are four types of preferences:

Sibling preference (DCPS and public charter schools). Your child will have a sibling preference at a school where a sibling is currently enrolled. Some schools also offer a preference in the lottery and/or on the waiting list to siblings of accepted students. For example, if you have two children applying to the same school this year and one is accepted, the school may offer a preference to the accepted child’s brother or sister. These preferences vary by school, so if you have questions, it’s best to contact the school. If your child is admitted with a sibling preference, be prepared to prove that your children are siblings when you enroll them. (DCPS specialized high schools do not offer a sibling preference.)

Proximity preference (DCPS only). Your child will receive a preference if he or she lives within a reasonable walking distance of a school. (DCPS high schools do not offer a proximity preference.)

In-boundary preference (DCPS PK3 and PK4 only). PK3 and PK4 students receive a preference at their in-boundary DCPS schools.

Adams-boundary preference (Oyster-Adams Bilingual School only). In 2007, John Quincy Adams Elementary School merged with Oyster Bilingual School. Students living in the boundary of the former Adams Elementary School get a preference when applying to Oyster-Adams.
[/quote]

[b]1. If two students have the same preference, lottery number determines which one gets it.[/b]2. Ranking a school higher is not a preference.
3. In this scenario, the child with with the better lottery number gets the slot.[/quote]

Where in the section from the website does it say that in the top situation, a random lottery number trumps preference?  It says "Then, random selection decides which other students will be offered spaces".  But it also says "Students will be matched with no more than one school. My School DC will try to match each student with their 1st choice, then their 2nd choice, and so on through the student’s list."

What I was TOLD is that in a situation where all else is equal (meaning preferences and no one got into a school they ranked better yet), it is not your random lottery number but your ranking of the school that will determine if you get it.  If you both ranked the school 1, the lottery number will be the tie breaker.  But if one student didn't rank 1 and all else is equal, they're not in the running against the student who ranked it 1.  The algorithm is only looking to distinguish first/match first between those where all else is equal, including how they ranked the school.

Show me where it is clearly stated that random lottery number trumps student's ranking of the school and, where all else is equal except the student's rank of the school, a higher random lottery number trumps student's ranking of school?

[/quote]

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