I think there are several other big considerations where it comes to competetive sports in public schools - public school athletics are typically controlled by the Interscholastic Athletics Associations - and they are the ones who say which schools can or can't participate (and usually that also comes with a hefty annual price tag to schools) and they also typically have size categories for determining which schools can compete against each other. That puts charters at a disadvantage on several points - a.) unlike DCPS, they do not get public funding to cover the cost of participating in interscholastic athletics associations and b.) even if they can pay the price to get in, they are likely to be thrown into the "hinterlands" category by the athletics association, basically they will just be thrown the scraps of competition, while all focus goes on DCPS schools.

Can kids from Maryland and Virginia just transfer to a Charter School from the counties surrounding DC and be eligible to play that same year? I thought the DC residency rules have to apply or is this another failure of Washington DC to turn a blind eye just to get "athletes" to these failures of schools.

Love this story. Kudos to the kids. Boooo to DCPS for not allowing these children access to better playing conditions. They are still the children of DC residents.

I still will not allow my son to play football, but high-five for these kids academic and athletic achievments. High points to the caring coach who makes a difference!

Hey one of the biggest scandals to hit DCPS was when Spingarn had a young basketball player transfer from a New York City Public School. So, to ask why is the not the question. How can I forget this one, when Spingarn placed the majority of the best baskteball players in special ed classes. I don't know if you have the time to research but I can guarantee you, that when a DCPS school wins a local championship, their top player is a transfer.

These allegations of parents and coaches moving high school kids around like chess pieces to evade residency requirements has me totally missing Friday Night Lights.

Apparently you don't know the scandal or the drama of DCPS. Why would kids from other states come to DC and play? Merely, because they are not the STARS or the PHENOM in the counties. They come here and make ALL-MET, FIRST TEAM and any other accolades substantiated by the public. Basically, your second best in the counties will come to DC and become the "best since slice bread." Yes, the city championship games have become a lopsided mess but at times there's the victory going to the spoils of DC. The charter-schools are doing quite well with the recruitment of the "CK" (county kids). How many times have you read about the story book success of an athlete in DCPS athletics? The first paragraph in the news, always alludes that they are a transfer from the county be it public or private. Archive the Washpost, you will see it for yourself.

Friendship Charter, for one, has proven it's educational bonafides along with it's rep as a football school. It secures a boggling number of football college scholarships for it's largely FARMS student body...the only way most of those kids will have a real shot at a college education. Again, good for them. DCPS sports is a disaster from decades of neglect, pure and simple and they NEED the charters to force them to step it up and do better for the kids.

OK, I will confess that my kids aren't in DCPS but the sports programs seem to be terrible based on the kids we know in DCPS. Why would someone commute from Winchester to play in DC? DC public schools are getting beat by schools like Maret in citywide championships. The sports programs in the VA schools and in MoCo are extremely strong. Of course the WCAC is the strongest. I am just not getting the drama here.

That 5th year willy nilly was to avoid a year of scandal. Where, that year in particular coaches were switching schools and taken their top athletes. I hear all of you well-wishers but we all know that DC has a history of not being up-and-up when it comes to athletics. I am here to tell you, the residency rule alone will be enough to have the metro-accessible kids living in Winchester, Va as long as he can get to the metro he will play for a DC School. The hypothetical "God-daddy and God-mommie" guardianship will rise tremendously as the supply will meet the demand.

Seems like keeping kids for a 5th year, if it means they will actually graduate from high school, isn't such a bad thing for DC since the grad rates are appallingly low (58%). If it takes sports to keep them in school and graduating then maybe that's not such a bad thing.

Here's a fantastic story about the current state of Charter school athletics. Good for them, I say. DCPS has failed them for decades now. http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7710473/aazaar-abdul-rahim-rise-new-washington-dc-football-power-friendship-collegiate-academy

And the 5th year eligibility thing is something that Michelle Rhee implemented for DCPS schools a few years back so it's completely understandable that charters could have followed suit...it's pretty hard to follow the willy nilly changes made by DCPS. Read up on the history.
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/34679/welcome-13th-graders
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2010/01/22/cheap-seats-daily-michelle-rhees-ok-with-redshirting-athletes-again/

Hear it here first, it has been announced that Charter schools will be able to compete with Public schools, in regards to athletic school championships. Well, I am going to tell you, a scandal of various proportions will happen this upcoming school year. Competiting for the title and cheating to get that title will raise its ugly heads.

Issue one: Charter schools will allow fifth year students eligibility and DCPS will not. So, who will conform to whose rules.
Issue two: Everything else is done with a "pilot year" and then implementation. Not this case, just roll it out for the upcoming school year. First championship scheduled in November 2012.

It just amazes me the priority our Mayor has in regards to DCPS.