Here's how it can be fair:
1. Automatically re-enroll and as parents, we have to OPT OUT. Why? people who use extended day are both working and don't have time for this re-registration each year.

2. McK did add capacity last time there was a waitlist.

WHY THE EFF does APS waste money on shit like double or triple bussing and random option programs but can't fill a basic need like taking care of kids who have parents who both work.

I swear to grass that if I had more tolerance for bullshit I would run for school board.

Anonymous wrote:I thought that Arlington (unlike Fairfax) would hire additional staff to accommodate all the families who want Extended Day? As in, there might briefly be a waitlist but then everyone gets in before September....Not true?

Avoiding the SACC waiting list nightmare was one of the reasons we chose Arlington over McLean.

I thought this as well. However, why was everyone crashing the system to register if they were guaranteed a spot? I don't quite understand that.

This is what the website says:

Is my child guaranteed a spot in Extended Day?
At most schools there each child will be enrolled, however there are waitlist each year at some schools. Children may be placed on a waitlist if the Extended Day program at the particular school has reached capacity.

Why are there waitlists at some Extended Day programs?
Waitlists occasionally occur due to staff and/or space needs. If additional staff is needed, we hire additional staff. If more space is needed, we work with school administrators to identify additional space for use by Extended Day.

Anonymous wrote:As someone who will be affected by this, I’d love to know, in the past, how much of the waitlist happens shortly after registration as opposed to names being added in the summer as the result of new families moving in etc. I’m also curious how they allocate slots between age groups. I have older kids, and presumably the teacher to student ratio depends on the age of the kids, or is that a straight up staffing issue to be decided after the fact and slots will be granted without regard to age groups.

Age Adult:Child Ratio
Pre-Kindergarten 1:8
Kindergarten 1:10
1st – 5th Grade 1:15
Middle School 1:20

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know how the registration process will treat siblings? If one sibling gets in, is the other automatically in as well?

This is a good question.

I thought that Arlington (unlike Fairfax) would hire additional staff to accommodate all the families who want Extended Day? As in, there might briefly be a waitlist but then everyone gets in before September....Not true?

Avoiding the SACC waiting list nightmare was one of the reasons we chose Arlington over McLean.

Does anyone know how the registration process will treat siblings? If one sibling gets in, is the other automatically in as well?

As someone who will be affected by this, I’d love to know, in the past, how much of the waitlist happens shortly after registration as opposed to names being added in the summer as the result of new families moving in etc. I’m also curious how they allocate slots between age groups. I have older kids, and presumably the teacher to student ratio depends on the age of the kids, or is that a straight up staffing issue to be decided after the fact and slots will be granted without regard to age groups.

Even as someone with easy access to a computer, this is such a huge improvement. It's stressful to be just clicking and clicking, and left people at the whims of their random internet connection. It also clearly favored people in flexible jobs with computers and high speed internet at home.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow! That is incredibly unfair to the schools that are oversubscribed. I'm so glad my twins aren't at McKinley anymore.

How is it unfair? The other method benefitted those who could take off the morning to fight the online queue.

+1 We never had an issue getting online but knew we were privileged to be able to do that. It does seem like they could pair up full/not-full schools to offer overflow extended day so more families can be accommodated.

I'm new to all this (my oldest will head to K in the fall) but how is this unfair? It should have always been a lottery, not a fight to log in at 7am and click buttons.

Anonymous wrote:Wow! That is incredibly unfair to the schools that are oversubscribed. I'm so glad my twins aren't at McKinley anymore.

How is it unfair? The other method benefitted those who could take off the morning to fight the online queue.

Wow! That is incredibly unfair to the schools that are oversubscribed. I'm so glad my twins aren't at McKinley anymore.

This is an improvement for option schools. Now you can actually find out if you got into one before having to apply for ED!

yikes

https://www.apsva.us/extended-day/registration/