Anonymous
03/12/2026 09:19
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We have a 7th grader and are starting to think ahead for next year. We don’t live in J-R school district and our in boundary isn’t an option. If you don’t get into one of the more highly regarded schools (walls, Banneker…), whats next on your list? Do you have another selective high school you’d be happy with, and if so, which one and why? Are you applying to private? Would consider moving?
We chose BASIS for 5th grade.
We’re good.
😀
Isn’t Basis that school that has the atmosphere of a depressing prison with a lot of stressed out kids?
This is fake news for smart kids. My BASIS student is not stressed out.
Agree. Also have a 5th grader at Basis and it’s been a decidedly low key experience. All A’s and not stressed, so far.
My one big regret is buying into the anti-basis hype and not lotterying for in in 5th!
PP above is delusional in believing that intent equates to the requisite lottery luck. We never got off the BASIS WL for either our oldest in 2021 or youngest in 2023. Both of my children are very good at math, diligent and low key, probably great fits for the curriculum. Apparently, the odds of admission are even worse now.
Anonymous
03/12/2026 09:06
Subject: Re:What’s your HS “back up” option?
We are IB for MacArthur, 7th grade. Currently undergoing some uncertainty at work.
1. Plan A (or should I call it a delusional plan): Walls.
2. Backup 1: Moving the to Montgomery or Fairfax county, might depend on the work situation and location.
3. Backup 2: Staying in MacArthur, if one of us loses the job.
Now if our child was younger than 5th grade, we’d probably just plan for MacArthur. We’ve observed Hardy change over 6 years while we were IB to having much better test scores and activities, and we think it will just take as much time for MacArthur.
1. Plan A (or should I call it a delusional plan): Walls.
2. Backup 1: Moving the to Montgomery or Fairfax county, might depend on the work situation and location.
3. Backup 2: Staying in MacArthur, if one of us loses the job.
Now if our child was younger than 5th grade, we’d probably just plan for MacArthur. We’ve observed Hardy change over 6 years while we were IB to having much better test scores and activities, and we think it will just take as much time for MacArthur.
Anonymous
03/12/2026 08:41
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t have JR as a backup (and I wish I did), but I do think it is fair to acknowledge that it is also an imperfect school that is not everyone’s top choice.
Your backup plan is renting an apartment in bounds for JB for semester or year. You are then allowed to stay through the terminal grade.
That said, I have two kids IB for JR, and for one kid it was plan A - a good fit. And for one kid it is back-up plan. The plan A kid had a great experience at Deal and JR seemed more of the same. The back up plan kid is having a not great experience at deal and JR seems more of the same.
Not in bound for JR, high school is far off and I love our ES and am satisfied with its feeder middle, so I'm not asking for me...just curious...
Is this something people really do? Do they actually move to the rental property or just pretend to? Does DCPS care? Do they rent for the whole year? Just a few months?
The high and mighty part of me sees this as cheating and opportunity hoarding. Plus, I'd personally be worried about getting caught. On the other hand, I get it, especially for JR, given the dearth of good high school options here.
Does this really happen? For JR? For middle and elementary schools?
I've heard of families using the address of an investment property (or in a different situation, a relative in MoCo) to attend a particular school or get out of DCPS. But not the renting thing. Real or DCUM urban legend?
What are you trying to ask? JR and many of its feeders are naturally half-full of kids who really genuinely live in apartments near the schools. Why would that be cheating?
I think shes asking about renting fior a few months and moving back to your house in se dc. I dont know if people ever actually do that or just talk about on dbum about doing it. Most people who live oob get access by lottering into a feeder (do it enough and you'll get in) or by using a relative's address.
Thank you, yes. This is what I meant - and not just with JR, renting say, a studio for a few months in another boundary in order to qualify for a particular school - ES, MS or HS - but really living elsewhere. I’ve heard people talk about this off and on DCUM but can’t tell how serious they are.
Agree that living in an apt or house bound for JR or a feeder or any school you like isn’t even remotely cheating!
Anonymous
03/11/2026 20:27
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t have JR as a backup (and I wish I did), but I do think it is fair to acknowledge that it is also an imperfect school that is not everyone’s top choice.
Your backup plan is renting an apartment in bounds for JB for semester or year. You are then allowed to stay through the terminal grade.
That said, I have two kids IB for JR, and for one kid it was plan A - a good fit. And for one kid it is back-up plan. The plan A kid had a great experience at Deal and JR seemed more of the same. The back up plan kid is having a not great experience at deal and JR seems more of the same.
Not in bound for JR, high school is far off and I love our ES and am satisfied with its feeder middle, so I'm not asking for me...just curious...
Is this something people really do? Do they actually move to the rental property or just pretend to? Does DCPS care? Do they rent for the whole year? Just a few months?
The high and mighty part of me sees this as cheating and opportunity hoarding. Plus, I'd personally be worried about getting caught. On the other hand, I get it, especially for JR, given the dearth of good high school options here.
Does this really happen? For JR? For middle and elementary schools?
I've heard of families using the address of an investment property (or in a different situation, a relative in MoCo) to attend a particular school or get out of DCPS. But not the renting thing. Real or DCUM urban legend?
What are you trying to ask? JR and many of its feeders are naturally half-full of kids who really genuinely live in apartments near the schools. Why would that be cheating?
I think shes asking about renting fior a few months and moving back to your house in se dc. I dont know if people ever actually do that or just talk about on dbum about doing it. Most people who live oob get access by lottering into a feeder (do it enough and you'll get in) or by using a relative's address.
Anonymous
03/11/2026 20:22
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t have JR as a backup (and I wish I did), but I do think it is fair to acknowledge that it is also an imperfect school that is not everyone’s top choice.
Your backup plan is renting an apartment in bounds for JB for semester or year. You are then allowed to stay through the terminal grade.
That said, I have two kids IB for JR, and for one kid it was plan A - a good fit. And for one kid it is back-up plan. The plan A kid had a great experience at Deal and JR seemed more of the same. The back up plan kid is having a not great experience at deal and JR seems more of the same.
Not in bound for JR, high school is far off and I love our ES and am satisfied with its feeder middle, so I'm not asking for me...just curious...
Is this something people really do? Do they actually move to the rental property or just pretend to? Does DCPS care? Do they rent for the whole year? Just a few months?
The high and mighty part of me sees this as cheating and opportunity hoarding. Plus, I'd personally be worried about getting caught. On the other hand, I get it, especially for JR, given the dearth of good high school options here.
Does this really happen? For JR? For middle and elementary schools?
I've heard of families using the address of an investment property (or in a different situation, a relative in MoCo) to attend a particular school or get out of DCPS. But not the renting thing. Real or DCUM urban legend?
You sound really hostile. People are literally just talking about renting and living in an apartment or house in the JR zone. Nothing shady about this.
Anonymous
03/11/2026 20:20
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t have JR as a backup (and I wish I did), but I do think it is fair to acknowledge that it is also an imperfect school that is not everyone’s top choice.
Your backup plan is renting an apartment in bounds for JB for semester or year. You are then allowed to stay through the terminal grade.
That said, I have two kids IB for JR, and for one kid it was plan A - a good fit. And for one kid it is back-up plan. The plan A kid had a great experience at Deal and JR seemed more of the same. The back up plan kid is having a not great experience at deal and JR seems more of the same.
Can you say more about the characteristics of kids who thrive at these schools and those who don’t? Weighing a move.
Kid for whom deal worked is a solid student, social, hard working not bothered by distractions. Student applying out is "twice eceptional" so really smart but has adhd and other challenges. Deal is too big, too distracting, too boring.
Anonymous
03/11/2026 20:18
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t have JR as a backup (and I wish I did), but I do think it is fair to acknowledge that it is also an imperfect school that is not everyone’s top choice.
Your backup plan is renting an apartment in bounds for JB for semester or year. You are then allowed to stay through the terminal grade.
That said, I have two kids IB for JR, and for one kid it was plan A - a good fit. And for one kid it is back-up plan. The plan A kid had a great experience at Deal and JR seemed more of the same. The back up plan kid is having a not great experience at deal and JR seems more of the same.
Not in bound for JR, high school is far off and I love our ES and am satisfied with its feeder middle, so I'm not asking for me...just curious...
Is this something people really do? Do they actually move to the rental property or just pretend to? Does DCPS care? Do they rent for the whole year? Just a few months?
The high and mighty part of me sees this as cheating and opportunity hoarding. Plus, I'd personally be worried about getting caught. On the other hand, I get it, especially for JR, given the dearth of good high school options here.
Does this really happen? For JR? For middle and elementary schools?
I've heard of families using the address of an investment property (or in a different situation, a relative in MoCo) to attend a particular school or get out of DCPS. But not the renting thing. Real or DCUM urban legend?
What are you trying to ask? JR and many of its feeders are naturally half-full of kids who really genuinely live in apartments near the schools. Why would that be cheating?
Anonymous
03/11/2026 19:53
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t have JR as a backup (and I wish I did), but I do think it is fair to acknowledge that it is also an imperfect school that is not everyone’s top choice.
Your backup plan is renting an apartment in bounds for JB for semester or year. You are then allowed to stay through the terminal grade.
That said, I have two kids IB for JR, and for one kid it was plan A - a good fit. And for one kid it is back-up plan. The plan A kid had a great experience at Deal and JR seemed more of the same. The back up plan kid is having a not great experience at deal and JR seems more of the same.
Not in bound for JR, high school is far off and I love our ES and am satisfied with its feeder middle, so I'm not asking for me...just curious...
Is this something people really do? Do they actually move to the rental property or just pretend to? Does DCPS care? Do they rent for the whole year? Just a few months?
The high and mighty part of me sees this as cheating and opportunity hoarding. Plus, I'd personally be worried about getting caught. On the other hand, I get it, especially for JR, given the dearth of good high school options here.
Does this really happen? For JR? For middle and elementary schools?
I've heard of families using the address of an investment property (or in a different situation, a relative in MoCo) to attend a particular school or get out of DCPS. But not the renting thing. Real or DCUM urban legend?
Anonymous
03/11/2026 19:34
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Wr are planning on moving to a hardy feeder but high school is 4 years away. Any thoughts on MacArthur. Wr may have an option to lottery into a dea/Jr school. I'm not clear they are better.
I’m genuinely excited for McArthur, it’ll be great in 4-5 years
I agree. It is going through some growing pains, as all new schools do, but I am confident it will be an excellent option soon (and it may already be—I’ve been hearing a lot of good things!).
Anonymous
03/11/2026 19:05
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t have JR as a backup (and I wish I did), but I do think it is fair to acknowledge that it is also an imperfect school that is not everyone’s top choice.
Your backup plan is renting an apartment in bounds for JB for semester or year. You are then allowed to stay through the terminal grade.
That said, I have two kids IB for JR, and for one kid it was plan A - a good fit. And for one kid it is back-up plan. The plan A kid had a great experience at Deal and JR seemed more of the same. The back up plan kid is having a not great experience at deal and JR seems more of the same.
Can you say more about the characteristics of kids who thrive at these schools and those who don’t? Weighing a move.
Anonymous
03/11/2026 18:37
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:Wr are planning on moving to a hardy feeder but high school is 4 years away. Any thoughts on MacArthur. Wr may have an option to lottery into a dea/Jr school. I'm not clear they are better.
I’m genuinely excited for McArthur, it’ll be great in 4-5 years
Anonymous
03/11/2026 17:01
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The issue regarding poverty in schools is that when the percent of at risk students tips over a certain threshold, the school has little choice but to focus most resources on the needs of at risk kids.
We went through this in elementary. Zero issues with individual kids or families regardless of SES. But there came a point where our kid's needs weren't really being met because she was an outlier. We moved to a school with a smaller at risk percentage (not zero, just lower, with more families in our approximate income bracket). Her academic needs were better met, end of story.
It's not about fleeing poor students. It's about recognizing when a school's focus and aims don't align with yours.
You can sit around feeling guilty or wringing your hands over it. At the end of the day you look at your kid and try to find a school that makes sense for them.
We talk about the needs of advanced students not being met at title 1 schools who focus on below grade level students. But middle class students who are one to two years behind grade level fair terribly at these schools too. The school assumes they will be fine because of the higher SES status of their parents. We were told to get tutors by the school. Move them to a school where most students are on grade level or above, and these kids gets attention and resources.
This is true. our middle school has seemingly decided that average kids don’t need to be taught any math.
Anonymous
03/11/2026 16:40
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Wr are planning on moving to a hardy feeder but high school is 4 years away. Any thoughts on MacArthur. Wr may have an option to lottery into a dea/Jr school. I'm not clear they are better.
Anonymous
03/11/2026 16:25
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:I don’t have JR as a backup (and I wish I did), but I do think it is fair to acknowledge that it is also an imperfect school that is not everyone’s top choice.
Your backup plan is renting an apartment in bounds for JB for semester or year. You are then allowed to stay through the terminal grade.
That said, I have two kids IB for JR, and for one kid it was plan A - a good fit. And for one kid it is back-up plan. The plan A kid had a great experience at Deal and JR seemed more of the same. The back up plan kid is having a not great experience at deal and JR seems more of the same.
Anonymous
03/11/2026 16:15
Subject: What’s your HS “back up” option?
Anonymous wrote:The issue regarding poverty in schools is that when the percent of at risk students tips over a certain threshold, the school has little choice but to focus most resources on the needs of at risk kids.
We went through this in elementary. Zero issues with individual kids or families regardless of SES. But there came a point where our kid's needs weren't really being met because she was an outlier. We moved to a school with a smaller at risk percentage (not zero, just lower, with more families in our approximate income bracket). Her academic needs were better met, end of story.
It's not about fleeing poor students. It's about recognizing when a school's focus and aims don't align with yours.
You can sit around feeling guilty or wringing your hands over it. At the end of the day you look at your kid and try to find a school that makes sense for them.
We talk about the needs of advanced students not being met at title 1 schools who focus on below grade level students. But middle class students who are one to two years behind grade level fair terribly at these schools too. The school assumes they will be fine because of the higher SES status of their parents. We were told to get tutors by the school. Move them to a school where most students are on grade level or above, and these kids gets attention and resources.