Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, any chance we can convince you not to move to DC? We have quite a lot of self-entitled, officious douchebags here already. No need to add to the count, especially someone who would be at the head of the list.

+2

May I suggest McLean? You sound like you'd fit in nicely there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, any chance we can convince you not to move to DC? We have quite a lot of self-entitled, officious douchebags here already. No need to add to the count, especially someone who would be at the head of the list.

+2

Anonymous wrote:Yu Ying is out for you now, but if you do end up IN DC (not "near DC"), you should google DC International IB school. DCI will be a middle and high school in DC and Yu Ying is a feeder school to DCI, and even though you still have to enter the lottery to apply and still won't test in for proficiency, IF your child did get in and had continued learning Mandarin in the meantime, they could do upper level Mandarin through 12th grade at DCI. DCI founders estimate 6th through 12th graders focusing on Mandarin will spend a minimum of 35% of each week learning subjects in Mandarin.

P.s. I say "focusing on Mandarin" because the 4 other feeder schools all teach Spanish and one of those Spanish schools also teaches French. So DCI will have dual language tracks in all 3 languages and also expect each student to learn a 3rd language (after the terget language and English).

Yu Ying is out for you now, but if you do end up IN DC (not "near DC"), you should google DC International IB school. DCI will be a middle and high school in DC and Yu Ying is a feeder school to DCI, and even though you still have to enter the lottery to apply and still won't test in for proficiency, IF your child did get in and had continued learning Mandarin in the meantime, they could do upper level Mandarin through 12th grade at DCI. DCI founders estimate 6th through 12th graders focusing on Mandarin will spend a minimum of 35% of each week learning subjects in Mandarin.

Anonymous wrote:OP, any chance we can convince you not to move to DC? We have quite a lot of self-entitled, officious douchebags here already. No need to add to the count, especially someone who would be at the head of the list.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yu Ying doesn't accept kids past 2nd grade because the law does not allow them to be selective in admissions and it would be too hard for kids to catch up after that point. All DC charters are bound by this law. Yu Ying's hands are tied. They can't admit anyone new in third grade or above. If they allowed it they would have to admit kids by strictly by lottery, so they don't.

I believe there are Mandarin immersion schools in both Potomoc (Montgomery County) and College Park (PG County).

I contacted both Potomac and College Park, but I don't know if I want to commit to suburban living. I can understand that selective admissions are unlawful, but it should be possible to test for competency, then apply to the lottery for spaces that may come available due to attrition, if the student's level of learning is equal to or greater than that of grade level peers.

Federal law. Chinese or any language proficiency cannot be screened for public lottery admissions.

I don't think that the law is federal. Other public/magnet/ charter schools in the DC area and nationwide allow students with language proficiency to test into the program or to test into the lottery wait pool.

At least I now know that I can remove Yu Ying from our list of prospective schools.

Interesting OP, which DC public charter schools allow students to test language proficiency prior to admission? Please name them.

I said DC area. Baltimore International Academy, Potomac and College Park. BIA will test before moving to the area, but Potomac and College Park both require residency before testing.

And that is exactly my point: DC is not a county in MD or a county in VA. It's DC. You sound like someone who has done a lot of good research, but because you questioned Yu Ying as if they were refusing to do something that other "DC area" schools are doing according to you, it sounds like you don't realize that DC is on its own. That's important for you to understand.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yu Ying doesn't accept kids past 2nd grade because the law does not allow them to be selective in admissions and it would be too hard for kids to catch up after that point. All DC charters are bound by this law. Yu Ying's hands are tied. They can't admit anyone new in third grade or above. If they allowed it they would have to admit kids by strictly by lottery, so they don't.

I believe there are Mandarin immersion schools in both Potomoc (Montgomery County) and College Park (PG County).

I contacted both Potomac and College Park, but I don't know if I want to commit to suburban living. I can understand that selective admissions are unlawful, but it should be possible to test for competency, then apply to the lottery for spaces that may come available due to attrition, if the student's level of learning is equal to or greater than that of grade level peers.

So we who have lived in DC should have less of a chance then you who have lived in Bismark or San New whatever?

Play the lottery like the rest of us.

Well from what I have read here, the lottery is NOT available past 2nd grade, so I that is not an option. If your child is proficient in the target language, then your child should have the ability to apply for places in upper grades.

No, that is you point of you because it benefits you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son currently attends a 50/50 Mandarin immersion program in another state. My family is relocating to DC and we are interested in Yu Ying. I spoke with the school secretary as to the possibility of testing a current 2nd grade student to enter the 3rd grade in the fall of 2014, an was referred to the principal. I emailed the principal twice last week, but I have yet to receive a response.

Has anyone had any experience, positive or negative, earning a spot past 2nd grade?

What you describe is illegal under DC law.

If you're willing to live in the suburbs, I believe the Montgomery County Mandarin Immersion magnet allows student with proficiency to join the upper grades. I know families that have done this for other languages, so I'm guessing it's the same for Mandarin.

Thank you for your response. Do you know why this law was enacted?

Because one of the primary purposes of the DC charter system is to create opportunities for the most vulnerable kids, those who are least well served. Allowing schools to have admissions tests of any kind siphons off resources, and further concentrates underserved kids in the DCPS.

I suggest you go back and look at the law, go back and look at the history and testimonies from 1995. The primary purpose of the DC charter system has never had anything to do with vulnerability or who was served, the purpose was to spur INNOVATION in DC's educational system. It doesn't "siphon off resources" as charters receive less funding per student than DCPS schools do - that is pure fiction. And additionally, to suggest students who aren't in charters are "underserved" is no knock against charters - in fact it exposes the sad reality that it is DCPS who is underserving those kids in the first place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yu Ying doesn't accept kids past 2nd grade because the law does not allow them to be selective in admissions and it would be too hard for kids to catch up after that point. All DC charters are bound by this law. Yu Ying's hands are tied. They can't admit anyone new in third grade or above. If they allowed it they would have to admit kids by strictly by lottery, so they don't.

I believe there are Mandarin immersion schools in both Potomoc (Montgomery County) and College Park (PG County).

I contacted both Potomac and College Park, but I don't know if I want to commit to suburban living. I can understand that selective admissions are unlawful, but it should be possible to test for competency, then apply to the lottery for spaces that may come available due to attrition, if the student's level of learning is equal to or greater than that of grade level peers.

So we who have lived in DC should have less of a chance then you who have lived in Bismark or San New whatever?

Play the lottery like the rest of us.

Well from what I have read here, the lottery is NOT available past 2nd grade, so I that is not an option. If your child is proficient in the target language, then your child should have the ability to apply for places in upper grades.

Sure, we'd all like that, but it's not a fair system and DC charter lotteries are about being fair and equalizing the playing field. Allowing someone who has language proficiency to gain easy access to a school as reputable as Yu Ying (note: I am not a YY parent, but am a charter school parent) OVER a student who is not gives advantage to the proficient student when entry at every other point in every other school at every other grade is purely random (other than sibling preference). If you have the money, let's say, to enroll your child in private Mandarin lessons to reach proficiency, even though that's not your case, I realize, you really think that should allow you access to a school over a child from a family in DC who really wants their child to have a great education but may not have the money for such extras?

Welcome to DC and welcome to DCUM.

OP, any chance we can convince you not to move to DC? We have quite a lot of self-entitled, officious douchebags here already. No need to add to the count, especially someone who would be at the head of the list.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yu Ying doesn't accept kids past 2nd grade because the law does not allow them to be selective in admissions and it would be too hard for kids to catch up after that point. All DC charters are bound by this law. Yu Ying's hands are tied. They can't admit anyone new in third grade or above. If they allowed it they would have to admit kids by strictly by lottery, so they don't.

I believe there are Mandarin immersion schools in both Potomoc (Montgomery County) and College Park (PG County).

I contacted both Potomac and College Park, but I don't know if I want to commit to suburban living. I can understand that selective admissions are unlawful, but it should be possible to test for competency, then apply to the lottery for spaces that may come available due to attrition, if the student's level of learning is equal to or greater than that of grade level peers.

So we who have lived in DC should have less of a chance then you who have lived in Bismark or San New whatever?

Play the lottery like the rest of us.

Well from what I have read here, the lottery is NOT available past 2nd grade, so I that is not an option. If your child is proficient in the target language, then your child should have the ability to apply for places in upper grades.

Anonymous wrote:You are not a current resident of DC - and you are complaining about not being able to test into Yu Ying?

Do you know how many people (who have paid taxes for years) have waited outside to get a spot at this desireable school - without success?

Complaining? I don't recall complaining, I questioned the law. I am grateful to know that I can remove Yu Ying from my list and pursue other Mandarin Immersion options. Mandarin Immersion schools are scarce in most cities, and any parent who has invested time, money and other resources in an immersion language is eager to find a school that will accept transfers.

I would think that anyone would see the benefit of being able to enroll their child into an immersion school in higher grades as space becomes available. All schools loose students each year for many reasons, and it would seem beneficial to fill those spots.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yu Ying doesn't accept kids past 2nd grade because the law does not allow them to be selective in admissions and it would be too hard for kids to catch up after that point. All DC charters are bound by this law. Yu Ying's hands are tied. They can't admit anyone new in third grade or above. If they allowed it they would have to admit kids by strictly by lottery, so they don't.

I believe there are Mandarin immersion schools in both Potomoc (Montgomery County) and College Park (PG County).

I contacted both Potomac and College Park, but I don't know if I want to commit to suburban living. I can understand that selective admissions are unlawful, but it should be possible to test for competency, then apply to the lottery for spaces that may come available due to attrition, if the student's level of learning is equal to or greater than that of grade level peers.

Federal law. Chinese or any language proficiency cannot be screened for public lottery admissions.

I don't think that the law is federal. Other public/magnet/ charter schools in the DC area and nationwide allow students with language proficiency to test into the program or to test into the lottery wait pool.

At least I now know that I can remove Yu Ying from our list of prospective schools.

If you are seriously going to move here, you might want to spend about 5 min googling the District of Columbia. What country are you from?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yu Ying doesn't accept kids past 2nd grade because the law does not allow them to be selective in admissions and it would be too hard for kids to catch up after that point. All DC charters are bound by this law. Yu Ying's hands are tied. They can't admit anyone new in third grade or above. If they allowed it they would have to admit kids by strictly by lottery, so they don't.

I believe there are Mandarin immersion schools in both Potomoc (Montgomery County) and College Park (PG County).

I contacted both Potomac and College Park, but I don't know if I want to commit to suburban living. I can understand that selective admissions are unlawful, but it should be possible to test for competency, then apply to the lottery for spaces that may come available due to attrition, if the student's level of learning is equal to or greater than that of grade level peers.

So we who have lived in DC should have less of a chance then you who have lived in Bismark or San New whatever?

Play the lottery like the rest of us.

It is federal law, but only applies to the District of Columbia. We are at Congress's whim.