Anonymous wrote:I appreciate all the feedback and perspectives on the schools as well as some others to take a look at.

It looks like I don’t know that much about how IRPs are factored into all this (I honestly didn’t even know it factored in beyond the fact that they are legally required to honor it). With his current IFSP, he receives 3 services - SLP (2 30 min sessions a week), PT (1 30 min session a week), and ABA (5 1 hour sessions a week). The ABA therapy is basically serving as a supplement to SLP - with SLP, they are working on speech mechanics and feeding while ABA helps him with the social foundations for language - communicating needs, immitation, turn taking, etc. I want push in services like he has now for the majority of his services, so integrated classes are a top priority. Like I said earlier, he is cognitively at the same level as peers. He also doesn’t have receptive language delays and his gross motor issues aren’t super obvious or debilitating, so I don’t anticipate him needing separate classes or a highly specialized program. Just want to ensure the school has a good reputation for working with and supporting students with various special needs.

He turns 3 at the end of July, so I won’t know his full IEP recs or even what he qualifies for until the summer. I have a meeting with his coordinator soon, so I will ask how this all factors into the school process. If anyone has insight into how it factors in, personal experiences, or recommended reading on the interaction of the IEP and the lottery, it is very much appreciated.

Thanks again.

So basically IEPs and the lottery runs on slightly parallel tracks.

For charters, you enter the lottery and show up on the first day of school with your IFSP/IEP from early stages. The charter school must honor it and then they have 30 days to re-evaluate and convene the IEP team to negotiate what your child's IEP will be at that school. You may wind up with more services, or less. The only charter that has any level of self-contained or slightly restricted environments are Bridges and St. Coletta's, and your child will absolutely not qualify for St. Coletta's (not severe-enough needs). Every charter scchool will put your child in the regular PK3 classroom, with push in/pull out services as dictated by the IEP.

For the IFSP to DCPS transition, early stages will convene your team and discuss what services and supports they think your child needs in Pk3. If the level of service hours and type of services are relatively low (<5 hours a week) but still require an IEP they will place you at the closest DCPS Pk3 program to your home that has room (meaning they try to limit SN seats to 3 per Pk3 classroom). If, based on the number of hours, they think your child requires one of DCPS' more specialized programs, which could mean 5 hours in the regular classroom and 1 hour in a class with other students with SN to a more fully restrictive placement (doubtful). If your child receives ABA now, and you or they want that continued, you will likely be placed in one of the programs which are located at different schools around the city (e.g. not at every single school, and perhaps not at your IB DCPS). Keep in mind you are a full member of the team and have a say in where your child goes.

As a backup, in the event that you and your IFSP team decided in August that your child needs no further services at all and does not qualify for an IEP (probably unlikely) you would want to enter the lottery for a PK3 space like anyone else (charter or DCPS).

For reference, here is a booklet covering DCPS' programs and approaches for students with disabilities, ranging from fully inclusive to most restrictive. Also posted below is the most recent list of where the specialized programs are. Early Stages / DCPS will try to place you at the most appropriate school closest to your home.

https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/Family%20Programs%20and%20Resources%20Guide18-19.pdf
https://dcps.dc.gov/publication/special-education-classroom-locations

I'd look at a map your commutes again since it seems unlikely that both two rivers would work well, for instance. I'd also consider Bridges for integrated special needs.

IEP/SN issues aside, something you may want to consider with your list: historically, ITS, Two Rivers, Lee, and SWS are harder to get into than EL Haynes, meaning that if you have a good enough number for any of those, you'd definitely get into EL Haynes. So having those lower on your list than EL Haynes may be wasted spots. I'm not saying that should change your preferences, and you want to do your list in your true preference order, but it may affect what schools you choose to include on your list lower than EL Haynes.

I appreciate all the feedback and perspectives on the schools as well as some others to take a look at.

It looks like I don’t know that much about how IRPs are factored into all this (I honestly didn’t even know it factored in beyond the fact that they are legally required to honor it). With his current IFSP, he receives 3 services - SLP (2 30 min sessions a week), PT (1 30 min session a week), and ABA (5 1 hour sessions a week). The ABA therapy is basically serving as a supplement to SLP - with SLP, they are working on speech mechanics and feeding while ABA helps him with the social foundations for language - communicating needs, immitation, turn taking, etc. I want push in services like he has now for the majority of his services, so integrated classes are a top priority. Like I said earlier, he is cognitively at the same level as peers. He also doesn’t have receptive language delays and his gross motor issues aren’t super obvious or debilitating, so I don’t anticipate him needing separate classes or a highly specialized program. Just want to ensure the school has a good reputation for working with and supporting students with various special needs.

He turns 3 at the end of July, so I won’t know his full IEP recs or even what he qualifies for until the summer. I have a meeting with his coordinator soon, so I will ask how this all factors into the school process. If anyone has insight into how it factors in, personal experiences, or recommended reading on the interaction of the IEP and the lottery, it is very much appreciated.

Thanks again.

Anonymous wrote:Some of you are giving advice geared towards typical kids and not kids w/ IEPs.

While you CAN certainly enter the lottery for DCPS schools -- your chances to get into SWS, for instance, are near zero. BUT if you go through Early Stages -- your chances are MUCH better. DCPS schools specifically hold spots out of the lottery for kids w/ IEPs.

+1. But she needs to do both because she may not like the school where Early Stages would place her child.

My question to OP is how many hours of services are on the current IFSP and whether she thinks they will need to increase or decrease for PK3.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you like EL Haynes best and are you aware of their different calendar?

SSMA just fired their principal and it is a hot mess. I'd skip it if you aren't that into Montessori anyway.

You will not get Langdon Montessori out of boundary.

What do you see in Langley?

I think that this poster is incorrect. My child and others we know got into Langdon Montessori (or had good enough numbers to do so) in recent years.

I know someone who liked Noyes for pK3 but did jump ship with better lottery results the next year (and feel guilty about it).

I would strongly consider Burroughs over Langley, but I'm not familiar with special needs considerations.

These links make it seem quote unlikely to get in OOB.

http://enrolldcps.dc.gov/node/61

https://public.tableau.com/profile/aaron2446#!/vizhome/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay

If OP's number is good enough for Langdon Montessori OOB, it will be good enough for one of her higher choices.

^^ maybe also visit Bunker Hill.

Anonymous wrote:Why do you like EL Haynes best and are you aware of their different calendar?

SSMA just fired their principal and it is a hot mess. I'd skip it if you aren't that into Montessori anyway.

You will not get Langdon Montessori out of boundary.

What do you see in Langley?

I think that this poster is incorrect. My child and others we know got into Langdon Montessori (or had good enough numbers to do so) in recent years.

I know someone who liked Noyes for pK3 but did jump ship with better lottery results the next year (and feel guilty about it).

I would strongly consider Burroughs over Langley, but I'm not familiar with special needs considerations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you like EL Haynes best and are you aware of their different calendar?

SSMA just fired their principal and it is a hot mess. I'd skip it if you aren't that into Montessori anyway.

You will not get Langdon Montessori out of boundary.

What do you see in Langley?

For Haynes, my coworker has both of her kids there and her oldest had similar service needs as our son. She loves it, and I value her opinion. I also like the experiential model as I really appreciated an interdisciplinary program I did in college, which is similar. The arts integration is also appealing. I also like that it goes through high school if we want the option and the extended year appeals to me for less summer creep chances and for more consistent therapy schedules.

I honestly don’t know much about Langley beyond I hear parents talking about it on the boards and it is relatively convenient. I know the least about it on the list, though

I would recommend doing more research on Langley -- they have very low scores (and just received 1 out of 5 stars according to the new ratings). There are many DCPS schools in the neighborhoods you listed that have at least 3/5 stars.

I think Langley could be a good pick. I went to the Open House last month and was surprised at how much I liked it. These stars are based on only one year of test scores and an arbitrary weighting system.

Langley has a biggish special needs program and as such gets a dedicated program manager, who I met, and also has full-time speech and OT staff. If the OP wants to keep PK3 as an option even with a bad lottery number, it is probably the right pick for #12.

The weighting is not "arbitrary" -- it is based on federal criteria and the district's priorities. Further, it's applied equally to every school, in the same way, and uses growth and proficiency, which has been tracked for several years by DCPS. Langley's PARCC scores have gone down the last 3 years, especially math.

NP: I think Langley’s test scores leveled off this last year, and if you look at the scores in the early elementary years those are good. They do have more special needs students than just about any other school too, so you’ll have resources on campus.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you like EL Haynes best and are you aware of their different calendar?

SSMA just fired their principal and it is a hot mess. I'd skip it if you aren't that into Montessori anyway.

You will not get Langdon Montessori out of boundary.

What do you see in Langley?

For Haynes, my coworker has both of her kids there and her oldest had similar service needs as our son. She loves it, and I value her opinion. I also like the experiential model as I really appreciated an interdisciplinary program I did in college, which is similar. The arts integration is also appealing. I also like that it goes through high school if we want the option and the extended year appeals to me for less summer creep chances and for more consistent therapy schedules.

I honestly don’t know much about Langley beyond I hear parents talking about it on the boards and it is relatively convenient. I know the least about it on the list, though

I would recommend doing more research on Langley -- they have very low scores (and just received 1 out of 5 stars according to the new ratings). There are many DCPS schools in the neighborhoods you listed that have at least 3/5 stars.

I think Langley could be a good pick. I went to the Open House last month and was surprised at how much I liked it. These stars are based on only one year of test scores and an arbitrary weighting system.

Langley has a biggish special needs program and as such gets a dedicated program manager, who I met, and also has full-time speech and OT staff. If the OP wants to keep PK3 as an option even with a bad lottery number, it is probably the right pick for #12.

The weighting is not "arbitrary" -- it is based on federal criteria and the district's priorities. Further, it's applied equally to every school, in the same way, and uses growth and proficiency, which has been tracked for several years by DCPS. Langley's PARCC scores have gone down the last 3 years, especially math.

The federal criteria are arbitrary. Also, a lot of DCPS schools don't have a statistically significant testing population.

Yes and the different population is adjusted for and scored accordingly.

How do they adjust for lack of an adequate n?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you like EL Haynes best and are you aware of their different calendar?

SSMA just fired their principal and it is a hot mess. I'd skip it if you aren't that into Montessori anyway.

You will not get Langdon Montessori out of boundary.

What do you see in Langley?

For Haynes, my coworker has both of her kids there and her oldest had similar service needs as our son. She loves it, and I value her opinion. I also like the experiential model as I really appreciated an interdisciplinary program I did in college, which is similar. The arts integration is also appealing. I also like that it goes through high school if we want the option and the extended year appeals to me for less summer creep chances and for more consistent therapy schedules.

I honestly don’t know much about Langley beyond I hear parents talking about it on the boards and it is relatively convenient. I know the least about it on the list, though

I would recommend doing more research on Langley -- they have very low scores (and just received 1 out of 5 stars according to the new ratings). There are many DCPS schools in the neighborhoods you listed that have at least 3/5 stars.

I think Langley could be a good pick. I went to the Open House last month and was surprised at how much I liked it. These stars are based on only one year of test scores and an arbitrary weighting system.

Langley has a biggish special needs program and as such gets a dedicated program manager, who I met, and also has full-time speech and OT staff. If the OP wants to keep PK3 as an option even with a bad lottery number, it is probably the right pick for #12.

The weighting is not "arbitrary" -- it is based on federal criteria and the district's priorities. Further, it's applied equally to every school, in the same way, and uses growth and proficiency, which has been tracked for several years by DCPS. Langley's PARCC scores have gone down the last 3 years, especially math.

The federal criteria are arbitrary. Also, a lot of DCPS schools don't have a statistically significant testing population.

Yes and the different population is adjusted for and scored accordingly.

Some of you are giving advice geared towards typical kids and not kids w/ IEPs.

While you CAN certainly enter the lottery for DCPS schools -- your chances to get into SWS, for instance, are near zero. BUT if you go through Early Stages -- your chances are MUCH better. DCPS schools specifically hold spots out of the lottery for kids w/ IEPs.

If you live in brookland you may want to consider Burroughs as a “safety”