Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 16:47     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

This is so bizarre. You move into a residence zoned for a "home" school, yet since it's part of the DCCC and you are already a DCCC student, one cannot attend the home school?

If so, this would be reason #1 why I would never want B-CC or Woodward or any other school to be absorbed into a consortium.


Your "home school" is the DCC.


No, the home school is Blair which is part of the DCC.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 16:37     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP did you try looking up MCPS “moved” or “change of address” that affects home school cluster?

Or try calling Blair or central office and say you moved from one cluster and are now in theirs/Blair’s and what should your next steps be to attend the proper school?

I think you’re over complicating this issue.


I have. The people at the consortium choice office (the people in charge of enrollment/transfers/etc) told me that since I'm requesting a change within the DCC, that I would ave to wait until January for the change of choice process. I don't understand why they're making it so complicated, especially because Blair is my home school, but nonetheless I'm just confused what my next steps have to be to ensure she goes there for the next school year.


I think they're right, though. Since she is already enrolled as a student at a DCC high school, there is a once-a-year process for requesting a transfer to another DCC school.


So she’s not guaranteed to go to her home school?



Makes no sense. Typical MCPS which is why they need outside advocate to cut through the MCPS bs.

It makes plenty of sense when there are hundreds of people trying to game the system like OP is.


Hundreds of people moving around the county! Time to put a stop to that! When you first move into the county those are your schools for life. Don’t dare move.


It doesn't seem likely to me that there are a lot of people who are willing and able to move within the DCC when their children aren't assigned to their first-choice DCC school? Or the NEC, although I don't know how it works in the NEC.

Overall, there are plenty of people trying to game the system, though.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 16:33     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP did you try looking up MCPS “moved” or “change of address” that affects home school cluster?

Or try calling Blair or central office and say you moved from one cluster and are now in theirs/Blair’s and what should your next steps be to attend the proper school?

I think you’re over complicating this issue.


I have. The people at the consortium choice office (the people in charge of enrollment/transfers/etc) told me that since I'm requesting a change within the DCC, that I would ave to wait until January for the change of choice process. I don't understand why they're making it so complicated, especially because Blair is my home school, but nonetheless I'm just confused what my next steps have to be to ensure she goes there for the next school year.


I think they're right, though. Since she is already enrolled as a student at a DCC high school, there is a once-a-year process for requesting a transfer to another DCC school.


So she’s not guaranteed to go to her home school?



Makes no sense. Typical MCPS which is why they need outside advocate to cut through the MCPS bs.

It makes plenty of sense when there are hundreds of people trying to game the system like OP is.


Hundreds of people moving around the county! Time to put a stop to that! When you first move into the county those are your schools for life. Don’t dare move.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 16:20     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:

This is so bizarre. You move into a residence zoned for a "home" school, yet since it's part of the DCCC and you are already a DCCC student, one cannot attend the home school?

If so, this would be reason #1 why I would never want B-CC or Woodward or any other school to be absorbed into a consortium.


Your "home school" is the DCC.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 16:16     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP did you try looking up MCPS “moved” or “change of address” that affects home school cluster?

Or try calling Blair or central office and say you moved from one cluster and are now in theirs/Blair’s and what should your next steps be to attend the proper school?

I think you’re over complicating this issue.


I have. The people at the consortium choice office (the people in charge of enrollment/transfers/etc) told me that since I'm requesting a change within the DCC, that I would ave to wait until January for the change of choice process. I don't understand why they're making it so complicated, especially because Blair is my home school, but nonetheless I'm just confused what my next steps have to be to ensure she goes there for the next school year.


I think they're right, though. Since she is already enrolled as a student at a DCC high school, there is a once-a-year process for requesting a transfer to another DCC school.



So if OP attended school X and moved over the summer to a place in Potomac to attend Wootton, is that too gaming the system?
We are one county system, it's all the same people say, yet why the different rules?




So she’s not guaranteed to go to her home school?



Makes no sense. Typical MCPS which is why they need outside advocate to cut through the MCPS bs.

It makes plenty of sense when there are hundreds of people trying to game the system like OP is.


OP moved to the Blair zone. How is that gaming the system?


OP's child was assigned to a DCC school that is not Blair, but still wanted to go to Blair, so OP and OP's child upped stakes and moved to the Blair area. How is that NOT gaming the system?
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 16:14     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:The process is pretty clear. Did you read the FAQ on the MCPS page? You are not new to the DCC so you are treated like every other student and have to adhere to the MCPS timelines for round 1 and round 2

https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/school-info/Downcounty/


County model.
Localized school boards would never permit this.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 16:12     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Sorry, got carried away with the C in my typing!
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 16:11     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Principals have a lot of power. The easiest way to go about this would be to make an appointment with the principal and plead your case. I recommend bringing your daughter with you and having her send a persuasive letter to the principal as well. Have a thought out approach to why you want to switch to Blair.

Your 2nd option is to withdraw and re-enroll. If you withdraw, I assume you will lose your spot in currently enrolled classes, but, you are late in the game to register at Blair anyway, so, maybe it doesn't matter. There may be other repercussions. I live in the DCC and though I've had discussions about this with other parents over the years, I don't actually know anybody who has withdrawn and re-enrolled. I do know a few kids who were principal placed at their inbound schools (Einstein) after going through the choice process and being placed at other schools.


Do you think it’s likely that the Blair principal would make a special exception for my daughter? Has she ever enrolled any students before from doing this? I’m sorry if this comes off as rude, but I just don’t want to take any risks anymore and I’m not sure if this idea will work.


Contact your State Delegates and Senator.

Don’t listen to this idiot.

MCPS has very clear policies about school assignments and how the DCC works. Since Blair is over enrolled, you are unlikely to get special preference from the principal (which opens them up to actual challenges.) unenrolling and then re-enrolling in a few weeks won’t do what you want either. Your student will retain their ID and all the records. The office in charge of DCC placement isn’t going to magically place her at Blair, like they didn’t know what you were trying to do.

Appealing the decision is also unlikely to work. From your perspective, you have an individual request that seems reasonable. From MCPS’s perspective, they get hundreds of requests that they cannot accommodate, so they very carefully follow the documented process so that no one says someone got preferential treatment. You can read about appeals regarding placement that went all the way to they state board and we’re still denied.


This is so bizarre. You move into a residence zoned for a "home" school, yet since it's part of the DCCC and you are already a DCCC student, one cannot attend the home school?

If so, this would be reason #1 why I would never want B-CC or Woodward or any other school to be absorbed into a consortium.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 16:06     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP did you try looking up MCPS “moved” or “change of address” that affects home school cluster?

Or try calling Blair or central office and say you moved from one cluster and are now in theirs/Blair’s and what should your next steps be to attend the proper school?

I think you’re over complicating this issue.


I have. The people at the consortium choice office (the people in charge of enrollment/transfers/etc) told me that since I'm requesting a change within the DCC, that I would ave to wait until January for the change of choice process. I don't understand why they're making it so complicated, especially because Blair is my home school, but nonetheless I'm just confused what my next steps have to be to ensure she goes there for the next school year.


I think they're right, though. Since she is already enrolled as a student at a DCC high school, there is a once-a-year process for requesting a transfer to another DCC school.


So she’s not guaranteed to go to her home school?



Makes no sense. Typical MCPS which is why they need outside advocate to cut through the MCPS bs.

It makes plenty of sense when there are hundreds of people trying to game the system like OP is.


OP moved to the Blair zone. How is that gaming the system?


OP's child was assigned to a DCC school that is not Blair, but still wanted to go to Blair, so OP and OP's child upped stakes and moved to the Blair area. How is that NOT gaming the system?


Because OP is literally following the rules of the boundaries.


But in the DCC, it's the process that determines where you go; not the boundaries.


If it’s only about the process, then why would they even have the boundaries in the first place?


The boundaries are used to determine your base area school. When you follow the choice process and its annual timeline, you can rank your base area school #1, and then you are guaranteed a seat there. After you are enrolled, if you want to change to a different school, there is a time to do that each year, and you join the choice process again. That is how it works.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 15:39     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP did you try looking up MCPS “moved” or “change of address” that affects home school cluster?

Or try calling Blair or central office and say you moved from one cluster and are now in theirs/Blair’s and what should your next steps be to attend the proper school?

I think you’re over complicating this issue.


I have. The people at the consortium choice office (the people in charge of enrollment/transfers/etc) told me that since I'm requesting a change within the DCC, that I would ave to wait until January for the change of choice process. I don't understand why they're making it so complicated, especially because Blair is my home school, but nonetheless I'm just confused what my next steps have to be to ensure she goes there for the next school year.


I think they're right, though. Since she is already enrolled as a student at a DCC high school, there is a once-a-year process for requesting a transfer to another DCC school.


So she’s not guaranteed to go to her home school?



Makes no sense. Typical MCPS which is why they need outside advocate to cut through the MCPS bs.

It makes plenty of sense when there are hundreds of people trying to game the system like OP is.


OP moved to the Blair zone. How is that gaming the system?


OP's child was assigned to a DCC school that is not Blair, but still wanted to go to Blair, so OP and OP's child upped stakes and moved to the Blair area. How is that NOT gaming the system?


Because OP is literally following the rules of the boundaries.


But in the DCC, it's the process that determines where you go; not the boundaries.


If it’s only about the process, then why would they even have the boundaries in the first place?
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 15:34     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP did you try looking up MCPS “moved” or “change of address” that affects home school cluster?

Or try calling Blair or central office and say you moved from one cluster and are now in theirs/Blair’s and what should your next steps be to attend the proper school?

I think you’re over complicating this issue.


I have. The people at the consortium choice office (the people in charge of enrollment/transfers/etc) told me that since I'm requesting a change within the DCC, that I would ave to wait until January for the change of choice process. I don't understand why they're making it so complicated, especially because Blair is my home school, but nonetheless I'm just confused what my next steps have to be to ensure she goes there for the next school year.


I think they're right, though. Since she is already enrolled as a student at a DCC high school, there is a once-a-year process for requesting a transfer to another DCC school.


So she’s not guaranteed to go to her home school?



Makes no sense. Typical MCPS which is why they need outside advocate to cut through the MCPS bs.

It makes plenty of sense when there are hundreds of people trying to game the system like OP is.


OP moved to the Blair zone. How is that gaming the system?


OP's child was assigned to a DCC school that is not Blair, but still wanted to go to Blair, so OP and OP's child upped stakes and moved to the Blair area. How is that NOT gaming the system?


Because OP is literally following the rules of the boundaries.


But in the DCC, it's the process that determines where you go; not the boundaries.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 15:33     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP did you try looking up MCPS “moved” or “change of address” that affects home school cluster?

Or try calling Blair or central office and say you moved from one cluster and are now in theirs/Blair’s and what should your next steps be to attend the proper school?

I think you’re over complicating this issue.


I have. The people at the consortium choice office (the people in charge of enrollment/transfers/etc) told me that since I'm requesting a change within the DCC, that I would ave to wait until January for the change of choice process. I don't understand why they're making it so complicated, especially because Blair is my home school, but nonetheless I'm just confused what my next steps have to be to ensure she goes there for the next school year.


I think they're right, though. Since she is already enrolled as a student at a DCC high school, there is a once-a-year process for requesting a transfer to another DCC school.


So she’s not guaranteed to go to her home school?



Makes no sense. Typical MCPS which is why they need outside advocate to cut through the MCPS bs.

It makes plenty of sense when there are hundreds of people trying to game the system like OP is.


OP moved to the Blair zone. How is that gaming the system?


OP's child was assigned to a DCC school that is not Blair, but still wanted to go to Blair, so OP and OP's child upped stakes and moved to the Blair area. How is that NOT gaming the system?


Because OP is literally following the rules of the boundaries.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 15:13     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP did you try looking up MCPS “moved” or “change of address” that affects home school cluster?

Or try calling Blair or central office and say you moved from one cluster and are now in theirs/Blair’s and what should your next steps be to attend the proper school?

I think you’re over complicating this issue.


I have. The people at the consortium choice office (the people in charge of enrollment/transfers/etc) told me that since I'm requesting a change within the DCC, that I would ave to wait until January for the change of choice process. I don't understand why they're making it so complicated, especially because Blair is my home school, but nonetheless I'm just confused what my next steps have to be to ensure she goes there for the next school year.


I think they're right, though. Since she is already enrolled as a student at a DCC high school, there is a once-a-year process for requesting a transfer to another DCC school.


So she’s not guaranteed to go to her home school?



Makes no sense. Typical MCPS which is why they need outside advocate to cut through the MCPS bs.

It makes plenty of sense when there are hundreds of people trying to game the system like OP is.


OP moved to the Blair zone. How is that gaming the system?


OP's child was assigned to a DCC school that is not Blair, but still wanted to go to Blair, so OP and OP's child upped stakes and moved to the Blair area. How is that NOT gaming the system?


DP - because moving inbounds for a school is what you do to make sure your kid can attend. That’s core to the system we have.


Not in the DCC, because that's not the DCC process.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 14:51     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Principals have a lot of power. The easiest way to go about this would be to make an appointment with the principal and plead your case. I recommend bringing your daughter with you and having her send a persuasive letter to the principal as well. Have a thought out approach to why you want to switch to Blair.

Your 2nd option is to withdraw and re-enroll. If you withdraw, I assume you will lose your spot in currently enrolled classes, but, you are late in the game to register at Blair anyway, so, maybe it doesn't matter. There may be other repercussions. I live in the DCC and though I've had discussions about this with other parents over the years, I don't actually know anybody who has withdrawn and re-enrolled. I do know a few kids who were principal placed at their inbound schools (Einstein) after going through the choice process and being placed at other schools.


Do you think it’s likely that the Blair principal would make a special exception for my daughter? Has she ever enrolled any students before from doing this? I’m sorry if this comes off as rude, but I just don’t want to take any risks anymore and I’m not sure if this idea will work.


Contact your State Delegates and Senator.

Don’t listen to this idiot.

MCPS has very clear policies about school assignments and how the DCC works. Since Blair is over enrolled, you are unlikely to get special preference from the principal (which opens them up to actual challenges.) unenrolling and then re-enrolling in a few weeks won’t do what you want either. Your student will retain their ID and all the records. The office in charge of DCC placement isn’t going to magically place her at Blair, like they didn’t know what you were trying to do.

Appealing the decision is also unlikely to work. From your perspective, you have an individual request that seems reasonable. From MCPS’s perspective, they get hundreds of requests that they cannot accommodate, so they very carefully follow the documented process so that no one says someone got preferential treatment. You can read about appeals regarding placement that went all the way to they state board and we’re still denied.


So, if I unenroll then reenroll from MCPS, there’s not a guarantee that they assign me to Blair?


I don't know the answer to this question, but principals definitely have the ability to place students in their school whether the school is oversubscribed or not. I have known two families to un-enroll and then re-enroll their highschoolers at Einstein (not to "game the system" but for travel/family emergency type things). Upon re-enrollment they were placed at Einstein--where their home is zoned to. They had started HS at Einstein, not at a different DCC school (they already had a relationship with the principal). I would still go to the principal before trying to un-enroll / re-enroll. It's interesting that nobody has chimed in with a negative or positive experience about trying this at Blair. I don't think many families go to these efforts to switch schools within the DCC. I do think if you live in a home within Blair's zone, you should be allowed to send your kid there. Good luck.


Thanks, I’ll try this. The blair building is closed right now, so I don’t think I’ll be able to see the principal in person, so should I just email her and explain the situation?


Ask for a meeting. You can always do it virtually if need be.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2023 14:49     Subject: Appeals process- DCC

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP did you try looking up MCPS “moved” or “change of address” that affects home school cluster?

Or try calling Blair or central office and say you moved from one cluster and are now in theirs/Blair’s and what should your next steps be to attend the proper school?

I think you’re over complicating this issue.


I have. The people at the consortium choice office (the people in charge of enrollment/transfers/etc) told me that since I'm requesting a change within the DCC, that I would ave to wait until January for the change of choice process. I don't understand why they're making it so complicated, especially because Blair is my home school, but nonetheless I'm just confused what my next steps have to be to ensure she goes there for the next school year.


I think they're right, though. Since she is already enrolled as a student at a DCC high school, there is a once-a-year process for requesting a transfer to another DCC school.


So she’s not guaranteed to go to her home school?



Makes no sense. Typical MCPS which is why they need outside advocate to cut through the MCPS bs.

It makes plenty of sense when there are hundreds of people trying to game the system like OP is.


OP moved to the Blair zone. How is that gaming the system?


OP's child was assigned to a DCC school that is not Blair, but still wanted to go to Blair, so OP and OP's child upped stakes and moved to the Blair area. How is that NOT gaming the system?


DP - because moving inbounds for a school is what you do to make sure your kid can attend. That’s core to the system we have.