Anonymous wrote:OP,

If the school is not oversubscribed, out-of-state residents can pay DCPS to attend. Sometimes that makes sense. That could explain the MD plates.

Why do this now, in the middle of the school year? If they are doing something wrong, why not wait until the end of the school year, for the child's sake?

Because parents who cheat to get their kids what they want cannot expect the world to say "Ok, you cheated, but for the sake of your kid we will wait until the end of the school year to report you". If you cheat, you risk discovery and you risk it being addressed immediately.

Frankly, once it's reported, the school may opt not to do anything until the end of the year, or to give parents a chance to move/prove new residency by end of the year. But no one needs to wait to report it. Who even knows if they can do their investigation once the year is over, it may be hard to even track the family down.

It does suck when kids are negatively affected by their parents' choices. But no one would obey the rules at all if they knew everyone would wait/defer action. People would abuse other people's consideration of their kids even more than they already do.

Reporting is only a deterrent for cheating if it's serious, and affects the family the moment it's confirmed that they are cheating. Otherwise, it's a free-for-all.

OP,

If the school is not oversubscribed, out-of-state residents can pay DCPS to attend. Sometimes that makes sense. That could explain the MD plates.

Why do this now, in the middle of the school year? If they are doing something wrong, why not wait until the end of the school year, for the child's sake?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP who sees the Maryland tags at a school her child doesn't attend: I would write a letter to the charter's principal, cc'ing the ANC representative whose district the charter is in. Say that you've seen these tags and ask what the school's practice for catching cheaters is. If the principal doesn't get back to you in good time, contact the ANC rep.

Is this a school with long waitlists or one that has tuition-paying out of state residents, as allowed by law, because locals aren't that interested.

Follow the anonymous process and you've done your civic duty.

If the school has tuition-paying out or state students, the principal or her staff can explain that.

schools with significant numbers of cheaters, if they exist, are probably crappy schools that would not enrol enough DC kids to stay open, and are a waste of DC taxpayer dollars. the administrators know very well but close both their eyes because they have a vested interest in keeping the school open (their jobs). other threads identified a couple of low performing charters are likely hosting significant numbers of non DC residents. so I do not think that a letter to the school would do anything. maybe a letter to the ANC rep. or an article from the Post would spur more action

That is a ridiculous assumption. There are plenty of examples of people in high-demand schools also talking about cheaters, and frankly, if this were only a problem in unpopular schools that otherwise wouldn't be fully enrolled, we wouldn't even be having this discussion on DCUM. It's only because schools that are very sought-after and have zero-to-no new spots for kids because of siblings and insane waiting lists that, for those that don't live in DC, anyone cares to report them. I am all for reporting any cheaters (popular school or not), but it is silly to propose it only happens in crappy schools. The nature of the beast is that it isn't even taken seriously unless people with means are offended. And people with means ARE offended, because that is one less spot for their kid in a popular school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP who sees the Maryland tags at a school her child doesn't attend: I would write a letter to the charter's principal, cc'ing the ANC representative whose district the charter is in. Say that you've seen these tags and ask what the school's practice for catching cheaters is. If the principal doesn't get back to you in good time, contact the ANC rep.

Is this a school with long waitlists or one that has tuition-paying out of state residents, as allowed by law, because locals aren't that interested.

Follow the anonymous process and you've done your civic duty.

If the school has tuition-paying out or state students, the principal or her staff can explain that.

schools with significant numbers of cheaters, if they exist, are probably crappy schools that would not enrol enough DC kids to stay open, and are a waste of DC taxpayer dollars. the administrators know very well but close both their eyes because they have a vested interest in keeping the school open (their jobs). other threads identified a couple of low performing charters are likely hosting significant numbers of non DC residents. so I do not think that a letter to the school would do anything. maybe a letter to the ANC rep. or an article from the Post would spur more action

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP who sees the Maryland tags at a school her child doesn't attend: I would write a letter to the charter's principal, cc'ing the ANC representative whose district the charter is in. Say that you've seen these tags and ask what the school's practice for catching cheaters is. If the principal doesn't get back to you in good time, contact the ANC rep.

Is this a school with long waitlists or one that has tuition-paying out of state residents, as allowed by law, because locals aren't that interested.

Follow the anonymous process and you've done your civic duty.

If the school has tuition-paying out or state students, the principal or her staff can explain that.

Anonymous wrote:PP who sees the Maryland tags at a school her child doesn't attend: I would write a letter to the charter's principal, cc'ing the ANC representative whose district the charter is in. Say that you've seen these tags and ask what the school's practice for catching cheaters is. If the principal doesn't get back to you in good time, contact the ANC rep.

Is this a school with long waitlists or one that has tuition-paying out of state residents, as allowed by law, because locals aren't that interested.

Follow the anonymous process and you've done your civic duty.

Why doesn't DC just require a parent to show a copy of IRS forms and/or DC tax forms when enrolling a student? Things like utilities and leases can be easily forged, but it is very difficult to do so with IRS/tax forms. Even poor parents will have a W-2, Earned Income Tax Forms, or have a government-issued form for them to receive welfare benefits at a certain address. For people who move into a school district mid-year, it would seem fair for them to enroll provisionally with other identification and then have to show a tax form by February 1st when W-2's must legally be issued. Parents would at least be deterred from cheating because they would know that they would be removed by mid-year if they couldn't show tax form proof. I believe that VA requires a tax form to prove residency and doesn't accept lesser forms of residency establishment.

This would solve the objections to people who are worried about issues like divorced parents, etc., since those parents would still have a current IRS form that has their legal DC address. It would also get around the problem of people owning a house in the city that they don't live in or a grandparent putting a parent on the title but the family lives out of state because the parent would not be able to claim residency without being required to pay DC taxes.

PP who sees the Maryland tags at a school her child doesn't attend: I would write a letter to the charter's principal, cc'ing the ANC representative whose district the charter is in. Say that you've seen these tags and ask what the school's practice for catching cheaters is. If the principal doesn't get back to you in good time, contact the ANC rep.

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if it's possible to report based solely on tag numbers without having any further information? I drive past a charter school every day were the number of MD tags regularly approaches the number of DC tags in the dropoff area. It's doubtful that they're all somehow legitimate cases. Still, I don't know the particular people involved.

From the website:
An investigation cannot be started with a license plate alone, the name of the child or parent would also be necessary.

Poor kid.

I think reporting based on car tags alone is foolhardy and not in anyone's best interest. I agree that there's a good chance that some of those cars deliver children who do not live in the district, but investigators have to have more to go on...and I'm one of the PPs who is pretty adamant that cheats should be reported.

My prediction is that this non-residency issue will really start to be solved when litigation starts. Sooner or later parents of DC children who were shut out of desirable schools will file suit and then DCPS and the charters will be serious and enforce the rules. Will these suits go anywhere and do the parents have a good case? Probably not, but the cost of litigation, both financial and publicity-wise will make certain that DC schools are reserved for DC children.

Does anyone know if it's possible to report based solely on tag numbers without having any further information? I drive past a charter school every day were the number of MD tags regularly approaches the number of DC tags in the dropoff area. It's doubtful that they're all somehow legitimate cases. Still, I don't know the particular people involved.

I'm lucky enough that my child is in a school we like, but I'm aware that this school could be a good option for a number of DC families who need a better choice than they currently have, and while I know some others disagree, my feeling is that DC schools are first and foremost for DC children and that MD parents who bring their children into DC schools by means of fraud are both thieves and are putting their children in a difficult situation.

I went to the EL Haynes open house last night. As a means to temper expectations, the presenter explained that last school year 98% of PS3 spots (which is pretty much the ONLY grade anyone can get in there) were taken by siblings of current students. So basically there is only a tiny statistical chance that new families could get a spot there. With that sort of barrier (where current attending families suck up all the seats) I absolutely want to be assured that the children that attend this school, which is 200 yards from my home, ALL live in DC. Otherwise, the way I see it, they took my child's chance to get in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you know, for a fact, that a family lives out of state, and the child isn't a foster child, or a child in kinship care, and there isn't another parent with join custody living in DC, and the family isn't paying tuition, then maybe you should report.


If you suspect a family might live out of state, you do nothing.

This is what the investigation is for. You don't need to know the outcome before you make the report. Report what you know and let the process work itself out. If one of these situations is present, then the family will be cleared.

The family will be cleared after significant stress.

I should add that I forgot to add homeless families to the list, including families who are "doubled up" e.g. staying with relatives. We're often talking about our most vulnerable families, putting them through even more stress is burdensome.

As someone who works for social services and also has out of state plates myself, I say REPORT THEM. A family with a legitimate explanation will be able to show what they need to show to clear themselves. Homeless families (although NO homeless families I work with can afford to commute daily by car in the first place, but still since you brought up that scenario) are entitled to various services to ain't akin continuity of their kids school attendance, so not only will they NOT be punished, they may get additional help.

If you do/say things regularly that would suggest you don't live in DC, tough, you are not entitled to "MYOB" or "STFU". You are just entitled to an investigation. Enjoy!

Dang autocorrect - should say "to maintain continuity of school attendance"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you know, for a fact, that a family lives out of state, and the child isn't a foster child, or a child in kinship care, and there isn't another parent with join custody living in DC, and the family isn't paying tuition, then maybe you should report.


If you suspect a family might live out of state, you do nothing.

This is what the investigation is for. You don't need to know the outcome before you make the report. Report what you know and let the process work itself out. If one of these situations is present, then the family will be cleared.

The family will be cleared after significant stress.

I should add that I forgot to add homeless families to the list, including families who are "doubled up" e.g. staying with relatives. We're often talking about our most vulnerable families, putting them through even more stress is burdensome.

As someone who works for social services and also has out of state plates myself, I say REPORT THEM. A family with a legitimate explanation will be able to show what they need to show to clear themselves. Homeless families (although NO homeless families I work with can afford to commute daily by car in the first place, but still since you brought up that scenario) are entitled to various services to ain't akin continuity of their kids school attendance, so not only will they NOT be punished, they may get additional help.

If you do/say things regularly that would suggest you don't live in DC, tough, you are not entitled to "MYOB" or "STFU". You are just entitled to an investigation. Enjoy!