I was in a tiny crappy (as in health hazard - kids testing positive for lead) condo IB for Eaton and this was what I was told. The only way I could keep my child at Eaton after we moved (obviously we couldn't afford a house IB) was to lottery OB for a spot even though we were IB at the time. Fortunately, we got into a charter and bought a three bedroom EOTP. It is not friggin' gaming the system people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are IB but received an OOB spot so can move anywhere in the city. The new boundaries say that if you are IB and move OOB you can only stay if you secure a spot the OOB lottery. Doing this is especially helpful for renters.

Let's be honest here -- only parents who can't afford to buy a family-sized home in DC are pulling this stunt. Renters.

Not true. We own an apt near our IB school but could use an additional bedroom. Unfortunately, we cannot afford to buy a house near our IB school. I hadn't though of this as an option but I might do it now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand how it is a loophole. Everyone has the right to get a slot OOB--and if a current IB family gets it, then they will simply take one more from the OB list.

I know people who got into a school OOB, liked it, and then moved IB. They still would have the right to move OOB because they initially received the slot OOB--why shouldn't someone else who starts IB and secures an OOB spot be able to do so? They still have to actually have luck and actually get an OOB spot through random lottery luck.

It's a loophole because OOB spots are meant for OOB students. If I am IB and apply for an OOB spot but don't get it, then I can just enroll IB. How is that fair? Not to mention, if you are IB and don't enroll until the last minute, how would schools even know how many OOB spots they have available? It just makes no sense whatsoever.

No, OOB spots are meant for anyone in the city. If you are IB, and you take an OOB slot, then you haven't actually taken away any OOB slots--they will net have to just go one more down the wait list, since you are no longer taking the seat IB. It's not like you get to hold two seats, both an IB seat and and OOB seat. And the boundary revisions make clear that someone IB who wants to stay at their school when the move OOB needs to secure a spot through the lottery--which most people will want to do when they are actually IB, or they will risk not getting a spot at all. I am not IB for a school where this strategy would make sense, but I don't see it at all as a loophole.

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand how it is a loophole. Everyone has the right to get a slot OOB--and if a current IB family gets it, then they will simply take one more from the OB list.

I know people who got into a school OOB, liked it, and then moved IB. They still would have the right to move OOB because they initially received the slot OOB--why shouldn't someone else who starts IB and secures an OOB spot be able to do so? They still have to actually have luck and actually get an OOB spot through random lottery luck.

It's a loophole because OOB spots are meant for OOB students. If I am IB and apply for an OOB spot but don't get it, then I can just enroll IB. How is that fair? Not to mention, if you are IB and don't enroll until the last minute, how would schools even know how many OOB spots they have available? It just makes no sense whatsoever.

Anonymous wrote:Then they should spell this out as an option in the lottery, so families can choose "IB but applying OOB" from the menu, instead of posting incomplete addresses. Just better to have things above board, even in DCPS.

That's a great suggestion to make to My School DC for next year's lottery.

Then they should spell this out as an option in the lottery, so families can choose "IB but applying OOB" from the menu, instead of posting incomplete addresses. Just better to have things above board, even in DCPS.