Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Education › Learning at School › Back on the Charter School Lottery Roller Coaster
New Posts  All Forums:
 

Back on the Charter School Lottery Roller Coaster

post #1 of 12
3/8/13 at 12:57pm
Thread Starter 
I really thought that my eight-year-old would get in my favorite charter school this year. He started out the school year as #1 on the waiting list for his grade but no one left in the first month, and they don't HAVE to fill vacancies after that point. DD was #68 on the kindergarten waiting list, so I knew she wouldn't get in.

We're reapplyong for this year, but unless they get higher lottery scores, they likely won't get in. The school is hoping to add grades 6-8 in the next few years, which would be wonderful for my kids. The school is project-based and year-round. There aren't any slots open at this point, but some should open up between now and July. The lottery is next week. For the first time, the school is able to weight the lottery to increase economic diversity. We qualify but this year's goal isn't that big, so it's not much of a priority.

The lottery for another charter is tomorrow. I like the school but not as much as the other. This lottery will be waiting list only so I hope my kids get low numbers. This school is K-12th grade and is also project based. Not year-round, though.

Ahhhhhh. I loved my kids public school until this year. I still love it for DD but it hasn't been a good fit for my DS.

And for local peeps, neither charter is THAT charter. Just in case you couldn't tell.
Sponsored Links

You may also like:

Sitting or Squatting: What's Really Best in the Bathroom?
10 Things You Don't Need For a New Baby
There Is Not Always a "Fix" For the Difficult Child
post #2 of 12
3/8/13 at 1:20pm

Why are you reapplying for the lottery if youre already #1 on the waitlist?

post #3 of 12
3/8/13 at 1:48pm
Thread Starter 
State law requires a new lottery every year.
post #4 of 12
3/8/13 at 1:54pm
I don't know whether THAT one is Woods or the SXPH one, but I tell you, lottery is just that. I am amazed when people get in. I hope you get the school you want. We are home schooling right next to Woods! Lol.
post #5 of 12
3/8/13 at 2:38pm

Oh wow. That is tough. Sending you some lucky lottery vibes.

post #6 of 12
3/8/13 at 3:12pm
Thread Starter 
Neither one. THAT school is the new for-profit school that's opening in the fall. Totally not my kind of school. My two are in Durham. I was really interested in the STEM charter that was supposed to open in July, but they pushed that one back a year.
post #7 of 12
3/8/13 at 5:16pm
Interesting how different charter schools work differently. In our district, there is one lottery in kindergarten and after the 36 slots are filled, the rest go On the waitlist in the order that they were drawn and it gets just passed on to the next grade. I can see the beauty of having a lottery every year but I also see the emotional roller coaster that it puts participants in
post #8 of 12
3/8/13 at 5:18pm
Also while the school DS is at is not legally required to fill a spot past the count date (sometime in October, I think), they fill the spot anyway since technically, they have received funding for that particular spot.
post #9 of 12
3/10/13 at 7:42pm

CPSC? It seems like a great school. Hope you hear good news soon!

 

grumpybear, just to clarify, in our state once you're in, you're in and you don't have to go through the lottery again, but the wait list doesn't carry over from year to year. It's statewide as far as I know.

post #10 of 12
3/11/13 at 5:12am
Thread Starter 
Yes, CPSC. It's been my first choice school since last year.My kids placed 92 and 49 on Saturday's VA lottery so I'm hoping for better luck tomorrow.

The new economic diversity lottery priority is apparently causing controversy. It's "taking away" eight kindergarten slots leaving only sixteen available for the general lottery (after sibling, staff, and economic priority.) This year's economic priority goal is 15% but they will be increasing that over the next few years (to 40%.) We actually qualify,for the new lottery priority, but since 1st-5th grade slots aren't even available at this point, I don't really have high hopes.
post #11 of 12
3/14/13 at 9:21pm

We're in Baltimore and are in the same boat for middle school for my DC. The difference here is that for middle they have really done away with a lot of neighborhood schools so there are so, so many options for kids. I have ID'd 11 public schools that I think are an "ok" fit for my DC. Lottery results are trickling in...so far so good but it's heart breaking to hear of my DC's friends who are still waiting to hear from ANY good choice. Sigh.  For now, DC has gotten into my 5th place pick (not her's) and an odd ball that we didn't expect. She's also high on the wait list for two other top choices. But, we're still  waiting on the the top 4 choices...it sucks! 

post #12 of 12
3/14/13 at 9:23pm

Oh, and good luck, Pollywog!!!  dust.gif

New Posts  All Forums:
 
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Learning at School
Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Education › Learning at School › Back on the Charter School Lottery Roller Coaster