Top Five Myths about Seattle Public Schools Enrollment
MYTH:You shouldn’t throw away your first choice on a popular school. This myth stubbornly sticks around despite changes made to the enrollment system several years ago. If you don’t get your first choice, then the computer goes to your second choice. The tiebreakers – siblings, distance and lottery – will all apply at that point, but not the fact that the school was your second choice. There is no harm in choosing a super-popular school as your first choice. Chris MacGregor, a parent and software engineer, went straight to the district’s enrollment source code to confirm this. You can find his analysis on his Web site at: www.cybermato.com/projects/school-assignments/.
MYTH:Turning in your forms at the beginning of open enrollment improves your odds. Enrollment Services Manager Tracy Libros says every year, she gets a handful of calls from unhappy parents who didn’t get their top pick, despite turning in their forms on the first day the district starts accepting them. Whether you turn in the form on the first or last day of open enrollment doesn’t improve your odds, because the applications are processed at the same time. Missing the open enrollment deadline, however, will put you at the back of the pack.
MYTH:It’s all about who you know. No one will come right out and say this, but I’ve heard it whispered in the hallways. Fortunately, the district’s enrollment computer could care less if Bill Gates is your brother-in-law twice removed. Unlike private schools, where connections might come into play, the public school enrollment system is designed to give every family as fair and equal a choice as possible.
MYTH:The upcoming new assignment plan could force your child to transfer to a different school. District spokesperson David Tucker says that current students will be “grandfathered” in when the new assignment plan takes effect. (It’s tentatively slated to roll out in the 2010-11 school year.) Kids won’t be forced to switch schools based on new criteria. Tucker also says that sibling preference will remain in place under the new plan as well.
MYTH:Every year, local hospitals see a spike in anxiety and insomnia cases during open enrollment. Okay, I made that one up. But I’ve eavesdropped enough on the anxious chatter during Saturday sports practices and in preschool hallways to know that school enrollment can consume parents’ lives. Incoming kindergarten parents seem to be especially prone to this. Relax. All the worrying in the world won’t improve your odds, but it might freak your kid out.
Tours provide a tremendous opportunity to see firsthand what a school is all about. Schools host weekly daytime tours, usually starting in January. Some schools also offer an evening informational session for parents who can’t get away from work. Here are some things to ask or look for:
Go a Year Early – Some might find this a little … obsessive, but taking a tour or two the year before you tackle enrollment has many benefits. You’re less likely to be stressed out and more likely to learn what you need to know when the real game begins. Also, it gives you the opportunity to return the following year and gauge whether a school that’s caught your interest is on the upswing or not. Don’t worry about being out-of-place – I’ve run into parents of third-graders on middle school tours.
Pay for K – You thought public school would be free? All schools in Seattle offer full-day kindergarten, with half-day options available at some locations as an enrollment choice or by agreement with the school. However, because the state only foots the bill for half a day, the remainder of the full-day K is paid for through supplemental funding, grants or straight out of parents' pockets. At locations like Salmon Bay and The New School, full-day kindergarten has been offered for free in the past. Most schools, though, charge between $100 – $250 per month for the full-day option. The Enrollment Guide includes some schools’ information, but you’ll want to confirm how much kindergarten will cost when your child attends and whether scholarships are available.
PTA Fundraising – These days, Parent Teacher Associations pay for teaching assistants, portable classrooms, and a slew of enrichment tools and programs. Some people find this question a little impolite, but it matters. Ask about the PTA’s big fundraising events, along with what their expectation is for family contributions.
Space + Distance - Siblings = Odds of Getting In. Many schools are always full. Others aren’t. While most tour guides won’t be able to help with the complicated calculus of determining your odds, they can probably tell you whether a large cohort of siblings (the highest tiebreaker) is coming in the next class, or if the school is planning to increase capacity, often through bigger class sizes.
After-School Options – For many working parents, after-school care is critical. Ask about before- and after-school options, whether there is a wait list for these programs, and who you can contact for more information. You probably need to sign up for care before the school year begins.
Don’t Forget the Higher Grades – Before you know it, your fresh-faced kindergartener will be headed into fifth grade. Look around and try to see if the older students and their teachers appear as engaged as the younger kids.
Take Your Older Kid Along – If you’re looking at middle or high school, have your kid take the tour with you. And while your pre-K darling may not be ready for the tour world yet, you should try to see the school from her eyes while wandering through the hallways.
Look in the Bathrooms – You may be surprised at what you find. Are students skipping class, hiding out from teachers? Does it look like school facilities are kept in good working order?
Go to the Source – Middle and high school tours may be led by students. Ask them who their favorite teacher is, or what types of science projects the students are working on. Specific questions will get a better response than, “Do you like your school?”
Denise Gonzalez-Walker is a Seattle freelance writer and mother of two who blogs about education for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer at blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/chalkboard.
