Contact: Melissa Salmoanowitz | 202-535-1096
More families received seats at schools of their choice through the 2013 DC Public Schools (DCPS) Online Lottery Application than in 2012, according to results released by DCPS. This year, DCPS schools received a total 7,213 lottery applications. The results show an increase in early childhood program applicants, up three percent from last year.
“DCPS is on the rise. We’re improving our schools, we’re putting the right resources in the right places and we’re expanding high quality programs,” said DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson. “I’m thrilled to hear that more families are choosing DCPS for the high quality early childhood programs. I’m also glad to see that more families were able to get seats in the schools of their choice.”
Overall, about 55 percent of all applicants were placed in one of their requested schools, an increase of four percent from last year. This means that fewer applicants were solely waitlisted. Additionally, families can expect to see shorter and more accurate waitlists due to a new DCPS policy where families are only waitlisted at schools they ranked higher than the school where they received a seat.
At the early childhood level, about 66 percent of applicants were offered a seat through the lottery. The number of applications for the K-12 lottery were down six percent, from 3,193 last year to 2,994 this year.
“There are a number of reasons why K-12 applications could have decreased. We are still in the process of analyzing the data,” said Chancellor Henderson.
More early childhood seats were made available this year to families at newly expanded classrooms. Expansion sites are Marie Reed Elementary School, Garrison Elementary School, Truesdell Education Campus, Burroughs Education Campus, Browne Elementary School, Kimball Elementary School, Aiton Elementary School, School-Within-A-School, Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan and Turner Elementary School.
Families could apply to the lottery between January 28 and February 25. Results were made available online on Friday, March 8 at lottery.dcps.dc.gov. Results will also be mailed home on or before April 1. Applicants who receive a seat in the lottery must turn in their completed enrollment forms by May 1 (including DC residency verification) to the accepting school secure their seat. Enrollment packets are available on the DCPS website, dcps.dc.gov.