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More Families Choose and Are Matched With DCPS Schools of Their Choice

Friday, March 27, 2015

More families in the District of Columbia are participating in and receiving matches to District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) as part of the citywide My School DC lottery. In the first round of this year's lottery, 6,265 families were matched and notified of a seat available for their child at a DCPS school of their choice. This is an increase of 927 families, or 17 percent more than last year. Schools in all eight wards saw an increase in matches for families. The schools in Wards 4, 7 and 8 saw the largest gains from last year to this year in families matched. 

“We want to be the school system of choice for families in the District of Columbia. We want parents to be proud to send their children to our schools, and we want more families to see the fantastic teaching and learning, as well as exciting enrichment opportunities available in our schools throughout our city,” said DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson. “Today, we see that this is happening in even greater ways. I am grateful for and especially mindful of the trust and faith our families have in us as they choose our schools in record numbers. Parents vote with their feet and more and more, they are marching their way into the open doors in our traditional public schools.” 

The lottery is the way families apply for a seat in preK in DC. This year, 3,062 families were matched with a DCPS school of their choice for their 3- and 4-year old students. This is an increase of 13 percent, and 362 more matches. 

In total, 14,673 families of the over 20,000 total families using the lottery applied to at least one DCPS school. This means nearly three out of every four families who participated in My School DC included DCPS schools among their choices for their children. 

Every child in the District is guaranteed a seat in their neighborhood school in kindergarten through high school. DCPS offers families the opportunities to choose a school outside of their boundary through an online lottery.  Two years ago, this new lottery system launched which allows families to apply online to attend an out-of-boundary traditional DCPS school or a public charter school. Previously, DCPS held its own lottery and each individual charter school held its own lottery. 

The increase in number of families choosing DCPS is consistent with recent historic increases in DCPS enrollment. In 2014, DCPS enrolled more new students than any other time in the past 47 years. In the upcoming school year, DCPS anticipates enrolling over 1,500 new students.