School Lottery and moving to Portland (Phoenix: home, employment, transfer)

[gogogo35]

We won't be moving to Portland until May and I understand the school lottery is this March (next week). Do you think there's any way we could enter our daughter in the lottery before we have a Portland address? Maybe show his employment offer letter as proof we will move there? I'm going to call PPS on Monday but wondered if anyone on this board had any insights or ideas.

[Nell Plotts]

The lottery for space in the schools my kids are looking at (Chapman, Ainsworth) is next to zilch. They always accommodate a student who lives in the enrollment area when they arrive. Your best bet is to find housing in the area of the school you want your child to attend. MLC is open city-wide as is the very small charter school in the south park blocks.

Lottery space is good for the academic year only which is a real bummer. According to an article in the Oregonian recently PPS isn't accepting inter-district transfers which would be permanent.

[gogogo35]

Thanks. I should have said, I'm specifically interested in the immersion programs at Richmond and Woodstock, so I think I need to do the lottery to get in there. Unless we did after-school tutoring in Japanese or Chinese with the hopes of then transferring as a first grader.

[Nell Plotts]

Ahh... you do need to talk to the District, perhaps they could wait list your child under these circumstances. Have you seen this resource? Mandarin Chinese Immersion School (Pre-K & K-12), Portland, Oregon, for Preschoolers, Toddlers, Home schooled Children, After School Education, Saturday Language Classes, Summer Camps for Children That might be an option if you can't get in this year.

One of my nieces attends with her kids Mandarin Saturday classes in Phoenix. They are doing very well.

[gogogo35]

Thanks, Nell Plotts! I didn't know about this program.

[Nell Plotts]

Mandarin is the one I would choose, that is where the linguistic center of gravity is looking west. It is much tougher to learn after the early grades than Spanish.

[onetruesteph]

I really hope not. My opinion is that new-to-Portland people should have to wait six months before even applying to charter schools. Families that have been in Portland, helping build it's economy should have priority. Too many people moving in, taking jobs we desperately need, hiking rents, clogging our highways etc make it very difficult for local families to live in the city WE built. Wait in line.

[Nell Plotts]

It's not just charter schools that have admissions lotteries. BTW, charter schools do not necessarily produce better academics.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by onetruesteph

I really hope not. My opinion is that new-to-Portland people should have to wait six months before even applying to charter schools. Families that have been in Portland, helping build it's economy should have priority. Too many people moving in, taking jobs we desperately need, hiking rents, clogging our highways etc make it very difficult for local families to live in the city WE built. Wait in line.

I don't believe that people can put their name in the lotteries if they are from out of state. I wonder if the OP contacted the PPS about this. I would be very surprised if they allowed it. That would really be upsetting if they did because someone from out of state would not have paid taxes to support our schools.

Regarding new people moving in, everyone has the right to an opportunity. I imagine just as many leave once they realize it is not the piece of cake they it would be to become established here.

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

It's not just charter schools that have admissions lotteries. BTW, charter schools do not necessarily produce better academics.

Most are set up for families who do not want to rub elbows with the riffraff. Some parents do not want their kids educated in traditional schools.