When my husband and I decided we wanted to move out of our apartment in 2004, we didn't consider schools as a reason to choose the city we would live in. The housing market was crazy and finding a home in our top two choices was impossible. We decided to purchase a home in the city I worked in but didn't think about the school that our children might have to attend.
I actually hoped that we would be able to sell our home after living in it for five years and Miss K might only attend the school one year, but the market fell. Crushing my idea.
Thankfully in 2007 a new elementary school was built and I thought we wouldn't have to send our children to the old, old school that supported the city. Wrong.
I didn't realize until after the school was built that our house was not zoned for the new school even though we are 5 minutes away from it.
So at the end of 2007 I enrolled Miss K at school A. (the old school) One month later I got a letter in the mail from NCLB (No Child Left Behind) because the school we enrolled at did not meet State Requirements and I could choose another school for my child. Yippee!!! The letter stated we had two choices one was school B (the one Miss K currently attends) and school C (a new school built in the next town). We chose B and got it.
I always figured that Little E would attend the same school since his sister goes there. Obviously not. I was recently told by some one that I would have to enroll him at school A and apply for a variance for him to attend school B. I will have to apply for the variance each year and when Miss K leaves that elementary school to go to middle school I can get denied. This is what worries me.
Now I know that I don't have to worry too much until the next year, the school year 2012/2013. But I want to have my ducks in a row and know what I'm up against. I am preparing an email to the School Superintendent that handles Choice Schools to get some answers. I don't know if I should risk enrolling him and hope he gets a choice option which would lock him into the school I pick. Or do I go for the variance and when Miss K leaves fight for his right to go to that school still. Or hope that in three years we get to move and maybe move into that school zone or an even better one? Or if I do choose to Home School Miss K when she goes into middle school like I have planned and just home school Little E too.?
I'm such a worrier and I know that I really don't have to worry about it too much at least for another year though. But.... I am concerned because the school we are zoned for is not a well performing school and I know my child will have a better chance to succeed at school B. Thanks for letting me vent and any advice would be great.
4 comments:
This is such a tough thing! I too am going to homeschool once my kids hit middle school but I want them to have the experience of public school, sooner is better than later. We had an awful school that Feather attended her first two years and I had to search for another option. Thankfully our school district has magnet schools. You have to apply for them but they are still within the school district so I don't have to pay more for her to go. We were accepted and I am so happy with our choice. My advice would be to do the research and leave no stone unturned. Good luck!
That sounds so frustrating. Hopefully, they will figure out a better system before it's really an issue for you!
Schooling is a hot button in our area, too. My daughter is too young for school but, we're already talking about it. It's so tough! I hope it all works out for you.
Maybe they will rezone the schools. At least you have some time to figure all this out :) Good luck!
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