It has been our discovery here at ScoopToo.com that we are not alone – that YOU are not alone.  The dark little secrets that we harbor about what-to-do-about-finding-the-right-school-for Johnny or Susie are, more often than not, running through the heads of the majority of parents of 4 year olds out there. Quite possibly the ambitious parents of 2 and 3 year olds as well.  These are people like us, who don’t have a stellar default school option just waiting with open doors to welcome your 5 year old.

Jennifer Holladay, the former Senior Adviser for Strategic Affairs at the Southern Poverty Law Center, and former director Teaching Tolerance tells us about her family’s Journey to Kindergarten.  Enjoy the read.  There is hope!

It looks like the answer to that is an overwhelming YES! There were over 10,000 choice applicants for the 2009-2010 school year and 38,000 children on wait lists for charter schools statewide. Read Jeremy Meyer’s article below to get the scoop!

Demand in charter schools forces lotteries, long waiting lists

Alma Meraz’s eyes welled when her daughter’s name was pulled from a cookie jar during an enrollment lottery for the high-performing West Denver Prep charter school.

“I’m so happy,” said Meraz, who cleans houses for a living. “I need her to go to this school for better opportunities. For a better life.”

West Denver Prep — which some parents have come to view as a first step toward college and possibly a lifeline out of poverty — is rated the second-best school in Denver.

The school’s college-preparatory curriculum and swift interventions for struggling students have been touted for helping at- risk kids beat the academic odds. West Denver Prep now posts some of the best academic growth in the state.

The middle school also draws nearly double the number of applicants it can seat, meaning waiting lists are long and disappointments high during the annual school- choice enrollment period.

It’s a scenario played out across the state each winter, as parents battle to get their kids into popular, high-performing schools during the choice period.

The Colorado Department of Education estimates about 38,000 children are waiting to get into Colorado charter schools. One such school, Classical Academy in Colorado Springs, has 7,800 students on its wait list.

School choice, enacted in Colorado in the early 1990s, remains controversial. The system was designed to encourage districts to improve all of their schools and build programs tailored to student desires.

It also created winners and losers.

Winning schools, with high academic growth and test scores, tend to draw a flood of applicants, leading to lotteries and waiting lists.

Schools on the other end of the performance spectrum face declining enrollments and often calls for closure.

The federal government is spearheading a movement to close the lowest-performing charter schools and implement turnaround strategies for district-run schools.

At a recent meeting in Jefferson County, residents demanded that the district eliminate choice and focus on improving neighborhood schools. But choice is a state law and is supported by the federal government.

And if the number of kids on waiting lists is any proof, parents want the freedom to choose.

About 220 families applied for 120 spaces in West Denver Prep’s fall sixth-grade classes on the South Federal Boulevard campus. About 200 families applied for 120 spots at West Denver Prep’s Harvey Park campus.

Valerie Espinoza, a 10-year-old who is in fifth grade at Castro Elementary, cried after seven of her classmates were chosen during the enrollment lottery last week. Her name was No. 207 — impossibly far down the wait list, said Chris Gibbons, head of the school.

Last year, the school had at least 50 students on a waiting list.

“We’d love to be able to have more families in,” Gibbons said. “That’s why we are opening more schools.”

Two more West Denver Prep campuses will open in the fall in northwest Denver. Both already have received as many applications as spaces.

Denver Public Schools this year has 1,812 students on waiting lists for all but three of its charter schools.

It’s not just charters that are turning away students. Denver’s high-performing traditional schools, such as Bromwell, Denver School of the Arts and Academia Ana Marie Sandoval, are in high demand.

For the 2009-10 school year, DPS received 10,539 choice applications. Of those, 8,013 students got into their first-choice school.

The remaining 24 percent either went to neighborhood schools; attended their second-, third- or fourth- choice schools; enrolled in charter schools; or left the district altogether.

“It makes clear how deeply parents care about having good choices for their students,” said Superintendent Tom Boasberg, who has led an effort to bring more options to the district.

Soon, DPS will put out a call for proposals for new schools, seeking more charters or performance schools that will draw students and lift achievement. Last year, the school board approved 11 new schools.

Denver School of Science & Technology — which will be opening four new schools — is currently the district’s top school, according to DPS’s annual scorecard. Last month, the high school received about 700 applications for 140 slots for next fall’s ninth-grade classes.

“They are coming from all over the city, all incomes,” said Bill Kurtz, head of school.

Nevertheless, the demand for some schools and the neglect of others reveals a chasm in public education, said Katie Holz-Russell, principal of West Denver Prep’s Federal campus.

“I feel it should be a given that a kid can wake up on his fifth-grade graduation day and know that he is going to go to a great school next year,” she said. “The great injustice is that simply is not the case. I’m reminded of that when we stand here in a lottery.”

Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com

Numbers

10,539Students who applied for choice schools in Denver Public Schools for the 2009-10 year

8,013Students who got their first choice

38,000Students on waiting lists for charter schools statewide, including 7,800 for Classical Academy in Colorado Springs and 1,812 in DPS

If you’re like many of us, the deadlines and application process for the various facets of the DPS system can be confusing.  Let this be your reminder that the Denver Public Schools Highly Gifted & Talented nomination deadline (2010/2011 school year) is November 2, 2009. The deadline for applications for the Advanced Kindergarten program is December 11, 2009. You will need to take several steps to get testing and applications prepared for these deadlines.  To find out how it works, you can read our related post: Testing, Who Needs It? . You can also go to the DPS Gifted & Talented Department site.

Here are some important dates for information sessions at each of the HG&T and Advanced K school locations:

HIGHLY GIFTED PROGRAM INFORMATION NIGHTS
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Elementary program information at all locations
Middle School program information at Morey only
Spanish translation available

September 29, Polaris at Ebert Elementary (NE), 410 Park Ave. West
September 30, Gust Elementary (SW), 3440 W. Yale
October 1, Cory Elementary (SE), 1550 S. Steele St.
October 7, Southmoor Elementary (SE), 3755 S. Magnolia Way
October 8, Teller Elementary (S Central), 1150 Garfield St.
October 13, Morey Middle School (Central), 840 E. 14th Ave.
October 14, Edison Elementary (NW). 3350 Quitman
October 20, Carson Elementary (SE), 5420 E. 1st Ave.
October 27, Archuleta Elementary (Far NE), 16000 E. Maxwell Pl.

ADVANCED KINDERGARTEN INFORMATION NIGHTS
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Spanish translation available

September 29, Polaris at Ebert Elementary (NE), 410 Park Ave. West
September 30, Gust Elementary (SW), 3440 W. Yale
October 14, Edison Elementary (NW). 3350 Quitman
October 27, Archuleta Elementary (Far NE), 16000 E. Maxwell Pl.
Date to be announced, Palmer Elementary (E Central), 995 Grape
Date to be announced, Stedman Elementary (NE), 2940 Dexter
Date to be announced, Bill Roberts (NE), 2100 Akron Way

Again, the process can be frustrating and confusing so attending one of these sessions should help in answering some of your questions.  If you have further questions or comments, feel free to post it below.

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We wanted to provide you with something we wish we had when we were getting started in our school search.  This isn’t exactly a step by step process, as there are so many paths each family could go down together, rather we are sharing our loose guideline for this process.  Depending on whether you ultimately decide to send your child to a public, private, charter, magnet or catholic school there are different steps one must follow in order to maintain sanity during this quest.  Here is what we suggest:

Check Out Your DPS Neighborhood School

One of the first things to do in your search of the “right school” is take a look at your neighborhood school and see what it is all about. If you are unsure of your neighborhood school, you can find it at this site: what’s my neighborhood school? If you fall in love with all that it has to offer, you’re lucky, and you might stop the search altogether!  I know some parents who never did an ounce of research because they felt strongly about sending their child to their neighborhood school.  For any of a variety of reasons, it worked for them.  I also know a lot of parents who liked their neighborhood school but wanted to see what else was out there.  Just like when we go shopping for groceries or shoes, it’s always smart to do some comparison shopping….why not with schools?  Here in Denver, we are lucky enough to have a program through the Denver Public School system called School of Choice.  This allows our children the opportunity to be educated at a school outside of our neighborhood if need be. It’s our choice and it’s a great option to have!

Determine Your Interest in the Private School Option

If you are interested in the possibility of sending your child to private school, there are a different set of steps to follow.  You will find a comprehensive list and links to those schools at the right of this page.  The majority of these schools post their tuition and financial aid programs directly on their Websites.  Each of these schools generally have open houses and tour dates as well.  You will probably need to call each school where you have interest and sign up for a tour date or open house.  Once this is complete and you choose to apply, the application process can be quite tedious.  The Logan School and Colorado Academy require intelligence testing by a certified Child Psychiatrist.  Additionally, most of the private schools require an observation of your child, and on a separate occasion, the parents.  Lastly, keep in mind that many private schools also require a teacher recommendation or two.  Yes, it’s like college so get organized!

Advanced Kindergarten Testing

If you feel your child is a more advanced learner and is also socially ready for Kindergarten, you may choose to apply for the Advanced Kindergarten testing. Applications are accepted in December for the following school year, and testing generally takes place in January and February. There is a fee of $50.00 and your child is tested on basic concepts in reading and math. A recommendation from your child’s preschool teacher is not mandated but is a plus. If your child scores in the top 10% (Polaris, the top 5%), then you are able to apply for the Advanced Kindergarten program. Note, the Bill Roberts Elementary School in Stapleton is now only accepting applications from Stapleton residents. You will then be given a choice of two schools in your area that offers this program (ex: if your neighborhood school is Park Hill, your two options in north east Denver for Advanced Kindergarten are Polaris or Stedman, if slots are available). UPDATE: Not every neighborhood is given two choices to select from for the Advanced Kindergarten program. If you are not interested in sending your child to the AK program in your neighborhood or area, you can contact the AK office directly, to see what other choice(s) may be available (if any) for your child. Currently, there are eight elementary schools throughout Denver offering Advanced Kindergarten classrooms. These classrooms differ from traditional Kindergarten classrooms due to an accelerated curriculum, looking at where the individual child is now and where he/she needs to go, and more small group instruction versus whole group instruction. The Advanced Kindergarten Program is part of the full-day Tuition Based Kindergarten Program. If you get into a school  that offers the Advanced Kindergarten, be sure to ask what is offered in the next grade level to challenge your child. If you would like further information in re: to Advanced Kindergarten testing you can contact Terri Freund (DPS) at 720.423.8277 and check out our post on Testing, Who Needs It? If you’d like more information on gifted and talented programs, feel free to contact the individual school.

School Tours and Open Houses

By this time, you will have heard about certain schools that are being discussed by friends, acquaintances, and neighbors. You have discovered some on your own. You have explored our site to get the Scoop and checked out school Websites ahead of time (most schools have updated sites with plenty of useful info). Now it’s time to start calling these schools to see when their school tours are scheduled, along with dates of their Open Houses. You may even want to make an appointment directly with the Principal or Executive Director.  Feel free to use this School Comparison Spreadsheet to keep track of the schools you visit.  This will help you visualize this process and what is the best fit for your child and family.

What To Ask

While visiting the schools, it’s helpful to have a list of questions prepared to help you differentiate between them.  We have put together the list below to get you started:

• How many children attend the school?
• How many classes per grade level?
• What is the percentage of neighborhood children attending vs. the percentage of children choicing in?
• What is class size like?
• Are there Paras or Assistants in each classroom?
• Is there an active PTA or Parent Association?
• Where are the fundraising dollars typically allocated?
• What is the teacher turnover like? And what percentage of teachers have advanced degress?
• How long has the Principal or Executive Director been there?
• Is there a support staff available for the children with special needs?
• What advanced or accelerated programs do you have?
• Do children in each grade level interact with each other or with children in other grade levels?
• What other special programs are offered (language, arts, extra curriculars)?
• What makes this school unique to other schools?

Keep in mind how you feel walking through the halls. Is the person giving the tour enthusiastic about the school and what it has to offer? Do the children look happy and engaged? Is it cramped, institutional, chaotic, pretentious?  What do the classrooms look like? Is there a computer lab and a decent library? Could you picture your child in this school or yourself volunteering your time here? Do you feel that vibe?

Guidance From Professionals

Once you have decided on some schools, you may want to ask your child’s preschool teacher for a bit of guidance. You may want to ask out of school A, B, C, what do you think would be the best fit for my child?  They should have a good sense of the type of learner your child has become and the environment where he/she might thrive best.  Of course, you know your child best but additional opinions can be helpful in solidifying your choices.  Child Psychiatrists can also observe your child and give you guidance on how they learn best.  Additionally, there are “Educational Consultants” who can work with you as well.  Certainly, you will have to pay for the latter two options.

In Conclusion

We plan to offer a series of posts that break down the majority of the subjects mentioned above and a lot more.  Have no fear; you will find the answers (we hope) to all of your questions here!