Inter-District Transfers

[RubyPrynne]

California:

Hello,

My daughter has just started kindergarten. I started an IDA out of the district in March for B--after four months of denials, appeals, and phonecalls, my daughter was accepted into CC District instead. There are many pertinent reasons why I refuse to
enroll her in our home district, including all of our schools either being Program Improvement (of which I no longer have the right to request transfer from), are negatively obedience-centered, or revolve around the results of testing achievement without consideration of the quality of education the children are receiving. I believe my daughter's home school even prided itself on assigning homework to kindergartners.

We requested the city of H. in the second IDA because of my hub's work. We weren't approved for H. due to the three closest schools to his work (which happen to be some of the best in this district so they are very competitive) being "full." Instead they placed my daughter in a school in R-- both cities are in CC district. Okay, we gave it a shot. They don't offer before and after school programs for K, nor do they have on-site before/after school supervision. Kids are expected to be at school and leave exactly when the bell rings. My hub is responsible for transportation--we have one car. As a result, he has been late every single day to work, and coming back from lunch (K gets out at 2pm!!!). This just isn't working for us. The schools that have before and after school care are the three most competitive schools by his work that I previously mentioned.

I am at a complete loss on what to do. I've been lucky enough to receive my primary education in Canada and Australia, so it is easy for me to recognize the standard quality in education, yet here the standard is not equally attainable because of the ridiculous caste system created by the administrative bull of these school districts. I refuse to have my daughter attend schools that are not compatable with her values and needs. I will drop my daughter from school before I enroll her in our home district. I want to try B. District again, but I don't think V. will approve our second IDA to B. simply because I know the schools are inadequate here.

I need help. This is very frustrating and none of the administrative staff from either district wants to help or takes accountability. They treat me as some self-righteous, entitled parent because I won't cooperate with inequality. I need to know what my rights are as a parent, what I can do, and if there is anything in violation that might help me. I will not settle for less than the standard. I know I threw around a lot of vague terms to keep the story as short as possible, but I will provide more concrete examples if needed.

 

[quincy]

California:

Hello,

My daughter has just started kindergarten. I started an IDA out of the district in March --after four months of denials, appeals, and phonecalls, my daughter was accepted into X.X. instead. There are many pertinent reasons why I refuse enroll her in V. including all of our schools either being Program Improvement (of which I no longer have the right to request transfer from), are negatively obedience-centered, or revolve around the results of testing achievement without consideration of the quality of education the children are receiving. I believe my daughter's home school even prided itself on assigning homework to kindergartners.

We requested the city of H. in the second IDA because of my hub's work. We weren't approved for H. due to the three closest schools to his work (which happen to be some of the best in this district so they are very competitive) being "full." Instead they placed my daughter in a school in R. Okay, we gave it a shot. They don't offer before and after school programs for K, nor do they have on-site before/after school supervision. Kids are expected to be at school and leave exactly when the bell rings. My hub is responsible for transportation--we have one car. As a result, he has been late every single day to work, and coming back from lunch (K gets out at 2pm!!!). This just isn't working for us. The schools that have before and after school care are the three most competitive schools by his work that I previously mentionedto enroll her in V. including all of our schools either being Program Improvement (of which I no longer have the right to request transfer from), are negatively obedience-centered, or revolve around the results of testing achievement without consideration of the quality of education the children are receiving. I believe my daughter's home school even prided itself on assigning homework to kindergartners.

I am at a complete loss on what to do. I've been lucky enough to receive my primary education in Canada and Australia, so it is easy for me to recognize the standard quality in education, yet here the standard is not equally attainable because of the ridiculous caste system created by the administrative bull of these school districts. I refuse to have my daughter attend schools that are not compatable with her values and needs. I will drop my daughter from school before I enroll her in our home district. I want to try B. again, but I don't think V. will approve our second IDA to B. simply because I know the schools are inadequate here.

I need help. This is very frustrating and none of the administrative staff from either district wants to help or takes accountability. They treat me as some self-righteous, entitled parent because I won't cooperate with inequality. I need to know what my rights are as a parent, what I can do, and if there is anything in violation that might help me. I will not settle for less than the standard. I know I threw around a lot of vague terms to keep the story as short as possible, but I will provide more concrete examples if needed.

Your post has more identifying information included than is wise to include in a posting on a public forum. I quoted your post with names removed.

I hope you are not using your real name as a user name.

 

[HRZ]

WHy should tax payers pick up transportation tab so you can shop for your version of a better school district?

ANd in many situations you are only entitled to attendance at your home district ..other options are often keyed to space available and inter district funding

I get it that many parents jump thru hoops and apparently Some fudge the truth as to where they live to get their kids into a school they think is better ...but that doesn't entitle you to your choice of schools .

 

[Just Blue]

WHy should tax payers pick up transportation tab so you can shop for your version of a better school district?

ANd in many situations you are only entitled to attendance at your home district ..other options are often keyed to space available and inter district funding

I get it that many parents jump thru hoops and apparently Some fudge the truth as to where they live to get their kids into a school they think is better ...but that doesn't entitle you to your choice of schools .

I agree. If OP wants her little one to attend a certain school she should move into that district.

 

[stealth2]

Is there a reason you cannot drive kiddo to school/Dad to work, and then p/u? Perhaps get a secondhand car for the sole purpose of either his getting to work or your taking the child to school? Procure alternate before/after care as I'm certain other parents do? Move closer to his job? Homeschool? There are options outside of what you want.

And.... Much of what a child gets out of education is what a parent puts in. If you believe her home school is inadequate, you could supplement. Volunteer. Help improve what there is.

 

[not2cleverRed]

California:

Hello
My daughter has just started kindergarten. I started an IDA out of the district in March --after four months of denials, appeals, and phonecalls, my daughter was accepted into X.X. instead. There are many pertinent reasons why I refuse to
enroll her in V. including all of our schools either being Program Improvement (of which I no longer have the right to request transfer from), are negatively obedience-centered, or revolve around the results of testing achievement without consideration of the quality of education the children are receiving. I believe my daughter's home school even prided itself on assigning homework to kindergartners.

We requested the city of H. in the second IDA because of my hub's work. We weren't approved for H. due to the three closest schools to his work (which happen to be some of the best in this district so they are very competitive) being "full." Instead they placed my daughter in a school in R. Okay, we gave it a shot. They don't offer before and after school programs for K, nor do they have on-site before/after school supervision. Kids are expected to be at school and leave exactly when the bell rings. My hub is responsible for transportation--we have one car. As a result, he has been late every single day to work, and coming back from lunch (K gets out at 2pm!!!). This just isn't working for us. The schools that have before and after school care are the three most competitive schools by his work that I previously mentionedmto enroll her in V. including all of our schools either being Program Improvement (of which I no longer have the right to request transfer from), are negatively obedience-centered, or revolve around the results of testing achievement without consideration of the quality of education the children are receiving. I believe my daughter's home school even prided itself on assigning homework to kindergartners.

I am at a complete loss on what to do. I've been lucky enough to receive my primary education in Canada and Australia, so it is easy for me to recognize the standard quality in education, yet here the standard is not equally attainable because of the ridiculous caste system created by the administrative bull of these school districts. I refuse to have my daughter attend schools that are not compatable with her values and needs. I will drop my daughter from school before I enroll her in our home district. I want to try B. again, but I don't think V. will approve our second IDA to B. simply because I know the schools are inadequate here.

I need help. This is very frustrating and none of the administrative staff from either district wants to help or takes accountability. They treat me as some self-righteous, entitled parent because I won't cooperate with inequality.

That's because you are acting like a self-righteous, entitled parent.

Right, you won't "cooperate with inequality" - you just want a more equal opportunities for your child than your neighbors, because your child is inherently more equal than others.

I need to know what my rights are as a parent, what I can do, and if there is anything in violation that might help me. I will not settle for less than the standard. I know I threw around a lot of vague terms to keep the story as short as possible, but I will provide more concrete examples if needed.

I have 2 words for you: private school.

I have another 2 words for you: home schooling.

You need to either pay extra or do it yourself.

 

[Just Blue]

That's because you are acting like a self-righteous, entitled parent.

Right, you won't "cooperate with inequality" - you just want a more equal opportunities for your child than your neighbors, because your child is inherently more equal than others.



I have 2 words for you: private school.

I have another 2 words for you: home schooling.

You need to either pay extra or do it yourself.

Personally I have always chosen where I live by the school I want my child to go to.

 

[HRZ]

I gather from stories elsewhere that CA schools can inhibit the transfer out of 'better ' students in some situations ..from CA Dept of Ed " The pupil’s district of residence may prohibit the transfer of the pupil only if that governing board determines that the transfer would negatively impact the racial and ethnic balance of the school district or court-order or voluntary desegregation plans of the school district." BUT that is not what OP posts

 

[RubyPrynne]

Your post has more identifying information included than is wise to include in a posting on a public forum. I quoted your post with names removed.

I hope you are not using your real name as a user name.

I certainly wouldn't use my real name here, but thanks for the tip. I cleaned up the edit to make the story more cohesive with just the initials.

 

[RubyPrynne]

WHy should tax payers pick up transportation tab so you can shop for your version of a better school district?

ANd in many situations you are only entitled to attendance at your home district ..other options are often keyed to space available and inter district funding

I get it that many parents jump thru hoops and apparently Some fudge the truth as to where they live to get their kids into a school they think is better ...but that doesn't entitle you to your choice of schools .

I agree with you. However I am not "shopping" for schools. The public education here, while touted as a right for every one, is not created equal. I am used to education being equal for everyone, no matter how rich or poor you are, no matter if you live in a rural hicktown or a city. My daughter's learning does not deserve to be disenfranchised because we live in a poor community. The "great" public schools in our area are not great schools in reality. They implement appropriate and conducive learning that is normally expected of such institutions and expecting that does not make us entitled.

And this issue certainly isn't mine alone; EVERY child deserves the same quality of learning, not just mine. I will not cooperate with being pushed into a caste system.

 

[Just Blue]

I agree with you. However I am not "shopping" for schools. The public education here, while touted as a right for every one, is not created equal. I am used to education being equal for everyone, no matter how rich or poor you are, no matter if you live in a rural hicktown or a city. My daughter's learning does not deserve to be disenfranchised because we live in a poor community. The "great" public schools in our area are not great schools in reality. They implement appropriate and conducive learning that is normally expected of such institutions and expecting that does not make us entitled.

And this issue certainly isn't mine alone; EVERY child deserves the same quality of learning, not just mine. I will not cooperate with being pushed into a caste system.

Then find a place in a community that has better schools.

 

[HRZ]

You are fundamentally mistaken ....every child is entitled to a " free appropriate public education " and if your district provides same ...so be it...if the district next door provides more ...so be it ...either move or arrange to pay tuition to that district ..if they accept tuition paying students .

 

[stealth2]

Personally I have always chosen where I live by the school I want my child to go to.

Same here.

 

[RubyPrynne]

Is there a reason you cannot drive kiddo to school/Dad to work, and then p/u? Perhaps get a secondhand car for the sole purpose of either his getting to work or your taking the child to school? Procure alternate before/after care as I'm certain other parents do? Move closer to his job? Homeschool? There are options outside of what you want.


And.... Much of what a child gets out of education is what a parent puts in. If you believe her home school is inadequate, you could supplement. Volunteer. Help improve what there is.

Thankd for your input. Moving isn't possible for us right now--we are doubled up with my family and would have been homeless if they had not let us move in. Our rental agreement, which was expensive but workable for us, was trashed and we can no longer afford the cost of rent. That was my first idea as well and I have tried looking for affordable housing (even the unaffordable, but that's just looking at a pipe dream). Transportation is an issue with our schedules as I am in school full time. It is the same issue with daycare--husband has to drive to another city to pick up child and put her in a daycare at odd hours. Homeschool--my daughter doesn't get the social learning that she would from being around kids her age.

I have briefly looked into private schools but the only ones in our district are religious from what I gathered. I can investigate more on that, however.

Please keep the ideas coming. I am very open to suggestions outside of what I want that won't compromise our integrity. I apologize if I am being difficult at all. I had honestly tried some of your suggestions before coming here.

What is volunteering going to do to change learning environments? How do I improve it? Supplement with what?

 

[not2cleverRed]

I agree with you. However I am not "shopping" for schools. The public education here, while touted as a right for every one, is not created equal. I am used to education being equal for everyone, no matter how rich or poor you are, no matter if you live in a rural hicktown or a city. My daughter's learning does not deserve to be disenfranchised because we live in a poor community. The "great" public schools in our area are not great schools in reality. They implement appropriate and conducive learning that is normally expected of such institutions and expecting that does not make us entitled.

And this issue certainly isn't mine alone; EVERY child deserves the same quality of learning, not just mine. I will not cooperate with being pushed into a caste system.

Then become active in your school district. Join the PTO. Go to the school board meetings. Heck, run in the next school board election.

Or you can go back to Canada.