MySchoolDC Partner E-Bulletin: Families can still apply to schools, updates to Kids Ride Free, and more!

My School DC sent this bulletin at 06/12/2018 08:00 AM EDT

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my school d c - the public school lottery

My School DC June Partner E-Bulletin

My School DC is the common application and public school lottery for DC Public Schools (DCPS) and DC public charter schools. The My School DC Partner e-Bulletin is delivered monthly to My School DC organizational partners. For additional information, please contact Aryan Bocquet at aryan.bocquet@dc.gov.

In this bulletin:

Families can still apply to public school
How waitlists work
Changes to Kids Ride Free
Join us at Truck Touch on June 30
Stay informed

Families can still apply to public school

Post-lottery application is open

If you know of a family who missed the lottery application deadlines or seeks to add schools to their existing application for school year 2018-19, they can complete a post-lottery application today! Applicants will be added to the bottom of schools' waitlists below lottery applicants unless they qualify for a preference. More HERE.

Things to know:

Families can enroll their children directly at their DCPS in-boundary school for grades K-12 without submitting a post-lottery application. Help a family identify their in-boundary school using our School Finder.
There are still PK3-12 spaces available! Families can search our 2018-19 Spaces Remaining page for available seats and apply.
Families can contact the My School DC Hotline for support at (202) 888-6336 or info.myschooldc@dc.gov. My School DC provides multilingual assistance by way of staff and interpreters.

Link to post-lottery application (English): https://apply.myschooldc.dc.gov/login.aspx

Link to post-lottery application (Spanish): https://apply.myschooldc.dc.gov/sp/login.aspx

How waitlists work

When a school has more applicants than spaces, students who are not matched to the school through the lottery or students who apply post-lottery are placed on the school’s waitlist. Families can log into their family account for their current waitlist positions.

Waitlists tend to move over the summer. However, an offer from a waitlist is not guaranteed and many schools typically stop making waitlist offers in October. If a school makes an offer, the family will receive an email from My School DC with the number of days they have to enroll their child at the school. The family can accept or decline the offer. More HERE.

To get a sense of movement off schools' waitlists, families can view our data source HERE.

Options for families on waitlists:

Add schools to their child’s My School DC application. Check out our 2018-19 Spaces Available page and search by school, grade or ward for spaces currently available.
If they applied to PK3 or PK4, they can also take a look at options outside My School DC.
If their child will attend grades K-12, they always have the option of enrolling them directly at their DCPS in-boundary school. Help locate families' in-boundary schools HERE.

Questions? Contact us at (202) 888-6336 or at info.myschooldc@dc.gov.

Changes to Kids Ride Free

The Kids Ride Free (KRF) program is getting smarter! DDOT and the school systems are implementing 2018-2019 school year updates to the program based on feedback from parents and students.

Students who use Metrorail, Metrobus, and DC Circulator to get to school and school-related activities will need to obtain a new KRF SmarTrip card at a summer distribution event or when the next school year starts. Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, students will no longer use their DC One Cards to access public transportation.

The new SmarTrip card will provide students with free transportation on Metrobus, Metrorail, and DC Circulator to school and school-related activities.
Students will simply be required to tap their new KRF SmarTrip cards on all bus and rail trips.
The new card will be separate from students’ DC One Card and will provide students with easier and immediate access to Metrobus, Metrorail, and DC Circulator.

To ensure students avoid an interruption in their ability to use the Metro or DC Circulator, current KRF activated DC One Cards can be tapped to ride through September 30, 2018.

Card distribution events will be held this summer in every ward. If students are unable to attend a summer distribution event, they can get their new SmartTrip card from their school’s DC One Card Administrator at the start of the 2018-2019 school year. Questions about the KRF program can be directed to the school’s DC One Card Administrator or you can contact the District Department of Transportation’s School Transit Subsidy Office at (202) 673-1740. More HERE.

Join us at Truck Touch on June 30

We hope to see you and your families at Truck Touch on Saturday, June 30 from 8am - 1pm at RFK Stadium Lot 7 (located off Oklahoma Ave, NE)! Truck Touch features a variety of free activities for kids and adults, including free meals for kids and teens. Kids can climb aboard, work the gears & honk the horns of the equipment used to provide vital city services. The My School DC team will be there with information about how to apply to public schools for the 2018-19 school year. Join us!

Stay informed

Encourage your families to stay in the know. Here are three key ways they can stay connected:

Bookmark MySchoolDC.org. The My School DC website is families' online portal to everything they need to know about the lottery and post-lottery. It is also where the application is housed.
Sign up for email and text alerts. Families will receive regular reminders to keep them on track.
Add the My School DC Hotline as a contact on their phone: (202) 888-6336, info.myschooldc@dc.gov. The hotline is open Monday - Friday, 8a.m. - 5p.m. My School DC provides multilingual assistance by way of staff and interpreters.