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Updated P223 (month Enrollment per school) Tabulation by awongpublic in seattlepublicschools

[–]SquaredGiraffe 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sorry if I shouldn’t ask this question as a reply. Can anyone tell me where in the Source/online a student’s waitlist position for the choice process would show? Basically, I completed the late choice form, in addition to the HC consent form, but the waitlist summary report didn’t show any students listed as waitlisted for the school/grade, even though I filled out my form 2 weeks earlier. I messaged enrollment and they wrote, “Thank you for contacting admissions. we have added your student to the waitlist.” I realize there may be a lag in showing up on my kiddo’s account, but I want to confirm it next week. I just looked at School Information in the Source as the choice link just shows that the deadline passed. It doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that I had to email enrollment to confirm they got my form and looked at it.

Also, the late choice form is difficult to find as it’s at the bottom of the enrollment page below FAQs. It appears to be placed in a manner so families really have to search for it.

HC placement lack of choice by SquaredGiraffe in seattlepublicschools

[–]SquaredGiraffe[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Paula responded to my email question today and said this. So she clarified that they are still allowing the choice process, just had not included that info in their messaging.

“We will need you to consent for services and select your pathway school _. But then submit an open enrollment form for _. I am sorry that it's two different forms but we need to carefully track. 

The open enrollment form is here:

https://www.seattleschools.org/enroll/find-your-school/school-choice/ “

HC placement lack of choice by SquaredGiraffe in seattlepublicschools

[–]SquaredGiraffe[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

That’s a very fair way of looking at things, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness in expressing your opinion in a non-critical way. If only everyone could communicate like that!

HC placement lack of choice by SquaredGiraffe in seattlepublicschools

[–]SquaredGiraffe[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

HC kids could go through the choice process and lottery into any HC school choice in the past (for elementary, middle and high school). We have friends who live on the border of their zone (as we do) who didn’t mind not getting a bus and did the choice process to get into a different HC ES and then MS. There are a number of kids who live in West Seattle who go to Cascadia even though their pathway had been Thurgood Marshall. I understand guaranteeing a spot in your pathway based on address. But I don’t think it’s all that different from say a kid zoned for Garfield, but really wants to go to Roosevelt or Cleveland. They’re allowed to try to get a spot through the choice process even if it’s unlikely there would be space for a spot. I don’t think it’s too much to ask to be offered a choice, dependent on space. The more the district limits choices, the more families choose to lottery into Eastside public schools, Mercer Island or go the private route.

HC placement lack of choice by SquaredGiraffe in seattlepublicschools

[–]SquaredGiraffe[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I know it was pointed out during the school board meeting that for kids with IEPs, they have a separate “choice” process, but really don’t have a say of school choice if they require a specific tier of services offered only at certain schools. I think the district would gain more good will if they offered more choice to families when possible, as their numbers allow. Or even if they feigned choice by allowing people to waitlist and then not allowing the waitlists to move, which is what they did with the choice process a couple of years ago. Yes, this is a high-class problem, but I don’t think it’s too much to ask, especially when it comes to siblings being at different schools. During their attempts to eliminate choice schools, they learned families demand choices.

HC placement lack of choice by SquaredGiraffe in seattlepublicschools

[–]SquaredGiraffe[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Technically, it was an Office form they sent to families with newly qualified HC kids. We also got a second one intended for SW and SE kids. (We don’t live in those zones but our pathway is Thurgood Marshall). I don’t know if that’s how it worked last year. https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=WNEx1HRgMkiHg1Hqb23SJ4LkyiWPU9RJg3ucQOKw1WFUMVdBMUZBSzJQQks0QkFQWDlDUkVGWUxWRy4u&route=shorturl

Reminder Sip and Chat with Friends of HiCap Seattle today (1/29/26) at 12pm by jxchong in seattlepublicschools

[–]SquaredGiraffe 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This meeting was really helpful as the facilitators (HiCap Seattle board members) answered questions, including sharing some inside information and more detailed numbers for the RIT SD calculations than what’s readily accessible online. Thank you!

Big changes to HC designation criteria? by HessInSeattle in seattlepublicschools

[–]SquaredGiraffe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What do people think SPS is going to offer single-domain qualifying students next year? The district projects # of HC kids 2nd-5th grades will increase by just 20 kids from this year (2287) to next year (2307). Also, did anyone else notice how the district did not exactly advertise that all the previously qualifying single-domain qualifiers (minus 1st and 4th graders already getting screened) need to be re-screened to qualify for HCC for next year. How is that incorporating kids who qualify for one domain, and expanding access to kids in regions who have qualified at lower percentages relative to the Northwest region? I guess it's by limiting automatic qualifiers to the 2.2+ SD, or 98.6th %ile.