Notes from Kindergarten Night

Speaker:  Tanya Anton – GoMamaGuide.com

Notetaker: Annie Lai -Asha’s mom WW (Thank you!)

Email her at GoMama@mac.com.

 

About the speaker:

Tanya Anton author of GoMamaGuide’s “Westside Guide to Public Elementary Schools,” “Westside Guide to Middle School,” and the “Valley Guide to Public Elementary Schools,” has risen steadily as a go-to source for information, inspiration, and action, and is part of a growing revolution of parents actively driving public school revitalization.

In addition to doing public school demystification and outreach, Tanya has spoken at education events and appeared on numerous radio shows (Please see her website gomama.com for detail listing of appearances)

Tanya got into this originally when trying to find school for her daughter and discovered there was no centralized informational base for all the schools and options out there.

In addition to her books, Tanya also publishes monthly newsletters with breaking news, what’s changed, etc. within the LAUSD system.

 

Tanya does not represent any specific school system, and her goal on this night is to give us a broad-based introduction into the main aspects of the public school system, the various types of schools within the system, and define some of the common terminology used.

 

Tanya does private one-on-one consultations and school planning for parents who need additional guidance.

 

Tanya does not consult on private schools, public schools and their ever-changing policies is enough to keep her busy!

 

As a side note, Roleen noted that of about 30 or so NSW graduates each year, about 10 or so go on to private school.

General Enrollment and Application Information

How old does my child have to be in order to attend kindergarten?

In California, it used to be that the child must be 5-years-old by December 1 in order to enroll in kindergarten at the beginning of that school year.  However, most other states in the US mandates that a child be 5-years-old by September 1st.    So, in an effort to move the cut-off date to September 1st California, a bill was passed last year to slowly transition the cut-off date to September 1st over a 3-year period.

Therefore, the following are the age requirements for enrolling in kindergarten in the upcoming years:

• To enter Kindergarten in Fall of 2012 (aka this fall), the child must be 5 years old by November 1st , 2012.

• To enter Kindergarten in Fall of 2013, the child must by 5 years old by October 1st, 2013.

• To enter Kindergarten in Fall of 2014, the child must be 5 years old by September 1, 2014.

What happens to the kids whose birthday falls just short of those cut-off dates?

 

California planned and budgeted for a Transitional Program that would provide for kids whose birth dates fall just short of the cut-off.  The Transitional program is supposed to be part-preschool, part-kindergarten in curriculum.  However, the budget is currently on the chopping block and may be cut, the definitive answer will not be known until end of May 2012.  For the time being, you must check with your local elementary schools to see if they have a Transitional Program currently in place, and whether or not they will continue to provide the program in the year of your child’s enrollment

When do I apply for a LAUSD kindergarten?

 

Usually, you apply in the springtime of the year that your kid is going to school.

What is the age cut-off for private kindergartens?

 

Typically, private schools have even earlier age cut off than public, some require the kids to be 5 by August.  You will need to check with the individual private school for exact dates

 

Also, most private schools’ application deadline is fall of the year prior to the year of enrollment.

When is the start of the LAUSD school year?

 

The Early Start Calendar – LA Unified school start date for 2012 is August 14, 2012.  School will end for this summer on June 19th this year.

When is the start of the SMMUSD public school year?

 

Santa Monica’s school calendar will also starts in August, but a little later than August 14th.  This will eventually be the same as LAUSD by year 2013.

How many years will my child be in elementary school, middle, school, high school?

• Most Elementary school are grades Kindergarten -5th grade

• Middle School is 6th – 8th grade

• High school is 9th -12th grade

• Note:  There are a few elementary schools that added a 6th grade for kids who are not ready for middle school.

How do I know what school my address is assigned to?  What is my home school?

• LAUSD school finder:http://search.lausd.k12.ca.us/cgi-bin/fccgi.exe?w3exec=schfinder0
• Culver City school finder:http://www.ccusd.org/ourpages/auto/2008/5/22/1211496940218/CCUSDmap.pdf
• Santa Monica school finder:http://www.smmusd.org/StudentServices/district_map.html
• For other district maps, please go to www.GomamaGuide.com under “Quick Links”

How do I learn about the quality of my public school?

1. www.greatschools.net.  Most people go to this site for ratings and academic info, but there are flaws for only basing your opinion entirely on this:

• The site’s rating is entirely based on API scores, which is based on the California Standardized Testing (CST).  The test doesn’t tell you what is going on in class, the dynamics between teacher and student, the arts and music programs, parent involvement, etc. It only tells you how last year’s 2-5th graders performed in English and Science.

1. Direct Experience – You need to go and tour the school and see how you feel about the school.  Just like touring New School West before deciding to let your kids go there!  Call the school and find out when they are doing a group tour.  If you miss the tour, you can call to schedule a private tour.  

• By law you have the right to a 20-minute visitation of every public school.  

1. Go to booster club meetings/events – these fundraising clubs for school hosts performances, bake sales, etc.  By going to these events you will get to see parent involvement, get a sense of the school.  You can find these events on the school’s websites.

1. Trust your parent radar!  Once you have done the tour, trust your gut instincts and your gut feelings on whether or not this school is right for you!

What does my kid learn in kindergarten?

 

Kindergarten is still very much about social, emotional development, not so heavy on academics.  There is no Gifted and Talented (GT) programs in kindergarten, testing for these types of programs do not start until 2nd grade.  

What are Magnet Schools, Permit with Transportation (PWT), and No Child Left Behind – Public School Choice(NCLB-PSC) options?

 

There are several ways for your child to attend a school that is not their home school.  You can enroll your child into a Magnet.  You can apply for a Permit for your child to take a bus to a different school.  Also, if your home school has not met the state-mandated Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two years in a row, you may apply to send your child to a different school under the No Child Left Behind program.

 

LAUSD provides a very comprehensive website that gives very detailed information on how to enroll into any of these choices.  There are many criteria that must be met and some requires years of accruing points.  For all the most up-to-date details check out www.Echoices.lausd.net

Magnet Schools

 

Magnet schools emerged in the United States in the 1960s as one means of remedying racial segregation in public schools.  Voluntary school integration plans were developed. One approach educators within the public school system came up with was open schools. During the Open Schools movement of the 1970s, several ideas designed to influence public education were put into practice, including Schools without Walls, Schools within a School, Multicultural Schools, Continuation Schools, Learning Centers, Fundamental Schools, and Magnet Schools.  Magnet schools have been the most successful of the ideas that originated from the Open Schools movement.

 

These days, Magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. “Magnet” refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities (usually school boards) as school zones that feed into certain schools.

1. Most Magnets are theme-based, ie. A Math and Science Magnet school, Music and Fine Arts Magnet, etc.  Anyone who live in the LAUSD are eligible to apply.

2. Gifted/High-Ability or Highly Gifted program Magnets carry additional eligibility criteria.  These applicants must prove that they are above a certain percentile within their class, or have to have been evaluated and approved by an LAUSD school psychologist.

General info about Magnets in LAUSD:

1. There are 117 Magnet programs in LAUSD

2. Every Magnet must abide by a specific racial split – 70/30 or 60/40

3. There are Charter schools that are Magnet schools.  You would apply first as a charter school and then accepted into the Magnet program.

4. No child can be bused longer than 90 minutes to the Magnet school

5. There is no home community since every child comes from a different parts of town

6. Magnets are a good and true litmus test of true world diversity

How to apply for a Magnet:

• Please go to www.Echoices.lausd.net for comprehensive instructions since the application process is complicated and involves a point-system and a weighted lottery

• If you are LAUSD, You can apply to one Magnet school per year, you must apply by November of the previous year.

How to get into a Magnet school:

 

You can get an application packet starting on November 1st, and you will have 6 weeks to get your application in.  After your application is received, it is put into a weighted lottery system.

 

The lottery is a weighted system based on the number of points an applicant has accrued.  Applicants receive points based on the following criteria:

• Is your homeschool is PHBAO (Predominantly Hispanic, Black, Asian, And Other Non-Anglo) – basically means is your school 51% white or non-white.  Based on the ethnic breakdown you get a certain amount of points.

• Every year you apply and don’t get in you get 4 points.

• For each year you are in a Magnet you get 4 points.  These points will go towards the lottery for your child’s next school (Middle School, High School)

 

As your points get higher, your odds of getting in to your school get better. A computer downtown then spits out a random list of kids who get in.

• If you are accepted into the Magnet of your choice and you decline, you lose all your points

• Points expire after 3 years, so you lose points every year after the 3rd year

• If you switch Magnets year to year, your points stay with the child.

• Siblings get priority in the lottery

• The Magnet lottery starts all over again for middle school and for high school.

 

If you apply for Magnet but your don’t get in at all at the elementary level, by 6th grade you will still have 12 accumulated points, which will give you a better chance to get into the lottery for middle school Magnets.  So if you are considering a Magnet education for your child, apply as soon as he/she is in the LAUSD system and start accumulating points!

Charter Schools

 

Check out www.GomamaGuide.com for an interactive Google map that has color-coded map of public, charter schools on the Westside.

 

Charter schools are public schools that operate somewhat independently.  A Charter school starts when parents get together for their vision of their school.  They write a charter, vetted legally, and approved by the school district, the county, or the state.  It is a very long process of being vetted, revised, and approved.  Charters are usually 300-500 pages.  It is an alternative to the traditional model.  They get state funding, our tax dollars, so anyone can apply

Are Charter schools better than non-charters?

 

Charters are held to stricter benchmarks than public schools.  The School Board reviews all Charter schools every 5 years.  If the school does not meet those academic and educational benchmarks they can be shut down.  Public schools are not held by the same standards.

Different kinds of Charters

1. Independent Charters – they have the most independence, they have their own calendars, teacher guidelines, tenure policies.  Most Charter Schools on the West Side are Independent Charters

2. Affiliated conversion charters – this is a neighborhood schools that went charter.  They are subject to some of the LAUSD regulations, ie. Calendar changes, teacher tenure policies.  But the good thing is that if the disctrict cuts their funding they can go to the state and get additional funding through the state charter funds.  These charters do come with a footprint – so if that is your neighborhood school, then that is your charter school.

How do I apply to a Charter School?

 

You can apply to as many Charter Schools are you want.  Acceptance typically give residents priority, then siblings, and the rest will go into a lottery. Applications are typically due in March of the year your child is to attend school.  There is no point system, and no diversity criteria.  But each charter has different application guidelines, check with your charter for exact application guidelines.

Language Immersion/Dual-Language Programs

 

Dual language programs (also known as two-way immersion programs) allow English learners and English proficient students to receive instruction in English and a target language in the same classroom to develop academic proficiency in both languages beginning in kindergarten for a minimum of six years. The District currently offers students at selected schools the option of participating in a Spanish/English, Korean/English, or a Mandarin/English dual language program.

• On the West side there are many language immersion programs, Grand View Elementary, Broadway Elementary, Mark Twain Middle School, and others

• Application process for Immersion schools are similar to that of Charter Schools

• For more information on Immersion programs, go to GoMamaGuide.com and look for the quick link to “LAUSD Dual Language Programs”, or go directly to:  http://notebook.lausd.net/portal/page?_pageid=33,230293&_dad=ptl&_schema=PTL_EP