A record 6,661 applicants threw their pint-sized hats in the ring for D.C. Public Schools’ annual Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, and K-12 Out-of-Boundary lottery.
The number of unique applicants increased by more than 25 percent over 2010, on the heels of DCPS’ first enrollment increase in 41 years. Take into consideration that 6,661 is nearly double the number of 2009 applicants, and you’ve got yourself a heyday. Or a lot of those tiny hats: Preschool applicants nearly quadrupled, from 532 in 2009 to 1,949 in 2011; pre-K’s 1,858 applications also best 2009’s 1,134.
D.C. school officials said they were able to offer seats to the same percentage of applicants as in 2009, “as families consider a broader range of schools.”
Nearly 60 percent of applicants were placed in a school they requested, and 81 percent of preschool applicants were offered a seat. School officials said a “significant number” of students could expect to jump off the waitlist in months ahead.
“The lottery application process helps us gauge public interest in our schools and programs. Last year, we received an overwhelming number of applicants, which resulted in our first enrollment increase in [41] years,” Acting Chancellor Kaya Henderson said. “This year, we exceeded that number, proving that our programs continue to offer exciting options for thousands of families seeking a quality education for their children.”
