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Getting into Non PI schools with NCLB permit.
karlakahler May 10, 2012
Has anyone ever successfully gotten into a non PI school with the NCLB transfer? If so, how many school chioces did LAUSD provide you with and were they decent schools? Which ones?
Any help is appreciated.
MagnetMom May 10, 2012
Hi karlakahler,
The program works, but not as easily as I would have thought.
You have to be attending the PI school before it works. For instance, my daughter is attending an out of area school by open enrollment. For middle school, I wanted to use NCLB to get her into a better middle school. Unfortunately, since she doesn't attend the PI elementary school, she'd have to attend the PI middle school before the permit can be invoked. Additionally priority is given to low income students. In the San Fernando Valley, essentially the only non-PI middle school is now Hale, so we'd have faced a very long commute from the East Valley.
If there is no other option for you (open enrollment or SAS), then you can see which schools they will send your child to. They reserve the final decision, but typically they can tell you between one or two. Sometimes they're better than your home school, and sometimes you can get into an equally good school (or even better one) through open enrollment.
You might have more questions answered here: http://echoices.lausd.net/faq.aspx
And since nearly every school is PI these days (if one sub group tests low, the entire school is PI), you should take a careful look at your neighborhood school anyway.
Good luck.78291
karlakahler May 10, 2012
Thanks MagnetMom!
My home school is Chandler (currently at risk for PI and I am awaiting test results to see if it will go PI for school year 2013). I've looked at the PI receiving schools on the list and I see Carpender, Dixie Canyon and a few others that sound great. I know all these schools could change depending on the spring test scores, but I'd LOVE to send my child to Carpender, Colfax or Dixie. They also have much worse schools on the Non PI receiving schools list, so it sounds like I could get a much worse school. I'm wondering if I should just scrap the PI idea and just apply to a magnet school.
I'd love to hear your thoughts. And, thanks again for all your help!78292
MagnetMom May 10, 2012
Two things, check *why* Chandler is on PI. Some schools get on the 'at risk' for PI list because of two subgroups. Typically, they're English language learners, and Special Ed. English language learners struggle because they're still mastering the language and are being compared to kids with language skills and schooling in English. If this doesn't apply to you, the PI issue doesn't apply.
As for special education, keep in mind, MANY schools do a much better job including and accepting students with everything from minor delays to serious disabilities--ones that years ago would never have been mainstreamed. Talk to the school if this is the case. My daughter's school has an extremely active special ed population with kids having a variety of special needs. We have turned down Balboa (the holy grail of gifted elementaries) in order to keep her at a school that embraces both gifted students AND her peers that need a little help with everything from organization to reading to math and more.
Since you won't have a choice on which school they select for you, I'd go ahead and apply as Open Enrollment to any of those schools you are interested in. In addition, since the PI application is the same as the magnet application, you'd be giving away a chance to apply for a school that you know you are choosing for a school you have no idea which you'll get. Of course, you could turn down the PI placement and still go to Chandler.
I've known families at Chandler with children now at Millikan. The API is 863, and while they are a 7 for their ranking, their similar schools ranking is a 9. Which means compared to similar populations--they're doing better than other schools. I would not over look a school with those kinds of merits. If your children have not started school yet, then you owe it to yourself to pop into a PTO meeting, and ask questions, and see if with a little polish if your neighborhood school is actually a diamond in the (not so) rough.78293
