In the Portland Public School lottery for kindergarten slots next year, both the Mandarin program at Woodstock Elementary and the Japanese program at Richmond Elementary each had enough applicants for another entire class next year. This was at least the fifth year in a row that each of those programs has had such excess demand.
The Mandarin immersion program at Woodstock accepted 60 kindergarten students (2 classes of 30 each). All had made Woodstock their first choice (applicants could select first, second or third choices). Of those, 22 had “neighborhood” priority (6 siblings, 16 non siblings), 17 had sibling priority, and the remaining 21 were all non sibling residents of PPS (that is they did not live in another school district). 10 students (all first choice) were waitlisted. 24 were denied space. Of those, 11 were first choices, 9 second choices, and 4 third choices. 22 applications “did not meet requirements”, which usually means missing a mandatory meeting and/or failure to sign a required statement. Of those, 13 were first choices, 4 second choices, and 5 third choices. 8 of the applicants were approved to a higher choice. Of those, 4 were second choices and 4 were third choices. There were a total of 124 applicants for 60 slots.
So, needing 30 for an additional class, Woodstock had 34 either waitlisted or denied space. For non-neighborhood, non-sibling, first choice applicants who fulfilled the requirements the odds of getting in were 21 out of 42 or only 50%. How many did not bother to apply facing such odds?
The Japanese immersion program at Richmond is a bit more complicated because they start students at both the pre-kindergarten (fees required) and the kindergarten levels. Those in the pre-K are automatically admitted to the kindergarten the following year.
For the pre-K program, 36 (two classes of 18) out of 53 applicants were admitted. All 53 applications were first choices. 10 were waitlisted, 6 did not meet requirements, and 1 was denied.
At the kindergarten level at Richmond, there were 100 slots (4 classes of 25 each). 29 slots were reserved for pre-K students moving up, leaving 71 available slots. Richmond does not give a “neighborhood priority.” All 71 were filled by first choices. 35 of those were siblings. 30 were waitlisted. Of those, 26 were first choices and 4 second choices. 17 were denied. Of those 7 were first choice non-residents (living outside PPS) and 8 second choices. 13 “did not meet requirements.” Of those 3 were first choices, 6 second choices, and 4 third choices. There were 138 applicants for the 71 slots.
So, needing 25 for an additional class, Richmond had 47 either waitlisted or denied. That’s almost enough for two classes of 25. For district resident, non-sibling, first choice applicants who fulfilled the requirements the odds of getting in were 36 out of 62 or only 58%. Again, how many did not bother to apply facing such odds?
The costs of the blundering these limited immersion enrollments represent is incalculable. Our economic futures, perhaps even our lives in the national security sense, will rest on the language skills these students develop. To deny such programs to willing students and parents is strategic myopia at the most profound level.
Why does not Portland Public Schools expand these language immersion programs?
The costs of the blundering these limited immersion enrollments represent is incalculable. Our economic futures, perhaps even our lives in the national security sense, will rest on the language skills these students develop. To deny such programs to willing students and parents is strategic myopia at the most profound level.
Posted by: Pandora Charms | April 27, 2011 at 12:43 AM
For the pre-K program, 36 (two classes of 18) out of 53 applicants were admitted. All 53 applications were first choices. 10 were waitlisted, 6 did not meet requirements, and 1 was denied.
Posted by: Pandora | April 27, 2011 at 12:44 AM
needing 25 for an additional class, Richmond had 47 either waitlisted or denied.
Posted by: christian louboutin sale | April 27, 2011 at 12:44 AM
At the kindergarten level at Richmond, there were 100 slots (4 classes of 25 each). 29 slots were reserved for pre-K students moving up, leaving 71 available slots. Richmond does not give a “neighborhood priority.” All 71 were filled by first choices.
Posted by: christian louboutin | April 27, 2011 at 12:45 AM
Of those, 26 were first choices and 4 second choices. 17 were denied. Of those 7 were first choice non-residents (living outside PPS) and 8 second choices. 13 “did not meet requirements.” Of Dollars those 3 were first choices, 6 second choices, and 4 third choices. There were 138 applicants for the 71 slots.
Posted by: Tory Burch | April 27, 2011 at 12:46 AM