Below is what Inside Schools had to say yesterday about the middle school letters we’ve been waiting for. Notice it says that the letters were mailed to families beginning, operative word: beginning, on Friday, May 30th.
Question: how many days does it take to mail the letters? IS als has information about how to appeal if you’re not happy with the school your child has been accepted to. That is, if you ever find out what school accepted your child.
Apparently Sandy Ferguson, director of middle school enrollment at the Education Department would like to see it all happen earlier next year. So would we. But it’ll be too late. Our kids will already be in middle school. Hopefully.
Long-awaited letters to 5th graders applying to
middle school were mailed to families beginning on Friday, May 30
notifying students of where they had been accepted. Students have until
Thursday, June 12 either to accept or reject the offer and return the
letter to their elementary school guidance counselor.The admissions timeline was standardized citywide
this year to make the calendar uniform around the city and notification
comes far later than usual. Speaking at the May 22 meeting of the
District 15 Community Education Council, Sandy Ferguson, director of
middle school enrollment at the Department of Education, vowed that the
timetable would be earlier next year."I know people would like earlier notification,"
Ferguson said. "I’d like to bring it [notification] at least one month
earlier next year."How to appeal
Although the timeline was standardized this year,
admissions requirements still vary from district to district. In
districts where there has historically been an appeals process
—districts 1-4 in Manhattan and districts 13-16 in Brooklyn, according
to Ferguson —families unhappy with the middle school match may appeal.
However there is no guarantee of success.Appeals will be granted primarily for
"legitimate" reasons of health or travel issues, according to Ferguson,
who noted that there will likely be "no other seats [available] in the
most desirable schools."The appeals process varies from district to
district, Ferguson said. If you wish to appeal, ask your elementary
school guidance counselor for a form.—
Pamela Wheaton
