Oh The Irony! Pre-k for Refugees! (Atlanta, Decatur: buy, closing, tax)

[RoslynHolcomb]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

Back to the pre-K issue.

One of your challenges Roslyn is that you missed the lottery -- it is a lottery in DeKalb not a camp out. The other challenge if that in the past 18 months two day care centers and GA Perimeter College closed (GPC closed their Pre-K program). There is a shortage of spaces, but this is exasperated because many people in the community you live in can afford private pre-k and so when they don't get in public, they simply leave their kids where they are enrolled.

Have you check out programs a little further away?

Norcross and Sandy Springs are not terribly far away.

I'm on the waitlist at a couple of schools in Norcross, I'll have to check my spreadsheet to remember which ones. Sandy Springs is a bit of a hike, but I might look into it. Some of the schools said it was hopeless and wouldn't even waitlist us.

[lastminutemom]

Sandy Springs (depending on what part) isn't necessarily that far. Hope onto Spaulding Road and that takes you into part of it.

[atlantagreg30127]

I don't have a problem with a "refugee Pre-K" since it is run by Refugee Family Services, specifically for those kids, and the kids are not being dumped into general Pre-K classes of local kids (which would be disruptive) and given priority over slots. Basically it's being called Pre-K, but it's really not - it's a private endeavor. So long as it's kept that way, I'm ok with it.

As far as folks not being able to get their kids into local Pre-K programs, there are two sides to look at:

1) Local systems are possibly not organized enough in making more slots available to those who need to enroll their kids.

2) With an average of 70,000 people per YEAR, every year, moving into the metro area (which has continued for years), there is no way that any school system could effectively keep up - so, the problem is the creation of those moving here.

The metro area school systems as a whole have never had the reputation of being the most effectively run in the country. But what folks fail to realize is that they choose to move here. They choose to move to one of the fastest growing metro areas in North America, along with those 70,000+ people per year (many with kids). Yet, knowing they're moving into an area with such rapid growth, they complain that systems can't keep up with the huge influx of kids flowing into their areas each year.

This is one of those personal responsibility topics. If you want your child to easily get into any level of school system, and you want top-notch, effectively run public schools - you're going to do your research before you relocate into a new area to get the best place to move to where your kid(s) can get all of this. Atlanta, with it's poor school reputation and let's say it again, 70,000 new people every year, is certainly not the best choice to have made if you want your kid to get in early, easily, or in the best places.

Not pointing fingers at the original post or poster - she's not alone and is joining all those other people coming here each year, many of whom are facing the same issues. But it's a problem that is created by all of them together, choosing to come here on their own.

It's not going to get better - only worse as the metro area swells to over 6 million in the next few years. Your choices are simple - deal with it as it is, or, move to a smaller metro area with much slower growth, that's better set up for new enrollments.

[TakeAhike]

Good post, Greg.

I think the budget cuts are the main reason there aren't enough Pre-K slots.

That's about all I can add.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

... But what folks fail to realize is that they choose to move here. They choose to move to one of the fastest growing metro areas in North America, along with those 70,000+ people per year (many with kids). Yet, knowing they're moving into an area with such rapid growth, they complain that systems can't keep up with the huge influx of kids flowing into their areas each year.

This is one of those personal responsibility topics. If you want your child to easily get into any level of school system, and you want top-notch, effectively run public schools - you're going to do your research before you relocate into a new area to get the best place to move to where your kid(s) can get all of this. Atlanta, with it's poor school reputation and let's say it again, 70,000 new people every year, is certainly not the best choice to have made if you want your kid to get in early, easily, or in the best places.

Not pointing fingers at the original post or poster - she's not alone and is joining all those other people coming here each year, many of whom are facing the same issues. But it's a problem that is created by all of them together, choosing to come here on their own.

At a high level, this is true, but it's hard not to resent these kinds of comments. The OP has mentioned many times that she didn't want to move to Atlanta at all. It was just the only place her spouse could find a job offer, and they were getting pretty desperate.

In my own case, due to corporate downsizing I was presented with a choice of moving to Atlanta or a layoff under difficult circumstances. So I chose Atlanta, but there wasn't a whole lot of "choice" to it, really. The alternatives were pretty disastrous.

I can think of at least one more regular on this forum who moved here not because of "choosing" Atlanta per se but because it was, once again, the only place he got a job offer, after a prolonged period of unemployment.

Speaking at least for myself, as one of those who was faced with no reasonable option for supporting our families, other than accepting a job in Atlanta, it's a bit irksome to be accused of sloppy research in choosing Atlanta as the place to educate our children. We didn't really have the luxury of an option of selecting another metro area with superior educational offerings.

[DoveDiva]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

Y'all reckon I could enroll my son in THIS pre-K?

Yeah, I'm bitter.

I think it's a great idea.

Would you rather see these kids in a regular pre-k setting...not knowing a lick of English, parents unable to communicate with the teachers? No, because folks would then be complaining "Oh, this Pre-K class focuses more on the refugee kids vs. kids who know how to speak English!"

Why not get them the specialized assistance they need now...versus adding more burden to an already overburdened system.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

Speaking at least for myself, as one of those who was faced with no reasonable option for supporting our families, other than accepting a job in Atlanta, it's a bit irksome to be accused of sloppy research in choosing Atlanta as the place to educate our children. We didn't really have the luxury of an option of selecting another metro area with superior educational offerings.

Rainy, I'm not aiming my comment at you or anyone else in this thread. I DO realize that SOME people have to move here for whatever reason, whether it be a "do or die" job situation, or family problems, etc.

However, let's be realistic. Out of 70,000 or more people per year that move here, how many MUST move here for whatever reason? Let's be generous - 8,000 to 10,000 of those people, maybe? That still leaves an awful lot of people who are moving here because, "I heard Atlanta is THE place to be now". Those are the people I'm talking about who are creating the problems, and yes, it's something that long time residents like me, or people like you or Rosyln have to simply accept and deal with by living here, too.

[blackrabbit]

Originally Posted by TakeAhike

Good post, Greg.

I think the budget cuts are the main reason there aren't enough Pre-K slots.

That's about all I can add.

We have a governor in power who is bankrolled by the concrete industry who would rather build more in roads in rural GA than fund schools.

[RoslynHolcomb]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I DID do my research. I knew without a doubt that I DIDN'T want to come here. Indeed, had we not had a child we would have sold our house and been homeless rather than move to Atlanta. (No, I'm not putting your city down, but I've known all my life that I didn't want to be here.) I had told my husband repeatedly that Atlanta was the one place in the solar system that I would NOT follow him to, therefore he didn't even apply for jobs here until he'd been unemployed for several months.

So no Greg, I had absolutely no fairy dust in my eyes when we moved here. I knew exactly what I was getting into. Unfortunately, desperate situations call for desperate measures.

I don't for one second begrudge the refugee kids a pre-k slot, I'm sure they desperately need it, and I certainly agree that it's a wonderful thing that there's an NGO that is in the position to provide it for them. However, I do think it's ironic given my inability to find a slot for my native-born child.

Thanks RainyDay, I could've saved some bandwidth had I read your post first.

[cmtiger]

Roslyn, I don't think it's that bad here. What's your beef, specifically? It seems to be a pretty strong statement to say you'd nearly leave you spouse rather then move to ATL. I've lived in a lot of places and could live in a lot of places... I don't think ATL is that bad.

Also, FYI, pre-K is not a right. Most states don't offer it at all to anyone, anytime, anywhere.. period. You got on the bandwagon late with this (admittedly through no fault of your own). Deal with it. I think I'd rather go through hassles finding pre-K than go through the "hassles" of being a refugee. Consider yourself blessed.