My son didn't get into the school I thought would be perfect for him. He's thriving at our neighborhood middle school in ways I didn't expect.

The author, shown with her son, said she's been pleasantly surprised by how well he is adjusting to the middle school he ended up at. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. Where I live, some parents enter a lottery to choose their child's school. I expected my son would end up where his older sister is, but he was waitlisted. He's now attending our local middle school and I'm seeing some unexpected benefits. I love living in Washington, DC, but navigating the complex public and charter school admissions system is tough. Students have the right to attend their neighborhood school, and many do. However, every year thousands of parents choose to apply to public schools in different neighborhoods or publicly funded charter or magnet schools throughout the city.