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Parents Forced To Camp Out For Lincoln Kindergarten Spots

LINCOLN (CBS13) - Dozens of parents in one Lincoln community are being forced to camp out for three nights in hopes of getting their kids into a kindergarten class.

Lincoln Crossing Elementary is so impacted there only a limited amount of open spots available. Registration begins at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

Jonathan Brose came prepared for a long night with "tent chairs and lots of water."

So did the other parents in line with him outside the school. They're competing for their children to get one of 105 available kindergarten seats next school year, but it's first come, first serve.

Nick Kosmides has the coveted first spot in line, guaranteeing his daughter a spot. "She's proud, she's excited," he said.

While he and the couple dozen parents after him are in good shape, parents farther back in line like Jonathan actually may not make it at all.

"I thought I had until about 4 or 5 o' clock tonight," he said.

Although there are 105 kindergarten seats about half of them are already taken because kindergarten students with older siblings at Lincoln Crossing are automatically guaranteed a spot. So in reality, there are only 54 kindergarten openings.

"It is frustrating when I am paying tax dollars, especially living in this community, to not be able to have my kid immediately go to this school," Jonathan said.

The families who moved into the neighborhood were told another elementary school would be built by this year. But the economy put the plans on hold.

"Feel cheated," Nick said. "We were promised a school when we bought into this community."

So every year, this is what parents must do to get into Lincoln Crossing or their kids go to an overflow school.

"Living right next to a school does not guarantee your kid can get into a school," Jonathan said.

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