Can someone explain how school choice works? (Castle Rock: attorney, house)

[Suzibell]

I am confused. I have been reading a lot on this forum about schools, where to live etc. One thing that has me baffled is when you all talk about school choices.

I understand if I want my child to go to a District 20 school, I buy a house within District 20. But then I read things saying that I may expect my child to go to the elementary school across the street, when actually they will get bussed to a different school because that first school was full. Huh? If I live within a certain individual school boundary, why wouldn't my child go there?

And what about charter schools? How does that work? I read about waiting lists and such.

I am in VA...no charter schools. We have clear school boundaries for each individual school. I know that if I buy a house in a certain area that my kids will go to certain schools...period. The only time this would not apply is cases where an older, smaller school is full so there are overflow kids. OR teachers can make special requests for their children to attend the parent's school. Where I currently live, if you want your child to go to a school outside of your boundary, you must own property in the desired school area. (I am talking individual schools within the same district.) There are, on occasions, exemptions to this, but that is how it works.

So can you explain to me how if I live in district 2 (I wouldn't, but using it for example)....if I live in district 2 how can my child go to school in district 12?

When I buy a house, how do I KNOW, FOR SURE, where my child will go to school? I don't want to bust my butt to get the best school choice for my house purchase to then move there and discover my kids won't even be going there.

I am sooooo confused! LOL

[javaj]

Schools may fill up. For instance, let's say an elementary school has 3 first grade classes, max of 24 kids per class. When they already have 72 kids enrolled for first grade, then if you try to register your child, you may go on a waiting list and get enrolled in a different elementary school. In District 20, children continuing on in at the same school have guaranteed enrollment for the next year. So say out of these 72 kids in first grade, 7 are "choiced" in from a different district. These 7 kids are guaranteed going to 2nd grade at that school (if they choose). If you call the D20 Central Registry, they will be able to tell you how many seats they have left in the schools/grade levels for the following year.

Families from out-of-district making their initial choice application have to apply and they are informed if there is space after in-district families register. There is usually a date where out-of-districts families are informed if their kids made it in their choice school.

I was looking at the D20 elementary board (at central registry) for 2007-2008 just recently, and I didn't see very many 0s (if any). So basically, for the school year that is about to end, most schools weren't at full capacity for any grade level at any school.

Charter schools -- I don't know much about these, but I think that a private party (sometimes non-profit) runs the school for the district. So they aren't subject to all the same rules as the other schools in the district, but they are accountable for certain results. If results aren't met, I think that the district/state can take the charter away. These are voluntarily attended, students don't have to attend these. But as far as I know, many parents choose to enroll their kids that most of these schools have lotteries or waitlists.

[millsy]

D-38 has a different policy so I think the above advice to call the district directly is great idea. In 38 if you live in the area you go to your neighborhood school. Other people that might choice into the area are not guaranteed to continue from year to year. (This info came directly from the district office) Good Luck!

[RayLina]

I'm a CO native and my son goes to a charter school here in D-20. I went to D-11 in COS for my years in the Springs growing up. This town is a little random in boundries. It is just like the streets, not exactly a grid approach. the boundries depend on growth, and like JavaJ said, the current people in the schools always get in the next year, so getting in is the tricky part. The sooner you register and make your choices clear or put your name on a waiting list the better chances are you'll get your kid "in" (sounds like college, lol) I did the shotgun approach. I put my son's name on every list in town... when it was time to register, i went down, looked around, asked a few questions, and picked the one I liked best.

A charter school basically means that a group of parents or private party, didn't agree with the Public school rules and wanted to make thier own. They still have to make the grade with test scores and hours of attendance/ school year, stuff like that. But, they also get to create thier own learning model, and class structure, using what ever methods, they choose.

The problem is that charter schools get 1/3 less funding than public schools, so parents have to be a lot more involved. There are more fundraisers, parents get together for a lot of the things needed that pub. schools would just sub out... like um, landscaping... my son's school sends an e-mail out to the parents and students asking for voulenteers. For all kinds of things... if you can help, great! If not, oh well.

The standards are usually higher than pub schools, the test scores for the CO Springs charter schools are higher than the public schools, elementary through high school. Better College attendance rates as well.

The whole choice thing is definately a pain in the *****. It is a good idea though to invest a little time, research the schools, and figure out how you want your child to learn. We have schools that are ran very classically, latin and mozart are tought. Then we have schools that are ran in the woods, where the kids are outside 3 days of the week. Some require uniforms, some don't.

(I would try and stay in D-20 if I were you, then D-11 then D-49 if you want to stay on the north side)

Good Luck with your decision making!

[ksenn]

Suzibell,

When we moved here last year, we were closing on a house in D20 late July (and not moving here until then). As soon as we had our contract, I called the school to figure out how we could register for school the upcoming year. I was informed that my kids would not be guaranteed a spot until we PHYSICALLY registered our kids and if they were full, they would have to go somewhere else than our neighborhood school. School only started a few weeks later and as I mentioned above in another post our neighborhood schools are the Technology schools and I didnt know how popular they would be. Luckily for us, my parents live in Castle Rock and I gave them a Power of Attorney and mailed them the paperwork and they pre-registered them for school in at the beginning of June.

We came from VA as well and I was so annoyed that they were guaranteed a spot. And no, they we couldnt just fax or email them our contract showing them we would truely be in D20.

I think when we did the final registration step when we got here, there were still spots for our schools, but how were we supposed to know there would be?

I just had to "choice" my daughter (who has special needs) to another school for Kindergarten than our neighborhood one and they said that once you choice (at least within the district), it was now her homeschool and I wouldnt have to "choice" her to it again in the following years.

This is just the way they do things here in D20, not sure about the other districts.

[aep73]

I noticed on another thread that students can be enrolled in districts where they are not resident. We don't have this where I live currently. How does it work? Is it only for districts/schools that have not made Adequate Yearly Progress? Is there a waitlist for the districts that have better reputations? Thanks in advance!

[COflower]

Open Enrollment

Click on th PDF and it explains how Colorado works with "open enrollment".

Also, check with the school districts involved. Various things will affect how the enrollment process works - like student per teacher ratio for example.

[Figaro2008]

Just a side note, does anyone know of any plans for new elementary schools in COS to be built to accommodate an increase in students? I heard there was expected to be a boom in the number of children in the upcoming years due to large numbers of troops and their families coming back to COS. I am not sure this is accurate, but again, that's what I heard from a relative living in the Springs. That would hopefully prevent less problems securing a spot in a school and create lots of jobs for teachers.

[Mike from back east]

FWIW: The D20 "choice enrollment window" will be open from Jan 8, 2010 to Feb 22, 2010. Page 3 of the newsletter lists many of the programs offered. The D20 Parents Guide has a ton of info on Choice and tells of some transportation services that are provided.

[giz2000]

This is a good thread for me to follow...I may be moving to COS for a job next fall, and need a HS for my son, who'll be a freshman...