Help, new to Garland ISD and need advice about the Choice program (McKinney: 2014)

[Skandelon]

We are new to Garland and trying to transfer our 4 kids into elementary, middle and High School all during the middle of the school year. Wow, this is confusing. Typically, your kids just go to the school in the area they live, but with the Choice program parents can choose where they want to send their kids. Apparently we live in the area where the schools are more desirable and everyone is telling us our neighborhood schools are full and we might not get in. We don't want our kids getting bused down to another part of Garland. We moved up here because we want to LIVE and go to school up HERE. Before we moved here we saw that the web site states that like 97-98% of student get to go where they want, is that true? And if it is why is everyone telling us the schools are full and we may not have a spot?

We have been doing research on the different schools and the process. We are in walking/travel district with Luna, Webb and Naaman, all of which are fine with us, but again people are saying Webb is full, and Hudson is even more full. The next closest school is a pretty good trek away. Is there something we can do to get our kids in our area of town? We want to be involved at our kids school and so we'd rather not drive all the way across town for all their activities.

I thought someone here may have some experience or advice on the subject. Thanks!

[PlanoGirl]

No specific advice unfortunately, but before you take the word of "people" as fact, call the school district and ask. You may be stressing out over nothing. Good luck!

[Moorhen3]

My children have been in GISD since 2006. First of all, you must call the schools that you think are zoned to your area. If it is Luna, then call Luna and they should be able to tell you if there is room for your child, the same for the other schools. If there is room then you have nothing to stress about. If there isn't room, then they'll look into the other schools that are closest to your neighborhood. If the schools are desirable, like many are in North Garland, it is because there is an admission period where people get to submit a form to request a certain school. Sometimes they have to be put on a waiting list. If you do not get the school you desire when you move here, then you will probably get the school you desire for the next school year ESPECIALLY if your neighborhood is zoned to the school you want. Once you find out where they'll go you can send me a message so I can let you know if I know anything of those schools.

[MurphyPl1]

You apply each February for the schools you want. We raised my step-daughter in GISD and never had any issues with getting into the school of our choice, nor did any of our neighbors.

And especially once you get into MS and HS there are many people who opt for schools that are not "neighborhood schools" Our next door neighbor moved mid year of her son's 7th grade year and they opted to continue him at the school they moved from, which was a drive but OK with them.

By HS, we has Sachse, Naaman, Garland and North Garland all represented on our street.

[theloneranger]

Garland is still under court ordered desegregation, so it's not so simple as getting to go to the school closest to one's home. If you're not comfortable with that, pretty much every other district in DFW except for McKinney ISD uses neighborhood assignment plans where a student attends the nearest school to one's home, even if one moves in during the middle of the school year.

[biscuitmom]

Have you read read the GISD Choice of School FAQ page? It addresses some of your concerns.

[BstYet2Be]

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I agree with the others that have posted previously, definitely do call the schools and get your answers directly from those that are truly in the know.

In the meantime, along with the FAQ's mentioned above, you can review the Garland ISD's website, especially the "Choice of School Enrollment" paragraph. While it states that "Between 97-98 percent of students receive their first-choice school", that doesn't mean they're transferring in 97-98% of the students from other areas in GISD - the majority included in that 97-98% are students who already live in that school's walk or transportation zone who have first priority - just like it seems from what you've stated that your children will.

Continue on and read what they base their approval on - see the: GISD Choice of School and the Choice of School Process and pay special attention to the "New 2013-2014 Enrollment for Students New to GISD" which will direct you to the GISD Enrollment Process page. Enrollment questions should be directed to the Office of Student Services, Phone: 972-494-8255.

Out of the three schools you mentioned - Luna, Webb and Naaman - note that the only campus listed on enrollment restriction is Webb, which may or may not mean your child will be able to attend there this year - again, next year should be no problem.

My children did attend GISD and the same Choice of School policy was in effect then as well, but it's been years ago, so again, while I may offer you my opinion, you still need to call the schools directly to get the real current scoop.

Good luck to you and your children and welcome to DFW! .
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[AfroAmericanofColor]

Originally Posted by Skandelon

We are new to Garland and trying to transfer our 4 kids into elementary, middle and High School all during the middle of the school year. Wow, this is confusing. Typically, your kids just go to the school in the area they live, but with the Choice program parents can choose where they want to send their kids. Apparently we live in the area where the schools are more desirable and everyone is telling us our neighborhood schools are full and we might not get in. We don't want our kids getting bused down to another part of Garland. We moved up here because we want to LIVE and go to school up HERE. Before we moved here we saw that the web site states that like 97-98% of student get to go where they want, is that true? And if it is why is everyone telling us the schools are full and we may not have a spot?

We have been doing research on the different schools and the process. We are in walking/travel district with Luna, Webb and Naaman, all of which are fine with us, but again people are saying Webb is full, and Hudson is even more full. The next closest school is a pretty good trek away. Is there something we can do to get our kids in our area of town? We want to be involved at our kids school and so we'd rather not drive all the way across town for all their activities.

I thought someone here may have some experience or advice on the subject. Thanks!

I went to Garland schools. Little known fact is how Garland is the very first city in the world to institute a magnet school system allowing students to ride a bus to any school within the city. At the time its population was around a hundred thousand. I'm not sure how they managed to do it. Being much larger today, I'm not sure if they can allow their students such a choice nowadays. They did it to avoid the cost of lawsuits I believe.