The applications for school choice are now open in Delaware.
Delaware’s school choice applications for the 2023-2024 academic year open this week.
The First State is one of 13 in the country that allows families to send their child to any district or charter school in the state.
Students may submit applications to multiple school districts. Applications must be in by Jan. 11 at 11:59 p.m.
After reviewing school choice applications, districts and schools have until Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 to notify families of admissions decisions.
Families have until Friday, March 17 to accept a school’s enrollment invitation.
“School choice allows families and students to decide which school best meets their needs,” said Laurisa Schutt, executive director at First State Educate, a local organization advocating for improved education outcomes.
Parents and students can apply online by clicking here.
The online application portal lists each traditional public school and indicates if there’s open seats, if the school is at capacity, nearing capacity, or if a waitlist is expected.
“Examining Department of Education data to assess the social and learning culture, academic rigor, course offerings and vision of each school helps families make informed decisions,” Schutt said.
If a student is placed on a waiting list, the list will be maintained until the first day of the 2023-2024 school year, even if they accept an invitation to another school.
Once a student accepts an invitation for a school, parents are encouraged to decline any outstanding invitations so that schools can keep updated data on their enrollment pool.
Most districts have a “choice” or “admissions” page that can provide its specific policies surrounding school choice.
Students accepting an invitation to a charter school will be required to sign a “certification of intent to enroll” document which requires at least one year of enrollment at the charter.
Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz
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