Polk County Elementary Magnet Schools Do We Need to Apply Again ?

BARTOW — Polk Canton Public Schools is implementing new deadlines and procedures for parents and students enrolling in magnet or choice schools , forth with its nationally recognized career academies plan.

"The objective was to reimagine the manner that we exercise choice applications and option open enrollment in our district," said PCPS Senior Director of Workforce Education and Multiple Pathways Steve Cochran. "Nosotros worked extremely hard, did a lot of legwork to bring united states an heady new opportunity for the parents and stakeholders."

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In the past, at that place has been a limited deadline to enroll in the special programs, and then families who moved to Polk County over the summer didn't have a chance to utilize some of the best educational opportunities available to students.

In addition, families hedged their bets by applying to multiple programs, hoping to go into their offset choice while applying to other programs. Sometimes, they would exist accustomed into several programs as they waited for their start choice to have them.  One time that happened, the other programs would be left with vacant seats. The district calls this do "option jumping."

"Final year, what we did was start open enrollment in November through Jan for the career academies and closed in January," Cochran said. "Expect lists were built. Special consideration was taken for open seats only. Some magnet schools that were open would come back and request a few more seats. Some would not ask and wait to see if enrollment filled through traditional ways... the period was closed and that was the end of open up enrollment."

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If a student is offered acceptance into a program, they have 10 days to respond. If they accept the offer, they are removed from all other pools. If they don't accept, they would remain in the pools for other schools and programs.

At present, at that place will be iii enrollment periods and parents will exist able to use via computer or on paper:

• Open Enrollment 1 — January. 4, 2022 - Feb. xviii, 2022 — electronic and paper applications upon request - see your local school. March 28, 2022, notify families of acceptances to options
• Open Enrollment 2 — April 4, 2022 - Apr 29, 2022 — Controlled Open Enrollment (COE) During this state-mandated enrollment period, parents seeking additional option options for their students can apply for placement in any schoolhouse in the country that has not reached capacity. Students may transfer to private schools using scholarships.
• Open Enrollment 3 — May 2, 2022 - Opening of the school year — Opening paper applications later COE through the beginning of the school twelvemonth or until all seats take been filled. Paper applications available for Magnet, Pick and Career Academies. No limits on family choice options.

"We are proposing no limits on family choice options," Cochran said. "We know that even with choice jumping, families still move around with various options of Promise, McKay and Family Empowerment Scholarships."

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Another modify was to allow the utilise of paper applications to assistance accommodate families who don't have a computer and/or internet at home. The district learned how widespread that event was during the pandemic terminal year, when it had to provide school buses equipped with WiFi to travel to neighborhoods without access.

School Lath vice-chair Kay Fields was thankful for the paper applications. Fields runs a local non-profit later on-school and summertime program called Girls, Inc., which provides extra educational opportunities, particularly for low-income girls.

"Parents don't have access to electronics, so that's going to increase the diversity at our schools," Fields said.

Despite acclamation for good programs, the district has had a difficult time sharing with students and parents — especially those new to the commune — all they have to offer. In the by, they take held the We3 plan at the RP Funding Center so students and parents could talk with students and program directors from each of the schools. But COVID-19 has put a halt to that. They are, instead, hoping to create videos for each special program and have open houses.

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"In lieu of having the We3, we are even so intending on having an open house, starting with schools (and) bringing in their feeder pattern schools and having an evening to allow parents to come across what that schools has to offer – COVID willing," Cochran said.

Sara Beth Reynolds, who serves on the academies' board, was appreciative of their efforts, including looking at what multiple other districts do.

"I know this is something we've struggled with for years, "Reynolds said.  "Nosotros have kids who motility in the week before schoolhouse starts and don't accept the aforementioned selection as kids who've been here for ii years."

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School Board fellow member Lisa Miller, whose family owns a existent estate concern, thanked the staff, noting that real estate listing must include which schools a home is zoned for. She asked how this volition affect scheduling and was told past PCPS Senior Director of Acceleration and Innovation Brian Warren that it would not accept a large bear upon.

"Typically, what nosotros see with the information we rail, we are not seeing large groups of students moving," Warren said. "The week prior to school – you lot accept those single digit number of folks moving and trying to get in. They're either coming from another choice school or zoned school. It does have an affect considering there is a school that has had that educatee on their roster and is expecting them to evidence up."

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William Allen, who campaigned on better choice for students, was thrilled, proverb he had faced the aforementioned obstruction when he moved back to Polk County with his family several years ago.

"I would like to jump up and shout hurray," he said.

Open up enrollment begins January. 4.

Ledger reporter Kimberly C. Moore can exist reached at kmoore@theledger.com or 863-802-7514. Follow her on Twitter at @KMooreTheLedger.

Schools of Pick, Magnet Schools and Career Academies.

Magnet and choice schools offering the standard required curriculum of general education, also as distinctive themes or programs, such as science, technology, math or the arts, that concenter students to the schools. Originally, the sole purpose of magnet was to desegregate schools that were specifically identified in the Polk County desegregation agreement. Choice schools can exist created in response to customs or school interest.

Partial Pick Schools

Partial pick schools have a student population comprised of students who are zoned for that school by the address where they live and a grouping of students who utilize for a predetermined number of choice seats.

Full Choice Schools

Full choice schools have a student population comprised of students who have applied to the school. This type of school is similar to a magnet schoolhouse in that all seats at the school are filled through an awarding process.

Career Academies

These are small, personalized learning communities centered on a career theme. These programs include a college-prep curriculum and paths to industry certifications. Career Academies marshal with local industry needs and ensure that students are prepared to become skilled employees in high-demand occupations.

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Source: https://www.theledger.com/story/news/education/2021/10/14/changes-pcps-open-enrollment-magnet-choice-and-academies/8435921002/

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