SCHOOL CHOICE OPEN ENROLLMENT 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR
(Bradenton, FL – November 17, 2020)
Parents who would like to send their child to a school, other than their zoned school, for the 2021-2022 school year need to apply during the School Choice Open Enrollment Period. The 2020 School Choice Session begins Tuesday, December 1st through Friday, January 15, 2021. The School Choice Open Enrollment Period is the only time during the year when parents can apply to request their child attend another school without reason. The online Choice Application requires an active FOCUS Parent Portal account. Parents with an actively enrolled student and linked parent portal account may access the 2021-2022 Choice Application beginning December 1st, 2020 by logging in to their FOCUS Parent Portal. If the applicant child has NEVER enrolled in the School District of Manatee County, parents may click “Student Registration” on the District website and select “Click to enroll *NEW* K-12 Student for the first time”. Once the student is activated in the FOCUS student system the 2021-2022 Choice Application will be accessible for submission during the 2020 School Choice Session.
Application details are available online at www.manateeschools.net by clicking “School Choice” under the “Parents and Students” tab. It is important to note that students new to the School District of Manatee County school system will be expected to upload official documents required for school registration such as a certified birth certificate, recent report card, Florida Immunization Form, etc. A complete list of registration requirements is available at www.manateeschools.net by clicking “Student Registration” and selecting “Registration Checklist”. In addition, Choice applications must be completed and signed by the enrolling parent of record. Emailed submissions verified for Enrolling Parent by the email address entered in the Student Information System (Focus Parent Portal). School Choice decisions may be of particular interest to parents of students moving from elementary to middle school, and from middle to high school because of the variety of career academy and special programs offered at district schools. In addition, parents may use School Choice to enroll their child in the International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) programs offered at Blackburn AICE, Johnson K8 IB, Southeast IB, Buffalo Creek AICE, and Palmetto AICE.
Approval of school choice applications are subject to class size allocation capacities. Choice options for elementary students are limited to schools within a specific geographical cluster and Choice options for middle school students are limited to specific geographical regions. Choice Hub transportation may be provided within elementary clusters and middle school regions provided the student lives more than two miles from the choice approved school. Hub transportation is offered countywide for the International Baccalaureate and Advanced International Certificate of Education programs. Choice hub transportation is not available at the High School level. High school students entering 9th and 10th grade can use School Choice to apply for any public high school; however, students entering 11th and 12th grade must apply through the hardship process to attend a school other than their assigned school. For further information on school choice options available through the School District of Manatee County, please contact the Office of Student Assignment at 941-708-4971 or via email at StudentAssignment@ManateeSchools.net.
