The Details

family preference for selection
Priority is granted to students who have a brother or sister residing at the same address who attends a Choice program at the same school and is eligible to return to that program in the next school year. Parents will need to write the name and ID number of the brother or sister on the other sibling's application form.

Sibling priority applies only to Choice programs; in other words, the sibling of a Choice student receives preference only to attend the same Choice program, not to attend the same school. The same level of dedication and participation will be expected of the sibling as was expected of the original Choice student.

Waiting List and Assignment When Available
The lottery will determine the order of the waiting list. Parents will be notified of their place on the waiting list at the time they are notified that their child did not win admission.

Parents may register their child at their home zone school and remain on the waiting list for the School of Choice. As spaces become available in the School of Choice, students will be assigned to those spaces according to their place on the waiting list.

Once a place becomes available, the first student on the waiting list will be notified of the opening, and will have 48 hours to accept or decline the space. If the place is not accepted within that time period, it will be offered to the next student on the waiting list.

Students Who Enter the District After the Selection Process
Students who move into the district after the selection process is complete may apply to Schools of Choice, and will be placed on a space-available basis.

In other words, if there are spaces available in the School of Choice, and there is no waiting list, the student may be admitted to the School of Choice. New students who wish to attend a School of Choice with a waiting list will be placed at the end of the waiting list.

The deadline for new students to apply to Schools of Choice is June 30, unless a program in conjunction with the District Schools of Choice Office decides to accept students at a later date.

Student Selection Based on False Information
If a student is selected for admission to a School of Choice based on application information which is later determined to be false, he will lose his admission to the School of Choice and will be subject to the penalties laid out in the District's Discipline Policies.

Appeals Process
If a student or parent wishes to appeal any aspect of the application, lottery or assignment process, they must first fill out a Documentation of Appeal form and present it to the District Schools of Choice Office.

Special Education Students
Special Education students who wish to attend a School of Choice may apply, but will be required to reconvene their IEP committee for approval of their application. Special Education students must receive approval of their application from their IEP committee in order to be eligible for admission to a Choice Program.

Athletic Eligibility
Students who wish to participate in athletic programs at a School of Choice may do so in compliance with the guidelines of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. Currently, the LHSAA requires students who have not attended a feeder school to sit out a year prior to obtaining athletic eligibility at their new school. However, if a student attended a middle school which feeds to the high school he has chosen for at least one year, he would be eligible to play sports in his first year at the high school.

Eligibility for Extracurricular Activities
Students who wish to participate in extracurricular activities at a School of Choice may not be excluded from doing so, unless the guidelines of a state or national organization which sanctions the activity prohibit immediate participation.

Parental Request for Transfer out of a School of Choice
If a student wishes to cancel his assignment to a School of Choice before the school year begins, this can be accomplished by visiting the District Schools of Choice Office and completing a withdrawal form. Once this form has been processed, the space will be offered to the first person on that school's waiting list.

Once the school year begins, students will remain in their School of Choice for the entire school year. If a student withdraws from a Choice program, he still will be required to remain at his new school for the remainder of the school year. If a student wishes to go back to his home zone school after the school year has begun, he must apply for withdrawal. Withdrawal will be granted only in special or extenuating circumstances, and only by the District Schools of Choice Office.

Student Academic Failure or Academy Failure
Once a student enrolls in a School of Choice, he may remain at that school the following year if he is retained, unless he is attending a Choice program with special academic requirements. New students who apply for a School of Choice and then are retained prior to enrollment at the new school are subject to losing their seat. This is because the lottery assumes the student will be promoted. In other words, the student has applied for a seat in the next grade up. Students who are enrolled in summer school in an attempt to achieve promotion to the next grade will not lose their slot in the School of Choice until after summer school is over. If the student passes and is promoted, he may attend the School of Choice. If he does not pass summer school and is not promoted, he must remain at his home zone school.

Students in high school academies must complete each year's required coursework in order to remain in their academy.

Student Discipline Problems
Choice and Academy students are subject to the same discipline policies and procedures, and have the same rights, as any other student in the district.

Send this Page to a Friend!

Printer Friendly Version