I. The School Board strives to accommodate family choice to the maximum extent possible. Students may attend a school other than their zoned school if they have been granted a choice assignment in accordance with this policy. Disciplinary and/or attendance issues may preclude eligibility or result in a return to the home zoned school. School choice is available through the following:

A. Magnet Programs

B. Controlled Open Enrollment

C. Reassignment

D. Charter Schools

E. Family Empowerment or Opportunity Scholarships

F. Hope Scholarship

G. Home School

H. Virtual School

II. The following provisions apply to all choice assignments:

A. Applying for a choice assignment does not guarantee approval. The requested school’s enrollment, staffing, available space and programmatic capacity shall be considered before a choice assignment can be granted.

B. The student must remain in the zoned school until a choice assignment is granted.

C. Applications for certain choice assignments must be submitted within the designated time frame. Time frames are published on the Board or individual school’s website.

D. With the exception of children of full-time Board employees who are non- residents of the District, students whose primary legal residence is in the District shall be given preference over non-resident students with respect to the granting of choice assignment.

E. The Board does not provide transportation to students with choice assignments except as otherwise provided for in this policy or by law.

F. If for any reason a student leaves a choice school or program prior to completing the highest-grade level within that particular school or academic program, he or she will be required to return to his or her assigned District school.

III. Magnet Programs

Magnet programs/schools are educational choice options that promote diversity and academic excellence. Students seeking admission to a magnet program/school shall be required to meet the eligibility criteria, guidelines, and timelines specified by the magnet school of interest.. Magnet application and admissions shall be implemented following the procedures outlined in the “School Choice and Reassignment Procedures and Guidelines,” which can be found on the School Choice section of the district website.

IV. Controlled Open Enrollment

Controlled Open Enrollment is an educational choice that allows the District to make student school assignments using parents’ and legal guardians’ preferential school choice selections as a significant factor. Pursuant to

F.S. 1002.31, a student residing in any Florida County may be permitted to attend a school in another residential attendance zone using Controlled Open Enrollment (Regular School Choice) and the Choice guidelines adopted by the School Board. Controlled Open Enrollment is a lottery process.

The Controlled Open Enrollment process shall be implemented following the School Board approved Controlled Open Enrollment (COE) Plan that is outlined in School Board Policy 5.23 and available on the School Choice section of the district website.

V. Reassignments

The reassignment process is available to those students who meet special circumstances for attending a non-districted school. The reassignment process is separate and apart from Controlled Open Enrollment. Reassignments qualifications may include, but are not limited to, documented moves in/out of an attendance zone. Reassignment applications are reviewed individually and are not guaranteed approval. The reassignment process shall be implemented following the procedures outlined in the “School Choice and Reassignment Procedures and Guidelines,” which can be found on the School Choice section of the district website.

VI. Charter Schools

In addition to choice within schools operated by the Board, parents may elect for students to attend charter schools that have been approved by the Board. (See Policy 3.90 - Charter Schools.) Each charter school is operated and governed by its own independent board. Parents who elect this option need to communicate directly with the charter school to resolve questions and concerns.

VII. Opportunity and Family Empowerment Scholarships

A. The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program is an educational choice program with two branches of eligibility, the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES EO) and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES UA). FES provides the educational choice for parents to send their eligible student to either a private school or a public school other than their assigned school based on attendance zone. FES families may also qualify to receive a personal education savings account (ESA) for their student

1. Parents/guardians shall access the Family Empowerment Scholarship through a Scholarship Funding Organization identified by the Florida Department website.

2. The District shall provide assistance as required by the Florida Department of Education.

3. Requests for the FES UA public school transfer option shall be processed using the Reassignment application and procedures as outlined in the “School Choice and Reassignment Procedures and Guidelines,” which can be found on the School Choice section of the district website.

B. The Opportunity Scholarship Program offers students who attended or who were assigned to attend failing public schools the option to choose a higher performing public school under the provisions of F.S. 1002.38.

VIII. Hope Scholarship

The Hope Scholarship is available for students who have been subjected to a qualifying incident as described in F.S. 1002.40. The scholarship provides an opportunity to transfer the student to another public school with capacity or to request a scholarship for the student to enroll in an eligible private school. Applications for funding to attend an eligible private school are managed by state- approved Scholarship Funding Organizations.

IX. Home Education

Home Education is an educational choice option that is defined as the sequentially progressive instruction of a student directed by his or her parent or guardian to satisfy the requirement for compulsory education (F.S. 1002.20). The parent/guardian may elect to register his or her student in home school in accordance with School Board Policy 4.70.

X. Virtual Instruction

Virtual Instruction is a school choice option available to students under the provisions of F.S. 1002.321, F.S. 1002.45, F.S. 1002.455 and Board Policy 4.65. A parent/guardian selecting this option may register his/her student in the District’s full-time virtual instruction program or part-time course offering program. Revocation of Choice Assignment

If a student is granted a choice assignment and displays issues with attendance, grades, or disciplinary actions the student may be returned to their zoned school. Prior to revoking a school choice variance the school will document good faith efforts to provide interventions and enlist parental/guardian support for the identified areas of concern. If a student is being returned to their zoned school due to a revocation, communication should occur between the schools to establish supports for the student. Revocation of a choice assignment shall be noticed within ten (10) school days of the end of the semester and will be effective the first day of the following grading period. No requests for revocation will be considered for students attending the highest grade level offered at that school.