Are you a parent who is considering school choice options for your children?
HISD is opening its annual school choice application for the 2024-2025 academic year. Families eager to explore magnet or alternative school options can mark their calendars with key dates released by HISD.
Here’s everything you need to know:
Key Dates:
Phase One Application (Open Now – Feb. 23, 2024): Families can now apply for magnet or alternative schools through the streamlined Phase One Application process.
Phase One Lottery Notification (March 26, 2024): Applicants will be notified of the lottery results, providing an early glimpse into their school options.
Phase Two Application Opens (March 26, 2024): For students who participated in Phase One but did not secure a spot, Phase Two allows them to apply to schools with available spaces.
Phase One School Acceptance (April 9, 2024): Accepted students must confirm their match by this date.
Phase Two Application Due (to be announced): Details for the Phase Two deadline will be communicated soon.
What’s New:
HISD is providing a wealth of online resources, including:
School Choice Parent Handbook : A guide for families on what to expect from the school choice process.
Family Program Guide: A comprehensive list of schools categorized by program type.
Informational Videos and Overview: Supporting parents in completing the application.
Updated School Finder : Providing detailed information about each campus, from specialized programs to extracurricular offerings.
In-Person Support: HISD is going the extra mile to assist families through in-person events, including Saturday sessions, School Choice Bus Stops, and Afterschool Mini Clinics in the last two weeks of the application window.
HISD is now offering a zoned pre-K option, reducing the need for families to apply through the lottery for pre-K enrollment at their zoned school. Details for the 2024-2025 academic year will be announced later this month.
For those seeking personalized assistance, a School Choice Customer Service hotline will be available throughout the application period.
Debate on education freedom
This comes as Gov. Greg Abbott declared the week of Jan. 21 “National School Choice Week.” The state legislators are in an ongoing debate over education freedom and funding.
Abbott, a staunch advocate for subsidizing private education using state funds, faces a divided Republican front in the primary races for the Texas House. He is urging voters to support candidates aligned with his vision which includes “universal” education savings accounts to give families options outside of public education.
Abbott endorsed candidates in House races late last year, explicitly excluding Republicans who opposed education savings accounts from his list of endorsements. He lost a yearlong battle to create school vouchers with his failure to convince 21 House Republicans on the vote last December.