What documents do I need to bring with me to the Parent Center?

• One of the following (original or copy): your child’s birth certificate, baptismal certificate, alien registration card, or passport.
  
  
• Proof of address (such as rent agreement, mortgage statement, current phone bill, current utility bill, paycheck).
  
  
• Proof of guardianship if guardianship has changed since the birth certificate was issued.
  
  
• Individualized Education Plan (IEP), if your child has one.
  
  
• Your child’s immunization record signed by your health-care provider OR the name and phone number of your health-care provider so that the immunization record can be obtained.

When do I register my child?

Register any time before April 30, 2008. If you do not register by April 30, you will only be able to choose from among schools in your zone that have space available. Citywide schools will not be available after April 30.

A Note to Parents of Preschoolers:

If you have a child who will be four years old by December 1, 2008, you can also register that child for pre-kindergarten at the Parent Center. Please bring the same documents that are required for kindergarten registration. (If you do not have your child’s birth certificate and your child was born in Monroe County, the Parent Center can obtain a temporary copy of your child’s birth certificate for purposes of pre-K registration only.)

How does the kindergarten school-choice lottery process work?

When you submit your completed application to the Parent Center, it is entered into the school choice computer system for schools in your zone and citywide choices. The computer keeps track of the number of seats available in each school and assigns students on a lottery basis, taking into account each student’s school choices.

The process begins after the April 30 application deadline. All applications submitted by that date receive equal treatment; it is not “first come, first served.”

The process is intended to:

• Provide families greater school choice.
  
  
• Help families make informed choices about schools.
  
  
• Increase the likelihood that families will receive their first-choice schools.
  
  
• Maintain strong neighborhood schools.
  
  
• Avoid school overcrowding.

When will I be notified of my child’s school placement?

You will be notified of your child’s placement by mail in early June, unless eligible for immediate placement (see below).

Most students will be assigned to one of the schools of their choice, based on available seats in those schools.

How do I qualify for “immediate placement”?

“Immediate placement” means you will receive confirmation of the school your child has been placed in at the time you register at the Parent Center.

You qualify for immediate placement if you meet any of the following criteria:

• Your first-choice school is the school your child’s older brother or sister currently attends and will attend in 2008-09.
  
  
• You live within a half mile (walking distance) of your first-choice school.
  
  
• You live within the current home-school attendance boundary of your first-choice school.

If you meet any of these criteria and have provided the necessary documents, you will receive immediate placement and will not have to wait until June to receive your confirmation letter.

You can find out which school(s) you live within a half mile of and which home-school attendance boundary you live within by visiting the Parent Center nearest your home or by visiting the “School Choice” feature on the District’s website at www.rcsdk12.org/kchoice.

How do I qualify for “preference” in the school-choice process?

If you do not meet any of the criteria for immediate placement, you may still be eligible for preference in the school-choice process.

You will receive preference if you live between a half mile and one-and-a-half miles (walking distance) from your first-choice school. This means that you will have preference for that school over those who live more than one-and-a-half miles from the school.

You will be notified of your child’s placement by mail in early June.

You can find out which school(s) are between a half mile and one-and-a-half miles from your home by visiting the Parent Center nearest you or by visiting the “School Choice” feature on the District’s website at www.rcsdk12.org/kchoice.

NOTE: You may meet the “immediate placement” or “preference” criteria above for more than one school. If so, you have the option of choosing any of those schools as your first choice.

What if my child is not assigned to our first-choice school through the lottery process?

Your child will be assigned to another school with available space, beginning with your second-, third-, and fourth-choice schools.

He or she will also be placed on a waiting list for your first-choice school. Your child will remain on the list throughout the 2008-09 school year. If space becomes available at any time, you will be notified and given the option of having your child re-assigned to that school.

You can obtain updates on the waiting list from your Parent Center.

What if my child currently attends pre-K at an elementary school?

If your child attends pre-K at the Franklin Montessori School, he or she will continue there for kindergarten unless you apply to another school.

If your child attends any other pre-K, you must participate in the school choice process to choose an elementary school for your child.

What if my child does not speak English or has special education needs?

You should still begin the process at the Parent Center. There you will be connected with a special education specialist or language assessment specialist who will assist you in determining the best program for your child.

How do I know if my child will be eligible for transportation?

If your child lives more than one-and-a-half miles from the school he or she is enrolled in, he or she will be eligible for transportation and will receive information the week before school opens.

You can find out which schools are more than one-and-a-half miles from your home by visiting the Parent Information & Student Registration Center nearest your home.