Bill passed allows transfer of students to schools outside their assigned zone

Not every school allows open transfer, OCPS CCO says

ORLANDO, Fla. – The 2017-18 school year is going to be a bit different for students across the state of Florida. 

A bill passed last year in the Legislature means students can transfer schools out of their assigned zone.

"This isn't a huge change for us. We've managed this in the past. The change is there's no more requirement that the school's over-enrolled to go to an under-enrolled. It's all under-enrolled," said Scott Howat, the chief communications officer with Orange County Public Schools. 

Howat said not every school allows an open transfer option. In Orange County, eligible schools are those that are under-enrolled. 

"We look at a five-year projection of enrollment and based on that five-year projection, if any year exceeds 90 percent, then that school would be eliminated from the potential pool of schools," Howat said.

There are restrictions, and parents can't transfer their child to just any school. The school has to have availability and offer open enrollment. Parents and students also have to provide their own transportation. 

It's also important to note that each county has their own open enrollment time frame for applications. 

"It's not based on first come, first serve," Howat said. "We'll do it based on the number of slots available, and then if there's more that apply for those slots, then it will be done on a lottery basis."

Orange County schools have opened enrollment for in-county residents from Feb. 1 to May 31.

Out-of-county residents can register their children from May 15-31. Parents will be notified of their child's acceptance in early June. 

In Volusia County, in- and out-of-county residents have until May 26 to register their children. 

In Lake County, registration runs from Feb. 1-28.

Sherri Owens with Lake County Schools said they will likely have more applications than openings, creating a lottery process. 

Not everyone is thrilled about the options. One man leaving Jones High School Wednesday said his fear is students will change schools based on an athletic program. 

"Ain't nobody going to the other schools but athletes," he said. "That's the way it's going to be -- nothing but athletes. You watch."

But Howat disagrees and said, "You're not hand picking athletes, or coaches can't go out and say, 'I want this student to come because I have a slot available.' They would have to apply like anyone else and they would be treated the same."

For more information about each county's enrollment dates follow the links below:


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