ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – District leaders in Orange County released new information Tuesday about the major overhaul coming to open enrollment for public schools.
A bill passed in the Florida Legislature last year changed the policy to give parents and students more opportunity to select the school they attend, even across district and county lines.
Following the passage of the bill (HB 7029) last April, News 6 spoke to Orange County School Board chairman Bill Sublette about how the district plans to regulate the changes.
Sublette called the law "poorly thought out legislation" and told News 6 in April, it could burden taxpayers who are funding education for students who may not live in the district.
"We're going to have to set some policies in place. We're talking to our neighboring communities to figure out how we work with them because this really could be absolute chaos if not managed right," Sublette told News 6.
Months later, Orange County Public Schools started tackling the tough task that lies ahead with a newly released chart showing schools eligible to receive students under the controlled open enrollment transfer.
Twenty elementary schools are listed for potential openings, however only three high schools have seats available including East River, Jones and Wekiva High School.
OCPS decided to set the deadline for open enrollment applications until May 31.
School leaders announced applications for out-of-district student enrollment into OCPS will take place at a later date.
There are 13 districts that make up the Central Florida Public School Boards Coalition.
Each school board is required to post on its respective websites the requirements for participation, provide parents access to state school preference, a lottery system for school assignment, an appeals process, note available transportation and identify schools that have not reached full capacity.