Another deadline is looming for parents who applied to magnet, fundamental or career academy programs.
By TOM TOBIN and DONNA WINCHESTER
Published December 7, 2003
Wednesday is the last day they will be able to call the automated phone line to accept a seat if one has been offered. That is the only way to find out. Seats not claimed by 5 p.m. Wednesday will be considered refused.
They need to place that call to find out if their child was offered a seat or was placed on a waiting list at one of the countywide programs.
Even at this point in the process, confusion abounds. Choice spokeswoman Andrea Zahn reports that her office has been fielding parent questions about everything from the mechanics of the automated system to waiting lists.
We'll try to answer some of the most frequently asked questions here.
Q: Didn't the phone lines go down Nov. 1 when the application period ended? I thought I had to get in touch with the schools where I applied to find out if my child was offered a seat.
A: The acceptance process as well as the application process for magnet, fundamental and career academy programs is automated this year. The phone lines closed for applications on Nov. 1 but were opened up again Dec. 1 so parents could call and learn their child's status. You use the same number to check your status - 501-0871 - as you did to apply. The line is operational 24 hours a day until 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Q: How do I know if the phone system has recorded my responses properly?
A: You can confirm your selections by returning to Option 1. You will be told your child's current status, including any invitations offered and accepted, and his or her number on any waiting lists.
Q: I want my child to remain on the wait list he's been placed on but there was no option to do that. What do I do to make sure he stays on the list?
A: You don't have to do anything. Children automatically remain on the wait lists until the lists expire or you accept a spot in one of the programs.
Q: When I called to check my child's wait list status, she was in the same spot she was in the first day of the acceptance period. Why hasn't she moved up on the list?
A: During the acceptance period, student information concerning wait list order does not change. No one will "move up" on the list until after the acceptance period is over.
Q: How will I know if and when my child moves up on the list?
A: By the third week in December, individual schools will have the results of the application process. If your child moves up and off the wait list, a representative from the school will call you to offer you the seat. As in past years, you will have approximately 24 hours to accept it.
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Now, here's an update on choice applications.
As of Friday afternoon, approximately 18,750 applications had been processed. But about 500 still needed corrections.
Staff at the Family Education and Information Centers have made several attempts by phone calls and mail to contact parents whose applications have errors. On Friday, principals sent notices home with students whose applications have problems urging their parents to contact a Family Education and Information Center as soon as possible.
The most common mistakes, Zahn said, are incorrect addresses or addresses that do not match the official one listed for the child. She says this is an excellent example of why the Student Code of Conduct states that parents are responsible for notifying the district of any change of address. Maintaining updated records is critical not only for the day-to-day operation of the school, but for the student's choice assignment, Zahn said.
Corrected applications must be resubmitted no later than Wednesday.
