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Schools

Phone, online methods confirm your selections

By CHARLES TOBIN and DONNA WINCHESTER
Published March 29, 2006

No doubt about it, this year's more streamlined method of applying for choice attendance area schools has cut down on paperwork. Rather than going to a Family Education and Information Center and filling out a form, those who need to choose a school for their children for next year can do so either by phone or online.

But for some parents, not having a paper trail can be disconcerting. For them, the question becomes: How can I verify that I successfully completed my application?

District officials say that if you apply by phone, the system will take you through the process one step at a time and then recite the choices you made. With the online application, your choices will be apparent on the computer screen, and you can print the page to keep for your records.

Another question parents are asking as the application period for choice attendance area schools enters its second week is whether they can change their minds once they've completed their phone or online application.

That's one of the benefits of this year's system, choice folks say. Parents can dial in or log on again to change their application at any time before the application period ends at midnight on April 9.

The only thing to keep in mind is that if you want to change your application, you must do so using the same approach you used when you first made your choices.

If you applied by phone, you need to make the change by phone. If you applied online, you must make the change online.

Here are some other questions we've been hearing:

My child, who attends private school, applied last year for public school but didn't get the seat he wanted. We would like to apply again. Can he use his student number from last year?

Yes, but you will have to revisit a Family Education and Information Center - 3420 Eighth Ave. S in St. Petersburg or 1101 Marshall St. in Clearwater - and show proof of residency to reactivate the number.

I've heard that under the choice plan, students' eligibility for bus transportation has changed. What is the district policy on that?

You're eligible for a school bus ride if you live more than 2 miles from your assigned school. Students who attend countywide magnet, fundamental and career academy programs are eligible for arterial service, where buses stick to main roads and make fewer stops. As a rule, children who attend fundamental schools do not receive bus transportation. Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School in St. Petersburg and the new ninth-grade fundamental program at Osceola High School are exceptions.

What happens if I move after my child is assigned a school?

If your child is in a countywide magnet, fundamental or career academy program or is in high school, he or she can remain in that program regardless of where in the county you live. But if your child goes to an attendance area elementary or middle school, the assignment may change depending on where you move.

Families who leave one attendance area for another - moving from Clearwater to St. Petersburg, for example - will need to find a seat in a school in the new attendance area. Those who move but remain in the same attendance area do not have to change schools.

Check the attendance area maps in the School Choice Information Guide, available online at www.pinellas.k12.fl.us/Choice/choiceguide.pdf for the attendance area boundaries.

Still unsure about which school to choose for your child? The best way to get a feel for a school, say parents who have made the decision, is to pay a visit. Most schools will continue to offer tours and open houses through the application period for choice attendance area schools. Go to www.pinellas.k12.fl.us/Choice/tours.html for a complete list of opportunities. School officials suggest you call ahead to verify dates and times.

[Last modified March 29, 2006, 01:23:20]