Schools

Interested in participating in school choice? Apply now

By Times Staff Writer
Published September 15, 2007

TAMPA - Hillsborough parents still interested in participating in school choice this school year can apply beginning Monday.

The school district is accepting applications Sept. 17-28. The choice program allows students to attend schools that have available space outside their neighborhood attendance boundaries.

Relatively few schools have extra seats at this time. They include four high schools, seven middle schools and 35 elementary schools.

"We want to be very, very conservative about overfilling schools," said Bill Person, who oversees student placement.

He noted that students assigned to a school under choice can stay there through the highest grade level offered. Hillsborough wants to be careful making such assignments because beginning next year, Florida schools face hard caps on class sizes.

The schools with available space are as follows, although not all grade levels may have openings:

High schools: Lennard, Leto, Robinson and Spoto.

Middle schools: Bartels, Buchanan, Greco, Monroe, Madison, Van Buren and Webb.

Elementary schools: Anderson, Ballast Point, Bay Crest, Bellamy, Bing, Carrollwood, Chiaramonte, Chiles, Citrus Park, Clark, Collins, Crestwood, Deer Park, DeSoto, Doby, Egypt Lake, Grady, Hammond, Heritage, James, Kenly, Knights, Lake Magdalene, Lanier, Limona, Mendenhall, Morgan Woods, Seminole, Summerfield Crossings, Tampa Palms, Temple Terrace, Thonotosassa, Town and Country, West Tampa and Woodbridge.

Hillsborough's range of choice options also includes specialized magnet programs and special assignment into crowded schools for hardship reasons. At this time, elementary and middle magnet programs, but not high schools, are accepting applications.

Students staying at their current school do not need to fill out applications.

The district expects to reopen the choice program to applicants for the 2008-09 school year in December. For more information, visit www.sdhc.k12.fl.us/choice or call the Choice Information Line at (813) 272-4692.

[Last modified September 15, 2007, 01:26:31]