We hope that you find this site informative and helpful. However, we understand that every family and every child is unique. If you have questions, please read on. You may find the answer you need. However, if you still have questions, you are encouraged to call or email our office by using the links on the right of this website.
FAQs
If I am among the first people to submit my application, does that increase my chances of being selected for my first choice?
No. All applicants are vetted based on whether they meet the eligibility criteria for the schools for which they apply. For our magnet schools, all eligible applicants are selected via a lottery process.
How can I find out more about the various schools listed in the online application?
Each Fall, the Office of Enrollment Servicesholds its annual School Choice EXPO at Washington HighSchool (6000 College Parkway, Pensacola, FL 32504). This year the Expo will be held on November 2, 2023. Representatives from every school/program are available at the event to engage in one-on-one conversations about their programs.
If you are seeking additional information about a specific elementaryschool, you are encouraged to visit the District’sElementary Education page. To learn more about middle and high school programs, please visit the District'sMiddle School Education page,High School Education page, or the Workforce Education Department'sCareer Academies page.From those pages, you will be able to navigate to each school’s website to learn more and to obtain pertinent contact information.
The application requires me to list 3 schools, but I only want to list one choice. Can I still apply?
Due to high demand and limited space at some of our programs, we encourage EVERY applicant to have a "plan B" (and even a "plan C").Applicants are encouraged to list 3 different choices, in order of preference. The selection process is designed to attempt to place each applicant in his/herfirstpreference. Typically, if your child meets the minimum eligibility criteria for that particular school listed as his/herfirstpreference, your child will be selected for that school, except in cases wherein the number of eligible applicants exceeds the space available for that school. In the event that the number of eligible applicants exceeds a school's capacity, a randomized selection process will be used to determine which students--out of the pool of all eligible applicants who listed that school astheirfirst choice--are chosen. Historically, selections for N. B. Cook Elementary, Brown Barge Middle, and West Florida Highare conducted in this manner.
If your child is not selected for his/her first preference, our office will attempt to place your child into the school that you list as your second preference. In a similar fashion, as described above, if your childdoes not get selected for his/her secondchoice, our office will attempt to place your child in the schoolthat is listed as your child's third preference. For this reason, EVERY applicant is required to list a second and third preference. Listing the same selection more than once does not increase the chances of being placed in that school. Rather, you risk not being placed in any school other than your zoned school.
Don't fret. If you get selected for a program that you are not fully satisfied with, you retain the right to attend your residentially-zoned school. If you're not sure which school you're zoned for (based upon your primary residential address), you can always use our district's "Find Your School" feature (here) and find out!
I listed 3 schools. Will I receive a letter fromeach schoolto let me know if I was selected orturned down?
No. You will only receive one selection letter. It will only indicate a single school for which the student applicant was selected. Again, our office attempts to select students based upon theirfirstpreference, where possible. Please see FAQ #3 for more information regarding the selection process.
What if I decide that I do not wish to attend the school for which I have been selected?
All selected applicants retain the right to attend their residentially-zoned school if they do not wish to attend the school for which they have been selected.
Who can apply?
The online application process is open to any of the following:
- any student who currently resides at an address in Escambia County, Florida (exception: IB applicants may reside outside of Escambia County.)
- any student who is the dependent of an active duty military member who has active duty military orders that station the family in Escambia County
If I do not meet the eligibility requirements, can I still apply?
Yes. Parents of students who are deemed ineligible for all programs will be emailed to notify them of their child's ineligibility. Any appeals submitted by parentsmustspecifically address the area(s) in which the child did not meet the minimum criteriaand shouldprovideevidence that the deficit is atypical for the student and is not ongoing.
Why do you need my email address for this application?
Applicants and their families could be notified by email under certain circ*mstances:
- The student applicant does not meet one or more of the eligibility requirements.
- The student applicant listed a military preference and our office needs to request a copy of the active duty military orders of the parent/guardian.
- The proof of residence submitted does not meet district requirements.
- Our office needs to ask clarifying questions about the student’s application.
I made a mistake on my first application. Can I make changes?
Please submit another application. The last application submitted will be processed, all earlier versions will be deleted.
Will I get a confirmation email to let me know that my application was submitted properly?
All applicants will receive a confirmation email from Google with a summary of their application. If you do not receive an email within 24 hours, please call the office of School Choice at 850-469-5580 to confirm your application was received.
How will we be notified of the school for which we have been selected?
Each applicant will receive ONE email,sent to the email address listed in the application. The emailwill indicate the school for which the applicant was selected. If our office is unable to place your student in any of the preferences listed in his/her application, the emailyou receive will indicate that the applicant was not selected for any program.
The email listed on the application must belong to the parent/guardian of the applicant. Otherwise, you risk missing important communications from our office.
