Please Note: This information does NOT apply to students from towns that do not have their own high schools and pay tuition for their students to attend area high schools.
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Application process
- Applications for the choice program: will be posted in early January 2024.
- Applications will be processed on a student-by-student basis (not by families).
- Applications for the 2024-2025 school year will be accepted beginning in early January 2024 until midnight before the March 1 deadline.
- Once the application has been completed, the application must be submitted before the March 1 deadline to the home school principal.
- Students may indicate a first, second, and third choice for schools on their applications.
Timeline
January
Before March 1
- Applications due to home school
On or before March 5
- “Out” lottery completed if necessary; “Out” approved applications sent to desired schools
On or before March 10
- Families notified if first choice placement approved
On or before March 15
- Lottery completed if needed
On or before March 20
- Families who did not get first choice notified if second choice placement is approved
April 1
- Families who did not get second choice notified if third choice placement is approved
April 15
- Acceptance of choice due to preferred school
Duration of choice
- Selection for the choice program will take place only once during the school year using a lottery as needed to prioritize acceptances.
- Burlington High School will approve 10 outgoing school choice applications annually using a lottery.
- It is understood that if a student is accepted into the choice program, the student will continue to be enrolled at the choice school for the remainder of the high school career. If the student makes the decision to no longer participate in the choice program, the only option is to return to his/her school of residence.
- If a student determines that the student does not wish to continue in the school choice program for the next school year, the student should notify the home school by January 15 or at the earliest possible time.
Lottery process
- All applications that are not received by the deadline will not be included in the choice lottery.
- All applications for a school will be drawn and a ranking will be assigned to each applicant by the receiving school.
- If a student has indicated a 1st, 2nd, and/or 3rd choice, applications will be submitted into the lottery for each requested school. If the student is ranked at a level by lottery for acceptance into their first choice of schools, the student will be removed from the ranked list from their second and third choices.
Notification of selection into the choice program
- Once the lottery has been completed, the principal of the student’s home school will notify the family of their selection into the choice program.
- If a student does not make it into the choice program, the family will be notified in writing and will be given their ranking from the lottery.
Acceptance of the choice program by the family
- The family will notify the principal, in writing, by April 16, and by January 15 in subsequent years, whether or not the student will be participating in the choice program.
- The principal will notify the choice school of the acceptance or rejection of the choice program.
- If the family does not participate in the choice program, the next student on the list from the lottery list will be notified.
School responsibilities for notification
- The principal will inform the family that they need to
- enroll by registering online (if accepted)
- ensure student records are transferred to the choice school
- The principal will inform the principals in choice schools which students will be participating in the program for the upcoming year.
- The home school will notify the choice school of any individual educational plans or eligibility for such plans as IEP, 504, or ELL.
Number of students
The number of incoming and outgoing students will be approved annually by the school board.
