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Regulation 0501.90-AR-07 Schools of Choice (SOC) General Information

Schools of Choice (SOC) General Information

The District employs a lottery system to select students for its Schools of Choice. The purpose of the lottery is to provide an equitable system for selecting students when there is a greater student interest than seats available in a School of Choice Program.

School of Choice General Information

  1. School of Choice application deadlines will be posted on the District’s website annually.
    1. If the application is not received by the posted date or if the received application is incomplete, it will not be considered for the lottery enrollment process.
  2. The Schools of Choice Lottery date will be posted on the District’s website annually.
    1. The District will make every effort to live-stream and/or record the lottery process for the Schools of Choice.
  3. Each student seeking to initially be a student at a School of Choice must complete the application process.
    1. In-District must be a resident within the West Ada District's boundary at the time of application.
    2. Out-of-District must be a resident of Idaho at the time of application.
  4. If the number of applications received is less than the number of allotted seats for the School of Choice, by grade, all students will be accepted providing the special program has not exceed capacity. Refer to AR(2a) and AR(2b).
    1. This does not apply to Renaissance High School and Idaho Fine Arts Academy.
  5. If the number of applications received is greater than the number of allotted seats for the School of Choice, bygrade, a lottery will be convened.
  6. Once all available seats are assigned, District administration or designee will draw a grade level wait list for each School of Choice. The students on the wait list will be listed in order and will be offered a seat when one becomes available.
  7. A parent(s)/guardian(s) of a new student seeking enrollment must complete the Schools of Choice online application located on the District’s website or at the School of Choice website.
    1. If a patron cannot access the Schools of Choice online application, they are directed to come to the District Service Center where an online application can be completed.
    2. Siblings of currently enrolled School of Choice students must complete the application process.
  8. In the event of grade acceleration or retention after the time of application parent(s)/guardian(s) need to contact the building administration or designee to update their student's application to the appropriate grade level prior to the date of the lottery draw.
    1. Failure to do so may jeopardize placement in the appropriate grade and negatively impact continued placement and ability to attend the School of Choice.
  9. Idaho Fine Arts Academy
    1. Admission determinations for the Idaho Fine Arts Academy are based upon a performance audition. The Superintendent or designee is directed to create protocols for the determination of such an admission process. Refer to 0501.90 AR(10)
  10. Renaissance High School
    1. Admission determinations for Renaissance High School are based upon academic indicators. The Superintendent or designee is directed to create protocols for the determination of such an admission process. Refer to Policy 0501.90 AR(9)

District Lottery Process

All on-time received applications are numbered by category and grade level and are given priority as follows:

  • Categry 1
    • A student of a district employee who is employed at .50 FTE or greater at the school of choice building.
    • Siblings of currently enrolled student(s) (who will be attending in the coming year) living in the primary SOC attendance zone.
  • Categry 2
    • A student of a district employee who is employed at .50 FTE or greater living in or outside the West Ada School District boundary.
    • Siblings of currently enrolled students (who will be attending in the coming year) living outside the primary SOC attendance zone, living within West Ada School District boundary.
  • Categry 3
    • New applicant living within the primary SOC attendance zone.
  • Categry 4
    • New applicant living outside the primary SOC attendance zone, living within West Ada School District boundary.
  • Categry 5
    • Siblings of currently enrolled students (who will be attending in the coming year) living outside the West Ada School District boundary.
  • Categry 6
    • New applicant living outside West Ada School District boundary.

District Post Lottery Process

  1. Students who were selected in the lottery will need to accept or decline their seat in the timeframe stated in the Acceptance Letter.
    1. If the applicant accepts, the parent/guardian will proceed to enroll their student at the School of Choice submitting valid proof of residency within thirty (30) days. Policy 0501.90 AR(1) for valid proof of residency options.
      1. Proof of residency will be confirmed and checked against the address provided at the time of application.
      2. The school has now become the student’s “primary school”.
    2. If the applicant declines the offer, the parent/guardian will need to enroll their student at their boundary school or other open enrollment options.
    3. If no response is recorded, that seat will no longer be saved for the student.
  2. If an In-District or Out-of-District student is offered a seat from the wait list while school is in session during the spring for the subsequent school year, the parent(s)/guardian(s) has two (2) workdays to accept the offer before the school proceeds to the next student on the wait list.
  3. In the event of grade acceleration or retention after the time of placement at a School of Choice placement, is contingent on space available in the new grade level. If space is not available, the student will need to return to enroll at their boundary school.
  4. Full-time students have priority over dual-enrolled or home-schooled students in a School of Choice.
    1. If there are students accepted to a School of Choice who want to be dually enrolled or home schooled after acceptance, the student will forfeit their seat to a full-time student on the waitlist.
    2. If there are students on a School of Choice wait list in a grade level where a currently enrolled student wants to be dually enrolled or home schooled after acceptance, the student will forfeit their seat to a full-time student on the waitlist.
  5. A late application for an In-District or Out-of-District student may be considered for any wait list, in the order that they are received.
  6. During the summer break (June and July), if an In-District student is offered a seat from the wait list the parent(s)/guardian(s) has five (5) workdays to accept the offer.
  7. Idaho’s Open Enrollment statute 33-14 does not apply to Schools of Choice.
  8. A parent/guardian may only request a procedural review of the lottery drawing within five (5) workdays of receiving written notice to the Director of Accountability and Support. Any decision will be final.

Out-of-District Information for Schools of Choice

  1. An Out-of-District student who accepts a seat to attend a School of Choice must complete both the School of Choice enrollment process and the Out-of-District transfer application process.
  2. An Out-of-District student enrolled in a School of Choice via Open Enrollment must submit a new Out-of- District application if they wish to transfer to another non-school of choice school within the District.
  3. Any Out-of-District student who is on a School of Choice wait list and has not been accepted into the School of Choice by June 1st, will be removed from the wait list.
    1. An Out-of-District student who was removed from the wait list may re-apply. The student will then be placed on the wait list and may be offered a seat after In-District students have been given the opportunity to accept a seat.
  4. If a student is an In-District student at the time of application, lottery, and acceptance, and subsequently moves, becomes an Out-of-District student after June 1st but before attending the first day of school, the student’s seat at the School of Choice will be forfeited.