The prospect of finding the right primary or secondary school can be overwhelming, but Colorado’s open enrollment laws give families the option to choose what school their child enrolls in.

Parents can choose to send their student to their neighborhood school, to another school in their district or to a school in an outside district — any school in the state they are able to provide transportation to, they can go to.

“Parents have more options available to them in terms of choosing a school for their child,” said Bill Kottenstette, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Education’s Choice and Innovation Unit. “Some states have policies that would limit the ability of a student to enroll in a school outside of their neighborhood (within the district) or outside of their district. Colorado policies allow for both types of open enrollment as long as there is space available at the school in which the student seeks to enroll.”

Parents can fill out a Choice Open Enrollment Application for the school they want to send their child to, but enrollment is not guaranteed. Applications can be denied for any the following reasons:

• The school does not have enough space or staff.

• The school does not have the proper facilities or programs necessary for the student’s needs.

• The student does not meet the school’s eligibility criteria.

• A desegregation plan is in effect to reduce/ increase diversity and improve courses and access to school facilities.

• The student was expelled, is in the process of being expelled or the student’s behavior could lead to expulsion.

Families are encouraged to research their neighborhood schools before looking at other options.

“Start with your neighborhood school. Have a tour, get a lay of the land. I tell parents they will have a gut feeling about where their child belongs.”

-Devra Ashby, Communications Director for Colorado Springs School District 11

Ashby says parents should worry less about finding “niche, specialized schools” for their elementary students — it’s when their child gets older that parents should start to look out for particular interests. Many schools offer technical training that can point students in the direction of specific careers and even help students earn college credits or certification to practice trades.

In Colorado Springs and the surrounding area there are nine districts with a variety of elementary, middle and high school options:

• Academy School District 20
• Cheyenne Mountain School District 12
• Colorado Springs School District 11
• Falcon School District 49
• Harrison School District 2
• Manitou Springs School District 14
• Lewis-Palmer School District 38
• Widefield School District 3

Parents who are concerned about school waitlists are encouraged to contact the school that they want their child to attend.

Colorado children have many options for types of schools: neighborhood public schooling, open enrollment at other public schools, magnet schools and Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. Outside of public school districts, religious and non-secular private schools are also options parents and students may consider.

NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

A neighborhood school is assigned to a child based on a system created by the school district. Attending a neighborhood public school can make it easy for a child to get to school, work with classmates on group projects and visit friends.

OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

If the school has space, families can apply to attend schools in districts outside of their neighborhood. Schools may individually emphasize science, art, sports, language study, code of conduct, dress code or rigorous traditional academic programs to different degrees.

Alternative schools are designed to respond to students who are insufficiently challenged by the regular school program, are likely to drop out, or have behavioral or substance abuse problems.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Private schools have been established to meet the demand of some parents’ differing beliefs about how their children should be educated. Most non-public schools are affiliated with a denomination, local church or religious faith, but there are also many non-public schools without a religious identity or affiliation.

Some of these private schools are preparatory schools designed to prepare students for college. Other schools are based on a particular educational philosophy or approach to learning, such as Montessori or Waldorf schools.

Schools for the deaf or blind have been established for families and children who may be dissatisfied with various aspects of conventional schools.

CHARTER SCHOOLS

Charter schools are tuition-free, open-enrollment public schools of choice that operate with freedom from many of the local and state regulations that apply to traditional public schools.

“Charter schools provide a wide variety of opportunities from Montessori to classical to expeditionary learning to core knowledge,” said Ben Lindquist, President of the Colorado League of Charter Schools. “It’s taking the private school model and making them available to the public.”

MAGNET SCHOOLS

Magnet schools are designed to attract students from diverse social, economic, ethnic and racial backgrounds by focusing on a specific subject, such as science, technology, or the arts. Some schools host magnet programs within them. Typically, magnet schools and programs require students to take an exam or demonstrate skill to qualify for enrollment.

VIRTUAL SCHOOLS

Virtual schools have organized curriculum for students to complete on their computers. Virtual education is sometimes used in remote areas for specialized or advanced courses that are not available in the immediate area. Some school districts use online schools to offer classes that will help students learn at their own pace.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate programs offer rigorous academics for high schoolers. At the end of an AP course, students have the opportunity to receive college credit at a college or university depending on their scores from the national AP exam.

Students who graduate from an IB program receive an IB diploma that is recognized internationally by colleges and universities and are often given college or university credit. Other students may choose not to take the full IB curriculum but pursue certificates in individual areas. Some elementary and middle schools offer components of the IB program.

HOME SCHOOLS

Homeschooling is another option for parents. Some parents prepare their own materials and design their own programs of study, while others use materials produced by companies specializing in homeschool materials.

Homeschooling is considered non-public and is not regulated by the state of Colorado, according to the Colorado Department of Education.

The school type descriptions are adapted from the U.S. Department of Education’s Choosing a School for Your Child.