Questions about choosing a school
(This article first appeared in the January 24, 2010 edition of the Omaha World-Herald)
A new alternative to assigning students to their neighborhood school. Parents in Douglas and Sarpy counties may apply to send their children to any public elementary, middle or high school in the two counties, if there's room, subject to rules designed to foster socioeconomic diversity. Open enrollment replaces option enrollment for students living in the two counties.
To help improve academic achievement for disadvantaged youth. The goal is to alter enrollment in every learning community school to reflect the overall balance of affluent and poor students in the learning community. This year, the learning community overall has 40 percent low-income students, measured by how many students qualify for federal lunch subsidies. That's the target for each school.
No. If you wish, your children may continue to attend their neighborhood school.
Any parent, guardian or emancipated minor in the 11 learning community districts: Omaha, Millard, Westside, Bellevue, Papillion-La Vista, South Sarpy, Ralston, Gretna, Elkhorn, Douglas County West and Bennington.
Any school district or the learning community Web site: www.learningcommunityds.org. You will need one application for each child.
March 15. Submit the application to the district that contains the building you want your child to attend.
Yes. Each application allows you to request three schools in a district. You may apply to multiple districts using separate applications.
Districts will determine by March 1 how much room they have based on guidelines established by the learning community council, taking into account staffing, space, class sizes and a district's growth needs. In Omaha Public Schools, there will be at least some seats in each grade at every school, kindergarten through eighth grade.
First, siblings of students who will be enrolled as continuing students in the school. Then, students who contribute to the socioeconomic diversity of the school, that is, the mix of affluent and poor kids. Last, everyone else.
On the application, you will indicate whether your family qualifies for free or reduced-price school lunch. Eligibility guidelines are available from your school district or on the Web at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Lunch/. For example, a family of four earning $40,793 or less per year would qualify. The district would then decide whether enrolling your child would help reach the diversity target.
Applicants will be chosen randomly within each preference group (siblings, socioeconomic, everyone) till the building is full. Those not chosen will go on a waiting list.
No. All qualified applicants will be considered at the same time — after the application period closes. In fact, you may want to wait to apply until districts determine which schools have room.
Districts must notify you by April 5. You must notify the district of acceptance by April 25 or lose the slot. You may accept only one school for each child.
Yes, as long as your open-enrollment application is filed by March 15, you notify the district of acceptance by April 25 and you meet all other eligibility requirements of the Nebraska School Activities Association.
It depends. Siblings must attend the same school at the same time to receive the sibling priority. If the older child currently attends the desired school this year but will move up next year to middle or high school, the younger sibling has no claim to a priority status.
No. Districts will assign their resident students to schools first, including resident students transferring to a new school within their district. After that, districts will assign open-enrollment students. However, even in your own district, some buildings or special academic programs could be closed to residents because of high demand or neighborhood overcrowding.
Yes, but you will not have to complete an open-enrollment form again. The school district will notify you regarding continuation and building availability, and you will have until February to reply with any building preference requests. Once a child is accepted into a building within a district, he or she remains within that district until graduation or a family decides to no longer attend that district.
No. Those children are grandfathered into the district.
Children who live more than a mile from school and either qualify for free or reduced-price lunches or contribute to the school's socioeconomic diversity, are eligible for free transportation.
The learning community council and the districts will determine bus routes and stops after April 25.
Determined by each district. State law provides for reimbursement under certain circumstances.
You can still apply using option enrollment.
First, consider your child's personality, learning style and any special needs, according to Project Appleseed, a national parent advocacy group. Does he need the structure of a traditional school setting? Would he benefit from an alternative approach? Does she work best individually or in groups? Does he have an interest in music or a foreign language?
Look for a school that fits your child. Schools often publish a statement about their beliefs and teaching approaches. Talk to principals, who are used to getting calls from interested parents. Ask about class sizes and how classes are scheduled. What discipline policy is used?
Tour the school and observe. Is discipline maintained? How do adults treat children?
Ask about the curriculum. Does the school have a strong focus on literacy or other key academic areas?