The last Stapleton-Specific Preparing for Denver Kindergarten class of the season is on January 19, 2019, and it will address some big changes to DPS Round 1 Choice this year. The Round 1 Choice window has been moved again – it opens 01/15/19 and closes 02/15/19 at 4:00pm. And, it was just announced that parents will now be able to list up to TWELVE schools on their online choice form. This is actually good news, especially for those choicing into ECE, those living in an Enrollment Zone, and those on wait lists:
This will benefit parents trying to get into ECE
- ECE odds are very low and most parents do not get a seat without sibling priority (ECE is not guaranteed to anyone outside of a few Child Find expectations each year)
- Now, instead of having to limit your list to 5 schools, you can try for up to 12
- Search for all schools with ECE within your commute preference at https://dps.schoolmint.net/school-finder/home (Full ECE List Here)
- Check to see which Admission Priority you are in at http://schoolchoice.dpsk12.org/school-admission-priorities/ so that you understand the group within which your lottery number will be used (99% of ECE3 programs do not offer continuous enrollment and require re-choicing for ECE4 and Kinder)
- Decide which 1-12 ECE schools you will list via your online choice form, and in which order (list them in the order that you want them, period – there is no way to game the system)
- Best Practice: tour all schools on your form (if you can’t, you can try to tour once you get in) More Best Practices Here!
This could give more control to those in an Enrollment Zone for K-5
- Stapleton Enrollment Zone parents are legally guaranteed a spot at ONE of the six Stapleton Enrollment Zone Elementary Schools starting in Kindergarten
- In the past, you could not list all six schools in the order you prefer (only five options)
- In the past, you could not list all Enrollment Zone schools in the order you prefer AND list any schools outside of the Zone (e.g. Expeditionary, Charter, Dual Language, etc.)
- Now, you can list all six in the order you prefer plus any other schools that you are interested in (e.g. Odyssey K-8 Expeditionary, Stedman Dual Language, etc.) so that the Choice Office does not choose your enrollment zone school for you
- Bill Roberts and Swigert were both listed as #1 more than almost any other Elementary Schools in DPS last year
This will hopefully cause less wait list movement after Round 1
- Now that Round 2 is first come, first serve within admission priority groups, wait lists are seeing much more movement after Round 2 opens
- Now that everyone can use up to 12 schools in Round 1, some may not use Round 2 at all
- More wait lists will be established early, for less movement up or down after Round 2
Want to learn more? Come to the last Stapleton Enrollment Zone class this season: 01/19/19 9:30am – 1:30pm. Seats still available – registration at www.preparingfordenverkindergarten.com/register
Resources
- DPS Parent/Student Portal (Request new account HERE)
- DPS Boundary School Finder & School Match: https://dps.schoolmint.net/school-finder/home
- DPS Charter Public Schools: http://portfolio.dpsk12.org/our-schools/charter-schools/
- DPS School Priorities: http://schoolchoice.dpsk12.org/school-admission-priorities/
- DPS Family & Community Engagement: http://parentguide.dpsk12.org/
- DPS Enrollment Guides: http://schoolchoice.dpsk12.org/enrollment-guide/
- DPS Choice & Enrollment Website: http://schoolchoice.dpsk12.org/
- DPS Kindergarten Options: http://earlyeducation.dpsk12.org/about-kindergarten/program-options/
- Before/After School and Summer Care Finder: http://cps.civicore.com/map
