Below is the blog post from January when the choice transfer information was posted. Five families inquired about school choice as it relates to the information shared at parent night so it seemed timely to re-post the information. The dates for this year's application window will be posted as soon as they become available but there is typically little variance from year to year. The choice link connects to the 2016-17 information but it provides a good idea of what to expect for the 2017-18 process.
The most important information is that choice applicants are not guaranteed, and that the determination window is after the course selection process has closed for both N. Cobb and Allatoona. It is highly recommended to pursue school choice but to also complete paperwork for the zoned high school just in case the transfer is not approved. Furthermore, some years no choice transfers for a particular school are offered so students may be unable to get into the school of their choice.
January 30, 2017 School Choice Post
The application window for the 2017-2018 school year will be open from February 1, 2017 and close at midnight on February 28, 2017. No late applications will be accepted.
The following information was taken from the district web page. Please click on the link below to see the most current information.
Any resident student of the Cobb County School District may apply for a School Choice transfer in accordance with Georgia’s Quality Basic Education Act (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2131 also known as HB 251).
- Available space at a school is based upon permanent classroom space which includes available seats at each grade level.
- Online applicants will be provided a confirmation email.
- Available spaces are not assigned on a first-come-first-served basis.
- If there are more applications received than spaces available at a particular school, a lottery will be held.
- Selected students may complete the highest grade of that particular school before having to re-apply if the student maintains acceptable attendance, behavior, and academic performance. Parents/Guardians are also expected to maintain a cordial and cooperative working relationship with school personnel.
- Parents/guardians are responsible for timely transportation to and from the transfer school.
- Parents/guardians will be notified via telephone and/or e-mail prior to Spring Break.
- Charter schools and new schools are exempt from School Choice.
- If the student transfers at the high school level, he/she must meet Georgia High School Association requirements to participate in competitive interscholastic activities. Click HERE for more information.
- Current fifth and eighth grade choice students applying to continue in the choice school feeder pattern will be given first priority in the lottery process. These students must re-apply when moving from elementary to middle or middle to high but will be given priority in the lottery process.
- Once those students are placed, siblings of current choice students applying to attend the same school will be given next priority in the lottery process.
- The next lottery will give priority to new sibling groups applying to attend the same school.
- The final lottery process will be to fill any remaining available seats.
- Students not chosen in the random lottery for their first choice school will be placed on a waiting list based on the outcome of the lottery.
- Acceptance of a school choice transfer:
- Once a school choice transfer is approved, the parent/guardian must contact the receiving school by May 1, 2017 in order to indicate whether the transfer offer will be accepted.
- The parent/guardian must also submit a school choice transfer enrollment form to the receiving school by May 26, 2017.
- Failure to complete either of the above steps will result in the school choice transfer being nullified and forfeiting of the student’s seat.
- Once the school choice transfer has been accepted, the parent/guardian will need to contact the school regarding the enrollment process.
- Individual schools will use a waiting list generated during the lottery process to fill any available seats that are vacated.
- Students chosen from the waiting list will be notified by the local school by July 14, 2017.
