Press Releases
12/05/2023
RSCO School Choice On-Time Application Now Open Through March 15, 2024
New Parent Resource Center Offers Comprehensive Support for Connecticut Families
(Hartford, CT) - The Connecticut State Department of Education's (CSDE) Regional School Choice Office (RSCO) announced today that the application period for Greater Hartford Region magnet schools, Open Choice public schools, and Hartford Region technical high schools for the 2024-25 school year, is now open.
Interested Connecticut families can submit their applications through ChooseYourSchool.org.
The early application period for the Hartford Region technical high schools (CTECS) extends through February 1, 2024, with placement notifications beginning in mid-February. The on-time application period for magnet schools, Open Choice, and CTECS runs through March 15, 2024, with placement notifications beginning in early April 2024.
"School choice empowers families to pursue educational opportunities that align with their child's unique needs, interests, and passions,” Robin Cecere, director of the CSDE Regional School Choice Office, said. “This application season, we are offering families more support than ever before. Our new Parent Resource Center, in conjunction with our improved website and application process, ensures that families interested in school choice have the information and assistance they need to make informed decisions about their children's educational futures."
The newly established Parent Resource Center (PRC) at RSCO is designed to provide specialized expertise and comprehensive support for families during the school discovery, application, and placement process. Operating on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours during the on-time application period, PRC staff is available for assistance through phone, email, in-app messaging, and in-person appointments. Extensive language interpretation and translation services are also offered. PRC staff actively participates in community and school events across the Greater Hartford Region, expanding access to high-quality application support.
"In the Greater Hartford Region, families now have an unprecedented array of options to fit their students’ educational interests, whether it is through enrollment in a specialized magnet school, Open Choice district, or one of the technical and career programs available in Greater Hartford,” Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker said. “Connecticut is privileged to offer families an extensive system of school choice options and we continue to engage extensive planning, marketing, and outreach spanning several months, to maximize seat utilization. This diligent outreach reinforces our commitment to ensuring that every family within the Greater Hartford Region is well informed about the available educational choices, enabling them to make the most suitable decisions for their children."
RSCO's upgraded website and online application platform facilitate the exploration of school choice options by grade level, location, academic themes, sports, extracurricular activities, transportation options, and the tracking of application and placement status. Families can access crucial resources, including the updated RSCO School Choice Family Reference Guide, featuring practical information, tips, strategies, and FAQs about the application process, placement rules, priority protocols, waitlist procedures, and more.
The RSCO school choice program allows families with students entering Pre-K3 through Grade 12 to apply to three distinct types of free, public schools in the Greater Hartford Region, including:
- 43 magnet schools with specialized themes, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); visual and performing arts; dual-language; and Montessori.
- Open Choice public schools in high-performing districts outside their residence.
- Three regional technical high schools specializing in career and technical education.
The RSCO school choice program unites families from over 80 towns in diverse learning environments known to enhance creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking among students.
"More than 20,000 students from across the Greater Hartford Region are currently enrolled in RSCO schools, thriving in their chosen environments,” Cecere added. “School choice is available to every family in the region."
For further information on school choice, upcoming events, and the application process, please visit ChooseYourSchool.org and follow RSCO on Facebook.
The first RSCO School Choice Fair of the season is scheduled for Dec. 9, 2023, at the Academy of Aerospace and Engineering, located at 1101 Kennedy Road, Windsor, Conn.
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For Immediate Release: Dec. 5, 2023
Contact: Matthew Cerrone
Director of Communications
Email: matthew.cerrone@ct.gov
- Twitter: CT State Department of Education Twitter
- Facebook: CT State Department of Education Facebook