Enid Rey, director of school choice for the Hartford Public School District, talks about School Choice Week and the lottery process for families in the Greater Hartford area who want to enroll in magnet schools.
Below is some additional information about the lottery process. Visit www.hartfordschools.org for more information.
1. What is the Regional School Choice Office (RSCO)?
The RSCO was created by the Connecticut State Department of Education to assist families interested in learning about, and applying to, RSCO schools and programs located in the Greater Hartford region.
2. What schools and programs are part of RSCO?
Interdistrict Magnet SchoolsRSCO interdistrict magnet schools are located in Hartford and throughout the Greater Hartford region. In most cases, student transportation is provided. These public school options attract PreK–12 applicants and are theme-based to support personalized learning opportunities. The Hartford Region Open Choice program Open Choice provides an opportunity for Hartford students to attend suburban public schools, and for suburban students to attend a Hartford public school. Separate from RSCO’s magnet school offerings, Open Choice students attend an existing district school outside of their hometown (i.e. a high-school-age Hartford resident may attend Cromwell High School). Student transportation is provided. You may apply to magnet schools, the Open Choice Program, or to both programs via the RSCO lottery.
3. What is the RSCO lottery?
The RSCO lottery is the computer-based method that places students who have submitted a complete and on-time application to available RSCO schools and programs. The Connecticut State Department of Education manages the RSCO lottery process.
4. Why does RSCO conduct a lottery?
While RSCO programming includes nearly 40 interdistrict magnet schools serving various grades and 29 participating Open Choice districts, there is far more interest than there are seats available.
5. Who is eligible to apply for the RSCO lottery?
Students entering grades PreK–12, and who reside in Connecticut at the time of application, are eligible. The largest number of available seats tends to be in the earliest grade offered in a school.
6. How do I apply to the RSCO lottery?
The on-time lottery application period runs from November 15, 2013 to February 28, 2014 for placement the following school year. Visit www.choiceeducation.org to view school options and apply online during the application period. Paper applications are also available upon request.
7. Where can I get more information?
- Visit RSCO’s website at http://www.choiceeducation.org or call RSCO at 860-713-6990
- Visit RSCO’s Parent Information Center, open weekdays, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., at 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT.
- Visit a RSCO satellite site or information center (call RSCO or visit website for locations).