Article courtesy of KUSI. Watch and read more on KUSI.
Monday, October 1, marks the start of the school choice window for the 2019-20 school year at San Diego Unified School District. School Choice gives students the chance to enroll next year in magnet programs or schools outside their neighborhood boundaries. The program is open to all existing San Diego Unified students, as well as out of district students, and students attending schools in other settings such as private or charter schools.
On Monday, Lauren Phinney met with Marceline Marquez from the San Diego Unified School District to talk about some of the new programs in the district's School Choice catalog.
Each year, more than 10,000 area students apply for the choice program to attend one of the 170 schools in San Diego Unified. Last year, approximately 75 percent of all students were seated at one of their three choices of schools.
“All of our schools provide students with an education that will prepare them for college or career,” said Superintendent Cindy Marten. “Many our magnets offer outstanding STEAM programs that include access to state-of-the-art maker spaces and advanced technology. New programs like Blue Tech are really taking shape in our coastal schools, and arts are alive and well throughout the district. There really is no better time to attend a San Diego Unified School District school.”
Families within the San Diego Unified School District will receive enrollment catalogues in the mail next week. They can also find their neighborhood school by visiting www.sandiegounified.org/schoolfinder. The enrollment catalog is also available online in both English and Spanish at: https://www.sandiegounified.org/enrollment-guide.
San Diego Unified also offers personalized consultations for families who want to discuss their options with an enrollment specialist. The bilingual staff at the Family Welcome and Enrollment Center is available at 619-260-2410 or [email protected] to provide assistance in English and Spanish, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“We are fully staffed and ready to support parents - in English and Spanish - through the selection and application process,” said Marceline Marques, Operations Support Officer at the Family Welcome and Enrollment Center.
Choice applications must be submitted online at https://www.sandiegounified.org/school-choice-application . If families are unable to access the online application, they should contact the Neighborhood Schools and Enrollment Options Office at 619-260-2410, send an email to [email protected], or contact any school for assistance. The priority application deadline is November 13. After that date, any applications received are processed in time/date order of receipt.