About Open Choice
The Open Choice program was established by state legislation to reduce racial, ethnic, and economic isolation among students by allowing residents in urban centers to attend schools in neighboring suburban districts. The Open Choice program that CES has successfully administered for many years provides Bridgeport, Danbury and Norwalk students to enroll in seven participating suburban school districts.
An INFORMATION SESSION with the Open Choice Coordinator will happen via Zoom on Tuesday, March 5 at 7:00 p.m. Find Zoom link here:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87428070867?pwd=QDBzlLV8C3XTilU99G7dbZS1ISA2Yk.1
Meeting ID: 874 2807 0867
Passcode: 520646
Parents who live in Bridgeport, Danbury or Norwalk may submit applications from Jan. 15, 2024, through March 15, 2024.
How Open Choice works
Each Open Choice program accepts applications from students and conducts a selection process to fill a predetermined number of available “seats” that suburban school districts are providing for each grade. Unfortunately, not every student who applies is guaranteed a placement. For example, if 85 students apply for a seat in Grade 4 and only five seats are open, only five applicants can be selected from that city.
Parents may not select the district they want to have their child attend. Rather, parents submit an application for their child or children for the program. If upon acceptance to the program a parent decides to decline placement of their child to a particular district, another student is offered the position and the declining student goes to the bottom of the queue. Only students who are chosen through the selection process will receive notification of placement.
Although there are openings in higher grades, the majority of open seats usually come in kindergarten or first grade because districts seek to bring students in during their early years. Once enrolled in a district, students are guaranteed spots in the district through high school graduation, with all of the rights and privileges of a student who resides in the receiving town.
Transportation is provided by the state and coordinated by Open Choice. Bus rides can be long because students are picked up all over each city and then driven to neighboring district schools during morning traffic.
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me.
Eric B. Nyquist
Open Choice Coordinator, CES
203-365-8857 / nyquiste@cestrumbull.org
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87428070867?pwd=QDBzlLV8C3XTilU99G7dbZS1ISA2Yk.1
Meeting ID: 874 2807 0867
Passcode: 520646
Parents who live in Bridgeport, Danbury or Norwalk may submit applications from Jan. 15, 2024, through March 15, 2024.
How Open Choice works
Each Open Choice program accepts applications from students and conducts a selection process to fill a predetermined number of available “seats” that suburban school districts are providing for each grade. Unfortunately, not every student who applies is guaranteed a placement. For example, if 85 students apply for a seat in Grade 4 and only five seats are open, only five applicants can be selected from that city.
Parents may not select the district they want to have their child attend. Rather, parents submit an application for their child or children for the program. If upon acceptance to the program a parent decides to decline placement of their child to a particular district, another student is offered the position and the declining student goes to the bottom of the queue. Only students who are chosen through the selection process will receive notification of placement.
Although there are openings in higher grades, the majority of open seats usually come in kindergarten or first grade because districts seek to bring students in during their early years. Once enrolled in a district, students are guaranteed spots in the district through high school graduation, with all of the rights and privileges of a student who resides in the receiving town.
Transportation is provided by the state and coordinated by Open Choice. Bus rides can be long because students are picked up all over each city and then driven to neighboring district schools during morning traffic.
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me.
Eric B. Nyquist
Open Choice Coordinator, CES
203-365-8857 / nyquiste@cestrumbull.org
