by Audra H. Anders for The Aha! Connection
Ever wonder how to get your kid enrolled in the DeKalb Pre-K program? Or, how kids end up at Kittredge/Chamblee Magnet Schools? I’ve pulled together a few facts to help you understand how it works!
About School Choice
School choice programs provide alternatives to parents who do not wish to send their children to the local public schools to which they are assigned. Public school choice options include open enrollment policies, magnet schools, and charter schools.Whether it’s at the elementary, middle, or high school level, each DCSD family has the opportunity to choose a school that suits its children’s academic needs.
Lottery Quick Facts
Open Enrollment | January 5 – February 9
Lottery Notification | March 29
1st Round of Seat Expirations | April 1
Late Application Window | April 1 – August 23
Last Date for Placement | August 30
The 2024-2025 School Choice Application will close on August 30, 2024. Unclaimed seats and wait-list numbers will no longer be available. Applicants may reapply in January 2025 for the next school year.
About the Pre K Lottery: The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) is honored to offer 119 lottery funded Georgia Pre-Kindergarten Program classes in 76 sites throughout the district. The Pre-Kindergarten program is funded by the Georgia State Lottery, governed by Bright from the Start. The DCSD Pre-K program is an age appropriate instructional program that prepares students for a successful transition to kindergarten and beyond. In order for a child to be school ready, it means they are socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively prepared for success in kindergarten.
The High Achievers Magnet Program: The High Achievers Magnet Program offers a unique educational experience to students in grades 4—6 who possess the intellectual potential, aptitude, and functional ability to achieve in a rigorous academic environment. The magnet program for high achieving students is comprehensive. It is designed to enable students to be creative, independent in action, critical in thoughts, and effective in communication. There is an instrumental music component in the curriculum, and students are scheduled into art and music classes weekly. In addition to providing a challenging curriculum, students are encouraged to enroll in the many after school academically-centered enrichment opportunities. Teachers and parents direct these after-school sessions.
Schools with Available Seats: House Bill (HB) 251, is a transfer option allowing students to enroll in another school outside of their attendance area within the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) based on seat availability after the school’s assigned students have been enrolled. In compliance with the law, the DeKalb County School district began offering transfers through HB 251 in July 2009.
The DeKalb School of the Arts: The DeKalb School of the Arts (DSA) is uniquely designed to appeal to high school students in the areas of music (vocal and instrumental), dance, visual arts, technical theater, creative writing, media technology, drama, and musical theater. DSA is the only DeKalb high school that offers a program encompassing all aspects of performance and applied arts. It also affords students the opportunity to satisfy the requirements of the excellent academic program prescribed under the DeKalb curriculum guidelines. Long-range life enrichment is viewed as a goal for all participants in this magnet high school. The program is noted for an outstanding faculty, comprehensive course offerings, and numerous special performances which emerge as a natural outgrowth of the curriculum.
