FAQS: Current Students

I want to apply for my child to go to school with their sibling but I don’t see the school on my choice list.

Qualifying siblings -- those entering kindergarten, sixth or ninth grade who are applying for a school that an older sibling is already attending -- will see the older sibling along with their school in the parent account and will be able to apply to that school with sibling priority.

All other siblings -- those entering into grades 1-4, 7-8, and 10-12 who want to request the school of a sibling -- will need to manually add that sibling to the parent account.  This will make the sibling’s school appear as a choice and available for families to rank.

My child‘s current school is not showing up on my choice list in the application. Why?

For existing students, current school placements are not listed as a school choice since you already have a seat in that school. Students who are currently assigned to a school and want to remain in that school should NOT select schools during the choice selection.

Why are there so few seats available at my grade level? Many schools are showing fewer than five seats.

Because all students currently enrolled in WCPSS were pre-assigned to their current school or the next school in their feeder pattern for the 2012-13 school year, those students have already filled many seats. Kindergarten is the only grade where there are a substantial number of seats initially available for selection. More seats may become available as the choice process continues. UPDATED 2/10/12

I received my initial assignment strip and the transportation column for my child's assignment stated “parent provide.” Why is this?

Initial assignments were made that allowed students moving to sixth or ninth grade to continue on their current school's feeder pattern and stay with their cohort group. In limited cases that assignment is to a school outside the range of school choices without transportation. These families may participate in the magnet or proximity choice selection rounds and apply to schools that will provide transportation for their address, or continue to the next school in the feeder pattern while providing their own transportation. Transportation patterns will be reviewed following choice selection to determine if additional services can be provided. Updated 1/13/12.

If my child is a magnet student at a school that is now on their proximity list, how can they switch so they can follow the proximity pathway?

Families are not able to change their status at a school they are currently attending. They may participate in the proximity choice selection at a grade span change (rising into sixth or ninth grade) and apply for the feeder middle or high school on their proximity choice list. If they are not selected, they maintain their magnet status, follow their magnet feeder pattern and are placed on the wait list for their first choice school. If a student is selected for a proximity choice seat, they will be assigned to that school and their magnet seat will be released to be assigned to another student on the waitlist. (Updated 2/2/11)

My child attends his/her current school as a transfer student, but now that school is actually on my choice list. How can I get transportation to that school?

Information about bus routes will be available prior to the opening of school. Contact your school during the summer for more information about bus schedules and stop locations.

How many schools do I have to apply for? Do I have to apply for all the schools on my list or can I just apply to the ones I like?

1. If you are a new student to WCPSS (rising kindergartner; newcomer; or returning to WCPSS from a private, charter or home school) and do not currently have a school assignment, you will need to rank at least five elementary schools, or all of the middle schools, or all of the high schools on your list so that the district will be able to find a seat for you.  If you are on the waitlist for a magnet school but still do not have a school assignment, you will need to you will need to rank at least five elementary schools, or all of the middle schools, or all of the high schools on your list so that the district will be able to find a seat for you.
2. If you are a current WCPSS student or have recently been selected for a magnet school, and you already have a school assignment for next year, you should rank only the school(s) to which you would like to apply. If a student is selected for a school to which they apply, they are automatically assigned to that school and the former seat is released to be assigned to another student.  If you are not selected, you will continue to be assigned to your current school for next year and will be placed on the waitlist for your first-choice school. The waitlist will dissolve on June 29, 2012. UPDATED 2/10/12.

If the family of a current WCPSS student decides to participate in the choice process to try and get another school, do they have to rank all of the schools on their list, or only the ones they want to move to?

Students who are currently assigned or pre-assigned to a WCPSS school and participate in the choice process should rank ONLY the school(s) they prefer more than the assignment they already have. If selected for a school they rank during the choice selection, that school will become their assigned school and their former seat will be released to a student on the waitlist. Updated 1/13/12.

If the family of a current WCPSS student decides to participate in the choice process to try and get another school, will they lose the seat they already have?

Students currently enrolled or pre-enrolled in a WCPSS school and SELECTED for a school they ranked on their choice list will be released from their current assignment and assigned to the new school. There is no option to decline a seat awarded via the choice selection process. Updated 1/13/12.