MANATEE – Manatee County parents have until Feb. 3 to participate in school choice, an option that already is appealing to more than 30 percent of the district’s 45,000 students.
With magnet programs at 10 elementary and middle schools, 20 career academies among the county’s six high schools, and increased choices among charter schools, dual enrollment and virtual schools, district officials expect even more families to exercise their right of choice this coming year.
The Feb. 3 deadline is only for families participating in open enrollment, which allows parents to send their children to a school other than their assigned “go-to” school based on geography.
“It’s very important to Manatee County to empower families with choice,” says School Board Chair Harry Kinnan. “We’ve made marvelous strides with it.”
They also expect the myriad choices may be overwhelming to some parents.
“There really is a chance that parents may get a little confused because you’ve got so many magnet schools, schools operated by the school board, and charter schools that run more independently,” says Danny Lundeen, the district’s supervisor of student demographics, projections and assignment.
“The opportunities out there have expanded so greatly, I could see there could be some opportunity for confusion.”
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