For Resident Districts

Notice of Intent to Participate and Confirmation of Student Enrollment | Notice of Intent to Enroll
Transportation

Notice of Intent to Participate and Confirmation of Student Enrollment

All students who wish to participate in the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program should submit a Notice of Intent to Participate in the School Choice Program to their resident district (the district where the student lives) by November 26, 2012 (Revised deadline).

Upon receipt of the Notice of Intent to Participate in the School Choice Program, the resident district must provide written Confirmation of Student Enrollment to Participate in the School Choice Program to the student's parent or legal guardian no later than December 3, 2012 (Revised deadline).

The Confirmation of Student Enrollment serves to verify whether the student is currently enrolled for the 2012-13 school year in a public school within the resident district and will help the choice district determine whether a student is eligible as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 student*. The resident district is required only to check the appropriate box on the form and return to the parent or guardian. If the district of residence fails to send the notification of student enrollment to the parent or guardian by 12/3/12, the student may apply to the choice program without it.

*A Tier 1 student must be enrolled in a NJ public school in his or her resident school district for the entire year (2012-13) immediately preceding enrollment in a choice district. If applying for kindergarten, a student must be attending his or her resident district's public preschool or, if that district does not offer preschool, have a sibling currently attending the choice district to be considered Tier 1. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:36B-20, choice districts must first fill their available seats with Tier 1 students until no students eligible as Tier 1 remain. If the number of Tier 1 applications exceeds the number of choice seats available, the choice district must hold a lottery to determine the selection of students.

Tier 2 students include NJ residents who have not attended their resident public school for the entire year immediately prior to enrollment in the desired choice district and do not otherwise meet the requirements for Tier 1. Choice districts are not obligated to accept Tier 2 students. At the initiation of their program, choice districts must adopt a policy determining whether they will or not. If a choice district does accept Tier 2 applicants, they may do so after all of the qualified Tier 1 applicants have been accepted. If the number of Tier 2 applications exceeds the number of choice seats available, the choice district must hold a lottery to determine the selection of students. If your student is a Tier 2 applicant, please contact your desired choice district to confirm whether or not they accept Tier 2 applications.

Notice of Intent to Enroll

The resident district will receive notification between Jan. 14, 2013 and Feb. 11, 2013 from each choice district of those choice students who have been accepted and who will require transportation.

Transportation

The resident district will receive transportation requests from each choice district by March 15 for those choice students from their district who have been accepted and who will require transportation.

The sending district is required to provide transportation or aid in lieu of transportation for any resident student to a choice district who resides more than 2 miles from the choice school if an elementary school student, or more than 2.5 miles from the choice school if a secondary school student, but not more than 20 miles from the choice school.  For more information about transportation regulations, please see: http://www.nj.gov/education/finance/transportation/procedures/.