Deadline coming next week for JCPS school choice applications

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The most significant change to the Jefferson County Public Schools student assignment plan in decades is moving forward.

A choice zone in and near west Louisville and the central business district is now giving families living in those areas the option to go to school closer to home, beginning next school year.

But the deadline to apply is quickly approaching. The online application is due Friday, Dec. 16.

"Historically, they were assigned a particular school," said Amanda Averette-Bush, executive administrator of school choice for Jefferson County Public Schools. "Now, they will no longer have a default school. They will need to make a selection whether they would like to attend a school close to home or far away."

Not everyone needs to fill out an application. It only applies to students who currently live in the choice zone and will enter sixth grade or ninth grade in the 2023-24 school year.

JCPS said this change applies to around 1,800 students.

"Families should have an option of where their child attends school and, especially, having that option close to home," Averette-Bush said.

Over the summer, the JCPS school board unanimously passed the changes to the student assignment plan. The new plan will first be implemented in the upcoming 2023-2024 school year.

"This is probably been the most rewarding experience," Averette-Bush said. "I've always said having our plan approved unanimously on July 1 was a huge deal. Our plan had not been reviewed comprehensively for 40 years."

From the applications that have been completed so far, the response from families is clear.

"I will say that we have an overwhelming response of families that want to stay close to home," Averette-Bush said. "So it's nice to see that the plan that was passed July 1, that we listened to families and they're actually making that selection."

For students living within the choice zone who are not going into sixth or ninth grade, they will continue in their current school next year. Those students could apply for a transfer, but those requests are not guaranteed.

"What I am most excited about are students in the choice zone being successful and being able to see that as a result of this plan," Averette-Bush said.

She said she grew up in a part of town that would be included in the choice zone and believes families deserve to have the option.

"My expectation is to see students in buildings with an increased sense of belonging, with that engagement, with that pride, with wanting to walk into a building where they feel welcomed and ready to learn," Averette-Bush said.

As of late November, JCPS was still waiting on hundreds of applications to be completed. If those are not completed by the deadline on Dec. 16, the district said families will be contacted because there is not a default school.

For a link to the application, click here.

An application will also need to be completed by Dec. 16 for incoming kindergarteners who live anywhere in the JCPS district to register for next school year. That's also the deadline for students to apply to magnet schools.

Related Stories: