The Rochester City School District’s school choice lottery is open for the upcoming academic year.
Parent leaders in the district say it’s an opportunity for families to take the initiative and have a bigger impact on their children’s education.
“I think that's important for the Rochester City School District parents because they haven't had a lot of say in the decision-making for the district,” said April Harrison, interim president of the Parent Leadership Advisory Council.
“So, them being able to utilize their parent power to choose what would be best for them, I think is the most advantageous for them right now.”
The school of choice application process is open for pre-K, Kindergarten, and 7th and 9th grades. Pre-K is free for all 3 and 4-year-olds within the city district.
However. Diveth Garcia, vice president of the Bilingual Education Council, said for parents who don’t speak English as a first language, the lottery can be a bit confusing.
“I imagine a lot of parents have doubts around how this process works because, at least for someone like me who comes from Puerto Rico, it’s something completely different and new,” Diveth Garcia, vice president of the Bilingual Education Council said, speaking in Spanish.
There is enough information in Spanish for parents to make an informed decision for their children, Garcia said. However, accessing that information can be challenging for some families.
That’s where the bilingual education council can help, she said.
“We are also mothers and if we don’t know something we can look for the information together,” he said in Spanish.
The deadline to submit an application is April 14. Any students not enrolled in the school choice lottery will go to the closest school to their home.
