Delaware’s school choice program allows families living in Delaware to apply to enroll their children in any Delaware public traditional school district, charter school or vocational-technical school, regardless of their home address. With a few exceptions, families must choice students into schools during the school choice application window.
School Choice Application Window
Monday, November 4, 2024 – Wednesday, January 8, 2025
How to participate in School Choice
Step 1 – Register student in the school of residence – A school of residence is the school a student attends based on home address. See the 2025-2026 school locator map or the 2024-2025 school locator map for a list of schools by address for the corresponding academic year.
Step 2 – Visit school websites, meetings – Parents interested in applying to schools through school choice should plan to visit to learn more about available programs, upcoming informational meetings and application requirements. School performance and additional educational data can be viewed for each public school and charter on the Delaware Report Card website.
Step 3 – Complete the standard application form – Any family seeking to choice a student into another school must complete a standard application form during the school choice application window.
- Online standard application form – Preferred method
- 2025-2026 paper application (English, Spanish)
Step 4 – Choice selection – After the choice window closes, schools process applications based on state and local policy. Some schools may use lotteries. Districts and charter schools are required to follow the state’s policy for accepting school choice students. Families will be notified of their application status (approvals/disapprovals) no later than the last day of February.
How to end school choice participation
A student accepted for school choice will remain enrolled in the choice school until graduation from the school building, the span of a program, or at the parents request. To end enrollment at a choice school and return to a student’s school of residence, families must complete a school choice termination form (English, Spanish).
