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.
Second Choice Application Window
For the SY25-26 school year (the current school year):
Monday, November 4, 2024 – Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Delaware Find My School 25-26
For the 26-27 school year (the next school year):
Monday, November 3, 2025 – Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Delaware Find My School 26-27
Application Window Exceptions
- Applications can be submitted outside of the standard choice window for “good cause” situations. Good cause is defined in 14 Del.C. § 402 (2) as:
- a change in a child’s residence due to a change in family residence;
- a change in the state in which the family residence is located;
- a change in a child’s parent’s marital status;
- a change caused by a guardianship proceeding;
- placement of a child in foster care;
- adoption;
- participation by a child in a foreign exchange program;
- a reported, recorded, and substantiated instance of “bullying” against their child as defined in § 4161 of this title; or 14 Del.C. §4161
- participation by a child in a substance abuse or mental health treatment program.
- Charter schools, vocational-technical school districts, and magnet schools may continue to accept applications after the second Wednesday in January to fill remaining availability; however, those schools holding a lottery will only include applications received by the second Wednesday in January.
- Families enrolling kindergarten students may submit their standard application forms to schools up until the first day of the school year. Pursuant to 14 Del.C. § 2702(b), a child must be 5 years of age on or before August 31 of the school year in order to participate in school choice.
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. Visit the 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
- 2026-2027 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).
