Delaware’s school choice program allows families living in Delaware to apply to enroll their children in any Delaware public 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, Nov. 7, 2022 – Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023
Monday, Nov. 1, 2021 – Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022
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. See the school locator map for a list of schools by address.
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.
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
- Paper application (2021-22) (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).
District/Charter Websites and Contacts
http://www.academiacharter.com/
Office, 302-660-4760
1200 N. French Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Contact Person: Mercedes Alonso & Mayara Costa
Office 674-0684
104 Saulsbury Road
Dover, DE 19904
Contact Person: Michele Marinucci
http://www.apposchooldistrict.com/
School Choice Office 376-4135
118 S. 6th Street
Odessa, DE 19730-4010
Contact Person: Julie Lauderbaugh
http://www.brandywineschools.org/
Administrative Office 793-5067
1311 Brandywine Blvd.
Wilmington, DE 19809
Contact Person: Stacy Karpinski
Paul L. Dunbar Admin Building 698-4800 x131
7 Front Street, P.O. Box 188
Camden-Wyoming, DE 19934-1252
Contact Person: Tamara Toles-Torain
http://www.campuscommunityschool.com/
Office 736-0403
350 Pear Street
Dover, DE 19904
Contact Person: Carolin Lyon & Heidi Greene
www.capehenlopenschools.com/school-choice
District Office 645-6686
1270 Kings Highway
Lewes, DE 19958-1798
Contact Person: Diane Vickers
Central Office 857-4237
198 Commerce Way
Dover, DE 19904
Contact Person: Elizabeth ‘Rose’ Stayton
http://www.charterschoolnewcastle.org/
Office 324-8901
170 Lukens Drive
New Castle, DE 19720
Contact Person: Rachel Valentin
Office 651-2727
100 North duPont Road
Wilmington, DE 19807
Contact Person: James Capolup & Suzanne Musacchio
www.christinak12.org/schoolchoice
Administration Office 302-552-2600
1899 S. College Avenue
Newark, DE 19702
Contact Person: Janet McMahon
http://www.colonialschooldistrict.org/registration/school-choice/
Administrative Office 323-2873
318 E. Basin Road
New Castle, DE 19720-4200
Contact Person: Ahtiya Johnson
Office 998-0745
112 Middleboro Road
Wilmington, DE 19804
Contact Person: Anthony Pullella
Central Office 846-9544
200 N. Eighth Street
Delmar, DE 19940
Contact Person: Charity Phillips & Nicole Mezick
Office 857-3510
1200 N DuPont Highway
Dover, DE 19901
Contact Person: Evelyn Edney
http://eastsidecharterschool.org/
Office 762-5834
3000 N. Claymont Street
Wilmington, DE 19802
Contact Person: Rachael Staab
Office 223-2150
355 W Duck Creek Road
P.O. Box 888
Clayton, DE 19938
Contact Person: Patrick Gallucci
http://www.firststatemontessori.org
Office 576-1500
1000 N. French Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Contact Person: Courtney Fox
Office 407-4800
201 W 14th Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Contact Person: Katie Grant & Julia Li
http://www.gatewaycharterschool.org/
Office 633-4091
2501 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
Contact Person: Catherine Dolan and Pamela Draper
https://wilmington.greatoakscharter.org/
Office 660-4790
Community Education Building
1200 N. French Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Contact Person: Kia Johnson & Jorden Jones
Indian River Educational Complex 436-1000
31 Hosier Street
Selbyville, DE 19975
Contact Person: Juanita Oakley & Preston Lewis
Office 472-6450
1200 N. French Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Contact Person: Sally Maldonado
Central Business Office 284-3020 x122
5423 Killens Pond Road
Felton, DE 19943-9801
Contact Person: Kathleen Rogers
Office 292-1463
326 Ruthar Drive
Newark, DE 19711
Contact Person: Margie Lopez Waite
Central Administrative Office 875-6100
1160 South Central Avenue
Laurel, DE 19956-1413
Contact Person: Shawn Larrimore
http://www.milfordschooldistrict.org/
Enrollment Office 424-6483
906 Lakeview Ave.
Milford, DE 19963-1799
Contact Person: Cathy Rios
Office 376-5125
1156 Levels Road
Middletown, DE 19709
Contact Person: Ned Southworth
Admissions Office 995-8035
1417 Newport Road
Wilmington, DE 19804
Contact Person: Debbie Dolde
https://www.newarkcharterschool.org/
Office 369-2001
200 McIntire Drive
Newark, DE 19711
Contact Person: Sharon Dorr
http://odysseycharterschooldel.com
Office 516-8000 x505
4319 Lancaster Pike, Bldg. 23
Wilmington, DE 19805
Contact Person: Tracie Principe
http://www.polytechpanthers.com/
Administrative Office 697-2170
823 Walnut Shade Road
Woodside, DE 19980
Contact Person: Macky Trabaudo
http://www.positiveoutcomescs.org/
Office 697-8805
337 South duPont Highway
Camden, DE 19934
Contact Person: Ed Emmett & Jessica Bennett
jessica.bennett@pocs.k12.de.us
http://www.providencecreekacademy.org/
Office 653-6276
273 West Duck Creek Road
P.O. Box 265
Clayton, DE 19938
Contact Person: Trina Willey
https://www.redclayschools.com/
School Choice Office 552-3789
2914 Duncan Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
Contact Person: Kristine Bewley
http://www.seafordbluejays.org/
Central Office 629-4587 x1550
390 N. Market Street Extended
Seaford, DE 19973-1433
Contact Person: James Bell
Central Office 653-8585
82 Monrovia Avenue
Smyrna, DE 19977
Contact Person: Deborah Judy & Ashley Nash
Office 856-3636
21150 Airport Road
Georgetown, DE 19947
Contact Person: Andrea Rogers & Janet Owens
https://sussexmontessoricharter.com/
Office 404-5367
24960 Dairy Lane
Seaford DE 19973
Contact Person: Lisa Coldiron
http://www.sussexvt.k12.de.us/
Central Office 856-2541
17137 County Seat Highway
Georgetown, DE 19947
Contact Person: Steve Persolio
http://thomasedison.charter.k12.de.us/
Office 778-1101
2200 N Locust Street
Wilmington, DE 19802
Contact Person: Salmone Thomas-El
Central Office 337-7990
16359 Sussex Highway
Bridgeville, DE 19933-0427
Contact Person: Derek Prillaman & Nina Colegrove
