Overview
What is a High School Choice?
High School Choice is an opportunity to give our students a greater voice in their education. The choice programs give students the opportunity to explore their interests, consider possible career fields, and better understand the world around them while completing their high school graduation requirements.
Students may want to get a head start in a rapidly growing industry such as engineering or technology. They may want to further their studies in a foreign language, learn to express themselves through an art form, or find out how they can better their community at home and abroad.
Why is NPS offering High School Choice?
Norwalk Public Schools is committed to giving our students more options for their learning experience that are not limited to the neighborhood where they live. A lottery system creates an equitable system, ensuring each student has a chance to pursue their passion at the high school best suited to provide that learning opportunity.
How can I learn more about High School Choice?
NPS will host the second annual High School Choice Fair on Tuesday, Nov. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Center for Global Studies in the Community Room. Representatives from each of the four high schools and their respective academies, pathways and programs will be available to speak with prospective students and their families.
The high schools will also host open houses during December and January, providing another opportunity for prospective students and their families to visit the schools and learn more about the programs they offer as well as their school culture.
Norwalk High School
- Thursday, Dec. 12 from 6 to 8 p.m.
More information will be available on the NPS website and posted frequently on the NPS social media channels.
How it Works
Which students will be a part of this year’s High School Choice?
Students entering ninth grade in fall 2023 who wish to apply for a choice program will enter the lottery for High School Choice, ranking their top choices.
Do current high school students get to participate in High School Choice?
No. Unlike last year, this year’s High School Choice lottery will be limited to incoming freshmen for the 2023-2024 school year.
How does the High School Choice lottery process work?
If students are interested in an academy, pathway or other choice program, they will have the opportunity to enter a centralized lottery for available seats in their program of interest.
Parents will log into the lottery system where they can apply to multiple programs for their child. An algorithm based on prioritization set by the district randomly selects students for each program. Our lottery will be weighted for sibling preference.
Click here to apply!
Once the lottery has been run, the acceptance list is generated and a wait list is generated as well for each program. Students will be notified by email to their application status as well as acceptance into each program.
The high school choice process will mirror our middle school process.
What is the High School Choice lottery system?
The system is an online lottery system managed centrally, connected to PowerSchool. Once students enter the lottery, a formula will randomly generate accepted students and waitlists for each choice program.
What is the timeline for High School Choice?
The High School Choice lottery drawing will take place on Friday, Jan. 13.
We will hold our second annual High School Choice Fair on Tuesday, Nov. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Center for Global Studies in the Community Room.
Each high school will host an open house event in December for families to visit and learn more about the school, its culture and its programs. The open houses will serve as another opportunity for students and families to speak directly with school representatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What options are available through High School Choice?
There are 15 High School Choice options available across the four Norwalk high schools.
Brien McMahon High School
- International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (Years 9 & 10)
- Medical Health Academy
- Marine Science Academy
- Computer Science, Project Lead the Way
- Engineering, Project Lead the Way
- Bio Medical, Project Lead the Way
Center for Global Studies
Norwalk High School
- Culinary Arts
- Digital Media and Communications Academy
- Music
- Performing Arts
- Visual Arts
P-TECH Norwalk (starting in 10th grade)
- Software Engineering
- Web Development
- Mobile Programming
How many students will each High School Choice option accept?
The numbers of spots available for each High School Choice program will be based on school capacity and program capacity.
What if my child requires special services or supports, do they need to choose a particular school?
No. All student services will be met for the child based on their IEP, 504, or MLL requirements at all high schools. Norwalk Public Schools provides specialized programs for certain identified students. Placement in these specialized programs is the decision of the PPT and could change school placement.
Can a younger sibling attend the same middle school as their older sibling?
Priority will be given to students who wish to attend the same high school as an older sibling(s) during the same school year. A younger sibling can also choose to apply to a different High School Choice program separate from the school of their older sibling.
Our family is new to the district and we missed the High School Choice lottery. Can we choose which school we want our child to attend?
When a family enters the district, they will first visit the NPS Family Center to register their child as a new student. Representatives from the Family Center will then assist families with getting on a waitlist for choice programs or registering them for their feeder high school based on where they live.
Will transportation be provided for students outside the zone of their preferred choice school?
Transportation is provided for students that are eligible. Students are ineligible if they live within 2 miles of the school they will be attending.
Bus stops will be scheduled based on enrollment and eligibility, and students may be required to travel a further distance to bus stops than they would previously (as compared to the elementary routes) in order to establish efficiently scheduled routes that ensure students arrive at school on time.
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