Can my student attend any school I choose?

Colorado law allows students to attend any school or participate in any program of their choice on a space available basis. Students will attend the school within their residential attendance area unless a School Choice application to attend another school within the district is approved. Approval will be made in accordance with CCSD regulations and Colorado law.

Who may apply for school choice?

Students in grades Kindergarten (age 5) through 12 may apply for school choice enrollment. Preschool students (age 3) and Pre-Kindergarten (age 4) apply through the Early Childhood Education Department where space is available. Parents should contact the Early Childhood Education Department at (720) 554-4000, or visit the website if they wish to change schools.

How do I apply?

Applications for Cherry Creek School District residents, as well as non-residents of the district are submitted through an online application found on the School Choice webpage.

When can I apply?

Applications can be submitted from December 1^st through May 31^st of the current school year for a School Choice placement to start in the next school year. The first lottery that will run on, or before, February 15^th will only include residents of the school district and non-residents with a parent/guardian who is a qualified employee of the district. All other non-resident applicants will be included in the subsequent lotteries.

How many schools can I apply for?

The School Choice application allows up to three (3) schools to be requested per school year. Submission of another application will be denied as a duplicate for the student, even for adding schools if the first application only listed 1 or 2 schools, or for changing the order of preference after the first application has been through the lottery.

When are families notified of school choice decisions?

Parents are notified of the results via email the day of the lottery. Lottery dates will vary each year and are listed on the School Choice webpage.

Can I submit an appeal if my student is waitlisted?

There is no appeal process. Once all seats initially offered by a school are filled, all additional applicants will be waitlisted pending further review from the school. If a seat is offered after being placed on the waitlist, an updated email communication will be sent.

How long will my child remain on a waitlist?

The waitlist will remain active only for the school year that the request was submitted for. Schools review the waitlist periodically until the current school year is over and then again after returning from the summer break. If your student is not offered a seat for the requested school year, a new application will be required for the next school year.

What if my child is not approved for their school of choice?

There is no appeal process for School Choice if waitlisted for all requested schools. Students who live in Cherry Creek School District will need to be enrolled to their school of residence. Currently enrolled students of the district will be automatically enrolled to the school of residence if no seat is offered through the School Choice process.

Once my student is choice enrolled into a school, how long are they accepted?

Students are accepted to the highest grade level for that school as long as they meet the Continuing Enrollment Criteria- Policy JFBA-R.

After completing the elementary or middle school level, which school at the next level would my student attend?

What happens to a school choice status if a student moved out of the district?

Students are allowed to continue attending the choice school as long as the meet the Continuing Enrollment Criteria- Policy JFBA-R, regardless of where they move while attending a school with a School Choice status.

Are siblings of school choice students given preference for school choice at the same school?

Yes, if the sibling has already been approved to attend the same school in the school year that the application was submitted for, the sibling priority status will be applied to increase the chance of being accepted; sibling priority does not provide a guaranteed acceptance.

Are students with a parent/guardian who works for Cherry Creek School District given priority?

Yes, priority is given to students of District employees pursuant to negotiated District policy. Additional priority consideration for available space will be extended to the grandchildren of current district employees working in identified high-need service level positions. As with the sibling priority status, the employee priority status increases the chance of being accepted and is not a guarantee.

What are the priority considerations for School Choice in Cherry Creek School District?

Highest priority is given to the siblings of students who are already attending the requested school. Secondary priority is given to the children of qualified employees of the district and verified during the application review process. Third priority is given to students who are currently attending the requested school and are in good standing with the Continuing Enrollment Criteria. District residents without a higher priority consideration will be considered fourth priority and non-residents of the district without a higher priority consideration will have the lowest priority.

Are school choice students eligible for school bus transportation?

Except as may be required by law, transportation for students granted permission to attend a school or program outside their attendance area is the responsibility of the parents or guardians-Policy JFBA.

Do I have a better chance of getting into a school based on how I rank it?

No, acceptance to a school is based upon how many seats are available, priority consideration and the random lottery selection.

Do I have a better chance of getting into a school if I submit my application on the first day School Choice applications are opened?

No, the School Choice lottery is run with a random lottery number assigned to every applicant and the number of seats available is determined by the school.

Which schools are included in the School Choice application process?

All elementary, middle and high schools are included in the School Choice process. Charter schools, alternate schools and Cherry Creek Elevation have their own application process.

If we list only one school on the School Choice application, will we have a higher chance of getting into that school?

No, the odds are the same for all applicants and only increased for those with priority consideration.

What if my student doesn’t get assigned to their first-choice school?

The student will then be considered for the 2^nd and 3^rd choice schools and waitlisted for each school if they are not accepted to any.

What if I am not pleased with my student’s school assignment or if I change my mind?

A student or parent/guardian may rescind their acceptance at any time and be transferred back to their school of residence. Current proof of residence and a request to revoke the seat to return to the school of residence will need to be submitted to District Admissions via email at admissions@cherrycreekschools.org.

Who should I contact if I have further questions?

Please contact the District Admissions department for any further questions.

NOTE: The district reserves the right to place a cap on accepting applications and may rescind or amend any or all approved school choice enrollments.