Houston ISD 2024-2025 School Choice Application Now Open
Houston ISD’s Department of School Choice has released important dates for families eager to engage in the school choice process and enroll their students in magnet or alternative schools.
HISD is an open enrollment district of choice, where a family can apply to any school in the district that meets a student’s needs. The School Choice process allows families to choose from hundreds of neighborhood and specialty school options via a single application.
The District, responding to feedback from families, has revamped the process to make it more straightforward and efficient. HISD aims to expedite the application and enrollment timeline, ensuring families receive information about their options sooner.
Phase One Application is now open through Feb. 23, 2024. Click here to apply.
In addition, HISD is releasing the following information:
- The School Choice Parent Handbook to ensure families know what to expect from the school choice process
- The Family Program Guide that lists all schools by program type
- Informational videos and a one-page overview to help parents complete the application
- Answers to the most frequently asked questions
- The new and improved SchoolFinder with information about each campus including specialized programs, school performance, special education supports, language programming, extracurricular offerings, and more
- An updated school choice website that provides easy access to all the resources, detailed definitions of different school types, a guide to help parents understand which programs their child is eligible to attend, and answers to questions about transportation
In addition to the online resources, HISD is providing more opportunities for families to access in-person support to complete their application:
- Saturday Events: We will host two half-day sessions each Saturday during the application window on 1/27, 2/3, 2/10, 2/17. Locations to be announced.
- School Choice Bus Stops: Our super cool School Choice bus with laptop stations will be making stops around the District throughout the application period. The bus will stop at high-traffic locations across Houston daily. Parents can climb aboard and access laptop stations and application support right in their neighborhood.
- 5th and 8th Grade Afterschool Mini Clinics: In the last two weeks of the application window, campus-based staff will stay afterschool at their campus for an hour every Thursday to host mini clinics to support parents who still need help completing their application. These clinics will prioritize families of 5th and 8th grade students.
In addition to these in-person events, there will be a School Choice Customer Service hotline staffed throughout the application period. The number will be sent out as soon as the application goes live.
Important Dates
Phase One Application is Due: Feb. 23, 2024
(The list of New Education System campuses for the coming school year will be communicated in February, before the Phase one application closes.)
Phase One Lottery Notification: March 26, 2024
Phase Two Application Opens: March 26, 2024
(Students who participated in the Phase One lottery and did not accept a position at one of their matched schools can apply to any school with available space.)
Phase One School Acceptance: April 9, 2024
(Students who wish to accept their school match must do so by this date.)
Phase Two Application is Due: To be announced
Additionally, HISD will now provide a zoned pre-K option for families. In most instances, families will no longer need to apply through the lottery for their student to attend pre-K at their zoned school. Families who prefer not to attend their zoned pre-K campus can still choose to enter the school choice process. HISD will be announcing pre-K application and enrollment information for the 2024-2025 academic year before the end of January.
