School Choice

School choice gives families the opportunity to be involved in selecting the school their child will attend and to explore options outside of their attendance area zone. Flagler Schools uses school choice as a strategy to ensure that students receive the education that best meets their needs.

School Choice Options

Families should consider the possible consequences of changing schools. In some cases, academic credit and athletic eligibility may be impacted, particularly for middle and high school students. Academic concerns should be discussed with the school counselor, and athletic concerns should be discussed with the athletic director.

Controlled Open Enrollment (COE)

Pursuant to HB 7029, 1002.31 F.S., Florida students have school choice options available to them through a process called Controlled Open Enrollment (COE). The goal of COE is to promote family involvement and ensure that students have access to a school that meets their needs. Students can request a transfer to a school that is not their zoned school, including public schools in other counties.

A list of schools accepting COE students will be released each year. Parents will fill out an application for each school they would like their child to attend during the application window. During the annual COE period, families can apply for placement in any school in the state that has not reached capacity and still has seats available. All Controlled Open Enrollment requests for Flagler Schools will be monitored for class size as per Florida’s Constitutional Amendment. Schools that are labeled “Frozen Due to Capacity” have reached their total permanent capacity.

If the number of requests exceeds the number of available seats, then assignments will be made through a random lottery system. Siblings will be provided a preference in the lottery. Transfers are granted through completion of the highest grade at the school. IEP requirements cannot be guaranteed for students accepting a transfer through COE.

Students who reside in Flagler County, and were granted Controlled Open Enrollment in a previous year, do not need to reapply annually as long as they are staying in the same Flagler County school. Out-of-county residents must apply annually. Please submit a separate application for each student

COE has closed for the 2022–23 school year.

Program of Choice

A Program of Choice provides an opportunity for a group of students to enroll in a specific set of courses with a designated focus.

Flagler-Palm Coast High School

Matanzas High School

Applications are available on each school's website.

Hardship Waiver

Families may apply for a hardship transfer when a condition or situation exists that could adversely impact the student’s ability to succeed at their zoned school.

Hardship transfers are valid for one school year only. Students currently using a hardship transfer are not guaranteed acceptance for the next school year, and must submit a new application annually. Relevant documentation must be submitted upon completion of the Hardship Waiver Application. Failure to submit documentation in a timely manner will result in a delay of review. Please allow up to three weeks for approval/denial notification. Please submit a separate application for each student.

Hardship Waiver Application

Employee Transfer Request

A student may be granted an Employee Transfer Request when a condition or situation exists that could adversely impact the student’s ability to succeed at their zoned school. All Flagler Schools employees interested in applying for student transfers must complete the Employee Transfer Request Form.

Employee Transfer Requests are valid for one school year only. Students currently using an employee transfer are not guaranteed acceptance for the next school year and must submit a new application annually. Please allow up to three weeks for approval/denial notification and submit a separate application for each student.

Employee Transfer Request Application

School Choice Programs

Stewart B. McKinney-Bruce Vento Act
Every Student Succeeds Act
Virtual Programs
Dual Enrollment
Controlled School Choice for In-County Transfers
Controlled School Choice Plan for Out-of-County Transfers

Applications

Program of Choice, Hardship Waiver, and Employee Transfer Request applications are ongoing throughout the school year. Controlled Open Enrollment applications are accepted only during the annual enrollment period in the spring. A separate application should be submitted for each student.

Scholarships

Florida provides a variety of school choice options, which include K–12 scholarship programs. These scholarship programs allow families choice among public and private schools, empowering them to discover educational options that work best for their student. Please visit the School Choice Scholarships page for eligibility and application information.

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