Board members discussed multiple proposed edits to the district's school choice and controlled open enrollment policies during the Jan. 7 workshop, including a recommendation to add an intermediate priority “bucket” for specialty‑pathway applicants.

Chief DeChaseau explained the revisions are intended to resolve language that previously contradicted across school choice policies and to align procedures for district‑wide controlled open enrollment. Under the controlled‑open model described to the board, March is the application window; applicants who apply in March are treated as having the same application date and are placed into priority phases. Seats are filled starting with Phase 1 priorities (for example, active‑duty military, foster care, employee children) and then proceeding to later phases if seats remain.

Board members debated whether the district should insert an intermediate priority bucket for students applying to specialty pathways so those applicants would outrank otherwise similarly situated in‑district applicants. As discussed on the dais, that change would allow a student from another county to receive priority for a specialty pathway (for example, an IB or signature program) over an in‑district applicant who did not select that pathway. Several board members said they favored adding the intermediate bucket to prioritize specialty pathway participation.

Members also reviewed the operational effect of designating a school fully for controlled open enrollment: once a school is opened district‑wide under controlled open enrollment without reserved seats, the district loses the ability to hold seats back for employee preference or separate choice assignments. Trustees emphasized that if the board wants to preserve reserved seats for employee children or other purposes, staff should be instructed to reserve a portion of seats rather than designate a school as fully open.

Staff said the edits would be drafted so the policies operate in tandem: the rescission of one intradistrict policy and amendments to 6.02, 6.035113.03 and 6.04 (controlled open enrollment) aim to harmonize language across the suite of school choice rules. The board did not adopt final language at the workshop; staff will prepare a clean draft and return it for review and formal consideration.