Palm Beach County School District

Frequently Asked Questions
 

The Online Application Process:

Q. Will I be able to apply for more than one Choice program?

A. One application per student may be submitted. Each application will allow the selection of up to (2) two Choice programs. The selections may be limited, depending on the student's grade level, program and attendance zone.

Q. How long does it take to complete the online application process?

A. Applying for a Choice program online is quick and easy. The process should not take more than 15 minutes.

Q. What if I do not have access to a computer?
A. You can also apply online with your Smartphone or Tablet. Please contact your child’s current school or the Department of Choice and Career Options at 561-434-8755 for additional assistance.

Q. Is there another way of submitting an application other than online?

A. A hard copy of the application will be accepted, however, online applications are preferred and provide the parent with immediate responses, current application status and ability to manage their child’s account.

Q. Can I track the status or make changes to my child's application?
A. Yes. Tracking your child's status or making changes to your child's application during the application period is fast and simple. Just log on to your Parent Portal, then enter your e-mail address and password used to set your parent account. One change to your child's application after submission will be accepted until the published deadlines. Notification of your child's application status can be accessed by following the same process.

Q. Once I've submitted the application electronically, how will I know that the submission is successful?

A. Once the application is completed and submitted online, you will receive a confirmation sent to the email address attached to your parent account. Remember to check all spam and junk email folders to ensure delivery. If the email is found in either of these folders, be sure to mark it as 'not spam' or 'not junk.'

Q. Should I allow anyone else to use my account?

A. It is the user's responsibility to protect the integrity of any information entered in the system. This includes but is not limited to passwords or personal information about you or your child.

Q. My account has been disabled because I've attempted to login too many times. Should I set up another account?

A. No. You must wait one hour for the system to reset itself from your unsuccessful attempts. If you forgot your password, use the "Forgot my Password" feature. If you are still having difficulties, e-mail the Department of Choice and Career Options at: choicequestions@palmbeachschools.org for assistance.

Q. What is the deadline to apply for a Choice program?

A. Arts Programs: Friday, December 1, 2017: The deadline to apply for all programs at Bak Middle School of the Arts, The Conservatory School @ North Palm Beach (Music-Band, Music-Orchestral Strings, & Music-Vocal for grades 6-8), Boynton Beach Arts programs (sance, Digital Media, Music-Band, Music-Keyboard/Piano, Music-Vocal, Theatre, and Visual Arts), and A.W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts.

The deadline to apply for all Choice programs, excluding the Arts programs listed above, has been extended through February 2, 2018.  

Q. Can I change my first-choice selection even though my application has already been submitted?

A. If applying online only, ONE PROGRAM SELECTION CHANGE will be allowed once the application is submitted. Applications for schools that require auditions such as Bak Middle School of the Arts, The Conservatory School @ North Palm Beach, A.W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts, and Boynton Beach High Arts programs, cannot be changed after December 1, 2017. All other choice selections can be changed one time until January 26, 2018.

Q. My family lives in another county and/or state but I am planning to move to the Palm Beach County School District. Am I still eligible to apply?

A. The parent/legal guardian must be a full time resident of Palm Beach County at time of application submission. 

Choice Program Selection Process:

Q. Are students selected based on a first-come, first serve process?

A. All eligible applications submitted by the published deadlines deadline will be considered for the random lottery selection. 

Q. How is the lottery conducted?

A. The random lottery selection will be conducted during the week of March 5-9, 2018 using software provided by an independent software developer.  

Q. When will parents be notified if they are selected to participate in a program?

A. Students who applied online and are selected in the lottery will receive an email notification from the Choice and Career Options Department by March 30, 2018. Parents may also login to their Parent Dashboard to view the status of their child's application. Students who did not apply online will receive notification via US Mail after April 2, 2018.

Q. What if my child is not selected for the initial lottery process?

A. Students who were not selected in the lottery will receive an email notification of their “wait pool” status from the Department of Choice and Career Options by March 30, 2018. Parents may also login to their Parent Dashboard to view the status of their child's application.

Q. If my child is currently in a Choice program and applies to a different choice program at the same school, does he/she automatically get in?
A. No. All students who wish to participate in a Choice program must apply for that program and go through the lottery selection process.

Q. If my child is currently enrolled in a Choice program, do they need to reapply for the following school year?

  A. Current Choice students do not need to reapply in order to remain in their present choice program/school. however, choice students in the 5th and 8th grades must apply for middle and high school choice programs.

 Q. Can I submit my Choice application to a staff member at my child's current school for them to submit it on my behalf?

 A. No. It is the parent/legal guardian's responsibility to guarantee that your child's application is submitted online or to the Department of Choice and Career Options by the published deadline dates.

Post Lottery Process:

Q. Will I automatically be registered at the Choice school if I am selected into the program through the random lottery selection?
A. No. You must register at the school following acceptance into the Choice program. Choice schools send acceptance letters to designated students, indicating a registration period and additional information to secure the seat assignment. All students must comply with the school's procedures and deadline dates to guarantee a spot in the program. Failure to return requested documents or to register at the Chocie school will result in forfeiture of the assigned seat.

Q. Will transportation be provided to the Choice school?
A. Yes, transportation is provided for selected Choice students who reside more than 2 miles from the school based on designated Palm Beach County transportation zone maps.