HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. -- The deadline to apply for school choice in Hillsborough County Schools for the 2021-2022 School Year is Friday, December 11.
Apply for School Choice
Explore Your Options
At Hillsborough Schools, parents can choose from various schools based on their child’s interests and way of learning. Options can be based on location, curriculum, interests or system of learning (either brick-and-mortar or virtual schools, for example), according to the district.
Your Attendance Area School is the school zone assigned based on your home address.
However, schools with space available are open for parents with children entering grades K-11 to choose non-magnet Choice and Hardship schools or School Attractor Programs.
Students can also apply for magnet programs, which are schools with theme-based curriculum, rigorous academic instruction by specially-trained teachers and lottery-based applications.
If you are a family still considering what option is best for your child, administrators say to go online to the individual school websites you are considering and do a little research to see if it's a right fit.
"At this point, if they're this late in the game, they need to go on to all the different websites," said Cathy Messina, the Magnet Lead at Tampa Heights Elementary School. "Schools have made their website very rich in materials and photos and many videos. So it gives everybody a really good clue, an idea of what to expect in the school."
Messina also recommends contacting the magnet lead at the particular school if there is a question about a specific magnet program you are considering.
The Office of Student Planning and Placement is also here to help, according to the district. Families can call with questions at (813) 272-4692, 7 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday.
Families will be notified with the results of their applications or magnet choice lottery results in late January 2021.
Additional School District Choice Application Periods:
Pinellas County School District
The opportunity to apply to Pinellas County Schools magnet, fundamental and career programs is approaching. The District Application Period is Jan. 6-15. Once the Application Period is over, parents must log back in during the Acceptance Period, Feb. 3-10, 2021 to accept a program or waitlist options.
Pasco County School District
Controlled Open Enrollment Window for Elementary and Secondary Grades
- Opens- January 7, 2021 @ 8:00 a.m.
- Closes- January 21, 2021 @ 4:30 p.m.
Secondary Grades Acceptance/Notification
- February 19, 2021- February 28, 2021 @ 4:30 pm
Elementary Grades Acceptance/Notification
- March 12, 2021- March 26, 2021 @ 4:30 pm
Manatee County Schools
2021-2022 School Choice Applications must be submitted between December 1, 2020 - January 15, 2021. School Choice applications are accepted for incoming Kindergarten - 12th-grade students.
Polk County School District
Applications for the 2021-2022 school year for Cambridge AICE, Choice Schools, Career Academies, International Baccalaureate (IB) and Magnet Schools will be accepted until January 12.
Hernando County School District
Learn more about the district's school choice options
