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School Choice

school choice in Colonial
  • The Choice application period opens Monday, November 3, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. and closes Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

School Choice gives families the option to choose the best possible educational experience for their child in Delaware. 

A parent residing within the State of Delaware may seek to enroll that parent’s child in a Delaware public school in any school district through the standard application form. Follow the steps below to begin the process to choose Colonial for your family. 

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QUESTIONS

Additional questions please contact Ahtiya Waters at 302-323-2702 or ahtiya.waters@colonial.k12.de.us

Steps to choice your child into the Colonial School District

1. Pre-register at your Feeder School
  • Find your feeder school (click here) and register at the listed school.
  • You MUST register at your feeder school before a School Choice Application can be processed
2. Submit School Choice Application
  • Online School Choice Applications can be found here or in paper form at any Colonial school.
  • Completed applications must be received by 4 p.m. on January 12, 2026.
  • Parents are permitted to identify up to three schools and/or program choices on the Choice Application.
  • Any family interested in the Colonial’s Choice Language Immersion Programs must complete a School Choice Application regardless of their feeder school.
3. School Choice Lottery Notifications and Responses
  • Once the School Choice Application submission period closes, a computer-generated lottery will be held in February.
  • School Choice Invitations and Waiting List notifications will be both emailed and mailed to all applicants after the Colonial School District’s February 2026 Board Meeting. THIS DOES NOT PERTAIN TO KINDERGARTEN APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED AFTER THE CHOICE DEADLINE.
  • Invited applicants must respond to their invitation within 2 weeks of receipt.  A non-response by the deadline is considered a decline.
  • Waiting Lists will be maintained until the first day of school should seats become available.

Transportation, Acceptance and Good Cause

Transportation

The parent of a child enrolled in a Colonial School District school or program through the School Choice Program is responsible for transporting their child to/from the Choice school or to/from the nearest existing bus stop in the Choice school’s attendance area provided that the bus has space available (without reimbursement).

Acceptance Guidelines

In order for a student to qualify for acceptance into the School Choice program in the Colonial School District, the student’s academics, attendance, and behavior must be in good standing. Applications are then put into the queue for a random, electronic lottery. 

Applications are sorted in the following order:

  1. The school or programs capacity
  2. The student’s priority, listed below
  3. The randomly assigned lottery number

School Choice Priorities for the Colonial School District:

  1. Returning students who continue to meet the school or program’s Academic Requirements, Attendance Requirements, and also comply with the District’s Code of Conduct. 
  2. Siblings of students who are already enrolled in the Choice School and who will be returning to the Choice School for the following academic year.
  3. Children of District employees that meet the criteria of the Choice School and/or Program. 
  4. Students residing in Colonial School District. 
  1. Students residing outside of Colonial School District. 

Good Cause

The School District will continue to consider “choice” applications if it is determined that “Good Cause” exists.

“Good Cause” is defined as:

  • A change in a child’s residence due to a change in family residence.
  • A change in the state in which the family residence is located.
  • A change in the marital status of the child’s parents.
  • A change caused by a guardianship proceeding.
  • Placement of a child in foster care.
  • Adoption.
  • Participation by a child in a foreign exchange program.
  • Participation by a child in a substance abuse or mental health treatment program.
  • Or a set of circumstances consistent with this definition of “good cause”.

If you meet any of the bulleted criteria above, please contact the Choice Office for a Good Cause Choice Application at 302-323-2702.

FAQ’s

The Colonial School District has prepared a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) in an effort to give parents and the community a clearer understanding of our “choice” program which follows state and Board of Education guidelines.

How do I apply to choice?
  • Step One: Make sure your child is registered or pre-registered in a Delaware Public School. If you are entering school in Delaware for the first time, you must go to your assigned feeder school (in your home district) to complete this in-person process. 

If your child attended preschool in one of Delaware’s public school districts, s/he has already been registered.

The deadline for the choice application is 11:59 p.m. on January 8, 2026 to be considered for the Choice Lottery.

We moved to the New Castle area after the closing date for "choice". What happens now?

We recognize that there are circumstances that may prevent families from meeting the deadline. Parents or guardians may apply for consideration after the second Wednesday in January if “good cause” exists.

“Good cause” is defined as:

  • A change in a child’s residence due to a change in family residence.
  • A change in the state in which the family residence is located.
  • A change in the marital status of the child’s parents.
  • A change caused by a guardianship proceeding.
  • Placement of a child in foster care.
  • Adoption.
  • Participation by a child in a foreign exchange program.
  • Participation by a child in a substance abuse or mental health treatment program.
  • Or a set of circumstances consistent with this definition of “good cause”.
When will we know if our child will be assigned to a “choice” school?
  • Colonial School District will notify parents/guardians about the status of their application by the last Friday in February.
  • Students placed on a wait list will be invited to “choice” if openings become available. Waitlist are maintained until the first day of school.
  • Applications for “good cause” can be submitted after the deadline. Supporting Documentation for “good cause” is required and will determine processing. 
Do my child’s accomplishments have any weight in getting an invitation?

No. Test scores, grades, athletic abilities, school and community activities do not have any influence on a random generated computer lottery to determine who gets invited or selected.

Why are some schools closed to “choice”?

Schools that are at or above their program capacity are not options for the “choice” program. If seats become available, the wait list will be used to fill them.

Do I need to re-apply every year?

Once a student has been accepted at a “choice” school, he/she will be enrolled in that building until completion of that location’s grade-level configuration (i.e. K-5, 6-8, 9-12).* While enrolled as a “Choice” student, the student will have all the rights and responsibilities of a resident student until the end of that location’s grade-level configuration.

Moving from one school to another – The approval of a “choice” application for a school does not entitle the student to move to the school housing the next grade configuration. A timely choice application must be submitted in order for a student to be considered for enrollment in the school housing the next grade configuration.

*Please note: A student who fails to meet academic requirements, fails to comply with attendance policy requirements, or violates the Colonial School District Student Code of Conduct may be denied the return to a “choice” school. 

Do I need a separate application for every child in my family?

Yes, a separate application must be submitted for each student.

An application must be submitted for the sibling of a student already enrolled in a district school. A sibling is not granted automatic approval to attend a choice school.

My student wants to play sports at your high school. Can he “choice” in?

We caution parents that the eligibility of transferring students is governed by the rules of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA). Before applying to “choice,” please review the DIAA Handbook or contact DIAA staff at (302-857-3365) to ensure that you are prepared to comply with these regulations.

What is the deadline to submit an application?

Grades 1-12: First Monday in November through the 11:59 p.m. on the second Wednesday in January. Afterwards, School Choice is closed except for “Good Cause.”  

What about students entering Kindergarten?

Kindergarten: School Choice remains open until the first day of school provided there is available capacity.

  • During our annual School Choice Night event, we will have dedicated workstations available to complete online and paper registration.
  • Families who filed a Kindergarten ‘Choice’ application on or before the second Wednesday in January, will receive confirmation of the status of via email, seating availability after the February lottery. 
  • Note: Families who live outside the District will need to pre-register at their home school before registration can occur in Colonial.
When can I submit my application?

We will begin accepting applications the first Monday in November. We cannot accept applications prior to that date – they will be returned and must be resubmitted in the time allotted!

What is the application process?

The School Choice Application is available online. We highly recommend that parents use this format whenever possible.

If you do not have access to the internet or are nervous about this process, we invite you to apply from a dedicated workstation located in the Choice Office. Please call 302-323-2702  or email Choice Specialist, Ahtiya Waters, (Ahtiya.waters@colonial.k12.de.us)  in advance to set up a time that is mutually convenient. This ensures that help will be available to assist you if you encounter problems or have questions. After submitting the electronic application, you will receive an automatic email confirmation. And, in future years, if you continue to participate in the “choice” program, the online application will be quick and easy to update.

How are children selected to “choice” into a school?

  • Admission is based on the number of instructional seats (aka program capacity) available in a given year. Each school/grade has a capacity number that they are able to serve. If they are projected to be at or above 85% capacity, then no seats are available. If they are projected to be under capacity then invitations are sent. If the number of requests exceeds the number of available seats in a particular grade/school, a computer generated lottery randomly selects the “invitees” and places the remainder on a wait list.

My child did not get their “choice” school. What can I do?

If you did not get an invitation to your choice school please contact the Choice Office about other options available in the Colonial School District. Be positive and encourage your student to have a good attitude regarding the next school year.

How is transportation handled?

If parents choose to send their student to a public school outside their district or attendance zone, they are responsible for getting that student to the school or to an existing bus stop located within that school’s feeder pattern.

Bus transportation will only be provided from an existing Colonial School Distirct bus stop serving that “choice” school and is dependent on bus seat capacity. If a bus is at capacity, we will recommend for families to transport students to/from school in their own vehicle. Notification about bus assignments will occur in mid-September.

Families are reminded that school bus stop supervision is the parent or guardian’s responsibility. A parent or guardian must be available to pick up or drop off your student at the assigned stop in the event of an early dismissal, late start, or other unforeseeable emergency.

Can I apply to more than one “choice” school?

The application process allows families to identify up to three options for “choice” schools in Colonial School District. Students will be assigned to the first school with availability. 

If a family strongly favors one location over all others, then you may wish to consider listing only that building on the “choice” application.

For example, a parent applies for their child to attend two buildings, with School A as the first option and School B as the second option. School A is over 85% capacity, but School B has space available. In this scenario, the student would be offered choice to School B and would not be placed on School A’s wait list. If the parent only applied to School A, they would be placed on School A’s wait list.