Are you waitlisted on LAUSD e-choices schools? Not to worry. Here are four things you can do now to increase your chances of getting into a school that’s a good fit for your family:
1. Revisit Your Neighborhood School
Hesitant about sending your child to your home school? If you’re waitlisted on LAUSD e-choices programs, it’s time to revisit this option.
Here are a few ways to get to know your home school later in the application process:
- Look for recordings from previous prospective parent presentations on the school’s website.
- Schedule a meeting or a phone call with the school administration. You might just get the reassurances you’re looking for.
- Chat up parents at the school pickup line and get some current input on the school and general parent satisfaction.
- Sign up for parent volunteer days. A few sessions will give you a sense of how happy the kids are at the school.
Need more help deciding? Use this score sheet to rate your home school:
Still feel like your home school is not the right fit? Consider taking the intra-district route:
2. Explore the LAUSD Intra-district Route
Many good neighborhood schools are looking to fill the last few spots on their roster, and the process of transferring from one LAUSD school to another is fairly straightforward.
Follow these intra-district permit guidelines to get started.
The one thing to keep in mind is that the school you are transferring into needs to offer a program that is not available at your home school. A language program or a school with an International Baccalaureate designation are two common examples.
If you have a strong reason to want to apply to a specific program, such as plans to move to a non-English speaking country in a few years, you will increase your chances of acceptance.
Do keep in mind that every local LAUSD school operates differently when it comes to intra-district applications. Make sure to visit the school’s website and follow their process for getting on their waitlist.
Typically, schools know more about their enrollment numbers around April or May but might end up with last-minute spots up until the first month of school.
And one last thing – don’t just apply for an application online, call the school as well. As some schools have a less rigid acceptance system for intra-district applicants, a personal appeal might increase your chances.
Didn’t find what you were looking for at any local public school? Try applying for specialized programs such as SAS programs through e-choices late application process:
3. Fill Out Late Applications for SAS Programs
Did you apply to a SAS program (Schools for Advanced Studies) at any of your local schools? If not, it’s worth doing so now.
If you haven’t researched this option yet, visit LAUSD e-choices for information about local SAS programs. To find out if your child is eligible, use these e-choices SAS eligibility forms.
Fill out these eligibility forms if your child has made significant academic progress since you originally applied for programs on e-choices. Children who are accepted receive most of their instruction in the regular classroom with more qualified teachers and individualized study, a combination that can benefit almost any student.
The chances of getting accepted into a SAS program are slim but even if you don’t get in, you’ll know how to follow the process if you apply again in the future.
While all the steps mentioned above can help get you into a program this year, the next one will help you prepare for the next school year:
As it turns out, there are still some options to explore for the next school year, even if you are waitlisted on LAUSD e-choices programs now.
Need more information on LAUSD school programs? Visit the LAUSD tab on the maketimeformom website.