Controlled Open Enrollment (COE)- FAQs
A: In addition to established attendance zones, career academies, and programs of choice, the St. Johns County School District offers additional school assignment options through Controlled Open Enrollment, in accordance with Florida Statute 1002.31.
Controlled Open Enrollment allows school districts to assign students to schools based, in part, on parent-selected preferences. Each district school board is required to adopt a Controlled Open Enrollment plan that permits parents from any Florida school district to enroll their child in any public school that has not reached capacity, provided the parent assumes responsibility for transportation.
A: A determination of the schools with available capacity is updated every 12 weeks and will be posted on the School District’s website. In order to allow the district to plan for future growth and establish efficient attendance zones, a new school will not be subject to Controlled Open Enrollment until it has been in operation for three (3) years.
Since Pre-Kindergarten (PK) programs are not mandatory, Controlled Open Enrollment options are not available for VPK students.
A: ESE students are eligible to apply to all programs and schools, including those available through Controlled Open Enrollment. If selected for a COE school, an IEP team will convene to determine whether the student’s needs can be appropriately met and whether the IEP can be implemented at the selected school. If the school is unable to meet the student’s needs, the student will not be enrolled at that location and will instead be placed at their zoned school or another appropriate placement for services, if they are a resident of St. Johns County.
A: No, all St. Johns County high schools do not currently meet the Controlled Open Enrollment criteria.
A:Applications are available on the School District’s website during the designated open enrollment period each year. One application must be submitted for each student, and families may select multiple school options within that application. After the application window closes at the end of the business day (5:00 PM), families who are awarded seats will be notified during the designated Lottery and Notification Week.
In accordance with state requirements, districts must give preference in the Controlled Open Enrollment process to:
- Dependent children of active-duty military personnel whose relocation is due to military orders
- Children placed in foster care outside of their current school zone
- Children who relocate due to a court-ordered custody change (e.g., separation, divorce, serious illness, or death of a custodial parent)
- Students residing within the district
A: Students subject to a current expulsion or suspension will not be permitted to take advantage of a Controlled Open Enrollment choice.
Controlled Open Enrollment placement may be rescinded if:
- Incorrect or false information was provided in the application.
- Attendance, tardiness, or discipline/behavior problems develop at the receiving school.
A: For purposes of continuity of educational choice, a student who enrolls or transfers under Controlled Open Enrollment may remain at the Controlled Open Enrollment school until the student completes the highest grade level at the school. After completion of the terminal grade of that school, the student must return to their zoned school or apply for and be granted another lottery selection through Controlled Open Enrollment.
A: Applications for Controlled Open Enrollment will only be accepted during an open application window. You can find the application on the district website. The application window will run simultaneously for both St. Johns County residents and out-of-county residents. There will be two separate lotteries, with in-county and out-of-county students being numbered separately.
A: Once notified of a lottery selection of an available seat, the parent/guardian must accept and enroll the student in the specified school for the designated start date. The parent/guardian will have ten working days to respond. No response will be considered a decline of the selection.
A: A waitlist will be maintained between application windows; however, a new application must be filed with the start of each new window.
There is no appeal process for Controlled Open Enrollment as it is based strictly on a lottery procedure.
A: NO, seats cannot be saved. You will have to apply during the window when you are ready to transfer your student.
A: Applicants who are the sibling of a currently enrolled COE student will receive priority preference for placement appropriate to their lottery group (in-county and out-of-county). Sibling preference only applies if the school of enrollment is designated for COE for the school year of application.
Applications with a verified sibling applicant will be given a priority to attend the same school by allowing them to take the next number or to be placed on the waitlist only behind other siblings. If siblings cannot be placed at the same school, a hardship request may be submitted for in-county residents only.
A: District transportation options are NOT available to any choice option in St. Johns County. Transportation must be arranged and provided by the parent/guardian.
A: Family Empowerment and Florida Tax Credit Scholarship funds may be used for transportation to a public school in which a student is enrolled and that is different from the student’s assigned school.
A: Student-Athletes who transfer to another school must comply with the FHSAA Rules of Athletic Eligibility in order to be eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics and interscholastic extracurricular activities.
- A student participating in Controlled Open Enrollment, or a choice program is immediately eligible upon enrollment to participate in interscholastic athletics and interscholastic extracurricular activities.
- A student who has not started a sport may seek to immediately join an existing team if the roster for the specific interscholastic or interscholastic extracurricular activity has not reached that activity’s identified maximum size, provided the coach for the activity determines that the student has the requisite skill and ability to participate.
- A student may not participate in a sport if the student participated in that same sport at another school during that school year, unless the student meets one of the following criteria:
- Dependent children of active-duty military personnel whose move resulted from military orders.
- Children who have been relocated due to a foster care placement in a different school zone.
- Children who have been moved due to a court-ordered change in custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or death of a custodial parent.
- Good cause for participation exists under District or charter school policy.
A: Upon request, a student shall be permitted to return to the student’s zoned school; however, it is recommended that the student return at the end of the marking period or semester, unless extenuating circumstances are present.
