{"id":1154,"date":"2026-04-20T16:13:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T20:13:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stjohns.k12.fl.us\/coe\/?page_id=1154"},"modified":"2026-04-20T16:13:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T20:13:45","slug":"controlled-open-enrollment-coe-faq","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.stjohns.k12.fl.us\/coe\/controlled-open-enrollment-coe-faq\/","title":{"rendered":"Controlled Open Enrollment (COE)- FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Controlled Open Enrollment (COE)- FAQs<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tQ: What is COE?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

A: <\/strong>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.<\/p>

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.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tQ: How is Capacity Determined? <\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

A:<\/strong> A determination of the schools with available capacity is updated every 12 weeks and will be posted on the School District\u2019s 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.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Since Pre-Kindergarten (PK) programs are not mandatory, Controlled Open Enrollment options are not available for VPK students.\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tQ: Are ESE Students eligible?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

A:<\/strong> 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\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tQ: Are High Schools Available?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

A: No,<\/strong> all St. Johns County high schools do not currently meet the Controlled Open Enrollment criteria.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tQ: What is the Application Process and Lottery Selection?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

A:<\/strong>Applications are available on the School District\u2019s 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)<\/strong>, families who are awarded seats will be notified during the designated Lottery and Notification Week.<\/p>

In accordance with state requirements, districts must give preference in the Controlled Open Enrollment process to:<\/p>