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Open Enrollment Flexibility

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Key Message

Military-directed moves frequently disadvantage military families navigating school enrollment options for their children. States can assist by increasing military-connected students’ access to schooling options, allowing them to remain in their current school placement despite a relocation from temporary to permanent housing, and including them within existing enrollment prioritization systems.

Analysis

Many states have modified their education statutes to improve military family access to a variety of schooling options through flexible interdistrict and intradistrict transfer policies, magnet schools and charter schools.

Insights

Open enrollment is a form of K-12 public school choice that allows students to attend a different school than the one to which they are assigned based on their place of residence. Most states have one or more policies providing for varying degrees of open enrollment, but they can differ greatly across state and even district lines. These policies can be mandatory or voluntary; may apply to interdistrict transfers or be limited to intradistrict transfers; may include magnet and charter schools; and may provide priority to students who are part of designated categories.

Supporting Resources

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