School Choice Application Process
- Determine which school your student is zoned to attend.
- Review the current schools considered frozen due to overcapacity as defined in the School Choice Open Enrollment, subject to change as the year progresses.
- Review School Choice Open Enrollment Windows.
- Learn more about your options for enrolling your student in one of Pasco County Schools Innovative and Choice Programs, for example Magnet and Career and Technical Programs. Did you miss the Pasco Pathways Expo or would you like to learn more about our innovative programs and magnet schools? Click here to see the school's presentations.
- Check out the FAQ’s below.
*** Important- Please READ***
To complete a school choice application the parent/guardian must have an active parent account in myStudent. If you do not currently have an active account, please see the directions and video below. Once your account is created, you will be required to continue the online registration process. Prior to beginning, please visit the Enrollment Services page so that you can gather the information needed.
If a student applied for school choice during the January application window and received an acceptance notification or waitlist notification for the 2024 - 25 school year, applying during the April window will cancel their previous application.
Frequently Asked Questions
The school choice application can only be accessed for students who are linked to your parent account. To add a student to your parent account, please go to https://pasco.focusschoolsoftware.com/focus/?skipSAML=true and ensure you are logged out of your parent portal. Once logged out, click “Click HERE to register for a new account or to add another student to your account”.
Once your student is added to your account and you have completed the online registration, log in to your parent portal and complete the appropriate school choice application for this student.
Transportation is not provided for students approved for regular school choice into another school.
For magnet schools/programs please see the Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice Catalog for specific information on transportation.
The school choice application is located in the myStudent Parent Portal that is linked here.
If you do not have an account you will need to create one follow the instructions under the log in fields.
Ask your child for their ID number if s/he does not know the number, then please email pascopathways@k12-lets-talk.com// to request assistance. Provide as much detail as possible, including the student’s full legal name, date of birth and your best contact phone number. A member of our technology team will research the information and reply back to you. The user name is the email address you used to register. For passwords, please click the bottom link in the parent portal entrance to enter your email address to reset the password. Application timelines are located on our main School Choice webpage.
When approved during the School Choice Controlled Open Enrollment Window, students can remain at the school of choice through the highest grade served at the school. New applications are required when students change school levels (from VPK to K, from 5th to 6th grade, and 8th to 9th grade). See the 24-25 Controlled Open Enrollment Plan for exceptions that require reapplying for school choice.
If a student is approved for school choice and does not live in the county, the student will not need to reapply for school choice every year. A new school choice application to attend a different Pasco County school will be required when the student changes school levels.
Applications submitted during open enrollment are given equal consideration, regardless of whether they were submitted the first day or the last day and are subject to a Lottery procedure. The 24-25 Controlled Open Enrollment Plan outlines the process and procedures that are used.
Yes, edits to your application may be made until the window closes. Please note: the last entry prior to the window closing will be the application that is processed.
To update demographic information, please contact your child’s current school.
If you do not respond by the deadline, your school choice offer is forfeited.
If you decline the school choice offer, your child will attend their residential zoned school or their currently enrolled school. Students receive one (1) offer of enrollment.
Parents may select up to three (3) school choice options during the Controlled Open Enrollment window. You are only required to select 1 choice but can select up to 3.
Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice will be open from January 8, 2025 at 8 a.m. through January 21, 2025 at 4:30 PM. This enrollment window is for the 2025-26 school year. The application is accessible through your parent account in myStudent. You must complete an active myStudent account to access the school choice application. For more information click here.
Placement of siblings within the same school is facilitated whenever feasible provided the appropriate educational services are available for each sibling and placement does not impact class size. Siblings must reside in the same household or documentation of joint custody must be provided.
For programs or schools with criteria, sibling preference will be applied if criteria is met by the applicate. For entrance into a dedicated magnet school without criteria, capacity is used to determine the number of students who are granted entrance. Sibling preference will be applied but entrance is not guaranteed. Siblings applying to a magnet school or program at the same time will not be granted guaranteed entrance if one sibling gets in and the other does not.
For additional information on the school choice application process please review the 24-25 Controlled Open Enrollment Plan.
Yes. Each student must have his/her own School Choice application.
As you view your parent portal. Please make sure to select your student from the menu on the left hand side and the school choice application for that student. If you are applying for more than one student, you will need to click on each student and complete an application through the link.
Please consult the website or contact the Office for After School Enrichment Programs for information regarding the location of these fee-based programs.
Hardships granted as a result of an address change occurring during the 2024-2025 school year will only be valid through the end of the 2024-2025 school year, and not through the highest grade served. Students must reapply for School Choice for the 2025-2026 school year during the School Choice Controlled Open Enrollment Window. If you are new to Pasco County Schools, please visit, https://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/enrollment
Out of county students can apply for school choice during the Controlled Open Enrollment Window. Parents/Guardians must complete an online registration For additional information on placement of out of district students please see the 24-25 Controlled Open Enrollment Plan.
Each charter school conducts its own separate selection process. Please consult the charter school’s website for further details.
Applications can only be completed online only through myStudent. Computers are available at public schools or the public library.
Yes, a valid email address is required.
Appeals can be made based on the outcome of the School Choice lottery. For more information on this process and timeline visit the 24-25 Controlled Open Enrollment Plan.
No, you should visit the VPK webpage for more information. https://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/ecp/page/vpk
Department Navigation
School Choice Overview
Innovative School Choice Options
