CONTROLLED OPEN ENROLLMENT (SCHOOL CHOICE)

  • School attendance zones permit parents to enroll their children in a school other than the one to which they have been assigned.  Parents or guardians requesting a student reassignment must complete and submit an application for consideration to the ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â Hardship Committee. Please note that transportation is not provided for reassignment requests.

    For more information or for a list of schools currently at capacity (closed), please call ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â  at (941) 255-0808 Option 3.

2024-25 Controlled Open Enrollment Process

    • School attendance zones permit parents to enroll their children in a school other than the one to which they have been assigned. 
    • Parents or guardians requesting a student reassignment must complete an application for submittal to the ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â Hardship Committee.
    • During any month, parents may submit an Application for Student Reassignment if they wish to move their child to a school outside their district as long as that school is not at capacity enrollment.
    • No child will be reassigned to a school that is at capacity.
    • Parents may obtain an Application for Student Reassignment from any school, Murdock ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â Office, or ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â Website.
    • The Application for Student Reassignment must be submitted to the Office of the Assistant Superintendent of School Support for review by the Hardship Committee.
    • Students will be able to change schools after the Hardship Committee's approval.
    • Students seeking reassignment to a “Year Round elementary school” must seek reassignment no later than ten (10) school days from the start of the Year Round School Calendar.
    • Transportation to and from the reassigned school is the sole responsibility of the parent/guardian.
    • Potential funding for student transportation may be offered through state endorsed Scholarship Funding Organizations (SFO).  These organizations manage various state sponsored funding opportunities, such as the Hope Scholarship Program and the Family Empowerment Scholarship.  Parents/Guardians are encouraged to research potential transportation funding options located at the Department of Education website located at: .
  • Controlled Open Enrollment Chart
    2024-2025 School Year.
     
      

    Student capacity numbers will be updated every 12 weeks per State Statute.

    Capacities as of 8/1/2024

    School Capacities will be updated on:

    11/1/24

    2/1/25

    5/1/25

     

Elementary Schools

School Programmatic Capacity Actual Enrollment Available Grade Level Capacity School Enrollment Status
Deep Creek 648 752 Click Here CLOSED ALL GRADES
East 808 793 Click Here CLOSED K,2,3,5
Kingsway 640 547 Click Here
Liberty 808 716 Click Here
Meadow Park 808 662 Click Here
Myakka River 610 594 Click Here CLOSED 3,4,5
Neil Armstrong 808 729 Click Here CLOSED 1,2,3,4
Peace River 808 500 Click Here
Sallie Jones 686 617 Click Here CLOSED 4th GRADE
Vineland 564 480 Click Here CLOSED 5th GRADE

Middle Schools

School Programmatic Capacity Actual Enrollment Available Grade Level Capacity School Enrollment Status
L. A. Ainger 899 642 Click Here
Murdock 794 673 Click Here
Port Charlotte 965 861 Click Here
Punta Gorda 1240 1104 Click Here

High Schools

School Programmatic Capacity Actual Enrollment Available Grade Level Capacity School Enrollment Status
Charlotte 1760 1926 Click Here CLOSED ALL GRADES
Lemon Bay 1285 1365 Click Here CLOSED ALL GRADES
Port Charlotte 1853 1737 Click Here
    • In addition to the January Controlled Open Enrollment window, parents of kindergarten students have the option of Controlled Open Enrollment by completing a Student Reassignment Notification form during Kindergarten Round-up during the months of April/May.
    • If a high school student is reassigned, it must be in accordance with the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) rules. Student athletes will be asked to complete an "Affidavit of Compliance with the FHSAA Policy on Athletic Recruiting".
    • Upon recommendation of the principals and the review and approval of the Hardship Committee, a student may be returned to the assigned school in his/her attendance area for the following reasons: discipline and/or attendance problems; other changes in circumstances. ()

2025-26 Upcoming Controlled Open Enrollment Process

    • During the January Controlled Open Enrollment Window, any child of school age who resides in Charlotte County may apply to attend a school out of his/her assigned attendance zone as long as that school is not at capacity enrollment.
    • The appropriate reassignment form to be completed for the January Controlled Open Enrollment Window is the Student Reassignment Notification form. Parents may obtain this form from any public school within the district, Murdock ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â Office, or the ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â website.
    • The Student Reassignment Notification form must be submitted to obtain a student reassignment and is accepted only during the month of January. This is the only time that reassignment requests are guaranteed, unless school boundaries are at capacity.
    • A random lottery, to be conducted during the first two weeks of February, will be used in situations where there are more requests than available seats at a particular school.
    • Out-of-County students may not supplant In-County students at any point in the Controlled Open Enrollment process.
    • Students seeking reassignment to a “Year Round elementary school” must seek reassignment no later than ten (10) school days from the start of the Year Round school Calendar.
    • Students who are aid dependent of a former or current member of the United States military, as defined by F.S.1003.051 (b), will be provided preferential treatment.
    • Transportation to and from the reassigned school is the sole responsibility of the parent/guardian unless the student is enrolled in a specialized academic magnet program at the secondary level.
    • Potential funding for student transportation may be offered through state-endorsed Scholarship Funding Organizations (SFO).  These organizations manage various state-sponsored funding opportunities, such as the Hope Scholarship Program and the Family Empowerment Scholarship.  Parents/Guardians are encouraged to research potential transportation funding options located at the Department of Education website located at: . 

      Please Click to Access the 2025-26 January Controlled Open Enrollment Chart

In-County Reassignments

  • Students residing within Charlotte County may, subject to the policies and procedures of the School Board, attend any school within the ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â under the procedures outlined in the reassignment request form. The School ÁùºÏ²Êͼ¿â shall have full and complete authority in the matter of the assignment and placement of students in educational programs.

    In-County Reassignment Application

    Athletic participation will be governed by the rules of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). 

Out-Of-County Reassignments

  • Students residing outside of Charlotte County may, subject to the policies and procedures of the School Board, apply for reassignment under the procedures outlined in the Out-of-County application.

    Out-Of-County Reassignment Application

Charter Schools

School Programmatic Capacity Actual Enrollment Available Capacity
FSW Collegiate High School 415 333 Please refer to the individual charter school website for updated available capacity
Babcock Ranch Neighborhood School 1225 791 Please refer to the individual charter school website for updated available capacity