Back to School: Choice and zone determine which school students attend

PANAMA CITY — For parents of children new to Bay County schools, or those who recently have relocated within the district, finding the right school can be a daunting task.

More than 26,000 students attend the 18 elementary schools, six middle schools, five high schools, two multi-grade schools, three special purpose schools, an adult/technical school, six charter schools and an virtual school in the district. Several forms are required before the registration process can begin.

However, Bay District Schools has staff trained to guide parents through the process.

“What we ask of parents it to take care of this before school starts,” said Lee Stafford, director of student services. “Because what happens then is they have to wait their turn and we want them to avoid waiting in line.”

A Florida immunization record, birth certificate and two documents for proof of address are required for registration. Address is a major determinate of which school children will attend.

Parents can have a choice of which school their children attend, though transportation is not provided to students who choose to attend a school outside of their zones.

School preference is on a first-come-first-serve basis. All students are placed in their first choice school until it reaches capacity or causes the school to be out of compliance with federal consent orders. Last year Bay District Schools saw 4,679 new or transfer students. Each school usually reserves 10 percent of its capacity for students who transfer into the schools’ zone.

An overcrowded school on the beach, Breakfast Point Academy, will not accept out-of-zone fifth graders going to the sixth grade in the upcoming year. The school is at 120 percent of its capacity.

To prevent overcrowding in the northern area of the district, students were rezoned last school year to prevent Deane Bozeman High School from going over occupancy. It was the only school within the district to rezone.

To find the child’s school zone parents can check the Bay District Schools website, or contact the child’s current school.

Parents are required to fill out school choice applications if they moved out of the current school zone this school year but wish to have their child remain at the current school; want to change their child’s school for the upcoming school year; or have a child entering kindergarten, sixth, or ninth grade and wish to attend a school other than the zoned school.

Each student has to, within 30 days of initial admission to the schools of Bay County, present evidence of a medical examination conducted within the previous 12 months, according to law and rules of the Florida Department of Education.

A student’s choice can be revoked because of nonattendance or for discipline violations.

Accepted forms of ID

Car payment or billing statement

Deed

Driver’s license

Lease agreement

Recent utility bill that reports where service is provided (i.e. electric, water, telephone, cable, Internet)

Rent receipt

Voter’s registration card

Insurance payment or billing statement

W2 income tax statement

Verification from the Clerk of the Circuit Court as the address to which child support payments are sent

Property tax record

Recent legal document

An official contract to occupy a residence within 30 days. However, if that address does not become the student’s official home address within 30 days, the student shall be transferred to his or her zoned school.