Arizona’s open enrollment offers options
Sep 25, 2012, 8:03 AM | Updated: 8:48 am
PHOENIX — Arizona is one of only 17 states that offers open enrollment, which means Valley students are able to select a school that fits their needs.
Craig Pletenik with Phoenix Union High School knows the choices are plentiful. “If you want to learn how to fly an airplane by the time you’re out of high school you can go to South Mountain High School.
“If you want to become an athletic trainer you can go to Alhambra High School. If you want an IB program you can got to North High School.”
Other specialized programs include foreign language instruction and cooking classes. There’s even a high school focused on becoming a registered nurse.
“If there’s a reason your son or daughter wants to go to a particular school, you can go to that school. That’s kind of the educational, free-market enterprise that Arizona has here,” Pletenik said.
There are some hurdles within the system.
Dr. Pam Sitton with Scottsdale Unified School District said students can go anywhere but space is limited in high demand areas.
“As we get more on the wait list we might actually hire another teacher to accept those open enrollments on the wait list,” Sitton said.
If a child plays sports he or she can choose whichever school they want in ninth grade.
After that it becomes more complicated, according to Clif McKenzie, executive director of Athletics and Service Learning.
“If you’re a 10th-, 11th-, or 12th- grader you can’t change from school to school. You have to live in that attendance area to be able to participate in that sport,” McKenzie said.
If a child selects a school on the opposite end of the Valley, be prepared to drive. Buses don’t cross school- boundary lines.
