Hundreds Seek ​“School Choice” Answers

When parent Isabela Oliva arrived at Wilbur Cross High School, she brought her mother, husband, two kids, and dozens of questions about how New Haven public schools work — at an expo that took place as another magnet school application process is set to begin.

Her family was one of 800 that gathered in the Wilbur Cross gym this Saturday for the New Haven School Choice Expo, where families met representatives from New Haven public magnet programs and local charter schools between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) Supervisor of Magnet Schools Michele Bonanno, who was joined Saturday by her 2‑year-old daughter, said the district will launch the magnet and charter application on Monday, Feb. 3. The application will remain open until March 7. In early April, families should receive the lottery results.

Oliva immigrated to New Haven from Brazil three years ago. Navigating the school system for her 2‑year-old daughter, Elisa, and 1‑year-old son, Henry, has proved challenging. 

“I don’t even know where to look,” Oliva explained, gesturing to the massive gymnasium. ​“It’s so new. I didn’t go to school here, so I don’t know how to work it.”

Oliva took to Googling her questions, which led her to the expo. The most important thing to her is the security and safety of her children. She hoped to learn more about how the school system works — how to choose a good fit, how to enroll, how good her lottery chances are. 

Marquelle Middleton, NHPS’s director of school choice and enrollment, explained that the city’s public school district has 41 schools in total. Fifteen of them are interdistrict magnet schools, which are open to students from throughout the state in a bid to promote racial and economic diversity. New Haven’s interdistrict magnet schools include Barnard, King/Robinson, Betsy Ross, Co-Op, Career, and New Haven Academy, among others.

Middleton said the priority entry grades for magnet and charter schools are pre-kindergarten, third, fourth, and ninth grade. He does not yet know how many seats are open this year — each year the number is a bit different based on space and availability.

The expo offered Oliva valuable information, plus a good deal of merchandise. She held a bright yellow goody bag, emblazoned with the words ​“National School Choice Week.” Her whole family wore large circular stickers, reading either ​“I’m an explorer!” or ​“I’m a scientist!” There were tables covered with balloons, cotton candy, yellow scarves, tote bags, stickers, pamphlets, pencils, and light-up toys. 

Middleton said the expo was entirely funded by National School Choice Week. Seventy-two NHPS students from across the district came to help staff the event, according to Barbara Duncan, vice president of Quality Schools at Choose a School.

Facing a lack of compliance with current state ​“desegregation” requirements, some New Haven public schools are looking to court more suburban, white families to keep funding flowing. Saturday’s event offered one way to do so. 

New Haven’s interdistrict magnet schools are bound by state compliance factors that require that no more than 75 percent of a magnet school’s students live in New Haven. They also dictate that no fewer than a combined 25 percent of a magnet school’s students must be white or Asian, and not Black or Hispanic.

“We’re bound by compliance,” Middleton said. ​“However, we do not hold back seats. So where there is not that demand, we do allow New Haven seats in.”

East Rock parents Roger Miller and Katie Dickey brought their 2‑year-old son, August, along with them as they searched for a preschool program. They hoped first to figure out their choices — they had been unsure which schools even offered pre-kindergarten.

“The process itself is a little confusing,” Dickey said. She was looking for a school with a small student-teacher ratio, dedicated teachers, and individualized attention to student needs. Before- and after-care were also a ​“completely determinant factor” to her family.

Before the lottery application opens on Monday, families were free to chat with educators, administrators, and state education workers. The mood was festive, an energetic frenzy crafted by the DJ in the foyer.

Henry, Oliva’s 1‑year-old son, ran around in circles with an inflatable balloon sword. After stopping at different school booths, his family joined the growing line to get face paint, a collection of other families looking to leave with information and something a little more colorful.