Choice Questions

Parents/guardians who wish to have their student(s) attend a school outside of their regular attendance boundary must go through the application process. Beginning December 1, an online application will be available from the Schools of Choice Program webpage. Please have a valid proof of residence ready to upload to validate your address. 

Due to changes made by the Colorado State Board of Education to its rules governing the Exceptional Children’s Educational Act, the Adams 12 School Choice Process now involves three steps, as follows.

Step #1 - Application for admission to School(s) of Choice. 

Student’s parent/guardian completes the Adams 12 Schools of Choice application. Student is admitted to the applicable round’s lottery if the selected School(s) of Choice are open to choice.

Step #2 - Determination of enrollment eligibility.

Adams 12 will complete a review of the student’s education records to determine the student’s enrollment eligibility in the Choice School(s), including residency, appropriate grade level placement, and programmatic enrollment criteria. This review will also help the District determine whether the Choice School(s) can meet the student’s educational needs. If the student has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the District may determine that it is necessary to convene the student’s IEP team to discuss whether the Choice School(s) can meet the student’s educational needs.

For students who are currently enrolled in Adams 12, the student’s parent/guardian does not need to submit further information for the District to complete Step #2, as the District already has access to the student’s education records.

 For students who are not currently enrolled in Adams 12, the student’s parent/guardian will need to complete a Step #2 form, which will be sent to them via email. Families are encouraged to expedite the process in Step #2 by completing this form and submitting the student records requested (if applicable) as soon as they receive this email.

Step #3 - Notification and completion of enrollment process.

Adams 12 will notify families of choice enrollment decisions via email. If the student is determined to be eligible for enrollment in the Choice School(s), the enrollment decision email will contain a link for parents/guardians to complete Step #3, which is the school enrollment form. 

There are two due dates for Choice application consideration. The first deadline to submit a Choice application for priority consideration for the following school year is January 31.  Families wishing to use any of our priorities including sibling and boundary school priority should apply during the first round as spaces for priority students may not be available in the second round.

The second deadline to submit a Choice application for the following school year is March 31.  Applications received between February 1 and March 31 will be considered based upon facility capacity, staff availability, and budget of the school being requested. 

In addition, a third Choice window begins in mid-April for our under-enrolled schools. The district will publicize the names of schools that are open for 3rd Round Choice no later than the end of April.

Each applicant can request up to four schools on the Choice application. If the first requested school is filled, then the second choice request will be considered. If the second requested school is filled, then the third choice school will be considered. If the third requested school is filled, then the fourth choice school will be considered. An applicant does not have to request multiple schools.

Yes. In order to change your requested Choice schools, simply resubmit a Choice application via our online application. We always take the most recent application. You may submit a new application until the end of the round (January 31st for the first round and March 31st for the second round) at which point your requests will be locked in.

If the number of requests exceeds the spaces available for priority consideration in a given school, a lottery will be held using the following eight-tiered priority:

1. In-district students who are siblings of (an) existing student(s) at the requested school that results in concurrent enrollment of siblings (for example, an incoming 6th grader whose sibling is going into the 8th grade)

2. In-district students who are siblings of (an) existing student(s) at the requested school that results in one year lapse of concurrent sibling enrollment (for example, an incoming 6th grader whose sibling is going into 9th grade)

3. In-district students who are the child of an Adams 12 staff member

4. In-district students without siblings at the requested school

5. Out-of-district students who are siblings of (an) existing student(s) at the requested school that results in concurrent enrollment of siblings

6. Out-of-district students who are siblings of (an) existing student(s) at the requested school that results in one year lapse of concurrent sibling enrollment

7. Out-of-district students who are the child of an Adams 12 staff member

8. Out-of-district students without siblings at the requested school

Acceptance to a Choice school outside of a student's attendance area (boundary school) is based upon several criteria: availability of space, sufficient teaching staff, appropriate programs, and necessary facilities for special needs students. Furthermore, any student expelled or in the process of expulsion is omitted from consideration per Colorado state law.

All students who apply for multiple schools are placed on the wait list for each school that they are not accepted to.  Wait lists are only kept for one school year.  Parents must re-apply each year for possible placement.

New residents to the district may apply to the Schools of Choice Program, and the same criteria for consideration and acceptance apply: space, facilities, etc.

Students who are approved for Choice enrollment and attend schools outside their assigned attendance area are responsible for their own transportation to and from the school. Boundary school information can be viewed here.

Participation in the district's Choice program will affect a student's right to transportation afforded under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Families eligible for homeless assistance services should consult with the Student and Family Outreach Program before choosing to participate in the Choice process by calling their office at 720-972-6015. 

The duration of a Choice placement is valid for all grades which that school serves. For example, if a student is approved to attend an elementary school, the approval is valid through the end of grade five. However, students must reapply through the Choice Program to attend a middle school that is out of their school boundary area. The same applies for the transition from middle school to high school. If they do not apply, the students' placement automatically reverts to their boundary school.

Secondly, continuous enrollment must occur for the Choice status to remain valid. If a student withdraws from a Choice school, the Choice status becomes null and void; the student would have to return to his/her attendance boundary school.

Lastly, approval of an application for Choice becomes the student's assignment to that school for all grades served by the school, as long as there are no significant changes in that school's enrollment or facilities. 

There are two options: 1) The student can remain at the current Choice school, but parents must continue to provide transportation to that school. OR 2) The student can enroll in the new boundary school and must provide proof of residency within that school's boundary. If option two is selected, the Choice status becomes null and void.

If a family wishes to remain at their Choice school, they should submit a Household Change Form at their Choice school. If a family wishes to enroll in their new boundary school, they should submit a Household Change Form (Spanish) within two weeks of their move to their new boundary school and notify the registrar that they wish to attend their new boundary school rather than remain at their Choice school.

Choice is valid for all grades served by the school regardless if the family moves out of the district. If there is a growth in enrollment, the district reserves the right to revoke Choice approval beginning with out-of-district families.

There are two options: 1) Students can remain at the current Choice school and parents must continue to provide transportation to that school, or 2) Parents must notify the current Choice school by March 31 of that school year that the student will not return in the fall and prefers to attend their new boundary school. In addition, parents must contact and register at their new boundary school. If option two is selected, the Choice status becomes null and void.

Student athletic eligibility status is determined in accordance with the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) rules. For specific information, contact Athletics at the Educational Support Center.

The district will determine the specific schools open to Choice by December 1 of each year. A list of the schools will be published on the district website and through other district publications. That decision is based upon space, adequate budget, and sufficient staffing at each school to accommodate additional students.

No. However, when possible, priority will be given to sibling applications so that families are able to attend the same school.

When possible, first priority will be given to students with a sibling currently enrolled at the desired school where approval for Choice will result in concurrent enrollment. Second priority will be given to students with a sibling currently enrolled at the desired school but will not result in concurrent enrollment because of the continuation or graduation of the sibling. There are no guarantees that siblings of existing students will be granted Choice. Approval is dependent on spaces available.  Students wishing to attend their sibling's school should apply between December 1 and January 31 for priority consideration. Sibling priority for the 2nd and 3rd rounds of Choice will be granted depending on space availability at the school.

If the school your children attend is closed to Choice and you move during the school year but would like your children to stay at their current school for the next school year, you may apply for Choice even though the school is closed.

Students with mild/moderate disabilities and students placed in Significant Support Needs (SSN), Affective Needs (AN) or Structured Learning Services (Autism Spectrum Disorder) may apply to any program with adequate space, staff, facilities, budget, and if the requested school can meet the requirements of the student's Individual Education Program (IEP) within the existing resources.  Programs with adequate space, staff, facilities and budget for the desired Choice year will be listed in the Special Education Section of the Choice Schools webpage.

Applications for Choice from out-of-district students will be considered within each deadline period only after the requests of in-district students have been considered.

Since the new Choice school officially becomes the assigned school, the students have to reapply to go to another school or back to their original boundary school.

No. The District cannot change the physical building, or make alterations to the arrangement or function of rooms. It cannot expand programs, add staffing, or waive eligibility requirements to accommodate Choice students.

K-5 programs magnet programs such as The Studio School are part of the Choice process.  K-8 magnet programs such as STEM Lab, STEM Launch and Hulstrom K-8 are part of the Choice process.

Specialized high school programs such as Horizon SOAR, International Baccalaureate at Thornton High, Legacy 2000 at Legacy High and High School of Business™ at Mountain Range High and are not part of the Choice process.  Legacy does not accept applications to Legacy 2000 from students who reside outside of the district.  Northglenn High School will only accept applications for the STEM Program from out-of-district students who attended one of our STEM K-8 schools.  Horizon, Mountain Range and Thornton High Schools will accept applications from out-of-district students.  Students wishing to attend any of these programs should view that program's website.  

Charter schools and alternative programs are not part of the Choice process.

Yes. Choice approval can be revoked if a student is recommended for expulsion, is expelled, or engages in conduct which would support expulsion. The Choice approval can be revoked if the district determines the Choice application included material misstatements or omissions.  Choice may be revoked if there is a change of enrollment from within the boundary that causes overcrowding.

Choice can also be revoked if a student's needs change such that they can no longer be served by the programs available within their Choice school.

Kindergarteners must be 5-years-old on or before October 1.

Any parent-initiated change of schools in Adams 12 is requested through either a family-initiated transfer request (if the move is desired during the current school year) or by submitting Choice request during one of the Choice windows (if the move is desired for the following school year).  District policy 5260 section 7.6 explains that because the curricular programs of charter schools are, by design, substantively different than those of other District schools, students whose transfer requests are approved will generally be admitted to the new school only at the quarter, trimester or semester, at the discretion of the receiving school principal. Admission at these times will assure placement in more appropriate classes and permit a smooth transition.

If you make a mistake or change your mind on a Choice, please just submit a new application. We always take the most recent application, and we mark the older ones as duplicates. We always screen for duplicates.

Please click here to access preschool FAQs.

...join a STEM Pathway at Northglenn High School (Biomedical, Engineering, P>TECH)

• Apply directly to the program, contact Northglenn High to learn more. (No need to complete district choice!)

...attend Northglenn High School to continue the PBL model (but I don't live in NHS boundaries) – what do I need to do?

• If you wish to attend Northglenn High to continue to PBL model and do not live in the NHS boundaries you will need to apply for Choice. (You're guaranteed to get into Northglenn HS!)

...attend my boundary school (including Northglenn HS)

• Do nothing. (That's right! You will automatically roll to your boundary school!)

...attend another program or school:

• Contact the school and follow their process to apply for their specialized High School program OR apply for Choice.