Board hears plan for third-grade placements after Fordham Early Learning program; work session requested
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Summary
District staff told the board that 15 of 17 Fordham Early Learning first-grade students already have placements for third grade; the board discussed a March controlled-open-enrollment window option and asked for a fall work session to finalize policy for future cohorts and siblings' placement concerns.
Marion County School Board members on May 13 reviewed district options for third-grade placements for students currently enrolled at Fordham Early Learning and asked staff to schedule a fall work session on a long-term solution.
District presenter Ms. Bridal said of 17 Fordham students moving to third grade, 15 have accepted placements: eight to Dr. N.H. Jones, two to Eighth Street, two to Ocala Springs, one to Spar Elementary and two to private schools. Two families have been offered seats at South Ocala and Anthony Elementary and staff are awaiting parental acceptance.
Looking ahead to the 2026-27 school year, Bridal described a proposed timeline that gives Fordham families earlier controlled open enrollment access. "The Beyond Fordham opportunity placement window would open March 23 for controlled open enrollment and that would be ahead of the normal controlled open enrollment window for all of the other students," she said. Under the proposal, Fordham families could select schools that are at 95% capacity or below and be notified before the regular controlled open enrollment window opens.
Board members debated whether the plan provides enough priority for Fordham students. Dr. Diane Gullett and Board member Dr. Sarah James pushed for additional protections: "I still think it's imperative that we prioritize these Fordham students almost as if they're sibling placements," Dr. James said, noting the program was designed specifically for early learning.
Board members also noted sibling wait lists complicate options because seats are sometimes already held for siblings through existing policies. Several members asked for a dedicated work session in the fall to craft policy for Fordham cohorts and to set expectations before the magnet and controlled-open-enrollment windows open in November.
Ending: Staff said they will continue outreach to the two remaining families and will schedule a fall work session to develop a policy that clarifies priority access for future Fordham cohorts and addresses sibling-wait-list interactions.
