Colonial School District outlines Delaware school-choice timeline and application steps

Atiyah Waters, administrative specialist for the Colonial School District, presented details for Delawareschool choice during a virtual information session, including application dates, pre-registration requirements, and how the district will run its February lottery.

The session matters to families because Colonial serves about 10,000 students across its elementary, middle and high school programs and offers multiple choice and immersion options that families statewide can apply to under the Delaware School Choice program.

Waters told listeners the school choice application period for the upcoming school year opens Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, at 8 a.m. and closes Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Families may list up to three schools or programs per district or charter on each application. Waters said kindergarten applications submitted before the Jan. 14 deadline will be entered into the districtFebruary lottery; kindergarten applications remain eligible if submitted up to the first day of school, but late applications will be processed on a weekly basis and may be placed on a wait list.

“All choice responses are then due to the choice office by March 2026,” Waters said. She advised families that after the lottery runs the district will submit results to the Colonial Board for approval and that invitations will be sent to parents and guardians by email and postal mail after the board meeting scheduled for Feb. 10, 2026.

Waters reviewed eligibility and key procedural points the district will follow. In Delaware, incoming kindergarten students must be 5 years old by Aug. 31 of the school year; children younger than that may be considered for early admission only after district-administered testing and only if they reside within the Colonial School District feeder area. Waters said pre-registration at the resident feeder school or current registration in a Delaware public school is required before a choice application is processed. Pre-registration was available beginning Oct. 15, she said.

The district identified which schools currently accept choice applications and noted some seats may be wait-listed. Schools listed as open for choice in the presentation included Carrie Downey Elementary, Castle Hills Elementary, Eisenberg Elementary, Newcastle Elementary, Pleasantville Elementary, Southern Elementary, Wilmington Manor Elementary, McCullough Middle School, George Reed Middle School, Gunning Bedford Middle School and William Penn High School. Waters said some other schools are open to choice but may place applicants on wait lists.

Waters described program-level details families should know: immersion programs (Spanish immersion) operate at several district schools and require a separate screening for kindergarten applicants; middle-school students in immersion programs must reapply for middle-school seats; and students accepted through choice remain enrolled at the chosen building through the end of its building-configuration grade (fifth grade for elementary, eighth for middle and 12th for high school) unless terminated for failure to meet district attendance, behavior or academic standards.

Waters also emphasized transportation rules: transportation is not provided for choice students to new schools; families may request assignment to an existing bus stop within the chosen feeder area if seats are available, but otherwise transportation to and from school is the familyresponsibility.

The presentation included calendar items and community events. Waters mentioned a homecoming parade and fall festival and a safety and security summit scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at William Penn High School. She said a recording of the session and related materials will be posted on the Colonial School District website and that families can sign up for school tours via a QR code shown during the presentation. "We are available to get back to you within 24 hours," Waters said when inviting questions and contacts.

No formal votes or board actions were taken during the session; Waters presented information and opened the floor for questions and chat messages. Questions could also be submitted through the district website or by contacting Waters directly; the presentation displayed her phone and email contact information.

The districtpresentation concentrated on process and deadlines rather than changes to policy. Waters repeatedly reminded families that pre-registration at the resident feeder school is a separate required step before the district will accept a school choice application for lottery processing.

For families seeking next steps, Waters advised: pre-register at the resident feeder school if not already enrolled, complete the online school choice application when the window opens Nov. 3, 2025, and watch for lottery/invitation notices after the Feb. 10, 2026 Colonial Board meeting.