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Dearborn Heights board approves Schools of Choice windows and limits for 2025–26
Summary
The Dearborn Heights School District #7 board approved participation in the Schools of Choice program for 2025–26, setting a May 15–June 15 window and limited seats for grades K–5 and an open May 15–Sept. 12 window with unlimited enrollment for grades 6–12.
The Dearborn Heights School District #7 Board of Education voted March 10 to participate in the 2025–26 Schools of Choice program, approving separate enrollment windows and seat limits for elementary grades and an unlimited option for secondary grades.
Mr. Kleinhan, a district staff member, explained the board had separated elementary and secondary windows to support logistics: “Having a separate window will allow us … if we have more than the amount of students and it closes in the month that we have it open then that gives us time to do a lottery and it also gives us time to get class lists going,” he said. The board adopted an elementary open-enrollment window from May 15 through June 15, 2025 with limited openings: a combined total of 60 kindergarten seats across Bedford, Pulk and Party and specified per-grade counts (first grade seven seats; second grade 177 seats; third grade 20 seats; fourth grade 26 seats; fifth grade 30 seats) with several grade listings shown as closed in the motion.
For grades 6–12 the board set an open enrollment period of May 15 through Sept. 12, 2025 and designated grades 6–12 as “unlimited.” Trustee Derek Wall asked for clarification on the meaning of unlimited enrollment; Mr. Kleinhan responded plainly: “if a gazillion people sign up we have to take them,” underscoring that an unlimited designation obligates the district to accept all applicants who apply during the window.
Board discussion also noted district practice of contacting prior districts for student disciplinary histories; trustees emphasized discipline as the primary valid reason to deny a Schools of Choice request. The board carried both motions on roll call.
The district said the elementary window is intended to allow time for lotteries and classroom planning if applications exceed openings; details for administration of lotteries, transportation implications and budgetary impact were not specified in the meeting record. The next step is for staff to implement the posted enrollment windows and accept applications according to the limits and timelines the board approved.
