The Connecticut State Department of Education created the Greater Hartford Regional School Choice Office 15 years ago as a single source of information and support for families interested in school choice. “At RSCO, we’re all about helping families in Greater Hartford explore their school choice options and access those opportunities that best fit their family,” said the program's director, Robin Cecere. We spoke with her about the history and goals of RSCO.
Q. What is school choice?
A. School choice is the power to choose where your child attends school! Here in Greater Hartford, families with students entering Pre-K3 through Grade 12 can apply to attend free public schools outside of their home district that fit their child's unique interests and passions. These public school options are unique to Connecticut and generally not available on an interdistrict basis in other states.
Q. What types of school choices are available in Greater Hartford?
A. Families may apply to three different types of free public schools through one online application, available through the RSCO website at ChooseYourSchool.org. First, there’s 43 magnet schools incorporating specialized themes, such as STEM, visual and performing arts, computer science and Montessori. We have three new school opportunities for the 2023-2024 school year:
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CREC Pre-K3 and Pre-K4 program
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First-ever dual-language program for Pre-K4 and Kindergarten students
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Early college advanced manufacturing program for Grade 12
Second, we have Open Choice public schools in high performing school districts outside of their hometown, which is primarily for Hartford residents. And lastly, there are three regional technical high schools specializing in career and technical education.
Q. Why would families choose a RSCO school? What are the benefits?
A. Students receive tailored academic programming aligned with their interests and passions, plus have access to sports, clubs and extracurricular activities at all of our schools. Students also get to go to school with kids from different backgrounds from almost every city and town in Greater Hartford, which is a great way to learn about the real world around them and access the benefit of learning through different perspectives and viewpoints.
Q. Do students receive transportation to these schools?
A. Yes, RSCO provides transportation to and from school for students in grades K through 12 living in 43 towns. RSCO also transports prekindergarten Hartford resident students to schools outside of Hartford and provides a transportation stipend as a reimbursement for prekindergarten families who live outside of Hartford. If a student lives in the same town as the school they’re attending, they just take the local school district’s bus.
Q. Is there still time to apply for the 2023-2024 school year?
A. Yes, applications are accepted through September 15. There are still great opportunities available. In fact, now families can see waitlist information in real-time, which can help them make informed decisions about their selections.
Q. When will applications open for the 2024-2025 school year?
A. The application will open in early December and close mid-March, with the first round of placements sent in early April. An extended application period will run from mid-April to mid-September. There will be several in-person and virtual informational events throughout the entire application period for families to learn about their options and get help applying.
For more information visit Chooseyourschool.org. On Facebook @RSCOGH.