Hundreds attend School Choice Expo in Jacksonville on Saturday

Enrollment period open for magnet, special transfer option schools in Duval

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Families got the chance to learn about current and future educational programs in Duval County schools and meet teachers and school leadership, all in one venue on Saturday.

Many parents are looking for the best education possible for their children and wanted to see the options available.

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"I want to see what all the schools are offering, safety, security and what works for him on his level, because every child is at a different level," parent Celina Sweat said.

Parents were walking from booth to booth, gathering information.

Danny Calixto is a father of a 5-year-old son and is getting him ready for kindergarten.

"(The) shaping of your kid starts early. Why not see all the options? Right now, we’re trying to figure out what’s best for him," Calixto said. "We get advice from parents, teachers, other kids (who have) been through the process. It’s a good network to have early on."

Duval County Public School officials said knowing how to choose the right school for a child can be an overwhelming process, which is why they hold the expo.

"It says to me that their child’s education is very important to them. We offer the opportunity for parents to come and look at the wonderful things that are happening at each and every one of our schools, and they can make an informed decision about where they believe (is) the best school to serve their child’s needs," Duval County Schools Superintendent Diana Green said.

The deadline to apply for schools is Feb. 28. In previous years, there have been paper applications but now all school choice applications for the 2019-20 school year must be completed online.
You will need a Parent/Guardian OneView account to access FOCUS so that you can submit your online application for magnet and special transfer option schools. If you need instructions to set up an account and apply, click here