We’re just a few months into the 2024-25 school year. But the School District of Osceola County is already asking parents and students to think about next school year.
They can do that at the annual Choice Fair on Thursday, Nov. 21 from 5-7:30 p.m. at Osceola Heritage Park. All schools will be in attendance at the free event to showcase the options they have available for students in grades K-12. This year, Early Childhood Learning will be joining forces with the Educational Choices and Innovation Department to register rising Kindergartners during the Choice Fair.
Academic programs, extracurricular activities, student and parent services, and program admission requirements will be the hot topics. Giveaways, art and school exhibits, health screenings, and student performances are also part of the annual fair.
If parents and students find a program at a school they like, the district’s Choice application for the 2025-2026 school year will be available at the fair.
School Choice is defined as, “The practice of allowing all families to make meaningful decisions about how and where their children will receive a primary and secondary education from a variety of public schools and programs. Public School Choice options may include, but are not limited to, controlled open enrollment, special programs, advanced placement, dual enrollment, International Baccalaureate, and CTE Academies.”
For example, three of the district’s high schools— Professional and Technical High School (PATHS), Osceola County School for the Arts, and NeoCity Academy—are magnet schools, which offer specialized curriculums to students outside the school’s normal attendance boundaries. They require a separate application process for admission.
Students and parents with questions about school choice are encouraged to call the district’s Educational Choices and Innovation Department at 407-870-4847 or visit www. osceolaschools.net/choice.
