High School Application Process 2019 2020 presented by

High School Application Process 2019 - 2020 presented by: T. H. Rogers

th 7 Grade Parents For non-Vanguard Magnet applications: 7 th grade report card - core class grades STAAR Scores You have been invited tonight for information purposes. (Seventh graders should not be applying to High School).

th 8 Grade Parents • Your child is already qualified as GT. The only Vanguard Magnet High School is Carnegie. • All other high school Magnet schools are non. Vanguard. (Though they all offer Pre-AP / AP classes for GT students). • This is the year to apply for High School!

Purpose for tonight: • Explain the non-Vanguard Matrix. • Discuss the online application and HISD’s Magnet Opportunities.

To Be Clear … • Your child does not have to re-qualify as GT for services in High School. (DO NOT sign up for Cog. AT / Iowa testing!!!) • You can apply to Carnegie and your child will go straight into Carnegie’s lottery, because your child is already GT.

To Be Clear, Part II … • For all other Magnet High Schools, a matrix will need to be completed to determine qualification for their Magnet program.

Warning! • The Matrix could change!

3 scores are calculated on the non. Vanguard Matrix: • 7 th Grade Core Class Grades (math, English, science, and social studies) • 7 th Grade STAAR Reading/Math Scores

Magnet Matrix Calculator • The Magnet Matrix Calculator is on the online High School application. • It is designed to calculate whether a student is qualified for inclusion in the lottery (for that program). • You will select the grade level or program to which you are applying. • You enter grades for core classes only! (this is only for non. HISD students, HISD students if you enter your students HISD ID# this information should prepopulate). • Enter STAAR Scores for Reading and Math. (this is only for non-HISD students, HISD students if you enter your students HISD ID# this information should prepopulate). • Enter score for IOWA/Logramos (you’ll have to enter for both Reading and Math - this is only for non-HISD students, HISD students if you enter your students HISD ID# this information should prepopulate). • Special Considerations: check box only if your student is LEP (Limited English Proficiency) or is on free and reduced lunch.

When you submit … • A list of non-Vanguard high schools to which your child qualifies will “pop up. ” • If you apply to schools to which your child is not qualified, you will not be considered for their programs.

Important Note: • High School Magnet Programs can lower the qualifying score. • List of schools with their required scores attached to your students Magnet Matrix. • List can also be found on the Office of School Choice website.

Report Card and STAAR Information: • Both Report Card and STAAR information can be found on your students Magnet Matrix. or • The seventh grade report card was given to students on the last day of school last year. • STAAR information was mailed home this summer. • If you need either, contact Ms. Turpin or Ms. Valdez in our Vanguard Office to request them.

Reminder: • The Matrix could change!

Information Opportunities • You should check out all of your magnet options!

HISD School of Choice Fair Dates and Times: • September 29, 9 a. m. -12 p. m. Sterling HS • October 20, 9 a. m. -12 p. m. Washington HS • November 10, 9 a. m. -12 p. m. Westbury HS • December 1, 9 a. m. -12 p. m. Milby MS

Tours for Secondary Schools: Ø Every Thursday from October 4 to December 6 (except Thanksgiving week) Ø Tours begin at 1 PM for High School

Tours, Part II: • Be judicious about what tours your student attends! Have them help you narrow it down to a top 2 or 3 schools to go visit.

How do you investigate? • Discuss with your child what interests they want to pursue. • Research which schools offers those interests and check out their websites. • Have your student weigh in on which programs they are most interested.

Words of Wisdom: • If the website is … lacking … that may be a red flag. • If you call or email and the coordinator doesn’t get back to you in a reasonable timeframe … red flag. • If the program has some kind of open house or event that applicants are invited to – that is a good sign.

Competition • Understanding what you’re up against … • Last year over 7000 8 th graders applied to magnet schools. • The number of applications generated by those 7000 was over 24, 000.

The Hard Truths: • Most parents apply to 3 to 5 schools. To increase your child’s chances, you should apply to 5 schools. • If you apply late, you probably will not get into the school you most desire.

The Online Application

Already Have an Account? Use it! • If you create a new account and try to enter a student that is already in the system, the system will lock you out and not allow you to apply. (Only the Office of School Choice can unlock you). Office of School Choice 4400 West 18 th St. , Level 1 SE Houston, TX 77092 Telephone: 713 -556 -6947 Email: magnet@houstonisd. org • If you can’t remember your password, click the I don’t remember my password button and proceed as directed.

Don’t Have an Account? • Applications are located at: www. hisdchoice. com • Choose an email and password to create an account into the online system. • Pick an email that you actually check!

To Start an Application • In the “Search Programs” box, type in the name of the school in which you are interested. OR • You may also search through the listing of schools.

1 Application Per School • You must fill out an application for each school to which you wish to apply. • The first application takes 20 to 30 minutes. • All subsequent applications take about 1 minute.

Hot Spots • Transportation: say yes! • HISD Employee – only if you work for Houston Independent School District.

Siblings • Click attending (only if you have another student already enrolled in the program to which you are applying, and they will be attending at the same school at the same time). • Click applying (if you have another student that is not enrolled, but you are applying to the same magnet school).

Auditions • If the program to which you are applying requires an audition, you will be prompted in the application to pick a day and time. • One advantage of applying early is that you have a better chance to secure the date and time you want.

Teacher Recommendatio ns • No HISD school requires a teacher recommendation from your student. Please do not clog up the teacher’s emails with requests. • If you are applying to private schools, the teacher recommendation needs to be turned in to Dr. Matthews (the middle school counselor) with a stamped, addressed envelope.

Submitted, In Processing • If, at the time you apply, under the school name, it says anything other than “Submitted, In Processing, ” you have not actually submitted your application.

Paper Applications • Paper Applications must be submitted to HISD Headquarters at the Hattie Mae White building. • If you have an email and computer access, the online system is TONS better than paper applications!

Documentatio n • If your child has attended an HISD school for both 7 th and 8 th grades, you should not have to supply any documentation with your HISD High School application(s).

Ranks • The order of schools on your Dashboard is the ranks for those schools (they will be numbered once you have applied to more than one school). If you only apply to one school you will not see ranks. • You have until midnight, December 7, 2018 to change the order of your school rankings.

Ranks Are Important • The order of schools on your Dashboard will determine what happens *after* the lotteries have been ran. • The system will default to your highest accept. • All schools ranked below your highest accept will “disappear. ”

Example: Rank Programs Applied To: What Happens in Lottery: What Parents See: Rank 1 School A Waitlisted Rank 2 School B Not Qualified Rank 3 School C Accepted Rank 4 School D Accepted **Dropped** Rank 5 School E Not Qualified **Dropped** If you are called off the waitlist at a higher ranked school, you will have 72 hours after your notification to accept or decline the newly offered space.

What You See: Rank Programs Applied To: What Parents See: Rank 1 School A Waitlisted Rank 2 School B Not Qualified Rank 3 School C Accepted Your choices on March 22, 2019 are: 1. Accept the seat at School C. 2. Decline the seat at school C.

More Rank Information: • If you want more information on ranking you can visit our website. • The information can be found under Vanguard Magnet.

Notification

March 22, 2019 • You will receive notification of what happened in the lottery. • If you apply online, this information will be on your Dashboard. • If you apply via paper, this information will be sent to you by U. S. Mail.

March 22 – April 5 Ø You have a 2 week window in which to accept or decline the space offered.

After the Initial 2 Weeks • If you are waitlisted at a higher ranked school, and your child is called off the waitlist, HISD allows up to 72 hours from notification for the parent to decide to keep their current space, or accept the new one.

Reminders • You can apply to 5 schools, and you should. • Deadline for applications is Friday, December 7, 2018 at midnight.

Best wishes to all our eighth graders! Thank you for your time!