Expanded School Choice
Parent/Guardian Instructions
The Berkeley County School District considers applications for Expanded School Choice for all students that reside in Berkeley County in grades kindergarten through 11th grade. This program allows families to apply to attend another open district school other than their residentially zoned school. If a student moves outside of the district, the student can no longer attend any Berkeley County School District school.
Qualifications for School Choice:
Each year, based on the expected enrollment and capacity of each school, the school district decides which schools will be open to Expanded Choice, as well as how many students can be approved to attend a school through Expanded Choice.
Students who are currently enrolled in a BCSD school in kindergarten through 11th grade may apply for Expanded Choice.
Preschool age students (ages three and four) are not eligible to use Expanded Choice to gain entry into a preschool program.
You will need to enter your student's number on the application. The student number may be found on a student's report card.
To apply for Expanded Choice, students must reside within the Berkeley School District. Proof of residency must be verified prior to applying for an Expanded Choice school in order to avoid your application from being withdrawn. If you need to verify your 2024-2025 proof of residence status, contact your current school registrar prior to you submitting your application.
Parents whose children participate in the Expanded Choice program must provide transportation for their children to and from school. The inability of a student to meet the attendance expectations of the Choice school will lead to the Choice being revoked. In that case, the student must then return to their zoned school.
Any student attending a school through Expanded Choice must maintain exemplary punctuality and attendance at school, cooperate with the school in regards to academic and disciplinary expectations, provide transportation to and from school, and submit required annual Proof of Residency as a condition of remaining at the school.
Students receiving special services may apply for choice to another school within the district through the Expanded Choice program. During the application period, parents/guardians apply online and follow the district’s Expanded Choice process. The decision to grant the choice request is based on the student’s programming needs and program capacity at the school of choice. BCSD adheres to state special education program capacity guidelines. Once a student is granted choice, all district transportation rules apply and the student is no longer eligible to receive district transportation, including Special Needs Transportation to and from school. Parents/guardians are responsible for transportation to their school of choice.
The rules of the South Carolina High School League determine eligibility for interscholastic athletics and activities for middle and high school students. It is the parents’ and students’ responsibility to be aware of these athletic procedures before applying for the Expanded Choice option. Any student who accepts a Choice school and participates in an athletic activity at the Choice school during the spring or summer (cheerleading tryouts, spring football practice, summer team camps) may have their eligibility affected.
If you have questions regarding Choice and participation in interscholastic athletics, please contact your school’s athletic director prior to applying for a Choice program or a transfer to a school other than your zoned school.
Many eligibility concerns are addressed in the athletics frequently asked questions below or by visiting the BCSD athletics website.
If approved for a Berkeley County Expanded Choice program, a student does not need to apply yearly for the same program. Expanded Choice approvals are valid for the duration of a student's stay at the approved school until they change schools or move out of the Berkeley County School District.
Expanded School Choice- students not currently enrolled
BCSD residents whose child is not currently in a Berkeley County School will need to contact the District Pupil Services Office.
Example:
Currently in private school, charter school, or homeschool
Students who will be in kindergarten in the upcoming year
The application for expanded school choice will go live at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 20.
Office of Pupil Services
Timothy McDowell: Chief Pupil Services Officer
Cynthia Benjamin, Administrative Assistant, benjamincynthia@bcsdschools.net
Cynthia Blanding, Pupil Services Secretary, blanding@bcsdschools.net