Overview
Through creative and collaborative approaches, Academic Enhancement is dedicated to providing parents and students with educational opportunities that include:
Goals
Academic Enhancement provides leadership for the development of enhanced educational options that will increase choice for parents and students and ensure equity of access for all students by:
- Providing coordination and management for a variety of enhanced educational program options designed to meet all student needs, interests, and skill levels.
- Managing the student assignment application, selection and notification process for the District’s Options for Knowledge schools and programs (magnet schools, magnet cluster schools, open enrollment schools, Gifted and Enriched Academic Programs, and Selective enrollment high schools).
- Providing information and assistance regarding Options for Knowledge programs and selection procedures to parents, students, and community, as well as schools and Area and Central offices.
- Developing and redesigning policies and procedures that expand choices and ensure the continuity of equitable access for all students.
Current initiatives
Academic Enhancement is focusing on increasing the number and variety of academic programs available to students by:
- Providing additional opportunities to fill available spaces at schools and accommodate students who were not selected during the regular application period.
- Providing information to parents regarding educational opportunities at high-performing schools with available space.
- Increasing access to the three Regional Gifted Centers designed for English Language Learners.
Accomplishments
Recent accomplishments include the multi-million dollar grants awarded to the department and expanding and refining our application, selection, and notification processes. Our other accomplishments are listed below.
- Developed proposal and received $11.7 million federal Voluntary Public School Choice grant, resulting in the creation of the school system's first five Technology Academies for elementary school students.
- Developed proposal and received $10.1 million federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant, which is funding the creation of five new magnet schools.
- Processed nearly 100,000 applications and conducted selection processes for magnet schools, magnet cluster schools, open enrollment schools, and majority-to-minority transfer schools.
- Conducted admissions testing for, and mailed letters of notification to, more than 20,000 applicants to Gifted and Enriched Academic Programs and Selective Enrollment High Schools.
- Implemented the District's first high school magnet track in engineering.
Resources
Resources offered include several publications that provide information about the programs offered by the District as well as details regarding the application, selection, and notification process such as:
For more information about the programs and services we provide, contact us at (773) 553-2060.
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