Students enrolled in one of the 15 schools closing under the San Antonio Independent School District’s rightsizing plan will be given first priority in the lottery for the district’s choice schools next year.
After that, priority will be given to students in low-performing schools, siblings of students enrolled at the same school, and children of SAISD employees.
SAISD launched a new enrollment system to aid with the application process, which opened Friday and closes Feb. 15.
The new system, called Avela, includes a website that lets families watch virtual school tours and filter schools based on their address, grades, and the type of program they’re looking for.
In a news release announcing the opening of the application window, district officials said the new system will make it easier for families to choose a school and create shorter waitlists.
Every applicant will be given what the district calls its “single best offer” — the school they ranked highest that also has room for them. They will only be placed on waitlists for schools they ranked higher.
Lottery results will be announced March 1.
Families affected by the school closures can also call a hotline dedicated to answering enrollment questions at 210-244-0845 or send an email to empowerfamilies@saisd.net.
Diane Fernandez, the director of SAISD’s office of access and enrollment, said her office will give “VIP customer service” to families affected by the closures.
“This includes providing one-on-one support while families select a campus that meets the needs of their child,” Fernandez said.
In addition to applying for one of SAISD’s choice schools, the district is also giving SAISD families affected by the closures the option of attending their newly assigned campus or requesting a transfer to another neighborhood school in SAISD. Regardless of which choice they choose, the first step to enrolling in SAISD for the 2024-2025 school year begins with creating an account in Avela.
