The Downcounty Consortium (DCC) includes five high schools and their feeder middle and elementary schools—Blair, Einstein, Kennedy, Northwood, and Wheaton. Each DCC high school offers distinctive academy programs designed to capture students’ interest, incorporate rigorous academic course work, explore possible career pathways, and bring real world relevance to students’ education. Each year, all Grade 8 students who live in the DCC attendance area participate in the high school Choice process. Students who attend a DCC feeder middle school are also eligible to participate. Opportunities are available for parents and students to learn about the Choice process and investigate the unique academy offerings in the DCC.
The Choice process is a lottery school assignment process that considers students’ choice ranking, base school, sibling link, school capacity, and socioeconomic status. Students are guaranteed their base school when ranked first on the initial Choice form, or if it is marked second and their first choice is not available. For all students not requesting their base school or the same school as their older sibling,* school assignments are based on a combination of the aforementioned factors, and is not soley controlled by available space and the student’s preferred choice. Every effort is made to assign students to their first choice, however, students may be assigned to subsequent choices.
* The older sibling must be attending the requested school the following school year.
Academy programs that are designed around central themes of interest to help students make strong connections between their academics, their personal interests, and their plans for college and future careers.