Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
[1] What is School Choice?
Every school-aged child in Charleston County is assigned to a neighborhood school based on their grade level and home address. Additionally, CCSD offers a variety of specialized programs, magnet schools, and charter schools that students can apply to attend by choice.
[2] Which schools in Charleston County are choice schools?
Visit our Choice Schools page for a list of CCSD’s choice schools.
[3] How do I know if a choice school is a good fit for my student?
It is important to explore the options offered by your neighborhood schools as a first step, before applying to one or more choice schools. Likewise, it is essential to understand the focus or theme of the choice school and how that focus is implemented. Consider the limitations of transportation provided and grade levels served for each choice school.
[4] If my student is already in a choice school, do I need to re-apply for the coming school year?
No, you do not need to reapply each year. Once approved, a student may remain enrolled in their choice school or program until they complete all grades offered at that school.
[5] How does moving affect a zoned student's ability to stay at their Constituent District Magnet school? [Zoned students are those who were zoned to attend the school based on their address and are not required to apply through the school choice process]
If a student initially enrolled in a Constituent District Magnet school as a zoned student and the family moves within the same constituent district, they should reapply to remain at the school for the next academic year. Continued enrollment will depend on space availability.
If the family moves outside the constituent district, the student may also request to remain at the school, but priority will be given to students who reside within the constituent district. For further details, please contact the School Choice Office
[6] Do choice schools offer school tours?
Yes, many schools offer tours and open house opportunities. Please visit the websites of the schools that interest you to access information, dates, and times, and to learn how to schedule tours.
[7] What opportunities are there to visit with the principals of CCSD magnet and charter schools? Is CCSD holding a Choice Fair this year?
A virtual Choice Fair will be held via Zoom sessions on January 25, 2025 pm. All choice schools will share information about their schools and provide parents with an opportunity to meet the principal and ask questions virtually. School sessions will be at 10:00 am and 11:00 am, and the School Choice Office will host a general information session at noon. Assistance with translation and application completion can be provided or scheduled for a future date through this session. Zoom session links will be posted on the School Choice events page.
[8] Who can apply for a choice school? How can I apply for a choice school if I do not currently live in Charleston County?
All school-aged children residing in Charleston County are eligible to apply. Out-of-county residents can apply, but if accepted, pursuant to CCSD Board Policy JFAB, must meet property ownership requirements in Charleston County and pay tuition if not relocated to the county. Residency verification is due by June 30, 2025. It is required that property within Charleston County is owned in the student’s name with a tax-assessed value of $300.00 or more. Tuition is charged and must be paid each year the student attends the school. Families not currently living in Charleston County but with intent to move to Charleston County may apply during the application window. If accepting a seat, students must provide proof of Charleston County residency by June 30, 2025.
[9] If I currently reside outside of the U.S. and will be moving to Charleston County during the summer of 2025 can I apply to CCSD choice schools? If we don’t yet have an address in Charleston County, what address should I use on my child’s application?
Yes, you can apply to CCSD choice schools if you’re residing outside of the United States and plan to move to Charleston County in the summer of 2025 but don’t yet have a U.S. address. Please use this address on your application as a placeholder: 75 Calhoun Street Charleston, SC 29401. You have until March 25, 2025, to update your residency address in the application. You must also prove residency by meeting the residency requirements in CCSD Board Policy JFAAA.
[10] What consideration is there for siblings of students who already attend a choice school?
The School Choice application will collect information regarding siblings of currently attending students at choice schools. This information will be verified by the school and when applicable, be prioritized within the lottery process. Countywide admissions criteria magnets do not have sibling priorities. (However, Buist Academy does maintain a sibling waiting list that does not roll over from year to year and is capped at 150 students, like other magnet schools.) All other Choice schools give priority to siblings as space is available. Families must submit applications for all siblings wishing to attend the choice school.
[11] How can active members of the military apply to choice schools?
Active military members may apply during the designated application window. If you arrive in Charleston and/or receive orders for Charleston after the application window closes you may still apply by using the Military Family application posted on the CCSD website. After the application window has closed, your application will be subject to choice school seat availability and admissions criteria. (Admissions criteria are applicable for Academic Magnet HS, Burke AP Academy, Buist Academy, Charleston County School of the Arts, Early College HS, and Memminger AAC)
[12] Which schools have admissions criteria? Where can I learn about entrance requirements for an admissions criteria school?
Admissions criteria are applicable for Academic Magnet HS, Burke AP Academy, Buist Academy, Charleston County School of the Arts, Early College HS, Haut Gap AS, and Memminger AAC. To see the criteria information, view the Overview one-pager and admissions criteria document for each school you’re interested in, posted on the School Choice website: https://www.ccsdschools.com/schoolchoice
[13] My child has an IEP. How does his/her IEP status impact his/her ability to apply for a choice school?\
Charleston County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or any other applicable status protected by federal or state law, so a child's IEP status does not impact the application for a choice school. CCSD provides reasonable accommodations for all students to access instruction and the educational environment and has a continuum of special education instructional programs, which include highly specialized programs for students with significant needs in strategic locations throughout the district. If your child has been identified as a student who has an IEP, the IEP Team will meet prior to enrollment to consider the educational needs of the student and determine if the choice school placement is able to meet the requirements of the IEP within the existing continuum of special education instructional programs at the choice school (see 34 CFR 300.116 and 34 CRF 300.114 through 300.120 of the IDEA Regulations).
[14] My child is currently homeschooled. What do I need to know about submitting a report card for a criteria school?
In addition to the report card, home-schooled students will need to provide current proof of membership in a Home School Association. This will need to be combined in the same document with the report card that is uploaded to the application.[15] My child will be 5 years old by September 1, but I want to delay my child's entry into Kindergarten. What do I need to know?
Charleston County School District (CCSD) follows South Carolina State Department of Education guidelines for student enrollment based on age:
- 4 years old (optional): Enroll in Pre-K four-year-old Child Development program
- 5 years old on or before September 1: Enroll in Kindergarten
- 6 years old on or before September 1: Enroll in 1st grade
If you are considering a different grade placement for your child, please review this document for information on CCSD’s process and key dates.
For families applying to CCSD School Choice, note that placement decisions are time-sensitive. Be sure to review this document for specific deadlines.
Online Application
[16] How do I apply to a choice school for my student?
The online application is easy to complete and can be accessed from the CCSD website. For assistance, call the CCSD School Choice Office (843) 937-6582 or the school to which you are applying, or attend an Application Assistance session. All applicants will receive an immediate email confirmation after an online application is submitted.
[17] Which charter schools are not currently using the CCSD online application and how do I apply to those schools?
Charleston Development Academy, Pattison’s Academy, and Charleston Charter for Math & Science. Please visit their websites to learn more about their application processes. Note that the application timeline for these schools may not be the same as the CCSD application timeline.
[18] Where do I go for help completing an application?
Interested students and parents/guardians should consider attending a Parent Assistance Night, the virtual Choice Fair for the school(s) of interest, or the general School Choice virtual session. See the School Choice website for information on the virtual fair or Application Assistance nights. You can call the CCSD School Choice Office at (843) 937-6582, or contact your current School Counselor for additional assistance. Incomplete applications cannot be processed until all information is received before the application window closes.
[19] How do I find my student's CCSD ID number?
If you have a student already attending a CCSD school, you can access your student's ID number by signing in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal. This also provides access to your student's grades, attendance, and discipline. For current or former students: You can also find the Student ID on a current or previous report card. You will be asked for the student ID number at the beginning of the application process. If you don’t have a Parent Portal account, you will need to reach out to your student's school to get your login credentials. [If your child has never attended a CCSD school, you will be assigned a unique number within the application.]
[20] How does the order in which I list my schools impact my application? (Rank Ordering)
The order in which you select your preferred five choices does not have any bearing on the application or potential lottery. Rank ordering your schools will not impact seat offers (except for SOA applicants applying to two arts areas; they are required to rank order their art major preference)
[21] How do I know if my online application has been completed and submitted?
Online applications are not completed, submitted, and eligible for acceptance until all the required fields (marked with a red * in your online application) have been completed and you click on the “Submit My Application” button on the final step of the application. You will receive an email confirming that your application was submitted as well as a message on the screen. Receipt of this confirmation email is the final step in the CCSD School Choice application process.
Paper Application
[22] How do I access and submit a paper application?
You may request one from the School Choice office at (843) 937-6582 and it will be mailed to the parent/guardian.
[23] Once a paper application is submitted, how will it be processed in the School Choice Lottery?
All applications submitted during the designated application window will receive equal consideration regardless of the date they are submitted or the method of application. All paper applicants will receive a confirmation email (up to a 7-Day delay) after the paper application is submitted. These additional days are needed for the applicant’s information to be manually transferred into the online system by a trained CCSD employee. Entering all applications in the same system will ensure students have an equitable opportunity for consideration in the general lottery process. Once the application is entered, applicants should receive an automatic email. Paper applications must be turned in by the deadline of February 21, 2025, at the CCSD District School Choice Office - 75 Calhoun Street Charleston, SC 29401
After Application has been Submitted
[24] What can I expect to see as my application status?
Status of "Eligible to Proceed" means the application has been reviewed and will continue to the next step, the lottery.
Status of "Not Eligible to Proceed" means the application has been reviewed and does not meet the criteria for admission.
[25] How does the lottery work?
Applications completed and submitted are first reviewed by school administrators, who determine if they are eligible for the lottery. The lottery category depends on the choice school and may include any of these two formats:
- Used for placement based on audition or rubric results
- Fully randomized based on admission priorities
The results of a lottery run are an Offered List and a Waiting List per grade for each choice school and are based on the number of seats available per grade. All lotteries are run at the district office level using the application platform and results are disbursed to parents by way of email and the parent dashboard.
[26] What is the process for accepting or declining a seat at a choice school?
Notifications of acceptance will be sent to the email address used when submitting the application. Applicants are only able to accept one (1) seat offer. Students cannot accept seat offers from multiple schools. In accepting a seat, applicants are confirming their decision regarding school choice for the 2025-26 school year and relinquishing all other seat offers from magnet schools included in their application. Your position on the waiting list of any other schools that you applied for will be released upon accepting a seat.
[27] Will acceptance to a choice school be valid the following year if I do not attend the school in the accepted year?
Acceptance to a choice school will not roll over from year to year; a new application must be submitted each year.
[28] How do waitlists work for choice schools?
If your student is placed on a waitlist, they will remain on it for that application year unless they accept a seat at another CCSD choice school. Families can view their student’s waitlist position at any time through the guardian dashboard in the application portal. For the 2025-26 school year, most waiting list movement for grades K-8 will stop on the first day of the third academic quarter.
[29] How do waiting lists and seat offers work for choice HIGH SCHOOLS?
Choice high schools and programs, including Military Magnet Academy, Early College High School, School of the Arts, and Academic Magnet High School (AMHS), have strict attendance requirements due to state or university mandates. These rules limit the number of academic days a student can miss in both high school and dual enrollment courses to receive credit. For AMHS specifically, the waiting list will only be considered up to 15 days after the school year begins. Additionally, seat offers and waiting lists do not carry over from year to year; families must submit a new application annually.
[30] By when do I have to accept a seat offer? What happens if I don’t accept the seat?
You have until April 30, 2025, to accept a seat offer, or it will be auto-declined.
If you are on a waitlist and are offered a seat after May 3, you will have 3 days to accept the seat, or it will be auto-declined.
Beginning August 1, all new seat offers will have 48 hours to accept before the offer is auto-declined.
When there are fewer than 3 days before the auto-decline date, a family will only be offered a seat if they can be directly contacted to accept or decline the seat.
[31] What happens if I change residency after accepting a seat at a choice school?
If you accept a seat at a choice school and then change residency, you may have to forfeit the seat at that school for the particular application year. Forfeiture would depend on the application priority under which the seat was offered and if there are other waiting list applicants in that same priority category.