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Pinellas County Schools Assignment Update at Pinellas Realtor Organization

August 7th, 2008 Categories: Community News, Pinellas County Real Estate, Real Estate News

Presentation to Pinellas RealtorsClearwater Florida – Wednesday I was one of about 50 Pinellas County REALTORS (out of 9000 members of the Pinellas Realtor Organization) who attended a special session with Jim Madden from Pinellas County Schools.  

Jim is the man in charge of Pinellas County student school assignments – he joked that “he’s got job security” – I can only imagine :). We recently had changes to the School Choice plan and Pinellas County home buyers and current residents have lots of questions about..

Where will by child go to school?” -That’s why we made sure we were there - up-to-date information is critical to the families we help that are moving to Pinellas County or want to sell their home and move within the county.  The most important thing we took away was the fact that No school is automatic for non-entry level grade students.

If you’re wondering how we got here – School Choice was court-ordered to end the 30 year desegregation ruling / plan in Pinellas County. The 2007/2008 was the first year that the School District didn’t have specific min / max ratios to manage for each school.

When creating a new plan the parents, the community members and the School Board members found people overwhelmingly wanted a Student Assignment plan that included these 3 things:

  1. Give us Predictibility
  2. Still wanted Choice(s)
  3. Diversity

A major issue is the rising cost of transportation.  In the future, Pinellas County will continue to transport students to their school of “Choice” for 4 more years then parents will have to provide transportation to their “non-close-too-home” school.

Note: The new Pinellas County Student Assignement plan doesn’t change anything for Magnet and Fundemental schools          

Key Components of the new Pinellas County School Plan

  1. Transition from the Pinellas County Choice Plan
  2. Getting Back to Close-to-home schools or zoned schools
  3. Predictable feeder patterns
  4. Multiple choice options
  5. Reduce transportation issues and costs
  6. Diversity
  7. Equitable distribution of resources

What Pinellas County Home Buyers / Residents Should know during the Transition Period

  1. All students except those entering Kindergarten, 6th grade and 9th grade – will stay where ever they were last year
  2. Students entering Kindergarten, 6th grade and 9th grade will get their close-to-home school this year (or they can also opt for an older sibling’s school)   
  3. New students (not in one of the 3 grades listed above) are assigned on a space available basis to the close-to-home school or the next closest school. The challenge here is that the Florida Class Size Amendment limits the number of students that can be assigned to a school.
  4. 3 schools were closed this year – South Ward, Largo Central and Riviera Middle that are impacting mid county assignments

Jim Madden explains how new School Assignment will work to Pinellas County REALTORS 

 I’ve included some video of Jim’s presentation so you could hear how Pinellas County School assignments will be handled in Jim’s words:

 

 Jim talks about the new Pinellas County Student Assignment software and interactive map functions that are coming soon (hopefully by mid-September)  

  

 

Got More Questions? 

  1. If you have any questions you can contact Jim Madden directly at 727-588-5186 or email him at maddenj@pcsb.org or
  2. Call the Student Assignment Department at 727-588-6210 or
  3. District Call Center at 727-587-2020
  4. Visit their website at www.Pinellask12.fl.us

What do you need to enroll in school?  Proof of residency – a power bill, rent receipt, cable bill, phone bill, etc. – in some cases a purchase contract to buy a home or a lease agreement will also be accepted. Exceptions handled on a case by case basis.

Pinellas County Real Estate matches up to Pinellas County Schools

Get 25% more Property tax savings in November

Buying Pinellas County Real Estate less Complicated Now

Want more info about all our Pinellas County Real Estate – feel free to call Cyndee and Jack,your Pinellas County Realtors at (727) 710-8035. Want to see all the Pinellas County homes for sale – Feel free to search the Tampa Bay MLS.

Cyndee and Jack Haydon, Clearwater Real Estate Agents,  Charles Rutenberg Realty 1545 S. Belcher Rd Clearwater FL 33764

Call me at (727) 710-8035

About Cyndee Haydon

Cyndee Haydon, Realtor with Future Home Realty specializing in luxury waterfront and beach homes of Clearwater Beach - St Pete - Tampa Bay area with her husband and partner, Jack Haydon Cyndee's Google Profile

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Pinellas County Real Estate and Pinellas County Schools NOW match – See Maps

April 14th, 2008 Categories: Community News

 

When Buying Pinellas County Real Estate – Now youll know your Close to Home School!

Pinellas Countys new Neighborhood School Maps are now available. As
a Pinellas County
Realtor I have to tell you I am thrilled. One of the hardest things we have
to do when selling Pinellas County Real
Estate is explain our previous ˜School Choice and how you would have to
buy a home without knowing where your child would end up going to school.

kids getting on school busI had a good friend move from Tampa last year with 2
boys – one in 2nd grade and one in 3rd. When moving to Pinellas County mid-year and these 2 boys were
assigned to DIFFERENT elementary schools. How crazy is that???

I think as Pinellas County parents and
taxpayers the rising cost of gas helped stop this School Choice
madness. I still cant believe that weve been bussing school children in a way that sustantially raises
transportation costs since it was NOT an efficient plan having buses from multiple schools have to go to the same neighborhoods.

In addition, many home buyers relocating to the Tampa Bay area told us that this was a substantial
negative in their decision process to buying
real estate in Pinellas County versus Hillsborough County or Pasco
County. 

My Kids go to Pinellas County Schools Now – so whats it mean to Us?

Heres the info provided by the Pinellas County School Board in their recent press release:

If in 5th-8th grade now

For currently enrolled 5th- and 8th-grade students
you will be mailed a notification letter by April 18 that tells you your
childs assigned close-to-home school except in the following cases:

If entering 6th or 9th grade next year

Students entering 6th- and 9th-grade will be
assigned to their close-to-home school, except for the following:

What if my child is currently in or was accepted to: a Magnet,
Fundemental or Career Adademy school?

Where are the maps to match where I live to where Ill go to school?

All Close-to-Home School
Maps are now available online.

If you need more information you can call:

3 Steps to Enrolling Child in Pinellas County Schools

1.     
Parents may visit
any nearby elementary school to get a User I.D. and password to access the
Student Reservation System.

2.     
Parents will then
have the opportunity to enroll their child online using the student reservation
computer at the school or from a home computer.

3.     
Once the child is
enrolled, the parent will deliver the required registration documents to the
assigned school.

What Documents are required to enroll my child in school?

1.     
a birth
certificate or other proof of identity/age,

2.     
proof of
residency,

3.     
childs Social
Security number (optional),

4.     
a Florida
Certificate of Immunization form and

5.     
a physical
examination certificate within the past 12 months.

What if I dont like the school my child got assigned to – what can I
do?

Parents may try to request
another school on a ˜space-available basis during the open enrollment period
(August 4 through August 15, 2008). The process for the open enrollment period
has not yet been finalized and the dates are subject to change.

Related Articles

Buying Pinellas County Real Estate Just Got less Complicated

If youre looking to buy a home or sell a home in Pinellas County (Clearwater, Seminole, Palm Harbor) you should be thrilled with this announcement. For the first time in 5 years families will actually know where their kids will go to school if they buy a home or condo in the area.  This will help our Pinellas County real estate market in two ways.

  1. Those relocating will be able to make informed choices about schools and education for their kids and
  2. Those families who wanted to move but couldnt risk losing their ˜grandfathering can now know what neighborhoods allow their kids to go to the same schools if they want or they can choose other ones, 

Want more info about all our Pinellas County Real Estate – feel free to call Cyndee and Jack,your Pinellas County Realtors at (727) 710-8035. Want to see all the Pinellas County homes for sale – Feel free to search the Tampa Bay MLS.

Cyndee and Jack Haydon, Clearwater Florida Real Estate Agents, Charles Rutenberg Realty 1545 S Belcher Rd Clearwater FL 33764   (727) 710-8035

About Cyndee Haydon

Cyndee Haydon, Realtor with Future Home Realty specializing in luxury waterfront and beach homes of Clearwater Beach - St Pete - Tampa Bay area with her husband and partner, Jack Haydon Cyndee's Google Profile

Posted by Cyndee Haydon | Currently No Comments »