MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The wait is over for anxious parents wanting to get their children into the optional school of choice.
Applications were handed out Monday morning to parents with Shelby County Schools.
While one wait is over, another is just beginning.
“I’ve been sitting here for four days, so it’s very nice to be done and have it,” parent Erin Castee said.
Now parents are preparing to wait to find out if their children get into the school they want.
Parents have until Friday to turn in their bar coded applications.
Two of the most popular choices this year are the Maxine Smith STEAM Academy and White Station.
“I am very hopeful,” Castee said.
The applications are bar coded, which help parents keep their positions during the review process.
Some parents don’t agree with this method though.
“I’m not from Memphis originally, and in other areas, I don’t remember going through a process just to get a good education because if we don’t do this, we don’t know what the future holds,” Jonathan Hampton said.
Hampton, who started camping out Friday, wants the district to make some changes soon.
“I think there’s some good schools, some opportunities that our kids need to have, it shouldn’t be optional, it should be the standard,” he said.
The district says you don’t need to camp out to get an application, but applications with a bar code get priority treatment.
Parents can pick up applications all week.
Once they pick up their application, they can submit it online.
Non-bar coded applications can be turned in until the start of the next school year.
It will take six to eight weeks to find out if your child gets into the school you want.