We got our fourth choice. We've been told by the Parent Information Center that we are "lucky" because many families got their sixth or seventh choice. How can Framingham still call this system "school choice" when so many people are getting schools so far down their list?

Alisa - that is an excellent question about "school choice". Have you asked the PIC? Were you told you would most likely get the school closest to your house or that it is all "luck" and "choice"? In the past, the PIC was proud to let parents know that 90-94% of families received their first choice, and now, you are "lucky" to get your 4th?

I am curious as to how many people got the school closest to their house and if that was their top choice or not? Given I wasn't part of the K process this year (kids are older) what were incoming parents told re: top criteria (besides sibling guarantee and .5 mile radius) in school placement? Just curious.

100% of those that picked their district school first got it. But if you didn't put it first, you were at a great disadvantage and went far down the list in many cases. PIC just said they were "surprised" at the results this year. We were told siblings got first priority, then those choosing their "district" school first, then the rest was a lottery based on how you ranked the schools. They do not acknowledge any plan to put kids at the closest school. There were no statistics given about how many people got their 1st choice; I'm very curious to see if they will release those numbers. I think it's only fair so parents making their choices next year are aware that they are taking a big gamble if they choose more popular schools or schools with few K classes (Stapleton only has 3 now) first and second. They also keep changing how many K classes are at each school, so this greatly affects the lottery. I just wish the process were more transparent and parents had more information about their chances of getting each school.

Did the PIC provide criteria on how they would place K students?
For example: this was last year: http://framingham.patch.com/articles/kindergarten-tours-scheduled-this-week

Wow, Alisa, good luck with that... sounds pretty convoluted. I agree, it doesn't seem all that transparent, but I don't really know, as I am not involved in the process this year (thank goodness). So, I am wondering how do you know which school is your district school? Where are the lines drawn? Just wondering if they are using the old, old lines from years ago, or the new lines that Steven Hiersche showed at last year's school committee meeting. There are many families in "nomad" land who are not within 2 miles of any school. And the southside is far more densely populated than the northside with kids. But yet, the northside has 5 elementary schools and the southside has 3 ( and one houses the 2-way program, so that eliminates a "neighborhood" school). A lot to sort out.

Susan, the criteria is the same as last year. I'm not sure what district lines they are using; your district school is listed on your lottery form. PIC told us today that 91% of people got their first choice, so that part is similar to other years. What's been different is that the 9% who didn't (68 families) got schools far down their list.