School of Choice

Background & Plan

Having heard concerns with open enrollment for School of Choice (SOC), Houghton-Portage Township Schools approved an enrollment strategy to limit SOC. This strategy will keep current numbers for sections and teachers in our buildings to maintain adequate space for students and staff and avoid influxes caused by external factors that are not in projections. It also uses the board's target to keep class sizes at or below levels to maximize instruction. The SOC window is now closed and will be opened back up on Friday May 22, 2026 for the 2026-27 school year. Slots available in each grade will be published on Monday May 18, 2026.

Following state law, "a district shall give preference for enrollment under this section ...to other school-age children who reside in the same household as [the enrolled choice pupil]."

Any student currently attending HPTS as a SOC student does not need to reapply and remains a student in the district until they graduate, unless they enroll in another district and come back to HPTS.

This plan and process will be evaluated annually.

New Student – School of Choice Application

Timeline

• May 16, 2026 SOC Openings Publicized
  
  K/Y5's - Open Enrollment
  1 - 10
  2 - 10
  3 - 10
  4 - 10
  5 - 10
  6 - 7
  7 - 8
  8 - 5
  9 - 8
  10 - 9
  11 - 9
  12 - 9

• May 22, 2026 – June 22, 2026 1st Round of SOC Applications Accepted

• July 1, 2026 – 1st Round of Accepted Students Notified

• June 22, 2026 – September 3, 2026 – Continued SOC Enrollment Until Slots Filled