Screening young children is an effective, efficient way to check a child’s development, help celebrate a child’s milestones, and determine whether follow-up steps are needed. It is also an essential first step toward identifying children with delays or disabilities in the critical early years, before they start school. Research shows that children who qualify and receive intervention services are more likely to be successful readers, less likely to continue needing special education services later in life, more likely to have improved social skills, and are more likely to graduate from high school.

Applications and deadlines can be found here
Application for Enrollment:

• Delaware Standard Application for Educational Options (English)
• Solicitud Estándar de Opciones Educativas de Delaware (Español)

Enrollment Deadlines:

• School Choice Deadline: January (End of Open Enrollment Period)
• School Choice Notification: No later than June 15
• School Start Date: August

Application for Termination:

• School Choice Program—Termination Form (English)
• Programa de Opción de Escuela—Formulario de terminación (Español)

School Choice Program

• School Choice Program—Department of Education
  • For information on specific Choice Districts and Charters, click here.
  • For more information on the right school for your child, click here.

School Choice Timeline and Associated Information:

• Open Enrollment Period for a parent to submit a Standard Application
  • School choice enrollment opens between or after the first Monday of November and closes on or before the second Wednesday in January.
    • Written application on a standard Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) to DDOE or the school/program in a Receiving Local Education Agency (RLEA)
    • A parent enrolling their child in kindergarten may submit the standard application form to the RLEA up until the first day of the school year for enrollment in kindergarten during that school year.
  • Application withdrawal may occur at any time prior action by the RLEA Board through written notice with child’s district of residence
  • After the application deadline a parent of a school-age child may submit the standard application form after the dealing if “good cause” as defined in 14 Del.C.,§402(2) exists. See link below for more information.
  • Full timeline for 2022-23, with processing information, can be found here.

Screening young children is an effective, efficient way to check a child’s development, help celebrate a child’s milestones, and determine whether follow-up steps are needed. It is also an essential first step toward identifying children with delays or disabilities in the critical early years, before they start school. Research shows that children who qualify and receive intervention services are more likely to be successful readers, less likely to continue needing special education services later in life, more likely to have improved social skills, and are more likely to graduate from high school.

Screening young children is an effective, efficient way to check a child’s development, help celebrate a child’s milestones, and determine whether follow-up steps are needed. It is also an essential first step toward identifying children with delays or disabilities in the critical early years, before they start school. Research shows that children who qualify and receive intervention services are more likely to be successful readers, less likely to continue needing special education services later in life, more likely to have improved social skills, and are more likely to graduate from high school.