Proximity zones replace school choice for elementary school students in Lee County

Friday is the last day for some parents to pick which school their child will go to next year.

Open enrollment ends Friday for kindergarten through fourth-grade kids in Lee County.

The district is pushing for kids to attend schools in their neighborhood.

No more busing kids all over town.

Your choices must be within what the district calls your proximity zones.

“4 p.m. is the cut-off; if everything is turned in online or in person by 4 p.m., then they’re you’re good. Our staff will work through the weekend to get those people’s paperwork processed and even have it all ready by Monday,” said Rob Spicker, assistant director of Media and Public Information at the school district.

Lee County schools created these proximity zones in effort to keep as many kids as possible in schools near their homes while, at the same time, still giving parents options.

The hope is this new plan will also make it easier to bus students to and from school.

Because if a mom or dad chooses a school outside their proximity zone, the plan calls for parents to handle all transportation.

Right now, the school district is short dozens of school bus drivers.

“It’s been terrible, though. Lately, it’s been awful. We get texts every single day. The bus is going to be late, bus is going to be late. The bus is going to be late. We’re tired of that. You know, come on. You know, I understand once in a while. I understand that, but not every single day,” said Neil Vlack, the grandparent of an elementary school student.

Vlack said he is registering his grandson for a school close to home.

Right now, his grandson goes to a charter school.

“You will be attending a school that’s closer to home. And for some parents, that will make a big difference in terms of being involved in the school,” Spicker said. “For so long, transportation has driven instruction. And we need to get the teaching back to driving instruction. And that’s what this does.”

Spicker said bus routes will be much shorter when you have smaller zones.

“The pickup times are later, and you’re much more efficient,” Spicker said.

Samantha Rivera just moved here. She feared school choice. She loves the proximity zones.

“It’s a big relief, like a huge relief off my shoulders, really, to be honest with you,” Rivera said.

The proximity zones are for students in elementary school only. The plan is to introduce the same to middle and high schools in the future.

“For so long, transportation has driven instruction. And we need to get the teaching back to driving instruction. And that’s what this does,” Spicker said. “When you have these smaller zones, your bus routes are a lot shorter, the pickup times are later, and you’re much more efficient.”

Lee County school proximity zones are for students in elementary school only. The plan is to do the same with middle and high school kids in the future.

If you still want to send your child to a school outside your proximity zone, you can try to do so by entering the Lee County schools assignment lottery.

If you failed to meet Friday’s deadline, the district automatically assigned your child to a school within your zone.