Kindergarten Registration Now Open for Champaign Schools: What to Know for 2022-23

HOW TO REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR KINDERGARTEN IN CHAMPAIGN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Heads up, Champaign, Bondville and Savoy families: If you have a child entering kindergarten in the Champaign Unit 4 School District in the 2022-23 school year, the process to determine where your child will go to school starts now — and we’re here to help.

First, we answer some of the most commonly asked questions we hear about the Champaign Unit 4 Schools kindergarten registration process.

And we try to make sense of this year’s situation, as Unit 4’s kindergarten registration process looks a bit different from years past. The window for students to register has shrunk  — we reported on this change back in February.

“Historically, a large number of families do not register during the traditional kindergarten registration time frames (January-March) for a variety of reasons so we decided to push back the timeline to allow the District to complete targeted community outreach,” wrote Stacey Moore, Champaign Unit 4 School District Chief Communications Officer in response to questions emailed in February.

There are fewer opportunities this year for families and students to get to know the schools, their cultures and their staff.

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

The registration period begins Monday, March 21, 2022 and ends Saturday, April 30, 2022. For the second year in a row, the registration process will take place online. [Note: after publication of this article, this link now includes Unit 4’s Schools of Choice Registration Guide.]

Access to schools continues to be limited. A virtual “meet the principals” event was held March 3; a recording of the event is available online.

This means that it will be more important than ever to reach out to ask questions and get answers from principals, school families, and others in the district so your family can make an informed choice.

The district will be doing in-person “mobile” events to help parents register, with dates scheduled in locations across the city including the Champaign Public Library, Stratton Elementary and Garden Hills (among other locations). The flyer for these events is available on the Unit 4 Schools of Choice website. 

NOW, THE DETAILS: 

• HOW DO I REGISTER MY STUDENT?
  It may seem like August of 2022 is very far away, but for parents of incoming Champaign Unit 4 Schools kindergarten students, the time to think about registering your kiddo is  … now. That’s because the district follows a process called “schools of choice.” Unlike a traditional neighborhood school model, families in Unit 4 are able to choose a school regardless of their address. There are many steps, but to simplify the process:
  • Families register using an online system that asks them to rank five schools for their child. In 2022, registration must be done by April 30. The deadline is to make sure your child is in the system for the official assignment process.
  • Using a formula that includes a variety of factors (more on that below), an algorithm processes the applications and assigns the child a school.
  • Families are notified of their child’s school assignment about two weeks after the registration window closes. This year, we’ve learned those notifications will be done via email instead of mail.
  • If you are reading this after April 30, don’t worry, your child will still go to school! Students who register after the spring choice period will be assigned to schools according to seat availability. Contact the district for more information.
• WHY DOES CHAMPAIGN UNIT 4 ASSIGN CHILDREN TO KINDERGARTEN USING THIS PROCESS?
  The history behind why Champaign Unit 4 has Schools of Choice is a long and complicated one, but its goal is to foster socioeconomic diversity across the 12 elementary buildings. The kindergarten assignment process provides the best opportunity for families to get their children the school placement they desire. In recent years, the data has been about the same: 85 percent of families receive their first choice while roughly 95 percent receive one of their top five choices, out of 700+ families.
• HOW DO WE KNOW WHICH SCHOOL IS RIGHT FOR OUR FAMILY?
  There are many variables to consider when finding the right school fit for your family (and notice I say family, not just the child). Before you even start touring the schools, consider these different options and opportunities:
  • Calendar: do you want a traditional school calendar (mid-August to late May) or are you interested in a balanced calendar option (mid-July to early June, with a shorter summer, a lengthy fall break, and extra time at spring break) known more commonly as year-round school?
    • There are two balanced calendar schools: Kenwood and Barkstall.
    • Something to consider: the balanced calendar schedule is only available in those two elementary schools, something we don’t see changing. Once the child goes to middle school, they will be on the traditional calendar schedule.
  • Start Time: Do you want a school that starts at a certain time, either early (before 8 a.m.) or later (around 8:55)? The early start time schools also get out, well, early. There are only two schedule options at this time, but that could change in the future.
  • Curriculum: Are you interested in specific curriculum options? There are several specialized curriculum options available, but only at certain schools.
    • Dual language programs: The district offers two dual language programs: French at Stratton Arts Academy, or Spanish at International Prep Academy.
    • STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education is a special focus at Booker T. Washington.
    • Kenwood offers computer programming and computational thinking skills starting in kindergarten.
    • Be sure to check out the magnet programs at Garden Hills Academy (math and engineering) and Stratton Academy of the Arts.
  • Special Needs: Does your child have special needs? All Unit 4 elementary schools serve children with special needs, but some offer more specialization than others.
    • For instance, Carrie Busey Elementary has specific programming for children with hearing deficits.
    • Contact the district’s special education team if you have questions.
  • Location, Location, Location. Do you want a school close to home? Perhaps you want one close to a caregiver or other family member. Or maybe one that is closer to your workplace.
    • With schools of choice, you don’t have to choose the school closest to you.
    • We discuss the idea of proximity schools below in more depth, and how that impacts the assignment process.
    • Whatever your preference, one of the best things about schools of choice is this: even if you move homes within the district, your child will not have to switch elementary or middle schools due to that move.
  • Building Facility. At this point, most of the elementary school facilities have been renovated, updated, or have been built in the last 20 years. Some highlights:
    • Dr. Howard debuted a brand-new building in the fall of 2020.
    • International Prep Academy’s new building will open in fall 2022, a significant project that will make the school the district’s only K-8 campus.
  • Middle School Placement. In Champaign Unit 4, where a child attends elementary school dictates where that child will attend middle school. If this matters to you, you should understand which schools feed where. Currently the district has three middle schools, and IPA students will stay at their school through 8th grade. (In contrast, Unit 4’s 2 main high schools are districted by geographic location of where a student lives.)
  • Uniforms. Here are the schools that require uniforms:
    • Kenwood
    • Barkstall
    • International Prep

• HOW DO WE GET TO KNOW THE SCHOOLS?
   Here are a few ways to “take the temperature” of a school and do your research. In this season of limited access, it may be more critical than ever to take advantage of virtual and other opportunities.
  • Watch the virtual info forum.  The March 3 event was recorded and is available for on-demand playback at any time.
  • School video tours: In a typical year, we advise families to take advantage of the school tours and open houses offered by the district during the Schools of Choice registration period. Video tours of each school are available online.
  • School websites: Each school has its own page on the Unit 4 website, with basic information about things like dress codes, parent resources and more.
  • Ask your network: Network to meet people connected to the schools — parents, teachers, aides, building staff, specialists, volunteers. How to network? Ask your friends, neighbors or colleagues who have kids in the schools or know parents of kids in certain schools.
  • Talk to students: Probably most overlooked in the process: talk to kids who attend those schools!
  • Attend a PTA meeting. Parental involvement important to you? Attend a school PTA (Parent Teacher Association) meeting. Call the school to get the dates; some PTAs are more active than others. Most of these remain virtual for now.

• HOW DO WE GUARANTEE THE SCHOOL WE WANT?
  You can’t. Really, you can’t. However you can maximize your chances by gaining a more thorough understanding of the process.
  • Understand your proximity option (or options) as you have the best chance to get that school. Every family gets ONE proximity priority school, which is either within 1.5 miles from your house or the closest one as determined by the district.
    • Your student will only get the proximity school “advantage” if you place that school FIRST on your list.
    • A common mistake: putting the proximity school somewhere lower on your list and thinking that the proximity designation will matter to your child’s assignment.
    •  While some families might live within the 1.5 mile proximity zone for multiple schools, they can only elect one as a proximity priority school.
    • How do you know what your proximity school is? You can check your proximity area online with this mapping tool on the Unit 4 website.
  • Some schools simply have more seats than others.
    • South Side is the smallest elementary school, with only two elementary classrooms per grade (aka two “strands”).
    • Robeson is the largest, with four elementary classrooms per grade (although this can change from year to year).
    • Some schools have higher populations of children in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs or have specific programs for children with special needs.
  • Sibling preference is pretty much guaranteed when families register within the timeframe.
    • If you have a child in a school currently who WILL RETURN the following year, that child’s kindergarten sibling is guaranteed the same placement, as long as you register and put the child into the assignment process.
    • This is not automatic; families must still register.
  • Socioeconomic status (SES, which includes income and educational attainment) is factored into the equation. If your family qualifies, your child may get preference at some schools. The district assesses SES via questions asked on the registration form.
  • In the past, parents were able to look at data regarding what schools were “overchosen” and “underchosen.” That information is no longer available on the district website; we will be inquiring to see if it will return, as it can be helpful to parents.

• IS THERE AN ADVANTAGE TO REGISTERING EARLY?
  Parents can register a child for the kindergarten choice process between March 21 and April 30, 2022; but early registration provides no advantage to the child’s placement.
  • The window of time is purely for convenience sake and there is no correlation between WHEN someone registers a child (as long as it is before the deadline) and one’s placement.
• IF WE HAVE A YOUNGER SIBLING HEADED FOR KINDERGARTEN, DO I NEED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AGAIN?
  The short answer is, YES.
  • All families with an incoming kindergartner should register during the assignment period to ensure that child gets a seat in their desired school, and siblings are no different.
  • Oh, and one more tip: families can always choose to request a different school for the sibling; the district does not assume your preference.
  • Preference is given to siblings or extended family members living in the same household with the same address.
  • There is no “legacy” or “inheritance” from a sibling who has moved on to sixth grade.
• WHAT IF WE DON’T GET OUR FIRST CHOICE?
  Don’t get the school you wanted?
  • Families have the option to get on a waiting list for another school, if they don’t get their first choice.
  • Students placed on a waiting list do not lose their spot at their assigned school.
  • The district will even tell you what number you are on the list.
  • Many people have gotten into their school of choice after being put on a waiting list! (We speak from personal experience.)

IMPORTANT DATES FOR CHAMPAIGN UNIT 4 SCHOOLS KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

REGISTRATION DATES: March 21 – April 30, 2022

WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Residents of Champaign, Bondville and Savoy; Students must turn 5 on or before Sept. 1, 2022, to be eligible to enter kindergarten.

DOCUMENTATION: Families must have proof of residency in addition to a child’s certified birth certificate or passport.

Demonstrate proof of residency with two of the following documents:

• Apartment/house lease or home purchase agreement
• Mortgage documents/property deed payment record/building permit (60 days occupancy)
• Voter’s registration card
• Current driver’s license
• Utility bill (current month)

TOURS: This year, no in-person tours will be allowed.

INFO SESSION: A virtual Schools of Choice Information Night occurred on March 3. The presentation is available for on-demand playback.

MOBILE REGISTRATION: Need help? Want to talk to a human? The district has scheduled several “mobile” registration events across the city. Find more info here.

ASSIGNMENT NOTIFICATION: In the past few years, families received notification of kindergarten placement via mail, in mid- to late April, which was about two weeks after the registration closed. In February, we were told by a district spokesperson that the district will not be sending out placements via mail, but the process will occur digitally. (Here’s our article about letters going out in 2019. Families are typically notified on a Friday or a day before the district is closed for the weekend.)

Looking for information about transferring schools in Champaign Unit 4? We have an article about that here.

Looking for kindergarten registration in Urbana School District 116? More about kindergarten registration in Urbana here.

Laura Weisskopf Bleill is the mom-in-chief of chambanamoms.com and an amateur School of Choice expert. She has served for many years as a parent representative on the Unit 4 Schools of Choice committee.