SCS Optional Schools Guide

Memphis School Guide > How do I enroll? > SCS Optional Schools Guide

Spots in some Optional Schools are in high demand, so if there’s one you have your heart set on, you’ll want to pay close attention to all of the application deadlines and admission requirements. And take note — just because you’re zoned to a school that has an Optional program does not necessarily qualify your student to be in an Optional classroom. All students have to qualify based on the school’s Optional eligibility requirements. Make sure you know what they are by checking the current year’s “Entry Requirements” on the SCS Optional Schools website

Researching Optional Schools

Even among all of your Optional choices, there can be a lot of variation between schools, so make sure you’re picking the one that’s right for your student.

Both Memphis School Guide’s school profiles and the SCS Optional Schools website provide good info on each school.
Check out the current year’s “Open House Schedule” on the SCS Optional Schools website. It can be important to attend the open houses of the schools you’re interested in to get the dates that the school will be giving its Optional admittance tests, as this info doesn’t tend to be published elsewhere. See the special note on kindergartners below for more info, but be aware that many Optional Schools will have a separate open house for prospective kindergarten families.

Admission Requirements

Admission to Optional schools is usually merit-based, and is generally based on a student’s report card, standardized test results, attendance and behavior records.
Each Optional School has its own separate requirements. Some require higher test scores than others, some have multiple Optional programs within the same school with different entrance requirements, and others do not have academic requirements at all. So you’ll want to check the SCS Optional Schools website to confirm requirements before applying.
For neighborhood schools that are all Optional (not a school-within-a-school), zoned students are automatically in the Optional program, whereas transfer students must meet any eligibility requirements.

Applying

The Frequently Asked Questions section of the Optionals School site does a good job of explaining the application process, so read it thoroughly, but here are a few things we want to highlight:

Zoning: SCS invites all interested parents/legal guardians to complete an online Application for Optional Schools regardless of residence. However, applications for students zoned to SCS will be given first priority, and if spaces remain in Optional programs, non-SCS residents may be awarded transfers if requirements are met. Tuition may apply
Testing: All optional schools have entrance requirements. At most Optional Schools, your child must test in. For students who are old enough to have taken the TNReady the previous year, those scores will be used to determine eligibility (see the SCS Optional Schools website for a list of other tests that may be accepted as proof of eligibility). For students who don’t yet have TNReady scores (usually those entering 1st or 2nd grade), your child will need to take the Optional admittance test offered at the school to which you’re applying. Testing typically happens in March, after the enrollment window opens, so go ahead and submit your Optional application, even if you’re not sure your child will test in. Testing dates are generally announced at the school’s Optional Open House in January, or can be obtained by calling the school. Test schedules vary by school, so it pays to speak directly to the Optional coordinator at the school you’re interested in to get the school’s official policy. If you’re listing two choices on your Optional application, your child only has to take one test.
Choices: You can put up to two choices on your Optional application. But know that if your first choice is full and there’s space in your second choice, your child will be placed in your second choice, and NOT on a waitlist for your first. If you are put on a waitlist for either choice, you may receive notification of available space in the school any time before (or even up to a week after) school starts in the fall.
Notification: You should receive word within 10-12 weeks after submitting your application, but if you need to know sooner (to know whether to put down a deposit at a private school, for example), check in directly with the school’s principal, or notify the Optional Schools office in writing about your situation . If applications exceed spaces, the first 80 percent are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and 20 percent are chosen by lottery.

A Special Note on Kindergartners

With a few exceptions, most Optional programs don’t start until 1st grade. You can check out which schools do offer Optional programs in Kindergarten, through the current year’s “Available Spaces” page on the SCS Optional Schools website. If you want your rising kindergartner to start school at the Optional School that you hope they’ll attend in 1st grade, you’ll want to secure a spot in the school’s non-Optional kindergarten. For more information, see SCS’s Optional Schools FAQ.