Ocean City Receives 21 Applications for 10 School Choice Spots

The Ocean City School District received 21 applications for 10 spots in the new , Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Taylor said Wednesday.

The deadline for applications was Monday, May 16. 

For the first time, Ocean City is inviting students from outside the school district to apply to attend next year. Students from any town can apply to attend a special science and technology program at no cost to themselves.

Gov. Chris Christie's new program gives school districts $11,500 in aid for each student it accepts in the new program. Ocean City, which faces declining enrollment from sending districts that pay tuition, sees the new program as a way to bring in new revenue and maintain programs.

For the first year, Ocean City created 10 spots (five for 2011-12 freshmen and five for sophomores) in a curriculum that includes the traditional high school requirements but offers a special emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses.

Taylor said Wednesday that the district received more applications from rising ninth-graders than 10th-graders. She said some applicants did not meet minimum criteria and some were from parochial schools (who can be admitted only after all public school students have been considered).

Taylor said the district is waiting on clarification from the state Department of Education on how all those factors play into the selection process. Selection is by lottery among qualified applicants. Admission notices are due on May 27.