Schools
School Choice in Connecticut: Magnet, Technical High Schools, Charters and Private Schools
Your town's public schools are not the only option. How magnet, technical, charter and private schools work and how to apply when you are moving.
The short answer
Connecticut students can apply beyond their town district: inter-district magnet schools and the Open Choice program (through the Regional School Choice Office lottery in some regions), the CT Technical Education and Career System's high schools, public charter schools and private schools. Each has its own application timeline, so check dates as soon as you know your move date.
In Connecticut, your address decides your town’s public schools, but it does not have to decide everything. This guide covers the main alternatives. Application windows can be early in the year, so if you are moving in the spring or summer, check dates right away.
Inter-district magnet schools and the RSCO lottery
Magnet schools are public schools with a theme, such as science, the arts or a particular teaching approach, that enroll students from more than one town. In the Hartford region, parents apply through the Regional School Choice Office, which runs a lottery for magnet seats and for the Open Choice program1. Other magnet schools, such as those in the New Haven area, may run their own applications. Check eligibility (which towns can apply), the application window and transportation.
Open Choice
Open Choice lets students from certain cities attend public schools in participating suburban towns and in some regions suburban students attend city schools, with seats filled by lottery1.
CT Technical Education and Career System
The state runs technical high schools that combine academic courses with career and technical programs, from health technology to manufacturing and construction trades2. Admission is by application. Check which schools serve your area and the application timeline.
Charter schools
Connecticut has a small number of public charter schools, which are tuition-free and admit by lottery when they have more applicants than seats. The State Department of Education lists them along with their data on EdSight3.
Agricultural science centers
Some regional high schools host agricultural science and technology programs that take students from nearby towns. Ask the host district about admission.
Private and parochial schools
Fairfield County, New Haven and Hartford have many independent and religious schools. Admissions often run on a fall-to-winter cycle for the following school year, with financial aid deadlines to match. Contact schools directly as early as you can.
A timeline if you move mid-year
- As soon as you know your town, contact the district to enroll in your neighborhood school.
- Check magnet, technical and charter applications for the next school year and note the deadlines.
- Ask about mid-year openings, which do happen.
- For private schools, ask about rolling admission for students who are relocating.
Enrolling in your district school first
Even if you plan to apply to a magnet, charter or technical school, start by enrolling in your local district. Choice programs often have waiting lists and the district school is where your child will attend in the meantime.
Districts usually ask for proof of residency, such as a lease or closing documents and a utility bill, plus a birth certificate and immunization records. Each district sets its own list, so check the district website or call the central office before your move.
If you are buying a home and closing after the school year starts, ask the district how it handles students whose parents are under contract but not yet living in town. Policies differ.
How to research a magnet school
Magnet schools vary a great deal. Some focus on science and engineering, others on the arts, languages or a particular teaching approach such as Montessori. Start by reading each school’s own description of its theme and daily schedule.
Then look at the practical side. Which towns are eligible to apply? Is transportation provided from your town and how long is the bus ride? What grades does the school serve and what happens after the last grade?
Look up the school on EdSight, the state’s education data portal, for enrollment and performance data3. Compare it with your district school on the same measures.
Visit if you can. Most magnet schools hold open houses or tours during the application season. Ask how students are placed in classes and what support is available for students who join mid-year.
Understanding a lottery
In the Hartford region, many magnet seats and Open Choice seats are filled through a lottery run by the Regional School Choice Office1. A lottery means that meeting the eligibility rules does not guarantee a seat.
Ask how many applicants a school typically has for each seat in your child’s grade, whether siblings get priority and how the waiting list works. Have a plan for both outcomes.
Applying to several schools can improve your chances of a placement, but only apply to schools your child would actually attend. Accepting a seat may affect your place on other waiting lists.
Technical high schools in more detail
The CT Technical Education and Career System runs high schools that combine academic classes with training in a trade or technology2. Students typically explore several trades before choosing one.
These schools suit students who want hands-on learning and a path into a skilled career or further study. Ask about the trades offered at the school nearest you, how students choose a trade and what certifications they can earn.
Admission has its own application and timeline. If your child is interested, contact the school as soon as you know your Connecticut address.
Private and parochial schools
Private schools set their own admissions process and calendar. Many open applications in the fall for the following school year, with interviews, testing and visits over the winter.
If you are moving mid-year, ask whether the school accepts students on a rolling basis when seats open. Some do, especially in lower grades.
Ask about tuition, financial aid, transportation and the school’s daily schedule. Some Connecticut towns provide transportation to private schools within a set distance; ask your town or district whether that applies.
How school choice affects where you buy
If you plan to rely on your district school, the town and street you choose decide where your child attends. In that case, compare districts before you shortlist homes. Our guide to comparing Connecticut school districts shows how.
If you plan to apply to magnet or technical schools, eligibility often depends on your town. Check which towns are eligible for the schools you are interested in before you buy.
For town-level options, see West Hartford, New Haven and Stamford, each of which has a mix of district and choice options in its area. For a budget view of towns whose districts earn top ratings, see top-rated school districts by budget.
Children with additional needs
If your child has an individualized education program (IEP) or a Section 504 plan, contact the new district’s special education office as early as possible. Send copies of current plans and recent evaluations.
Ask how the district will provide comparable services when your child starts and when it will hold a meeting to review or adopt the plan. If you are considering a magnet or charter school, ask how that school delivers special education services.
A checklist for the first month
Request records from your current school. Gather proof of residency, a birth certificate and immunization records for the new district. Enroll in the district school.
Then list any choice programs your child is eligible for, with their application windows. Book visits and note the deadlines on your calendar.
Related decisions
School choices interact with your commute, budget and housing. If you are still choosing a town, start with the relocating to Connecticut guide, compare the money side on costs and money and look at side-by-side pages such as Westport vs Fairfield.
When you are ready to look at homes, get matched with a licensed Connecticut agent who knows the districts in the towns you are considering. Agents cannot tell you which schools to choose, but they can help you find homes inside the boundaries you want.
Comparing choice programs with your district school
When a choice program and your district school both look strong, compare them on the same practical points: travel time, school hours, after-school options, class sizes and the path to the next grade level. A great program with a long bus ride may not be the right choice for every child.
Ask how a student who leaves a magnet or charter program returns to the district school and whether credits transfer smoothly. Understanding the exit path is as important as the entry path.
For towns with several district and choice options nearby, see Fairfield, Norwalk, Milford and Guilford and Madison. For a broader view of town choice, read moving from NYC to Connecticut and the cost of moving calculator for the budget side.
Costs to plan for
District schools, magnet schools, Open Choice, technical high schools and charter schools are public, so there is no tuition. There may still be costs for supplies, activities, sports, trips and after-school care.
Private and parochial schools charge tuition and many also charge fees for books, technology, trips and transportation. Ask for a full list of costs and about financial aid before you apply.
If a choice program does not provide transportation from your town, the cost of driving a child to and from school each day adds up. Include it when you compare options, along with the time it takes.
Keeping track of deadlines
Choice programs each have their own deadlines and missing one can mean waiting a year. Keep a single list of every program you are considering, with its application window, any testing or interview dates and when decisions are announced.
Set reminders a few weeks ahead of each deadline. If you are moving from another state, ask each program whether you can apply before you have a Connecticut address and what proof of residency you will need later.
Moving mid-year
If you move during the school year, your child will usually enroll in the district school for your new address. Choice programs mostly admit students for the next school year through their annual lotteries, so a mid-year move rarely leads straight into a magnet or charter school.
Ask the new district how it handles mid-year enrollment, how it places students in classes and what records it needs. Bring report cards, transcripts, immunization records and any special education plans.
Then look at the choice programs for the following year. Your child will have time to settle in and you will know more about the local options. Our new to Connecticut checklist lists the other tasks for your first months and the Southbury guide covers a town where many students attend a regional district.
Related reading
Common questions
How does the Connecticut magnet school lottery work?
In the Hartford region and some other areas, parents apply through the Regional School Choice Office, which runs a lottery for magnet school and Open Choice seats1. Other magnet schools run their own applications.
Can I apply before I move to Connecticut?
Rules differ by program. Some require proof of residence in an eligible town by a set date. Contact the program or the Regional School Choice Office with your expected move date.
What are Connecticut technical high schools?
Public high schools run by the CT Technical Education and Career System that combine academics with career and technical training2.
Is there tuition for magnet schools?
Most inter-district magnet schools are public and tuition-free for students from participating towns. Ask the school about tuition rules for preschool programs and out-of-area students.
How do I find approved private schools?
The Connecticut State Department of Education publishes information on nonpublic schools. Visit schools directly for admissions and tuition.
Sources
Numbered notes on this page link to the source below. Figures marked To verify come from third-party sources and are still being checked.
General information only. This guide is general information about Connecticut, not legal, tax, financial or real estate advice. Figures come from the sources cited beside them and change often. Confirm anything that matters with the source, the town or a qualified professional.
About this site. Live Love Work Connecticut is an information guide. It is not a Connecticut real estate brokerage, it does not represent buyers or sellers and it does not list, show, negotiate or sell property. If you ask for help, we introduce you to a licensed Connecticut real estate agent. [[REFERRAL_DISCLOSURE]]