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SAISD Enrollment Guide for Choice Schools in 2024–25

December 13, 2023

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San Antonio ISD SAISD Burbank High School classroom
San Antonio ISD SAISD Burbank High School classroom

San Antonio ISD has a wide range of choice schools, serving grades Pre-K through 12, and offering diverse education models such as dual language, project-based learning, Montessori, International Baccalaureate, as well as dual-credit and career-focused programs. On December 1, 2023, SAISD Choice Schools recently began accepting applications for enrollment for the 2024–25 school year. Families can submit applications for the lottery through February 15, 2024. We have put together a guide to help you learn more about SAISD Choice Schools—including the impact of rightsizing—and take steps to enroll your child for the next school year.

About SAISD

Founded in 1899, SAISD is the third largest school district in Bexar County, and the 13th largest in Texas. The district boundaries include San Antonio’s central business district, world-renowned tourism hubs, upscale historic neighborhoods, and areas of multigenerational poverty subject to redlining. Over the past several decades, SAISD enrollment has been in decline, largely due to demographic changes such as lower birth rates and smaller households, but also due to the growth of charter schools.

Superintendent Dr. Jaime Aquino became SAISD’s top leader on May 3, 2022. The greatest challenge that Aquino and the Board of Trustees currently face is rightsizing: the process of closing or redesigning schools to adjust to the changing needs of the district, ensuring that all students and schools receive equitable funding. On our site, we have created a blog post that analyzes the final recommendation on rightsizing, approved by the SAISD board on November 13, 2023, as well as a blog post that offers options for families affected by rightsizing.

Under Aquino’s leadership, SAISD continues to pursue a System of Great Schools model—a strategy launched by Pedro Martinez, who served as superintendent from 2015 to 2021. The theory is that a traditional public school district can evolve into a 21st century education system by adopting some of the best practices of charter schools, such as offering families a variety of educational models, giving more autonomy to campus-level school leaders, and closing the least effective schools in the portfolio. These strategies give traditional public school districts the opportunity to effectively compete with charter schools for student enrollment, and they have the long-term effect of raising the overall quality of public education in a community.

To read more about SAISD in the news, we recommend that you click on the articles linked at the bottom of this post, and visit SAISD’s newsroom. Also, we invite you to join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook and ask questions; the group includes current SAISD families who can comment with answers based on their own experiences.

San Antonio ISD SAISD Burbank High School library

SAISD Choice Schools

In 2024–25, San Antonio ISD will operate over 70 schools, of which approximately 40 are choice schools or have a choice/magnet program. Aside from YWLA Secondary, SAISD magnet programs are not selective—there is no additional screening or testing for students to enroll. On their most recent district report card, SAISD earned a B; the list below includes links to the most recent school report card for each campus. 

SAISD’s Office of Access and Enrollment Services has online resources and in-person help for families who are navigating choice schools. Here are some quick links to essential information on the web:

To get individualized help with SAISD applications and enrollment, reach out to the staff at the Office of Access and Enrollment Services at 210-554-2660 or text them at 210-309-3259. Email them at choice@saisd.net.

These videos, in English and Spanish, explain more about the enrollment system.

Download the free San Antonio Charter Schools app for an interactive map that includes these campuses and many more. You can also find campus information about choice schools in SAISD choice schools (and other networks) on our page Guide to Charter Schools in San Antonio.

San Antonio ISD SAISD Burbank High School student art

SAISD Registration & Enrollment at Choice Schools

Families who are interested in enrolling their students at SAISD can apply online; paper applications are available upon request. According to the school choice timeline, the application window for 2024–25 opened on December 1, 2023. The deadline to submit an application for lotteries is February 15, 2024; families will still be able to submit applications after this date, but they will be added to the waiting list based on when they applied. The first round of 2024–25 offers will be announced by March 1, 2024; the deadline to accept those offers is March 22, 2024. Students on waiting lists will begin receiving offers as early as March 19, 2024, and that will continue into the new school year. Find more information on the Choice Schools FAQ.

SAISD dates
SAISD dates

SAISD is offering information sessions about choice schools and for particular programs and campuses, both in-person and virtual. Learn about upcoming events at saisdchoice.com and on social media.

We also recommend following these SAISD social media accounts:

In addition, please join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook to post questions and search for previous discussions about SAISD enrollment at choice schools. The group includes current SAISD families who will comment and share about their own experiences at SAISD Choice Schools.

San Antonio ISD SAISD Burbank High School study room

Organizations That Lift Up SAISD

While SAISD is experiencing this period of transformation, we encourage our readers to not just sit on the sidelines, but to get involved in the effort. The success of SAISD benefits the whole community, from students and their families, to a well-educated workforce for the future. Here are some ways to get involved:

San Antonio ISD is going through a difficult transition because of the rightsizing process. Nevertheless, the district continues to innovate with new school models and is striving to offer more equitable resources at campuses across the district. The trend is towards offering higher quality education that will prepare students for careers of the future.

Charter Moms Chats

Watch Karen Galván, Special Projects Coordinator, and Diane Fernandez, Executive Director, both at the Office of Access and Enrollment Services at San Antonio ISD, speak with Inga Cotton on Charter Moms Chats on December 13, 2022 at 4:00 PM Central live on Facebook and YouTube.

Karen Galván is the Special Projects Coordinator in the Office of Access and Enrollment Services at San Antonio ISD. SAISD has about 40 different Choice offerings open to all students both inside and outside the district, including two high schools recognized among the best performing in the nation.

Diane Fernandez is the Executive Director of the Office of Access and Enrollment Services at San Antonio ISD.

Read More About SAISD & SAISD Enrollment