School of Choice
Redwood City School District offers choice in education, but what does that mean?
The School of Choice program in RCSD offers families the opportunity to select the program or school that best fits their child's unique needs, interests, and learning styles. With a variety of specialized programs, RCSD's School of Choice provides diverse educational environments to inspire student success and engagement. This flexible approach allows parents to explore the district and find the best match for their child's academic and personal development.
The application process varies depending on whether the student is new to RCSD or a current student, ensuring families have a clear path based on their individual circumstances to explore the best educational options for their child. Please select the appropriate path below.
Welcoming Applicants Committed to the Full Journey
At RCSD, we welcome families to participate in our school of choice process and explore the many excellent schools and specialized programs our district offers. When applying to a specialized program, it is essential that families commit to the full grade span of that program. These programs are carefully designed as cohesive, multi-year learning experiences, and ongoing participation supports stable planning, staffing, and resource allocation. Choosing a program without the intent to stay disrupts the experience for all students. We encourage applications from families fully committed to the program’s full grade span duration.
The Specialized Programs Are:
Compacted Curriculum
3-8 Grades Offered at North Star Academy
400 Duane Street
Redwood City, CA 94062
650.482.2411
North Star Academy's Compacted Curriculum specialized program focuses on compacted curriculum, combining creativity, task commitment, and high academic rigor to support students in developing to their fullest potential. The pace of responsive instruction, the depth and complexity of the grade level curriculum, the types of assignments, and the range of experiences provide a learning atmosphere that promotes excellence. All students are expected to demonstrate personal growth through the development of self-discipline, leadership skills, community involvement, and character growth.
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Please Note: North Star Academy students must pass an entry exam and complete the required paperwork before being added to the school's lottery. Please visit North Star Academy's website for more information about requirements, testing, and placement. The application period for North Star Academy only takes place during the fall of each school year.
Mandarin Immersion
TK, K-5 Grades Offered at Orion Alternative
555 Avenue del Ora
Redwood City, CA 94062
650.482.2412
6-8 Grades Offered at Kennedy Middle School
2521 Goodwin Avenue
Redwood City, CA 94061
650.482.2409
RCSD's Mandarin Immersion program not only provides a rigorous and innovative educational curriculum, but also prepares our students to be future 21st century leaders and the opportunity to learn one of the world’s most prevalent spoken languages. We focus on proficiency in English and Mandarin, achievement of core academic competencies across both languages and a heightened geographical, cultural, and civic understanding of the world through a global lens. The goal is to have the next generation to be confident young adults who can move comfortably and adaptive between languages and cultures.
Learn More About the TK-5 Program
Learn More About the 6-8 Program
Please Note: A private provider teaches Mandarin Immersion at the PreK level. Click here to learn how to enroll in Mandarin Immersion PreK.
Parent Co-Operative
TK, K-5 Grades Offered at Orion Alternative
555 Avenue del Ora
Redwood City, CA 94062
650.482.2412
The Parent Co-Operative program is a model for parents who want to be actively involved in their child’s education. Parents agree to participate in classroom or school activities, parent education, and school leadership activities during the year. We believe that when you have parents and educators working together in a close-knit community, children gain confidence, self-awareness, and the motivation to succeed. Orion's mission is to focus on the education of the whole child while nurturing compassionate global citizens.
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Compacted Curriculum Enrollment Pathway
- Students attend TK-2 at their neighborhood school (Clifford, Garfield, Henry Ford, Hoover, Roosevelt, Roy Cloud, or Taft).
- During the fall of 2nd grade, families apply to attend North Star Academy.
- Students complete 3-8 grades at North Star Academy.
Mandarin Immersion Enrollment Pathway
- Students apply to attend Mandarin Immersion at Orion Alternative Elementary School during their TK-5 academic careers.
- Once completing 5th grade at Orion Alternative, students automatically rollover to Kennedy Middle School to continue their 6-8 grades Mandarin Immersion studies.
Parent Co-Operative Enrollment Pathway
- Students apply to attend Parent Co-Operative at Orion Alternative Elementary School during their TK-5 academic careers.
- Once completing 5th grade at Orion Alternative, students automatically rollover to Kennedy Middle School to continue their 6-8 grades middle school studies.
Spanish Immersion
TK, K-5 Grades Offered at Adelante Selby Spanish Immersion School
170 Selby Lane
Atherton, CA, 94027
650.482.2415
6-8 Grades Offered at Kennedy Middle School
2521 Goodwin Avenue
Redwood City, CA 94061
650.482.2409
In an ever-expanding global economy, our nation will need its future leaders to be both biliterate and have an understanding of multiple cultures. What if your child could learn how to build relationships across cultures as they speak, listen to others in their native language, and learn better verbal and non-verbal cues while increasing their cognitive abilities? Adelante Selby Spanish Immersion School brings together Spanish and English speaking students and families for the opportunity of a promising future of being bilingual, biliterate, and academically enriched.
Learn More About the TK-5 Program
Learn More About the 6-8 Program
Technology Literacy
6-8 Grades Offered at McKinley Institute of Technology (MIT)
400 Duane Street
Redwood City, CA 94062
650.482.2410
MIT students are future leaders and difference makers. Technology is integrated into core curriculum and pathways, bridging the digital divide and giving all students the opportunity for a rigorous and exciting education. In addition to the core subject areas such as accelerated mathematics, students choose from an array of engaging electives such as comics creation, gaming, music, robotics, school broadcast news, virtual reality, 3D design, and much more.
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Spanish Immersion Enrollment Pathway
- Students apply to attend Spanish Immersion at Adelante Selby Spanish Immersion School during their TK-5 academic careers.
- Once completing 5th grade at Adelante Selby, students automatically rollover to Kennedy Middle School to continue their 6-8 grades Spanish Immersion Studies.
Technology Literacy Enrollment Pathway
- Students attend TK-5 at their neighborhood school (Clifford, Garfield, Henry Ford, Hoover, Roosevelt, Roy Cloud, or Taft).
- During the fall of 5th grade, families apply to attend McKinley Institute of Technology (MIT).
- Students complete 6-8 grades at McKinley Institute of Technology (MIT).
Families may also transfer to other neighborhood schools. Priority is given to students who live within the school's neighborhood and, if there are spaces available after the neighborhood children are placed, students who have requested a transfer from another neighborhood are then placed via a random lottery. This means that seats are limited and families transferring from another neighborhood school may be placed on a waitlist.
Should there be more interest than spaces available, waitlists are created after the lottery placements and students are placed at their requested school when a spot becomes available. If a student moves into the area after the open enrollment period and their neighborhood school is full, they will be placed at a school that has openings. They will be placed at the top of their neighborhood school's waitlist and will be placed before any other non-neighborhood students on the waitlist.