Welcome to open-enrollment season for kindergarten through 12th grades at many Sacramento schools.

During this period, school districts in the region allow students and parents within their boundaries to apply to schools where the children aren't normally assigned – space permitting.

Here's what happening this week:

Sacramento City Unified opens its 10-day open-enrollment process today. San Juan Unified and Natomas Unified close their applications Tuesday. Elk Grove will accept applications for open enrollment until Feb. 9.

"We think it's important to give students and parents options," said Mary Shelton, chief accountability officer at Sacramento City Unified. "There may be a program across town that better fits your needs. We want students to go to the program of their choice."

District officials and school principals said they recommend that parents and students research their choices, visit campuses and talk to teachers and other families.

Many of the school visitations and recruiting events begin in November and go through December. However, district officials said schools are still welcoming the undecided.

Shelton said school websites are a great resource. She encouraged parents to call to schedule a visit of prospective schools.

"Most high schools allow students to sit in on classes," Shelton said. "That way they get a feel for what it's like to be there, and it's a good way to judge if it's a good fit."

In Sacramento City Unified, 3,684 students applied for open enrollment during the 2010-2011 school year, and 2,935 of those students were placed at one of their top two selected schools. Open enrollment participation dropped slightly from 2009-10, when 3,987 students applied.

"One of my focuses this year has been promoting all the positives we've been doing," said Kennedy High Principal Chad Sweitzer. "Unfortunately, in education, you hear one bad thing and it can really affect a school. We've had years in the past when you have one event and it affects enrollment for years to come until people forget it or you fix it."

Sweitzer said he has been working to promote Kennedy's specialized programs – its Program in America and California Explorations (PACE), ROTC and criminal justice academies. The programs combined have 95 available spots for open enrollment.

"You have to get your brand name out there," Sweitzer said.

He said there is tremendous competition among Sacramento City Unified's magnet programs – PACE, West Campus and McClatchy High's Humanities and International Studies Program (HISP). Those programs require two applications, one to get into the specialized program and another for open enrollment.

Sweitzer said the two questions many parents have when trying select a school are whether their child will be prepared for college and whether the campus is safe.

"It's very stressful choosing what high school to go to," said Sweitzer, who previously was principal at the highly sought-after Sutter Middle School. "The process isn't stressful, but the decision-making process is."

Space availability determines whether a school is a part of the open enrollment process.

When there is space, districts are required to hold an open enrollment period to allow any district family the chance to apply. When there are more applicants than space, a random lottery is held.

No preference is given to students who turn in their applications early in the process. Students who get into their school of choice do not have to apply again.

"I have an 8- and a 10-year-old, and I have yet to go through the angst with this decision," said Casa Roble Principal Jim Shoemake.

When it comes to selecting a high school, Shoemake said he recommends that parents include their child in the entire process and make the decision collectively. He said he has noticed that parents who attend informational meetings with their child tend to have an easier time deciding the right fit.

"Open enrollment: It's a great thing and it's a curse," Shoemake said. "It's sometimes nice to know that's the school you will go to and you have to make it work, but for some of these families it's almost like picking a college. They get paralyzed with so much information."

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Call The Bee's Melody Gutierrez, (916) 326-5521. Follow her on Twitter @MelodyGutierrez.

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