Cab Calloway School of the Arts Choice Application Process

“In times of change, the learners inherit the future while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” – Eric Hoffer

CHOICE PROCESS OVERVIEW

Cab Calloway School of the Arts is a public magnet school in the Red Clay Consolidated School District serving students in grades 6-12. We offer a diverse academic program infused with the arts that strive for the success of all students.

Any prospective student who is a Delaware state resident is invited to apply for admission to Cab Calloway School of the Arts. Students must demonstrate proficiency in at least one of the 9 arts areas offered as majors with the school through a Skills Assessment.

Students residing in the Red Clay Consolidated School District will receive preference in the lottery portion of our process. Enrollment is available in both the 6th and 9th grades.  Students in other grades are permitted to apply, but there is no guarantee of openings in 7th, 8th,10th,11th, or 12th grade.

Students admitted to Cab Calloway do so entirely through the Choice process. No student is automatically assigned to Cab Calloway School of the Arts based on their home address.

APPLICATION PERIOD

The Choice application period will run from the first Monday in November to the second Wednesday in January each year. For the 2024 cycle, these dates are November 6th 2023 to January 10th 2024.

TO APPLY: go to www.schoolchoicede.org and create an account.  Please use an email address that you check regularly.  We advise that you avoid using a Yahoo mail address.  Be sure that you have received your confirmation code both on the site and via email.

Cab 8th graders wishing to remain at Cab for high school MUST complete a Choice application.

Fast Track

Current Cab 8th graders with a cumulative grade of B or above in their art major for their 7th grade year, and meeting behavior and attendance standards throughout 7th grade through the first marking period of the 8th grade year, will NOT be required to complete an assessment and will automatically be placed in the lottery (not a seat). Current 8th-grade students who desire to switch their art major entering the 9th grade or want to add a second art area, must complete and pass the assessment process to enter the lottery for the art major of their choice.

Current 8th graders with a final grade of C or below in their art major for their 7th grade year, 3 or more days of suspension, and/or  25 days or more of absences WILL need to complete and pass the assessment process to be entered in the lottery.

The behavior and attendance components are monitored from the start of 7th grade through the first marking period of the 8th grade year.

A Choice application is required whether you are fast tracked or needing to assess.

ASSESSMENT DATES

Please keep each of the following dates available as assessments and times are scheduled randomly and we cannot guarantee that your student can be rescheduled:

• November 6^th – Choice Window Opens
• November 13^th – Cab Choice Open house
• January 10^th – Close of Choice Window
• Assessment dates:
  • January 6 & 13 (Saturdays)
  • January 17 (Wednesday after school)
  • January 20 SNOW DATE

ASSESSMENT SCHEDULES AS WELL AS DECISIONS FOR ADMISSION ARE COMMUNICATED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE USE AN EMAIL YOU CHECK REGULARLY OR CONSIDER CREATING A GMAIL ACCOUNT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CHOICE PROCESS. APPOINTMENTS FOR ASSESSMENTS WILL BE EMAILED STARTING DECEMBER 2, 2022.  STUDENTS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR CHOICE APPLICATION BETWEEN 11/7 & 12/1 MAY BE SELECTED FOR THE EARLIEST ASSESSMENT DATE.  THERE WILL BE ROLLING COMMUNICATIONS OF THE REMAINING DATES THAT ARE SCHEDULED.

CAB CALLOWAY CHOICE  OPEN HOUSE

This event is scheduled for November 13th at 6 PM. This is an opportunity for you to visit the school, gather information about the Admission process, and see what our arts programs have to offer.

CAB CALLOWAY ASSESSMENT PROCESS

For your student to put their best foot forward, they must take time to prepare for their assessment.

Please review the requirements for assessments in each of their art areas:

• Middle School Rubric and requirement Index
• High School Rubric and Requirements Index
• ARTS DEPARTMENTS

If your student has an IEP or 504 plan and you would like these documents considered for accommodations during the assessment process, please contact the Choice Office, directly to share this information.  (302)552-3789 or [email protected]

CAB CALLOWAY CHOICE APPLICATION PROCESS

Your student will be asked to select at least 1 (but up to 2) Art Majors in which to assess—a first choice and a second choice.

Please follow these steps:

1. If your student is attending a private school, you must pre-register with your feeder school for the 2025 school year.  You can determine your feeder school based on your address here: https://arcgis.doe.k12.de.us/school_locator/You will then pre-register your student by following this link: https://www.redclayschools.com/domain/243 If your student is attending a Delaware public school, regardless of the district, you may skip to the next step.
2. Complete your student’s Choice application any time from midnight on November 6, 2023, to 4:00 PM on January 10, 2024. www.schoolchoicede.org Your student must select one art major within Cab Calloway School of the Arts offerings and may select up to two.  Your student will assess in both areas for eligibility in the lottery.
3. Review Assessment requirements, prepare and practice to give your best effort during your assessment in January. Please wait patiently for your date and time to be assigned.
4. Be on time for your assessment.  Be prepared and demonstrate your passion for the artistic endeavor that you are pursuing.

Information on the Lottery Process:

• Each student who completes an application will be scheduled for arts assessments by CCSA.
• Current Cab Calloway 8th-grade students with a B average or better in their major are placed on an Accelerated Track and entered into the lottery without assessing.
• Any current Cab Calloway 8th-grade student who wants to switch their major must complete and pass the assessment to enter the lottery for the major of their choice.
• Current Cab Calloway 8th-grade students with a C average or less in their major are required to complete and pass the assessment.
• Each student will be scored on their assessment by the instructor. The score is based on a 100-point scale with 60 points or higher passing.
• If the student passes the assessment with a score of 60 or more, the student is placed into the lottery.
• The lottery is run by an off-site computer and forwarded to CCSA.
• The lottery is run for each art major by grade.

Lottery Priority is as follows:

1. Current CCSA Students
2. Red Clay residents with siblings attending CCSA
3. Non-Red Clay residents with siblings attending CCSA
4. Red Clay residents
5. Non-Red Clay residents

During the lottery, each student is assigned a computer-generated random number.  The lottery list is based on priority code and ranked random numbers and invitations are given until all seats are filled by program area.  The remaining students on the lottery list are placed on a ranked waitlist by program area.

Decision notifications will be emailed by the last day of February each year. Please make sure that you enter an email address that you check daily.  The notifications will come from the “DSC helpdesk” or “Choice Office” and depending on your computer security, the email may be sent to your SPAM file.

Scoring Information:

Cab Calloway Assessments are used to determine the student’s potential in our arts programs at Cab Calloway School of the Arts.

• A student scoring 60 or above, out of the possible 100 points, will be included in the Choice Lottery. Invitations will be based on available space by program area with the remaining students being placed on a ranked waitlist by program area.
• A student scoring 55 – 59 points will be automatically waitlisted
• A student scoring below 55 will be denied

If you have further questions, please contact CCSA  (302) 651-2700 or email: [email protected]