De Soto School District increases open enrollment seats

DE SOTO, Kan. (KCTV) - De Soto Public School District is opening its doors to more out-of-district students.

At the April 7 school board meeting, the number of seats for out-of-district Kansas kids jumped from 34 to 138 across their eight schools.

This move is thanks to Kansas House Bill 2553, also known as the “School Choice” bill, allowing students in Kansas to transfer to any public school district within the state, regardless of their residence. The measure was part of a larger education bill that aimed to fully fund public schools and implement several policy changes. The bill was signed into law in 2022 and implemented in the 2024-2025 school year.

De Soto Assistant Superintendent Alvie Cater points to declining enrollment as a contributing factor to their hike in open enrollment availability but expects growth in the coming years.

According to the state board of education, since its implementation, about 1,500 Kansas students have changed school districts under the open enrollment policy. This represents a small percentage, less than 1%, of the total students enrolled in Kansas public schools.

Kansas school districts have some control over which students they admit, but they are required to announce their available seats by June 1st each year and notify applicants of their admission status by the end of July.

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