COSA timeline in summer

[Anonymous]

I have a rising kindergartener and we have a merit based reason we would qualify for a COSA ( yes I know they’re hard to get, I am aware of that, but I have done my research, and I am pretty confident that we would qualify for it in this case). The thing is, my spouse and I have not decided if we want to pursue the COSA or not, and we may not decide until mid summer, depending on family situations. To anyone who has applied over the summer, and been granted one, how long did the process take? We certainly don’t want to decide that we want to pursue it in July and have it take so long that we must start at one school and then change once the year has begun. Thank you so much.

[Anonymous]

I applied in June and it was approved in weeks, well before the start of the school year.

[Anonymous]

The deadline for applying for the COSA is in early April. You can't apply over the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The deadline for applying for the COSA is in early April. You can't apply over the summer.

But this is for an incoming kindergartener. My child won’t even be enrolled in April so that can’t be true. Do you have a link or reference?

[Anonymous]

What is your merit based cosa?

[Anonymous]

I would call the school you want to go to and see if you can apply for COSA now. You always have the right to go back to your homeschool if you change your mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is your merit based cosa?

Medical needs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would call the school you want to go to and see if you can apply for COSA now. You always have the right to go back to your homeschool if you change your mind.

Ok thank you that’s good advice

[Anonymous]

I applied for a COSA last June and it was approved two weeks later. I’m currently applying for a COSA for my rising K child to attend the same school as their sibling and I had to ask our home elementary school to do a ‘future enrollment’ per the COSA office in order to apply before the April 1 deadline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The deadline for applying for the COSA is in early April. You can't apply over the summer.

But this is for an incoming kindergartener. My child won’t even be enrolled in April so that can’t be true. Do you have a link or reference?

You can register for K in March and then apply for the COSA. The COSA Form
Lists a specific date — last year I think it was April 2.

[Anonymous]

You can apply for COSAs years round. The cut-off might be April whatever, but they entertain (and approve/deny) them at any time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can apply for COSAs years round. The cut-off might be April whatever, but they entertain (and approve/deny) them at any time.

I don't get it - how is the cutoff April if you can actually apply year-round?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can apply for COSAs years round. The cut-off might be April whatever, but they entertain (and approve/deny) them at any time.

I don't get it - how is the cutoff April if you can actually apply year-round?

You can only apply year round for true new hardships.

[Anonymous]

Because mcps says that to encourage cosas to be in before April to help with enrollment projections but they can’t actually ever have a real cut off (new students moving in, change of circumstances etc)