Photo Gallery | Parents camp outside Memphis City Schools headquarters
Parents lined up before sunrise Friday morning in the cold, camping out to try to get their child into the Memphis City Schools optional program.
Optional School applications aren't available until 6:30 Tuesday morning, but many parents are already out hoping to be among the first when the doors open.
The numbered, bar-coded applications secure a spot in line and allow parents to apply in person or online through next Friday.
Optional Schools allow parents to tailor their child's education to best suit their needs, whether focusing on fine arts, college preparatory programs, or one of the various theme-based programs.
According to the Memphis City Schools' website, the optional schools provide a priceless value in world-class education.
The optional programs are tuition-free for Shelby County residents.
Parents of applicants are usually notified by mail regarding the status of their child's application within six to eight weeks of the initial application date.
