Open Enrollment - Choice of Schools Frequently Asked Questions

You will need to submit an application if your student:

• is not currently attending his/her desired school
• is in fifth grade (at a non-charter school) or eighth grade and either does not wish to attend his/her boundary area school or lives outside of the 27J Schools district boundary

You will not need to submit an application if your student is currently:

• in kindergarten through fourth grade and is attending his/her desired school 
• in sixth- or seventh-grade or ninth- through 11th grade and is attending his/her desired school
• in fifth grade (at a non-charter school) and will be attending his/her boundary area middle school
• in eighth grade and will be attending his/her boundary area high school

You will only need to submit an Open Enrollment-Choice of Schools Application if you wish for your student to attend a school other than his/her boundary area school.

If your student will be in preschool, you will not need to submit an Open Enrollment-Choice of Schools Application.  Please visit the preschool webpage for enrollment information.

Yes, an application must be completed for each student. Siblings are considered in the request, but they are not guaranteed to be accepted together.

All district-managed schools (with the exception of Discovery Magnet School) will be accepting open enrollment applications during the priority consideration period. However, Padilla Elementary, Reunion Elementary and Riverdale Ridge High School have limited space available. 

Applications for 2025-2026 Open Enrollment-Choice of Schools are currently available here.

Applications for 2026-2027 Open Enrollment-Choice of Schools will be available beginning Jan. 6, 2026.

The following orders of priority of choice applications will be followed when considering new choice applications for schools with limited grade level or building capacity:

• First priority: 27J Schools students seeking choice placement.
• Second priority: Children of 27J Schools staff members.
• Third priority: Students with a sibling currently attending the desired school.
• Fourth priority: Students with a sibling in 27J Schools who attends a school other than the one the student is applying to attend.

If the Superintendent determines that a school is no longer able to serve choice students due to overcrowding, boundary changes or programmatic changes, the same order of priorities will be used to determine which students may remain enrolled as space allows.

No, transportation is provided only for students attending the schools in their boundary area.

If you are unable to fill out an application online, you may contact the school your student wishes to attend.

Open Enrollment–Choice of Schools is open to students with disabilities. Students with disabilities, however, may not choice into a center-based program as this can only be achieved through the IEP process.

Yes, however a request for transfer must be completed through the school office.

All applications are accepted on a space/program available basis and will be addressed on a first come first served basis and in accordance with 27J Schools policy and the established priorities specified below. 

• First priority: 27J Schools students seeking choice placement.
• Second priority: Children of 27J Schools staff members.
• Third priority: Students with a sibling currently attending the desired school.
• Fourth priority: Students with a sibling in 27J Schools who attends a school other than the one the student is applying to attend.
• Date and Time of open enrollment request

If the Superintendent determines that a school is no longer able to serve choice students due to overcrowding, boundary changes or programmatic changes, the same order of priorities will be used to determine which students may remain enrolled as space allows.