Open Enrollment Frequently Asked Questions
2024-2025

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What is Open Enrollment?

Open Enrollment is an opportunity for each student who resides permanently within the boundaries of Sacramento City Unified School District to apply for enrollment for schools (Grades TK-8) within the district, when space is available. 

Who is eligible to apply?

Only those students who reside within the SCUSD attendance area are eligible to participate in the Open Enrollment process.

How many schools can my student apply to?

Students may apply to up to two school programs. 

Which schools have additional requirements for admission?

What schools do not have an attendance area boundary assignment?

Can I make a change to my student’s application?

Yes, changes can be made to a submitted application anytime during the application window, between February 5 – February 23, 2024. 

Please be sure to:

  • update the Rank Choices (Step 4) if a change is made to the Program Selection (Step 3) in order for the application to be processed correctly.
  • resubmit edited applications by February 23, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. to be considered.

How will we know you received my student’s application?

Once you successfully submit the open enrollment application, there will be a confirmation screen and notification confirming the submission. Families will receive the notification based on what preferences (email, text message or both) were selected when registering. Families can log into their SchoolMint account at anytime to see status of their application(s).

What is the Annual Update and how do I fill it out?

If your student is currently enrolled in SCUSD, you must also submit the Mid-Year Annual Update through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal by February 23, 2024 for your application to be eligible for the Open Enrollment lottery. View directions on how to complete an Annual Update form to verify your address and contact information. 

If you do not have an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, request an activation key from your student’s current school office to create an account. Once you have an active Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, follow the steps to complete the Annual Update form.

Should I register my incoming kindergartener in his/her neighborhood school before I apply for Open Enrollment?

It is recommended that you register your incoming kindergartener in his/her neighborhood school ( i.e. school of residence) before or after you apply for Open Enrollment in case your child is not selected through the lottery. Learn how to register for Kindergarten.

My student will turn 5 after June 2, 2025. Can I apply for transitional kindergarten (TK)?

SCUSD can only accept applications for under-age TK applicants that:

  1. have a sibling at the school site they are applying to
  2. has an Individual Education Plan (IEP)

Applicants will be required to provide documentation on both these requirements during the application process for verification. 

All other under-age applicants can apply for a waiver to be placed after school begins for the 2024-2025 school year.  Please fill out this webform and the Enrollment Center will contact you if space is available after school starts. 

I want my student to be enrolled into transitional kindergarten (TK) even though they would qualify for kindergarten. Can I still apply for TK?

If your student’s date of birth falls after 9/1/2019, you must complete the following additional step to be admitted into the Open Enrollment Lottery for kindergarten. 

  1. Parent/ Guardians must request a meeting with the requested school(s) principal to discuss the reasons for your request by Friday, March 1, 2024.
  2. The principal must then email their Instructional Assistant Superintendent and the Enrollment Center Director with the approval/denial status of the request. 
  3. Once approved, your student will be allowed into the Open Enrollment lottery. 

I want my student to be enrolled into kindergarten even though they would qualify for 1st Grade. Can I still apply for kindergarten?

If your student’s date of birth falls before 09/2/2018, you must complete the following additional step to be admitted into the Open Enrollment Lottery for kindergarten. 

  1. Parent/ Guardians must request a meeting with the requested school(s) principal to discuss the reasons for your request by Friday, March 1, 2024.
  2. The principal must then email their Instructional Assistant Superintendent and the Enrollment Center Director with the approval/denial status of the request. 
  3. Once approved, your student will be allowed into the Open Enrollment lottery. 

Do all schools participate in the Open Enrollment?

No. Not all district schools participate in the Open Enrollment process. Some schools reach their grade level enrollment capacity prior to the Open Enrollment time period.

What happens if I am interested in a school that doesn’t participate in Open Enrollment?

Parents can apply for an intra-district permit and will be contacted if/when space becomes available. 

Is transportation provided by the school district to my Open Enrollment School?

No, transportation is not provided for Open Enrollment Students. Parents are responsible for transporting their Open Enrollment students.

Can I use my work address for my student to apply?

The Sacramento City Unified School District interprets the Allen Bill in the following ways:

  1. A parent/guardian is required to provide on letterhead a statement from the employer verifying employment and the work address.
  2. Since our district utilizes addresses for placement, in order to establish residency the student must enroll in the neighborhood school associated with the work address. So for example if the work address is associated with California Middle School the student must enroll in California Middle School (IF) the school has space for the student. If the school does not have the space, the student cannot enroll.
  3. Once this is complete and the student is attending, the student can then apply for any programs through the High School Specialty Program (HSSP) or Open Enrollment (OE).
  4. Families cannot use their work address to apply for the HSSP or OE if they are not attending our school(s) through the Allen Bill currently.
  5. Residency is established by enrolling.

Students who live outside the district boundaries may apply April 15, 2024 – May 3, 2024 to schools or specialty programs that still have openings. 

Can I turn in a late application for my student?

All applications must be turned in by 5:00 p.m on Wednesday, February 23, 2024. No late applications will be accepted.

When do I find out if my student is accepted? 

Notification will be sent to families through SchoolMint on March 11, 2024. Families will receive the notification based on what preferences (email, text message or both) were selected when registering.

Are translation services available during the application process?

The application uses Google Translate and can be translated into over 100 languages. 

If my TK student is registered for their Open Enrollment school, will my student continue at the same school for kindergarten?

Students will be automatically enrolled in kindergarten for the 2025-2026 School Year at their neighborhood school. Find your neighborhood school(s) by using our SchoolFinder tool. 

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is only available at 39 of Sacramento City Unified School District schools, so all TK students* living within district boundaries are transitioned back to their neighborhood school for traditional kindergarten enrollment. Each neighborhood school has a defined geographic boundary and is intended to serve the students who live within that geographic boundary. 

Students that apply for enrollment at the school they attended for transitional kindergarten will be given priority in the Open Enrollment lottery for kindergarten. Open Enrollment for the 2025-2026 School Year will begin in February 2025. 

* TK students currently enrolled at one of our schools without a geographic attendance boundary (A.M. Winn, Alice Birney, Leonardo da Vinci, and New Joseph Bonnheim) will continue at the same school for kindergarten.

Does my student have the right to return to their original neighborhood school after registering in Open Enrollment?

After accepting placement, the open enrollment school becomes your student’s neighborhood school for grades K-12. When the student reaches the next school segment (elementary to middle school, middle school to high school), they will be enrolled back into their neighborhood school based on their residence. 

In order to return to their original neighborhood school, you must apply for an intra-district permit through the Enrollment Center April 15, 2024 – May, 3 2024. Intra-district permits are requests and not a guarantee for placement.

My family is moving outside of the SCUSD boundary. What will happen to my student’s acceptance?

If you move outside of the SCUSD boundary, it voids all open enrollment and you must register your student with the new school district. 

I live within the SCUSD boundary, but my student attends a private school. Can my student apply through Open Enrollment?

Yes. Learn more at https://www.scusd.edu/oe-application-process. 

If my student is attending a SCUSD School on an inter-district permit (i.e., you live outside the district boundaries) can I apply through Open Enrollment?

No. Students who live outside the district boundaries are not eligible. Students who live outside our district boundaries can apply for a permit April 15, 2024 – May, 3 2024. 

I live outside of the SCUSD boundary. Can my student apply through Open Enrollment?

No. Students who live outside the district boundaries are not eligible. Students who live outside our district boundaries can apply for a permit April 15, 2024 – May, 3 2024. 

I live outside of the SCUSD boundary and one of my students already attends a SCUSD school. Do my other students have sibling preference? 

No.

I am a SCUSD employee and live outside of the SCUSD boundary. Does my student have preference to attend the school I work at?

No. However, students who live within our district boundaries whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is at the selected school are given lottery priority. 

How does the lottery work?

Open Enrollment is not a first-come, first-serve basis. You may apply anytime during the application window to be considered.

SCUSD uses a computerized, third-party lottery system to place students at their specialty program of choice. A lottery must be implemented if applications exceed the grade capacity at the requested program.

One of the following lottery scenarios will occur:

  1. Your student is selected for their first school of choice and receives a notification communication to register. 
  2. If your student applied to only one school of choice and was not selected, they will be placed on a waiting list.
  3. If your student applied for two schools of choice and was not selected for their first choice, the computer will look for their second choice. Note: Second choice selections are placed behind all first choice selections.
  • Your student is selected for their second school of choice and receives a notification communication to register.
  • Your student is not selected for their first or second specialty program choice. They will be placed on a waiting list for their first choice only.

What happens if my student doesn’t get accepted to the first or second school of choice?

Your student will only be placed on the waiting list for their first choice. Placement from the waiting list occurs only if space becomes available.

SchoolMint will send out an automatic notification if space becomes available.

Students who apply to a school and have not met the admissions requirements will not be included in the lottery. If the student hasn’t applied to another school of choice, the student must attend their neighborhood or current school.

If my student is accepted to their 2nd choice, will they be put on the 1st choice waiting list?

No. 

Who has priority in the lottery selection process?

Lottery Selection Priorities

First priority

  • Siblings of students already in attendance at the selected school and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

Second priority

  • Students whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.

Third Priority – Current SCUSD TK Students Only

  • Students who apply for kindergarten at the school they attended for TK will receive priority. 

Schools without Attendance Boundaries

First priority

  • Siblings of students already in attendance at the school and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

Second priority

  • Students whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.