What is Open Enrollment? - Putting Children First · What is Open Enrollment? • Open Enrollment is an opportunity for each student who resides ... • A computerized lottery determines

English/OE Frequently Asked Questions 2008-09, 11-20-07/

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1. What is Open Enrollment?

• Open Enrollment is an opportunity for each student who resides permanently within the boundaries of the Sacramento City Unified School District the opportunity to apply for enrollment in any elementary, K-8, middle or high school within the district during the established Open Enrollment application period.

• Applications are completed and received during the Open Enrollment

Period by parents/guardians for up to two schools of choice for enrollment.

• High School 24 hour on-line application begins January 9 and

ends on January 18, 2008. For in-person application at the Serna Center, the dates are January 15 through January 18.

• Elementary, K-8, and middle schools on-line application process

begins January 9 and ends on February 15, 2008. For in-person application at the Serna Center, the dates are February 12 through February 15, 2008.

• A computerized lottery determines if enrollment in the school of choice

has space available for the student. If space is not available in the first or second choice, then the student remains at the school of residence or current school.

2. Who is eligible to participate in the Open Enrollment Program?

• Only those students who reside within the SCUSD boundaries.

3. How can I apply for an Open Enrollment application?

• You can apply on-line at www.scusd.edu., click on the Open Enrollment

link, or, parents/guardians can apply at the Serna Center during the Open Enrollment Period. The Serna Center is located at 5735 47th Avenue.


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4. Is the Open Enrollment application available on the Website and

school sites?

• Yes. You can apply on-line at wwwwww..ssccuussdd..eedduu. and click on the Open Enrollment link.

5. If my child is already accepted and currently attending his/her school

of choice, do I need to apply again?

• No. You do not need to apply again. Once you are accepted and currently attending your school of choice, it becomes your neighborhood school. However, the student may be subject to displacement due to excessive enrollment.

6. Does my child have the right to return to his neighborhood or current

school after acceptance at his/her new school of choice?

• No. You cannot return to your current or neighborhood school. Your new school of choice becomes your neighborhood school. In order to return to your neighborhood school, you must apply in the Open Enrollment again. This rule applies only if space is available.

7. How many school choices can I have?

• You have two school choices.

8. If I am attending SCUSD by an Inter-District Permit, can I now participate in the Open Enrollment Program?

• No. Students attending the district by an inter-district permit cannot

apply through Open Enrollment.

9. Are my chances of getting into my first school of choice better, if I decide to come on the first day to the lottery?

• No. Coming on the first day will not increase or decrease your chances

of getting into your first school of choice. The Open Enrollment application is not based on a first come first serve basis. Open Enrollment is a computerized lottery system.

10. How will students be selected for placement?

Students will be selected according to the following:


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• If space is available per grade level requested at the school of choice, students will be placed. Some schools may not be able to accept any Open Enrollment students because they have reached their grade level enrollment capacity.

• When applications exceed available space, a computerized lottery of all

applicants is held to determine placement. If space is not available in the first or second choice, then the applicant remains at the school of residence or current school.

11. Who has priority in the selection process?

• Elementary, K-8, and Middle School Priorities First priority – Students residing in the school’s attendance area. Second priority – Siblings of a student already in attendance in that school

and who will continue to attend through next year, and children whose parent/guardian is assigned to that school as his/her primary place of employment.

Third priority (administrative priority) – When unique circumstances occur

at a school site, such as school closure, program changes, or overcrowding, the administration may institute a specific priority to meet staffing and housing needs.

Fourth priority – All students who are residents of Sacramento City Unified

School District, but are not included in the first, second, or third priority. • High School Priorities First Priority – Students residing in the school’s attendance area. Second Priority – Siblings of a student already in attendance in that school


Third Priority - All students who are residents of Sacramento City Unified

School District, but are not included in the first, second, or third priority. • Schools With No Attendance Boundaries First Priority – Siblings of a student already in attendance in that school



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Second Priority – All students who are residents of Sacramento City Unified School District, but are not included in the first priority.

12. Can special education students apply through the Open

Enrollment process?

• Yes. Student requiring special programs as a part of their educational plan are eligible for open enrollment based on space availability in both the required program and the school. Students with speech/language services, RSP students and full inclusion students may apply for their school of choice through Open Enrollment.

• The Special Education Department is responsible for placement of special

day class students. Parents interested in their child attending a specific special day class program should contact their Program Specialist to apply for a Special Education Permit. Permits are granted on an individual basis and determined by space availability in each program.

13. Do all SCUSD schools participate in the Open Enrollment process?

• No. Not all district schools participate in the Open Enrollment process. Some schools reach their grade level enrollment capacity and have no space for Open Enrollment.

14. What happens if I am interested in a school that is not participating in

the Open Enrollment process?

• Parent/guardian must go to the school of interest and put the student’s name on the school’s waiting list. This process is done directly at the school site. Parents/guardians do not have to come to the Serna Center.

15. Do I need any documents when I come to the Serna Center to

complete the Open Enrollment application?

• No. Documents are not required when you come to the Serna Center to complete the Open Enrollment application.

16. Does the district assist with translation in completing the Open

Enrollment application?

• Open Enrollment provides translators to assist parents/guardians for communication and completion of the Open Enrollment application during the Open Enrollment Period at the Serna Center at the designated time (See Open Enrollment Calendar).


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17. If I’m unable to come to the Open Enrollment application process, can I designate someone else on my behalf?

Yes. You can designate someone else on your behalf. The designee will need a Letter of Authorization (LOA) with your signature. Please include the following information in the body of the Letter of Authorization: • Name of person coming in on your behalf (Person must provide valid I.D.) • Student’s name and date of birth • Legal parent’s or legal guardian’s name • Student’s legal address • Telephone numbers (home & work) • Current and future grade • Assigned neighborhood school • School of choices in priority order

18. What happens if the student gets accepted into a school of choice,

but did not complete registration by the deadline?

Parents must register the child to the school of choice prior to the established deadline once they receive the letter notifying them of the lottery selection to the school of choice. If registration is not complete by the deadline, the student will be automatically dropped from the Open Enrollment school of choice Acceptance List. The student will remain at his/her neighborhood or current school.

19. What happens if my child doesn’t get accepted to his/her first or

second school of choice?

• Your child will be placed on the waiting list for the school of first choice only. The order of the waiting list is randomly selected by lottery process.

• Placement from the waiting list is determined by space availability by school principal. The school site will contact the parent when space becomes available

• The waiting list is active through the first week of the new school year for traditional schools, and the first week after summer recess for year-round schools.

• Students that apply to a high school specialized program and do not meet the criteria requirement will not be processed for the lottery. (Therefore, the student must attend his/her neighborhood school.)

20. Is kindergarten part of the Open Enrollment process?


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• Yes. If you choose to attend a kindergarten program other than at your neighborhood school, you must participate and complete an Open Enrollment application.

21. Should I register my kindergartener in his/her neighborhood school

and still apply for Open Enrollment? May I register students from private schools that moved into the attendance area?

• Yes. You should register your kindergartener in his/her neighborhood

school. By following this process, you will secure a space for your kindergartener should they not get into their school of choice.

22. If I register my kindergartener in his/her neighborhood school will

this affect my child’s chances of being accepted to his/her school of choice?

• No. Registration of students in their neighborhood school does not have

any effect with the Open Enrollment process. It will not increase or decrease the chances of being accepted to a school of choice.

23. If I registered at the new school of choice, may I change my mind and

return to my school of residence?

• No. Once you complete the process and register at the school of choice, you cannot change your mind. Your school of residence may no longer have space.

24. If my inter-district permit is approved, does this mean I can apply for

the Open Enrollment?

• No. An approved inter-district permit will not allow you to apply for the Open Enrollment. Only an inter-district permit will authorize you to attend SCUSD schools. Remember, Open Enrollment Program is only for students who live within SCUSD boundaries.

25. Where can I get an Inter-District Permit?

• You can get an Inter-District Permit from your own school district that you presently reside. For example: If you live in San Juan Unified School District, you must obtain the permit from SJUSD.

26. Do Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) students have priority in the

Lottery?

• No. GATE students do not receive priority in the Open Enrollment process.


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27. How many applications must a high school student have for the Open Enrollment process?

• If the student is interested in a high school specialized program such as C. K. McClatchy’s Humanities & International Studies Program (HISP), John F. Kennedy’s Program in America and California Explorations (PACE), West Campus, etc. two applications are required. Applications consist of the district Open Enrollment Application Form and the individual Specialized High School Program Application Form.

28. Can I get both the Open Enrollment Application Form and the

Specialized High School Applications Forms from the Serna Center? Yes. The district Open Enrollment Application Form is available on-line or at the

Serna Center and is processed at the Serna Center by an Open Enrollment Technician. The individual Specialized High School Program Application Form can be obtained either at the Serna Center or the high school campus.

29. What happens if I miss the application deadline for the Open

Enrollment process, but I already turned in my High School Specialized Program Application Form to the Principal/Coordinator?

• If you miss the deadline for the Open Enrollment application, you will not be processed for the lottery. You must have the district Open Enrollment Application Form and a Specialized High School Program Application. It is a two-step application process for all high school applications.

30. What is the process to apply for a high school specialized program?

① Parents/guardians must obtain and complete a district Open Enrollment application. ② Parents/guardians must obtain and completed a specialized program

application for the program. ③ Parents/guardians will turn in both applications to the Principal/Program Coordinator at the high school. ④ The Principal/Program Coordinator is responsible for criteria requirement

process. ⑤ The Principal/Program Coordinator will submit the list of students who

met the criteria requirements for the specialized program to the Open Enrollment Office.

⑥ The Open Enrollment Office will only process students who meet the criteria requirements for the lottery.

⑦ The Open Enrollment Office will conduct a random lottery.


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⑧ The Open Enrollment Office will forward the Principal/Program Coordinator the acceptance and waiting lists.

⑨ The Open Enrollment Office will notify the parents/guardians of acceptance based upon meeting the entrance requirements and the lottery results during the week of March 17th.

⑩ Parents must complete registration in person at the school of choice.

31. What documentation do I need to complete registration for High School Specialized Programs?

• Acceptance letter from the Open Enrollment Office • Birth Certificate • Proof of residence • Up to date Immunization • California Standards Test scores and Academic Grades (this depends on the

school requirement)

32. The following schools do not have an attendance area boundary assignment:

Camellia Basic The Waldorf Methods/Social Justice High School Phoebe Hearst Basic Health Professions Leonardo Da Vinci America’s Choice (Dependent Charter) New Tech (Dependent Charter) John Morse Waldorf K-8 Elementary West Campus School of Engineering and Science The Met (Dependent Charter) Genesis (Dependent Charter) 33. The following schools have entrance criteria to be met before the

lottery. For additional information on these schools requirements, please contact the school.

Elementary: Camellia Basic Elementary Phoebe Hearst Basic Elementary High School: West Campus High School PACE (John F. Kennedy High School Specialized Program) HISP (CK McClatchy High School Specialized Program) Air Force JROTC (Hiram Johnson High School and CK McClatchy High School) Navy JROTC (Luther Burbank High School)

NOTE: Please contact Uila M. To’a, Open Enrollment Technician at (916) 643-9075 for Open Enrollment questions. Information can also be found on the website: www.scusd.edu; clink on the Open Enrollment link for details.