Frequently Asked Questions
about Middle School and High School
Enrollment for
2009-2010
What's a middle school
"region"?
Middle
schools are grouped into regions for purposes of determining
assignment priority and transportation. A middle school region
includes a group of elementary school reference areas. Each region
has one or two regular middle schools. Students who apply during
Open Enrollment will be given an assignment priority if they choose
a school in their region. (Priorities for special programs may
vary.) To find your region, call or visit Enrollment Services or
the Bilingual Family Center.
What's a "reference area "?
A
"reference area" is a geographic area surrounding an elementary
school. Every student has one elementary reference area school
based on the student's home address. Elementary reference areas are
combined into middle school regions, which are used to determine
both assignment priorities and transportation eligibility for
middle school students.
Are there "regions" for high schools?
No. All
high schools are part of the same region, which is District-wide
for Seattle Public Schools.
When will I find out my child's school
assignment?
If you submit an Early
Sibling Application in the fall for an eligible student, you
receive assignment information in late February. If you apply
during Open Enrollment, we will mail your assignment information
(and waiting list information if applicable) at the end of
May.
What happens when a school doesn't have space for all the students
who want to go there?
Sometimes there are
not enough places at a school to accommodate all students who list
that school as a choice. When this happens, tiebreakers determine
which students will be assigned to the school. Tiebreakers apply
during the Open Enrollment period in the following order:
1.
Sibling: A child gets priority to attend a school
where a brother or sister living in the same household attends in
2008-2009 and will continue to attend in 2009-2010.
2. Region:
For middle
schools with Grades 6 to 8 only:
Students who live in a middle school region get assignment
priority to the comprehensive middle school(s) in their region over
those who live outside the region. Refer to pages 18-19 of the Secondary Enrollment
Guide for more information. (Special programs may vary.)
For high schools:
This tiebreaker does not apply; the entire District is
considered as the region.
For alternative schools:
For alternative schools, the region might include a
combination of elementary school reference areas. Regardless of
where they live, students can apply for any alternative school.
Students in certain elementary school reference areas get
assignment priority for designated alternative schools, and may
also get yellow school bus transportation.
3. Special
Program Preference:
Students reassigned to
a different school for 2009-2010 because their school or program
closed will receive priority, after region priority but before
distance or lottery priority. See “My child’s school is
closing” on page 36 of the Secondary Enrollment
Guide for a list of who is eligible for this
priority.
Fifth graders at
Thornton Creek receive this preference when applying for sixth
grade at Salmon Bay. Fifth graders in the language immersion
program at John Stanford International School receive preference
when applying for sixth grade at Hamilton.
4.
Distance:
For
comprehensive middle and high schools, a student living closer to a
school has priority over a student living further away. Distance is
calculated as the straight-line distance from the home to the
school.
This
tiebreaker does not apply for assignments to alternative middle and
high schools or to Spectrum or APP programs. Tiebreakers for
alternative and non-traditional schools, including whether or not
distance applies, are included with each school’s
description.
5.
Lottery: Each student is given a random
three-digit lottery number. If tiebreakers 1 - 4 do not break the
tie, then the student's lottery number will be used to determine
the assignment.
What are the tiebreakers for
Spectrum?
Tiebreakers for middle
school Spectrum programs are: (1) siblings, (2) region, (3) Special
Program Preference for students at closed schools, and (3)
lottery.
What happens if I don't get my first choice school?
This answer applies ONLY for applications received
during the Open Enrollment period. You are more likely to be
assigned to one of your choices because both the ORDER of your
choices AND the tiebreakers are considered at each stage of the
assignment process. Here is how the process works:
1. All
applications received during Open Enrollment (March 2 – March
31, 2009) are processed together.
2. We attempt
to place all students at their first choice schools. When there are
more applicants than spaces, we apply "tiebreakers" to determine
the assignment.
3. If your
child is not assigned to his/her first choice school during this
first round, he or she will be put on a waiting list for that first
choice school. (A student may be on only one waiting list. If you
would rather have your child on the waiting list for one of your
choices other than your first choice, you can indicate your
preferred waiting list school on the school application. Your child
will be placed on the waiting list for your preferred wait list
school only if he/she is assigned to a school you ranked lower on
your application than the waiting list school. Otherwise, the
waiting list school will default to your first choice
school.)
4. Applications
for students who have not been assigned to first choice schools are
processed again based on the second choice school. At this time, we
will review all students assigned to that second choice school.
Your child will be assigned to this second choice school if he/she
has a higher priority (based on tiebreakers) than other students
requesting the school.
5. This process
continues until all students have been assigned.
6. If we
can’t assign your child to any of your choices, he or she
will be assigned to the closest school with available space. This
is called a mandatory assignment.
7. This process
is repeated for applications received early in April. The
applications received during that time will be processed only after
all of the Open Enrollment applications have been
processed.
My child is on a waiting list. What does that
mean?
If space becomes
available at the waitlisted school, we will contact you to offer
admission. Once assignment letters go out at the end of May, you
can check waiting list status on our Automated Assignment/Waiting
List Line at (206) 252-0212. You will need your child’s birth
date and student ID number.
Waiting lists for
2009-10 are maintained until September 30, 2009. After that,
waiting lists are dissolved and reassignments for 2090-10
end.
Can my child transfer to another school during the school year if
I request it?
Between May 1 and the
end of September, we can reassign your child to any school you
request that has space available. Effective October 1, 2009 all
other transfer requests are handled as a transfer appeal. (There
are exceptions for some alternative schools and for elementary
school students with a change in residential address.) Check with
an Enrollment Center for more information.
Can I appeal the assignment?
In exceptional circumstances, parents and
guardians may appeal their student's school assignment. For more
information, visit our web site or contact an Enrollment Center or
the Bilingual Family Center. If you are asking for priority
consideration for a school based on a student's medical or
psychological condition, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
assists students with disabilities. To find out more about
requesting accommodations under Section 504, contact an Enrollment
Center, the Bilingual Family Center or the Seattle Public Schools
General Counsel's Office at (206) 252-0110. For information about
appealing special education assignments, please contact the Special
Education department at (206) 252-0058. It is important to note
that transfer appeals for special education assignments are only
for concerns about building assignment. If you have concerns about
or disagree with your child's program or level of services, you
should raise those concerns with your child's IEP team.
Do I have to go through this process every year?
No. Once a student is
assigned to a school, the student is automatically continued at the
same school through the highest grade unless a change is requested.
Even if you move within the district, your child may continue at
the same school (but may not be eligible for transportation service
from the new address). For students who live or move outside the
District boundaries, please see our nonresident student
information.
I'm moving to Seattle and missed the Open Enrollment period. What
do I do?
Many families relocate to Seattle and we enroll students throughout
the year. We'll be happy to work with you whenever you move. It's a
good idea to take a look at the Enrollment
Checklist (before you pack!) so you know what documents and
information you'll need for school enrollment.
Do I have to live in the Seattle School District for my child to
attend school in Seattle?
Nonresident students
can attend Seattle Public Schools under certain circumstances. For
more information, please view our nonresident student
page.
Last
updated: October 15, 2009
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